Now two years have passed and vinyl planks have come a long way. The new LifeProof has a core stiffener, and the locks are better. The newest Lumber Liquidator, Home Depot, and Lowes vinyl now look as good as wood lam but can handle dog pee a whole lot better for a great price. No underlayment needed.
I have had Pergo wood laminate floor for 22 years in the kitchen water has never been a problem it still looks new. Pergo is the only brand I would use they were one of the first on the market.
That product at HD separates with use. Their product Lifetime is great but $1.00 more and comes with underlayment attached. I do property management and installed a lot of both products.
The issue that is talked about at 6:15 on pieces not being smooth at connecting points is sometimes attributed to the manufacturing process where a sliver of material is in the mating groove. When the male piece is pressed in, it rides up on that sliver making one side higher or lower than the mate!
Saw another video where the guy showed how to get the boards to be flush with no crack between them. He took a piece of scrap about a foot long and locked it into the board. Then he lifted the edge just enough to wack it with a mallet. It pushed the board he was laying right into place perfectly. He then moved it a bit further down the board and wacked it again. It was so flush that if there weren't a difference in the grain then you would think it was one board.
One thing I wanted to mention is I installed the Lifeproof vinyl flooring and you don't even need a substrate floor with it. Nor do you need to fill the tack strip divots. If you think about it, the divots run alongside the baseboards so not much is going to affect that. There isn't any traffic on that part of the concrete. However the main thing you need to be sure of is that the concrete is flat. If not you may need to resort to a layment method of leveling out the concrete because your vinyl will not snap in evenly. I put down 2 already and only had one issue with the door jam which I had to cut because the wall itself was not straight. As a result my flooring piece had to be cut at a weird angle to still fit into the already messed up space by the door. This allowed me to give it 1/4 in of breathing room for expansion. I would recommend getting concrete screws if you need to install a threshold by your entryway. Most kits do not come with these so they need to be purchased separately. For the most part all my seams are closed. You could use a small amount of Dynaflex sealant to fill in the small area if you really can't afford to do the standard repair which is cutting out the damaged piece and installing a new one in its place but I would see this as a temporary fix. 😎
Enjoyed your video. Great narrative. I have laid 2 houses with the vinyl flooring from Home Depot, except mine was the kind that had adhesive strips that joined the tiles (not glued to the floor). Those are definitely waterproof with NO seepage. The click kind are a pain in the butt. And, I wouldn't spend the money on would laminate at all for the reasons you mentioned.
Absolutely right. The click together laminate is a pain in the ass. I will never use it again after using stick down vinyl. You are right about no water seepage.
"stone polymer core" is nothing to do with "scratch resistance". ;) - scratch resistance is all about "wear layer" (which is the thinnest in Home Depot - 6 mil / Lowe's - 12 mil - still not the best / best would be 20 to 30 mil) - "stone polymer core" would be more resistant to dents ( from heavy stuff/ beds etc.) - Because it''s "core", which is in side/ middle layer.
I was trying to install vinyl flooring tonight and having the same issue with the scenes on the end! We may go with another higher-end vinyl because this is too frustrating, thank you for this video
About 2 years ago bought an entire basement worth of flooring. Turns out they had skirted the rules with their Chinese producers about the amount of formaldehyde. 60 min. did a show on it. I just recently found out. Missed the class action suit. The amounts of formaldehyde were so high, the labs that were measuring it thought their equipment was broke. The CEO got very dodgy quickly when confronted. Beware!
Lol Amazing lamiete today has a waterproof barrier. So topical spills can wipe up up to 48 hours. But if you like Chinese vinyl you must love their drywall
We just had the same issue with Core Lux vinyl tiles from Lumber Liquidators. The tiles went together well on the long side - no uneven edges. However on the short ends they didn't line-up flush and flat. No matter what we did we had raised edges at the seams. Lumber Liq. did the right thing an took the product back. We noted the box said "made in china" does that matter? Are other products better engineered? We wanted vinyl because we are doing a bathroom. We found Home Depot has sheet vinyl (12 feet wide rolls) which they cut for you. No seams should mean no chance of leaking. We bought this, selecting a wood grain pattern, at 49 cents a Sq. ft.! Nice price. We will try this using adhesive.
It makes a difference on which side of the room and what direction you start laying the vinyl. You want the pieces to overlap the piece that is on the floor, not be pressed under it. Also, on the ends, it makes a huge difference if you use a heavy rubber mallet, dead blow hammer when installing.
We installed luxury vinyl planks at our house before we sold and also had that problem with the gaps between the planks. We learned to avoid that from happening, we connected them side by side so the pieces were flush before we connected that row to the next row. It took forever until we figured that trick out and we got the floors done in 3x the time it took before. We replaced the laminate flooring that was previously there which we hated because it did bubble whenever water spilled on it. With little kids and sippy cups, we never knew liquid spilt until it was too late.
Very educational. On my end I chose laminate not because of the cost rather the less chemical alterations to the material. I have chosen to go w as few chemical additives (overall) and while price was also a factor the other factor was the chemicals involved to make the product. I'm def not knocking vinyl product it also comes down to personal choice and what would work better for needs and area in which it will be applied.
