How to lay LVT flooring

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Luxury vinyl is a deluxe flooring choice for your home, built for family life and stylish interiors and available in a range of budgets too. Luxury vinyl tiles, or LVT, are a top-notch pick for any home, and you’ll be pleased to know that they can also be fitted quite easily too!

Whether you’re a keen DIY enthusiast who feels confident about giving LVT installation a go, or if you’re curious to know more about the process but would rather a trusted flooring fitter do the job for you, this guide is packed full of information on how LVT flooring is laid, and some top Tapi tips to guide you through the process. Alternatively, for more information around this type of flooring, head on over to our 'what is LVT?' guide. And, if you end up with leftover LVT once you've installed it, make sure you have a read of our guide on what to do with your leftover flooring.

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Do I need underlay when installing LVT flooring?

If you’ve read our guide to fitting vinyl click flooring, then you may be wondering whether you need to install underlay with luxury vinyl flooring, since most vinyl floorings don’t need an underlay. Luxury vinyl tiles come as individual boards that are adhered straight onto the floor, so it can be very helpful to have an underlay underneath LVT flooring to keep it protected, warm, and a little less noisy.

However, it’s best to get in touch with the manufacturer of your LVT flooring to double-check whether you need underlay or not. Our professionals here at Tapi will do all the planning and installation so you don’t need to worry about these details – why not visit your local store and speak to one of our expert floorologists?

How to fit LVT flooring

Tools you will need

Luxury vinyl flooring
A tape measure
LVT underlay (if needed)
Ruler
Pencil
Stanley knife
A2 notched adhesive spreader
Roller

Ensure your subfloor is clean

Right from the beginning of the project, your subfloor should be free of debris and dampness. A solid subfloor ensures a long-lasting LVT flooring installation as well as prevents future problems, or even needing to replace your luxury vinyl flooring completely.

Let your vinyl flooring acclimatise

The boards/tiles need time to get used to the humidity and the temperature in the room you want to put them in. If you want them to acclimate properly to the environment, make sure they are lying flat in the middle of the room without anything on top of them or underneath them for 48 hours prior to installation.

Begin laying your planks

Begin by marking a start line and then spreading your adhesive in a thin layer. Then lay the planks or tiles into the glue. Place your planks in the direction that you want them to face, leaving an adequate gap between each plank and the wall.

Continue laying your boards until the floor is covered

As it says on the tin, keep spreading the glue and laying the planks in your desired pattern until you’ve covered the entire floor.

Maintain your flooring

Having your flooring installed isn't the end of the process! Taking care of your floor is the same as taking care of anything else – if you put effort into looking after it, it will last for a long time. It’s important to keep LVT and vinyl flooring clean and dry if you want to enjoy it for years to come. Find out how to take care of your LVT flooring by reading our LVT care guide.

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Laying LVT flooring on concrete

LVT flooring can be laid on top of concrete, as long as it is dry, clean, level, and completely free of any problems. You won’t want your LVT being affected by dampness or unevenness, as we mentioned above. Concrete should be prepared with a smoothing compound to ensure it receives a strong bond from the glue.

Laying LVT flooring on floorboards

Vinyl flooring can be installed over floorboards as a general rule. It's actually recommended to put a plywood layer of 14 inches (6 mm) on top of the subfloor before installing vinyl. A plywood subfloor should also be strong and stable, so it’s recommended that it be at least 1.9 cm thick too. It’s worth noting once again that the more effort you put into making sure your subfloor is in great condition before laying any LVT, the better the condition of your LVT will remain for a much longer time!

Installing LVT flooring professionally

Having read this guide, we’d advise your click vinyl flooring is installed by a professional. Our team at Tapi can arrange all the services you may require. Visit a Tapi store to see all the vinyl and LVT options we have or schedule a free home appointment with one of our professionals. Alternatively, for more DIY guides, head on over to our Ideas Hub, where you can find out information on how to lay herringbone flooring, and much more.

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