Laminate flooring will also have debris in the locking mechanism. I think that’s true with all click together floor. Vinyl is definitely the way to go. It’ll last longer than laminate and is waterproof to a point. The gaps you’re having would have been prevented if you just swapped out those pieces and put them other places. This happens with laminate also.
Can I use polyurethane on my laminate floor to help stop water damage. Just bought the laminate flooring haven’t got it down yet so I don’t want water damage so my question is will polyurethane help protect it from water damage
I put down the expensive life proof brand vinyl from Home Depot in my small kitchen. Good stuff, but some seems wouldn’t quite lock together like needed. Possibly factory debris in grooves. Good tip to clean those out first.
Super helpful the cynic cost more than the wood - it’s because it’s water proof but I don’t have the tools to cut the wood into certain grooves of my house any solutions- I will do wood in my bedroom vynil in my kitchen and bathroom - this was super helpful. I’m wondering about cleaning and mopping
I bought the high end vinyl planking and I'm not happy with it at all. In front of my stove and refrigerator I guess heat variations caused it to separate after only 1 year. I should have gone the extra few dollars for regular hard wood.
The Home Depot engineered click lock with the bamboo is my fav. Good thick top layer. Clicking together is easier than vinyl. Power saws are needed tho.
wear layer and thickness of planks matter .Plus the rubber backing is the best because it keeps the vinyl from moving and cushioning helps the feel of the floor .All flooring moves and shifts and should always be put over the suggested underlayment if it does not come with a cork or rubber backing
Is this for your rental property or your residence? Tenants may treat the flooring different ways. I am looking for flooring for one of my rental properties. Thanks, Mark
Use a grinder with a diamond for tricky long rips and cuts , can do it on the floor while installing or jig saw just make to hold jig as up side down and cut from bottom side of blank so u to scratch it
At 5:50 I had the same issue with HD vinyl a few weeks back. I solved it by putting a spare piece over the seam and hitting it with a hammer a few times. Other Vinyl jobs didn't have this issue so it looks like the type at HD.
I had the same issue with the Lifeproof flooring, and can confirm that if use a scrap piece and hit it with a claw hammer, which gives it a sharper hit, it'll go in and lay flat. Honestly, i just gave several spots solid hits straight on the vinyl with a claw hammer and it went right in. Didn't hurt the vinyl either. Do that at your own risk though. Lol Other than that, it seems like great stuff. Just wish the wear layer was thicker.
Greetings, I posted before, wondering what type of floor you would put down. I have an almost exact apartment situation. 1200 sq ft. And I put down vinyl planks, too. Used the glue type. This is a rental. And the floor looks great. A plus is, when (not if) a section jacks up due to tenant not cleaning or water damage, I can just pop up that plank and glue down another one. My price is about half of yours. And I was quoted an install for about $1/ft. So my total price would have been less than $2400, installed. But I had some guys come in to do the work and I supervised. Your floor looks pretty good. By the way, as you cut and edited, the cat was in the background getting cat fur on your weapon. Then in the next frame the cat disappeared. That was funny. Enjoyed the post. Stay Well
From a professional installers perspective who has installed thousands of sq feet of all these products. I stay away from all click lock type flooring because repairs never come out well. I like the lvt glue down with a great underlament. I use a 5 ply 1/4”.
Don't you just remove the bad pieces and remove the tongue and groove and glue down the replacement pieces? What doesn't turn out? I'm installing it now, so I'm sure I'll need some repairs in the future.
Every manufacturer repair work is different. You follow their instructions. I’ve personally never been thrilled with the results. The first problem is getting it flush again. Not too low or high or it stands out. And if you do get it to look great i never felt like the patch is strong.
Best bet on that but joint is the locking system (normally the female end) has cracked and delaminated slightly. Normally do to a low spot, too much hammering or damaged from transport (normally from placing the boxes down on the but ends too hard)
Right on man. I have the 2.99 floor and watching this video with the grey floor. I had no idea grey was trending. Luckily this is only going in my dining room with some carpet.
I use something like this 4 to 5 years ago in my kitchen, was easy to install and look very good but the finish on top began to go little by little in front of the sink. I have regular laminated in the house and they are not water proof and chip away with time so I will probably replace the floor in the kitchen with vinyl again but i find it sad to know i will have to replace it. I think I will purchase a little more to be able to replace the used one.
This is true. I did a repair in a dental office and he had lots of equipment leakage. So some water got under there and it was a bit moldy as it is hard to dry out.
floating floors sound hollow, hence the quieting underlayment. spend your money on the part you live on , not the product underneath it. go loose lay or glue direct. no tongues or grooves, replace planks if required in the middle of the field without having to disturb the adjacent planks. and you run the planks any direction. 15 mil wear layer minimum residential, 20 mil minimum commercial. Quartz enhanced UV cured urethane wear layer not acrylic. Yo.
As you are installing it you have to tap it with a block to get it to seal properly in some areas not all. And letting it sit at the house for several days at about 70 does wonders!
guarantee it was made in china or Taiwan or Indonesia. Made in the USA always meant quality. Hardly anything is made in the USA anymore. China has to make it quick and poor quality to hurry and ship it here.
@@luiscornejo1481 I've done all that but it still buckled. Long time ago and cheap client. I don't think she wanted to pay extra for the under lament (SP?, auto correct didn't like layment???). The stuff was just a special slick plastic I believe, pretty inexpensive. I didn't get it but got chastised when it buckled in the middle. Left 3/8" to 1/2" gap for expansion and 2 weeks in the same room to acclimate. I dunno, I'm also not a professional but suggested it needed something underneath and that was in the instructions as well. Like the one dude said, "you get what you pay for".
@@fbsurveyor some of these more inexpensive materials have restrictions on what can be on them. Believe it or not. Refrigerators have to have a transition strip dividing that piece from the rest because it won't let the floor move and will have the seams give way. Sorry to hear it buckled. From past experience I don't install cheap laminates or LVP and nothing from lumber liquidators.
I have recently replaced 3 floors and I i agree with everything said. I bought the expensive lifeproof brand for my kitchen and I have the same raised problems... So pissed because it's so finicky.
We just got lifeproof and installed in the living room. We were going tondo the kitchen but now leaning towards tile. How has the lifeproof held up now in ur kitchen and other areas?
My apartment floor looks horrible and the wood tiles are sticking up you can see it from far with all kinds os stains everywhere. This vinyl will be great for me a cheap too.
I installed regular laminate from Costco several years ago. Install went well with no issues. That said, it turned out to be a disaster. Every spot water was spilled resulted in swelling and with several pets and their accidents the flooring is now worthless. We also had a leak from a water line that was behind the fridge. It was a tiny pinhole spray that took a while to notice. It ruined a large section of the floor also. Unless you live a hermetically sealed life with no pets and no spills don’t install regular laminate flooring. Get the waterproof kind. You will be happy you did.
I am using Costco laminate floors, my baby spoils “water” every day, no issues since last 2 years. Use Rejuvenate laminate polish. Easy to apply dries in an hour. No smell.
Mod MINI your answer is in your question. When you apply the product it goes into the gaps of laminate planks and creates a silicone layer. It makes the flooring somewhat water resistant. But the laminate flooring has to be high quality (ex: from costco). I am very happy with laminate flooring from Costco. (15mm)
Lvt.. laminated vinyll tile..easy install..floating floor ..rubber back no vapor barrier needed..looks nice..speed square knife rubber mallet..tape measure..(knee pads lol) gravy...can knock out a whole foot ball field of this stuff!!
You got to watch out for the end joint unevenness DURING the install. If they don't or won't go together,replace those two pieces with new ones and save them for end cuts or beginning cuts and don't use those ends. Something is wrong with them if you can't see anything with the naked eye. The tolerance specs for these smaller tongue and grooves are small so it doesn't take much for them to get out of tolerance and result in raised end joints. Debris is usually the blame but not always. Good job overall.
I love the vinyl plank, 8 mil is the best. You can be aggressive with it (using a scrap piece to lock it in) and it takes abuse after installation. If there is a water leak you can remove the flooring, dry it out, repair subfloor if needed, and put the same planks back where they were. I've done many floors and if there is water involved (bathroom, laundry room, kitchen) I always tell the customer, go with vinyl plank, it's worth the extra money.
@@desiree7790 , don't get the stick ones. If you don't line them up perfectly it leaves a gap between the top surfaces and you can't pull them apart. Get the click together. Like I stated earlier you can take them apart if necessary, you can't with the stick ones.
Thank you so much. That's what I was thinking. You have just helped me confirm my decision. I'm also looking at screening my floor. There is dog urine on the cement in the room. I have sprayed simple solutions and is much better but want to screed now as a back up incase smell comes back. Our country dont have odours blocking like killz or zinseer. Hoping screed will stop any smell from arising through the cement to the under veldt and plastic they install under. Thank you for the reply
👍Great job. I want to install same flooring in the cabin on my boat - 🤔what do y’all think? I want to put it directly over the carpet as padding (and hopefully warmth) because the boat manufacturer put the carpet in over the fiberglass and it is a pain in the azz to remove the carpet. 💞
Not much you can do if it's commercial height carpet you might be able to get away with putting a cork underlay ment (thickest you can find) then lay vinyl plank. In a boat you'll need a stone core or the huge temperature changes well ruin the other vinyl floors
As with anything, there are levels to quality to VP flooring too. If you go cheap, you will see more irregularities. I had my entire downstairs in LVP. The result is stunning. I compare price/quality point with price/quality point. Most of the issues you describe are inherent with a lower quality product, not necessarily VP flooring as a whole. That is with one exception. With VP flooring, you are correct in that you do have to level out significant dips in your sub floor, or you will feel it once the VP flooring is installed. That do is the case no matter the quality.
Put the headers in first, smack the rest in with your hand then tap with a tapping block to finish clicking it in and you won’t have that issue. Ive installed several thousands of feet of cheap depot stuff over the years. I’d always suggest lvp over laminate, holds up way better, also most laminate requires underlayment, though some of the higher end stuff is adding padding.
If dogs pee on it.... it is not water proof in the edges. Pee flows through the grooves and UNDER THE FLOOR. That is a MAJOR problem if you spill liquids or have dogs.
Why would anyone lay a floor that isn't water tight? Click and Lock still leaves enough of a gap for liquid to seep through, wiping it up still doesn't clean the tile. I love my peel and stick LVP, it's water proof, planks are tight, it doesn't click when we walk on it, it's warmer then ceramic or the other click and lock plank and it looks fantastic.
Yes its waterproof but in most cases the glue isin't on peel and stick flooring. Water can seep in from mopping and still release the glue from the floor and backing over time......
6:12 Same happened to me. I have a wood square block and place on the high part and hitting with the hammer, solved problem. Just one side of the vinyl problem.
Lu Cho vinyl is so durable you don’t even need the piece of wood, you can tap directly with the hammer. TAP not SMASH! Some products snap together at the end and you don’t have to tap them at all.
I was told to trim the sides off of a piece of scrap and use that as the tapping block. But you should get one of those metal zig-zag tools to pull in difficult parts on the edge.
I've installed both products...the HD Lifeproof brand in our beach house kitchen about 320 sf... and the shitty HD Home Decorators brand in a laundry room in our primary home....about 64 sf. The Home Decorators brand is shit and difficult to lay. I don't doubt its durable enough and will last but its a pain in the ass to work with. The Lifeproof lvp is good stuff.
@@vicolvera1282 every house is different so it depends on your needs. But basically stay away from laminate, it's a past. Not durable and cheap look. The most durable is vinyl plank (not from home Depot) then engineered Hardwood it's also pretty durable.
vic olvera I recommend vinyl over anything except hardwoods. It’s perfect for basements or slabs. It can be later on top of existing floors in good structural condition. It can be taken up and put back down. I recommend Cortec or Neptune LVP Floors!
I installed LVP ( Life Proof brand) in my kitchen. The refrigerator leaked and water got underneath my floor. Will it dry out on its own over time or do I need to remove the flooring.?
yep! We own a flooring store, and when people ask if we will install their product they purchased at Home Depot? NOPE! We also get those Home Depot customers a year later asking us to rip it out and put new flooring in for them. Go to your local small Mom and Pop shop. That is their specialty.
What floor do you recommend besides hard wood for a home with pets? Specifically one that is lower in maintenance and lasts longer. I have no ideal about flooring but plan on getting rid of carpeting soon. For the whole house including kitchen and basement. Bathrooms are still good.
I just did this and three of my seams did the same. But all toll, the easiest but, it HAS to be dead straight. And mine was, but my room is definitely not a perfect square!
Now two years have passed and vinyl planks have come a long way. The new LifeProof has a core stiffener, and the locks are better. The newest Lumber Liquidator, Home Depot, and Lowes vinyl now look as good as wood lam but can handle dog pee a whole lot better for a great price. No underlayment needed.
I have had Pergo wood laminate floor for 22 years in the kitchen water has never been a problem it still looks new. Pergo is the only brand I would use they were one of the first on the market.
That product at HD separates with use. Their product Lifetime is great but $1.00 more and comes with underlayment attached. I do property management and installed a lot of both products.
Done both. Life proof from home depot is the best.
The issue that is talked about at 6:15 on pieces not being smooth at connecting points is sometimes attributed to the manufacturing process where a sliver of material is in the mating groove. When the male piece is pressed in, it rides up on that sliver making one side higher or lower than the mate!
Thank you. I was just looking at those planks today.
Marcos H I recommend getting something with a cork backing!
Saw another video where the guy showed how to get the boards to be flush with no crack between them. He took a piece of scrap about a foot long and locked it into the board. Then he lifted the edge just enough to wack it with a mallet. It pushed the board he was laying right into place perfectly. He then moved it a bit further down the board and wacked it again. It was so flush that if there weren't a difference in the grain then you would think it was one board.
Thank you!!! Appreciate it!
One thing I wanted to mention is I installed the Lifeproof vinyl flooring and you don't even need a substrate floor with it. Nor do you need to fill the tack strip divots. If you think about it, the divots run alongside the baseboards so not much is going to affect that. There isn't any traffic on that part of the concrete. However the main thing you need to be sure of is that the concrete is flat. If not you may need to resort to a layment method of leveling out the concrete because your vinyl will not snap in evenly. I put down 2 already and only had one issue with the door jam which I had to cut because the wall itself was not straight. As a result my flooring piece had to be cut at a weird angle to still fit into the already messed up space by the door. This allowed me to give it 1/4 in of breathing room for expansion. I would recommend getting concrete screws if you need to install a threshold by your entryway. Most kits do not come with these so they need to be purchased separately. For the most part all my seams are closed. You could use a small amount of Dynaflex sealant to fill in the small area if you really can't afford to do the standard repair which is cutting out the damaged piece and installing a new one in its place but I would see this as a temporary fix. 😎
Enjoyed your video. Great narrative. I have laid 2 houses with the vinyl flooring from Home Depot, except mine was the kind that had adhesive strips that joined the tiles (not glued to the floor). Those are definitely waterproof with NO seepage. The click kind are a pain in the butt. And, I wouldn't spend the money on would laminate at all for the reasons you mentioned.
Absolutely right. The click together laminate is a pain in the ass. I will never use it again after using stick down vinyl. You are right about no water seepage.
I believe you used and are referring to Luxury Vinyl Tile which is thicker and usually is limestone and vinyl. It can be grouted or not.
Remember SPC Vinyl is a stone polymere core that will resist denting pretty well.
"stone polymer core" is nothing to do with "scratch resistance". ;)
- scratch resistance is all about "wear layer" (which is the thinnest in Home Depot - 6 mil / Lowe's - 12 mil - still not the best / best would be 20 to 30 mil)
- "stone polymer core" would be more resistant to dents ( from heavy stuff/ beds etc.) - Because it''s "core", which is in side/ middle layer.
@@scorpio14og home depot and lowes sell 20 mil. So no idea what you mean.
Thank You for sharing, very helpful.
I was trying to install vinyl flooring tonight and having the same issue with the scenes on the end! We may go with another higher-end vinyl because this is too frustrating, thank you for this video
Awesome video!
Learning from you as I open my store !
Lumber liquidators has some nice choices in different price ranges... there is always some sale going on.... totally worth a look!
Yes! I just got my flooring from them for 1.64/sq ft
About 2 years ago bought an entire basement worth of flooring. Turns out they had skirted the rules with their Chinese producers about the amount of formaldehyde. 60 min. did a show on it. I just recently found out. Missed the class action suit. The amounts of formaldehyde were so high, the labs that were measuring it thought their equipment was broke. The CEO got very dodgy quickly when confronted. Beware!
Lol
Amazing lamiete today has a waterproof barrier.
So topical spills can wipe up up to 48 hours.
But if you like Chinese vinyl you must love their drywall
We just had the same issue with Core Lux vinyl tiles from Lumber Liquidators. The tiles went together well on the long side - no uneven edges. However on the short ends they didn't line-up flush and flat. No matter what we did we had raised edges at the seams. Lumber Liq. did the right thing an took the product back. We noted the box said "made in china" does that matter? Are other products better engineered? We wanted vinyl because we are doing a bathroom. We found Home Depot has sheet vinyl (12 feet wide rolls) which they cut for you. No seams should mean no chance of leaking. We bought this, selecting a wood grain pattern, at 49 cents a Sq. ft.! Nice price. We will try this using adhesive.
The same thing happened to my floor but I got mine in Lowes.
Thank you
It makes a difference on which side of the room and what direction you start laying the vinyl. You want the pieces to overlap the piece that is on the floor, not be pressed under it. Also, on the ends, it makes a huge difference if you use a heavy rubber mallet, dead blow hammer when installing.
The water box?
What color is that leftover floor piece? I’m looking for a whitewash looking floor.
Thanks buddy!
Will heels dent, pierce the vinyl?
We installed luxury vinyl planks at our house before we sold and also had that problem with the gaps between the planks. We learned to avoid that from happening, we connected them side by side so the pieces were flush before we connected that row to the next row. It took forever until we figured that trick out and we got the floors done in 3x the time it took before. We replaced the laminate flooring that was previously there which we hated because it did bubble whenever water spilled on it. With little kids and sippy cups, we never knew liquid spilt until it was too late.
Very educational. On my end I chose laminate not because of the cost rather the less chemical alterations to the material. I have chosen to go w as few chemical additives (overall) and while price was also a factor the other factor was the chemicals involved to make the product. I'm def not knocking vinyl product it also comes down to personal choice and what would work better for needs and area in which it will be applied.
thanks, great video. Still not sure which one I will get yet
Laminate flooring will also have debris in the locking mechanism. I think that’s true with all click together floor. Vinyl is definitely the way to go. It’ll last longer than laminate and is waterproof to a point. The gaps you’re having would have been prevented if you just swapped out those pieces and put them other places. This happens with laminate also.
Which one is softer under the feet?
I have the same vinyl flooring . Good flooring ..
Which is the most cheapest?
How do people tell the difference between vinyl and laminate flooring from pictures alone? Especially if the design is similar? Any tips and tricks?
Can I use polyurethane on my laminate floor to help stop water damage. Just bought the laminate flooring haven’t got it down yet so I don’t want water damage so my question is will polyurethane help protect it from water damage
Super Duper , thanks for the info, much to take into inconsideration.
I put down the expensive life proof brand vinyl from Home Depot in my small kitchen.
Good stuff, but some seems wouldn’t quite lock together like needed. Possibly factory debris in grooves. Good tip to clean those out first.
Super helpful the cynic cost more than the wood - it’s because it’s water proof but I don’t have the tools to cut the wood into certain grooves of my house any solutions- I will do wood in my bedroom vynil in my kitchen and bathroom - this was super helpful. I’m wondering about cleaning and mopping
Which one exactly did you get at Home Depot? What the name?
For the areas that stick up, have you tried using a block of wood and a rubber mallet on top to tap them down?
I bought the high end vinyl planking and I'm not happy with it at all. In front of my stove and refrigerator I guess heat variations caused it to separate after only 1 year. I should have gone the extra few dollars for regular hard wood.
There's probably something in the join, it happens a lot, maybe a bit of dirt, or a tiny bit of trimmed vinyl, it happens with laminate a lot too.
The Home Depot engineered click lock with the bamboo is my fav. Good thick top layer. Clicking together is easier than vinyl. Power saws are needed tho.
Thank you for your info... I didn't realize they had bamboo!!!
Cuando se instalaciones se quiebra de las dejas de los lados
Great video. Thanks.
wear layer and thickness of planks matter .Plus the rubber backing is the best because it keeps the vinyl from moving and cushioning helps the feel of the floor .All flooring moves and shifts and should always be put over the suggested underlayment if it does not come with a cork or rubber backing
Is this for your rental property or your residence? Tenants may treat the flooring different ways. I am looking for flooring for one of my rental properties. Thanks, Mark
Use a grinder with a diamond for tricky long rips and cuts , can do it on the floor while installing or jig saw just make to hold jig as up side down and cut from bottom side of blank so u to scratch it
I used a rubber mallet to hammer down any uneven tile to tile seams
After two years, how good is that lock?
Crazy i watch ur gun videos all the time lol...was looking up how to clean laminate flooring and ur vid popped up lol...im a sub
Lol yeah my playlist cover a lot of topics thank you for watching stay safe
At 5:50 I had the same issue with HD vinyl a few weeks back. I solved it by putting a spare piece over the seam and hitting it with a hammer a few times. Other Vinyl jobs didn't have this issue so it looks like the type at HD.
I totally agree. Gotta tap the seams into place for a flush installation.
I had the same issue with the Lifeproof flooring, and can confirm that if use a scrap piece and hit it with a claw hammer, which gives it a sharper hit, it'll go in and lay flat.
Honestly, i just gave several spots solid hits straight on the vinyl with a claw hammer and it went right in.
Didn't hurt the vinyl either.
Do that at your own risk though. Lol
Other than that, it seems like great stuff. Just wish the wear layer was thicker.
Vinly?
I really found your video useful.
Greetings, I posted before, wondering what type of floor you would put down. I have an almost exact apartment situation. 1200 sq ft. And I put down vinyl planks, too. Used the glue type. This is a rental. And the floor looks great. A plus is, when (not if) a section jacks up due to tenant not cleaning or water damage, I can just pop up that plank and glue down another one. My price is about half of yours. And I was quoted an install for about $1/ft. So my total price would have been less than $2400, installed. But I had some guys come in to do the work and I supervised. Your floor looks pretty good. By the way, as you cut and edited, the cat was in the background getting cat fur on your weapon. Then in the next frame the cat disappeared. That was funny. Enjoyed the post. Stay Well
For that uneven part, have you tried replacing one or both pieces to see if it is actually the vinyl?
if those two pieces are in the middle of the floor, wouldn't that require him to pull up a large section of the floor?
From a professional installers perspective who has installed thousands of sq feet of all these products. I stay away from all click lock type flooring because repairs never come out well. I like the lvt glue down with a great underlament. I use a 5 ply 1/4”.
Don't you just remove the bad pieces and remove the tongue and groove and glue down the replacement pieces? What doesn't turn out? I'm installing it now, so I'm sure I'll need some repairs in the future.
Every manufacturer repair work is different. You follow their instructions. I’ve personally never been thrilled with the results. The first problem is getting it flush again. Not too low or high or it stands out. And if you do get it to look great i never felt like the patch is strong.
@@tileslay6543 That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!
Tile Slay can I install vinyl over wood or laminate floor?
@@gerryattrik4410 if you drink milk that won't be a problem
Best bet on that but joint is the locking system (normally the female end) has cracked and delaminated slightly. Normally do to a low spot, too much hammering or damaged from transport (normally from placing the boxes down on the but ends too hard)
Both products water can go through the cracks
And vinly is .....?
What did you fill the holes with that were left from the carpet tacks before you laid the vinyl?
Right on man. I have the 2.99 floor and watching this video with the grey floor. I had no idea grey was trending. Luckily this is only going in my dining room with some carpet.
You might want to correct the spelling on your thumbnail.
Has anyone had issues with tears with vinyl?
I use something like this 4 to 5 years ago in my kitchen, was easy to install and look very good but the finish on top began to go little by little in front of the sink. I have regular laminated in the house and they are not water proof and chip away with time so I will probably replace the floor in the kitchen with vinyl again but i find it sad to know i will have to replace it. I think I will purchase a little more to be able to replace the used one.
That's what I've always wondered, if luxury vinyl planking starts showing tread and wearing off on top. Thanks for confirming!
I’ve heard that even though vinyl is waterproof that mold and mildew can crop up underneath it if it gets wet too much.
This is true. I did a repair in a dental office and he had lots of equipment leakage. So some water got under there and it was a bit moldy as it is hard to dry out.
Hello, can you send me Link of the home depot vinyl thank you
No worries
Thanks, Good information. BTW nice gun.
I just purchased and DIY installed Mohawk lvp from Lowes that did the same thing at the end of some planks, as you pointed out @ 5min 30.
Can i install vinyl flanks directly on my small febbled floor?
Depends how febbled your floor is :P
Does vinyl sound hollow when you walk on it? I had a friend a while back that had that pergo stuff, and it felt really cheesy.
Add underlayment and it will not sound like that
floating floors sound hollow, hence the quieting underlayment. spend your money on the part you live on , not the product underneath it. go loose lay or glue direct. no tongues or grooves, replace planks if required in the middle of the field without having to disturb the adjacent planks. and you run the planks any direction. 15 mil wear layer minimum residential, 20 mil minimum commercial. Quartz enhanced UV cured urethane wear layer not acrylic. Yo.
We got the home depot 2.70 and had same issue with gap in a couple our floor seems just manufacturing issue
As you are installing it you have to tap it with a block to get it to seal properly in some areas not all. And letting it sit at the house for several days at about 70 does wonders!
guarantee it was made in china or Taiwan or Indonesia. Made in the USA always meant quality. Hardly anything is made in the USA anymore. China has to make it quick and poor quality to hurry and ship it here.
@@luiscornejo1481 I've done all that but it still buckled. Long time ago and cheap client. I don't think she wanted to pay extra for the under lament (SP?, auto correct didn't like layment???). The stuff was just a special slick plastic I believe, pretty inexpensive. I didn't get it but got chastised when it buckled in the middle. Left 3/8" to 1/2" gap for expansion and 2 weeks in the same room to acclimate. I dunno, I'm also not a professional but suggested it needed something underneath and that was in the instructions as well. Like the one dude said, "you get what you pay for".
@@fbsurveyor some of these more inexpensive materials have restrictions on what can be on them. Believe it or not. Refrigerators have to have a transition strip dividing that piece from the rest because it won't let the floor move and will have the seams give way. Sorry to hear it buckled. From past experience I don't install cheap laminates or LVP and nothing from lumber liquidators.
The Shaw Fusion Hi Traffic with Coretec is very good
Peal and stick are better than tongue and groove ? As they they won't have locking problem
I have recently replaced 3 floors and I i agree with everything said. I bought the expensive lifeproof brand for my kitchen and I have the same raised problems... So pissed because it's so finicky.
We just got lifeproof and installed in the living room. We were going tondo the kitchen but now leaning towards tile. How has the lifeproof held up now in ur kitchen and other areas?
@@neliperez1647 How has your lifeproof flooring been? It's been 2 years. Lol, figured I'd ask. I just did my son's room in it, and love it so far
My apartment floor looks horrible and the wood tiles are sticking up you can see it from far with all kinds os stains everywhere. This vinyl will be great for me a cheap too.
there are guys who actually have tools for this type work
I installed regular laminate from Costco several years ago. Install went well with no issues. That said, it turned out to be a disaster. Every spot water was spilled resulted in swelling and with several pets and their accidents the flooring is now worthless. We also had a leak from a water line that was behind the fridge. It was a tiny pinhole spray that took a while to notice. It ruined a large section of the floor also. Unless you live a hermetically sealed life with no pets and no spills don’t install regular laminate flooring. Get the waterproof kind. You will be happy you did.
I am using Costco laminate floors, my baby spoils “water” every day, no issues since last 2 years. Use Rejuvenate laminate polish. Easy to apply dries in an hour. No smell.
I never heard of polishing laminate. Just make sure no water gets in the joints.
@@smoothestones1 May be I am using the wrong word here "polish", just google the product.
@@JaydeepDave12 Sorry, but how does this product make laminate waterproof? The problem is when water gets into the seams.
Mod MINI your answer is in your question. When you apply the product it goes into the gaps of laminate planks and creates a silicone layer. It makes the flooring somewhat water resistant. But the laminate flooring has to be high quality (ex: from costco). I am very happy with laminate flooring from Costco. (15mm)
Did you use the rigid core or the thinner one?
Lvt.. laminated vinyll tile..easy install..floating floor ..rubber back no vapor barrier needed..looks nice..speed square knife rubber mallet..tape measure..(knee pads lol) gravy...can knock out a whole foot ball field of this stuff!!
Joe Mcfadden lvt stands for luxury vinyl tile..
Should have spent that extra 1 a ft it will last longer and hold together a lot better u will have separation in the short joint less than a year
You got to watch out for the end joint unevenness DURING the install. If they don't or won't go together,replace those two pieces with new ones and save them for end cuts or beginning cuts and don't use those ends. Something is wrong with them if you can't see anything with the naked eye. The tolerance specs for these smaller tongue and grooves are small so it doesn't take much for them to get out of tolerance and result in raised end joints. Debris is usually the blame but not always. Good job overall.
I love the vinyl plank, 8 mil is the best. You can be aggressive with it (using a scrap piece to lock it in) and it takes abuse after installation. If there is a water leak you can remove the flooring, dry it out, repair subfloor if needed, and put the same planks back where they were. I've done many floors and if there is water involved (bathroom, laundry room, kitchen) I always tell the customer, go with vinyl plank, it's worth the extra money.
Hey there, I'm a vinyl plank manufacturer from China. Anything interested please feel free to contact me, thanks.
WhatsApp: 15157160715
Are you referring to Vinyl plank the glue one or click one. I'm alone deciding on Vinyl
@@desiree7790 , don't get the stick ones. If you don't line them up perfectly it leaves a gap between the top surfaces and you can't pull them apart. Get the click together. Like I stated earlier you can take them apart if necessary, you can't with the stick ones.
Thank you so much. That's what I was thinking. You have just helped me confirm my decision. I'm also looking at screening my floor. There is dog urine on the cement in the room. I have sprayed simple solutions and is much better but want to screed now as a back up incase smell comes back. Our country dont have odours blocking like killz or zinseer. Hoping screed will stop any smell from arising through the cement to the under veldt and plastic they install under. Thank you for the reply
👍Great job. I want to install same flooring in the cabin on my boat - 🤔what do y’all think? I want to put it directly over the carpet as padding (and hopefully warmth) because the boat manufacturer put the carpet in over the fiberglass and it is a pain in the azz to remove the carpet. 💞
Hi No don't do it look out for my other reply
sue duckett - 👍Thank you very much.
Not much you can do if it's commercial height carpet you might be able to get away with putting a cork underlay ment (thickest you can find) then lay vinyl plank. In a boat you'll need a stone core or the huge temperature changes well ruin the other vinyl floors
As with anything, there are levels to quality to VP flooring too. If you go cheap, you will see more irregularities. I had my entire downstairs in LVP. The result is stunning. I compare price/quality point with price/quality point. Most of the issues you describe are inherent with a lower quality product, not necessarily VP flooring as a whole. That is with one exception. With VP flooring, you are correct in that you do have to level out significant dips in your sub floor, or you will feel it once the VP flooring is installed. That do is the case no matter the quality.
Put the headers in first, smack the rest in with your hand then tap with a tapping block to finish clicking it in and you won’t have that issue. Ive installed several thousands of feet of cheap depot stuff over the years. I’d always suggest lvp over laminate, holds up way better, also most laminate requires underlayment, though some of the higher end stuff is adding padding.
If dogs pee on it.... it is not water proof in the edges. Pee flows through the grooves and UNDER THE FLOOR. That is a MAJOR problem if you spill liquids or have dogs.
Why would anyone lay a floor that isn't water tight? Click and Lock still leaves enough of a gap for liquid to seep through, wiping it up still doesn't clean the tile. I love my peel and stick LVP, it's water proof, planks are tight, it doesn't click when we walk on it, it's warmer then ceramic or the other click and lock plank and it looks fantastic.
Yes its waterproof but in most cases the glue isin't on peel and stick flooring. Water can seep in from mopping and still release the glue from the floor and backing over time......
I absolutely loathe peel and stick flooring of any kind. It comes loose over time, and just looks and feels cheap. No thank you.
Am I seeing that he did stagger the boards
good luck with the dents because the psi is no good also don't let direct sun light hit that floor either because it will bubble up
what color is it
perpetualfeast 👍
6:12
Same happened to me.
I have a wood square block and place on the high part and hitting with the hammer, solved problem.
Just one side of the vinyl problem.
Lu Cho vinyl is so durable you don’t even need the piece of wood, you can tap directly with the hammer. TAP not SMASH! Some products snap together at the end and you don’t have to tap them at all.
I was told to trim the sides off of a piece of scrap and use that as the tapping block. But you should get one of those metal zig-zag tools to pull in difficult parts on the edge.
Accurate, thank you :)
My only gripe with vinyl is companies calling it "luxury" vinyl. Ain't nothing luxurious about a rubber floor
We'll actually that's the name material for this product. LVP = Luxury Vinyl Plank even if the cheapest brand always will be 'Luxury' 😂
Yeah it’s a strange name. Reason being even the crap planks tend to cost more than vinyl sheet or vinyl composite tiles
I've installed both products...the HD Lifeproof brand in our beach house kitchen about 320 sf... and the shitty HD Home Decorators brand in a laundry room in our primary home....about 64 sf.
The Home Decorators brand is shit and difficult to lay. I don't doubt its durable enough and will last but its a pain in the ass to work with. The Lifeproof lvp is good stuff.
So , how has the floor done over the past two years ?
Still going strong
When they manufactured the planks the operator's probably adjusted the thickness of planks. Or a new hire learning. That's why there is an offset.
Nah
what the heck is vinly?
I think is the quality of the floor reason why it couldn't lock.
After 29 years in the flooring industry you learn one thing quick..... You get what you pay for.
yeah home depot flooring is crap
What kind of flooring do you suggest?
@@vicolvera1282 every house is different so it depends on your needs. But basically stay away from laminate, it's a past. Not durable and cheap look. The most durable is vinyl plank (not from home Depot) then engineered Hardwood it's also pretty durable.
vic olvera I recommend vinyl over anything except hardwoods. It’s perfect for basements or slabs. It can be later on top of existing floors in good structural condition. It can be taken up and put back down. I recommend Cortec or Neptune LVP Floors!
@@vicolvera1282
Good question...
Did you find the answer?
Good video, helpful. could use some editing. 2 parts were repeated.
I do flooring for a living. And we recommend our customers to never use Home Depot stuff. We run into a lot of problems with their stuff.
Jay Rev what’s a brand that you would recommend for LVP? And a good wear layer to look for residential use
mujerazteca18 i just saw your comment. We use many great brand but some of the most popular are Cortec, paradigm, Shaw and Mohawk.
Jay Rev Thanks!
I installed LVP ( Life Proof brand) in my kitchen. The refrigerator leaked and water got underneath my floor. Will it dry out on its own over time or do I need to remove the flooring.?
yep! We own a flooring store, and when people ask if we will install their product they purchased at Home Depot? NOPE! We also get those Home Depot customers a year later asking us to rip it out and put new flooring in for them. Go to your local small Mom and Pop shop. That is their specialty.
What floor do you recommend besides hard wood for a home with pets? Specifically one that is lower in maintenance and lasts longer.
I have no ideal about flooring but plan on getting rid of carpeting soon. For the whole house including kitchen and basement. Bathrooms are still good.
tile , water and wood dont mix
sorry but vinyl might be good too budget concerns as well
Vinyl is the way to go for pets. Most will come with a 20 year warranty. You can also steam mop them, killing off germs.
I just did this and three of my seams did the same. But all toll, the easiest but, it HAS to be dead straight. And mine was, but my room is definitely not a perfect square!
my mom got that snap in flooring in her kitchen and water fucked up any thing it touched floor looks like crap under a year