Interlocking rubber tiles are easy for homeowners to install, they can go down directly over concrete or over a subfloor. flooring, the concrete does not have to be perfectly level, only The seams of the vinyl floor should be Work left to right with the groove edge facing away from the starting wall. The texture of carpet also can mask minor imperfections in the underlying surface. Make sure the planks interlock tightly at the seams. ($.75-$4/sq. All flooring is still acceptable to excessive moisture, alkalis in the subfloor and conditions arising from hydrostatic pressure. Buy today, install today! So I asked this question numerous times and maybe Im beating a dead horse but I seem to still have conflicting answers. flooring. BEST RUBBER: American Floor Mats Fit-Lock Rubber Flooring. This will help you decide if you need to rip your first plank for a more balanced look or to avoid a wonky cut at the other side of the room. The piece of plank left over from the } Joe, in that link you provide, they do recommend a poly VB. underlayment. Install LifeProof vinyl flooring to refresh a room in the house with a floor that is long lasting and low maintenance. Tip: Save any leftover planks. I have seen the guy on renovision say not to do it while another expert on basements said you could put like deltafl or something underneath and would never be a problem. Allow 10 percent additional flooring for matching and waste. You could use a jigsaw, circular saw or miter saw to make the cuts. Thats right-installation can be challenging. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. They are color-matched for your floor and will come in handy if you need to replace a plank in the future. smooth them using premixed leveling products from home improvement To learn more about how to cut vinyl plank flooring, read this practical guide which teaches you all you need to know about cutting. However, you don't need to add the This flooring is made from vinyl planks. I used an old sheet of vinyl and a piece of drywall to cut on top of. Many basement flooring materials-like paint, epoxy, tile, and rubber flooring, for examplecan go down directly over the basements original poured concrete floor, as long as the concrete is in good condition. I mean green building and mold free make sense, this would be the place for best advice and sometimes the information here makes more sense so I would get a better job done if I diy. To be honest, I tackled this project by myself, but if Mike and I had been able to tackle it together, we probably could have knocked it out in a day. Heres a video: Buy theknee pads, people. Copying from an earlier post: 100% moisture proof. Wide seams between the tiles will likely create slight depressions in the vinyl flooring. tapping block comes in handy. Place a row of loose planks across the width and down the length of the floor until you have a pattern you like. You should tap gently and protect the And, of course, I have to buy all the quarter round, measure and cut it, attached it, fill nail holes and caulk between the quarter round and baseboard, and paint it. It depends entirely on your local conditions. But this changes when you opt for pricier material. ft.): Buying a large roll of vinyl gets you a new floor for a very affordable price. When you start the second row, If you are installing on regular ol' subfloor, my friend Brittany wrote a whole post with this very same flooring (fun coincidence!) .btn-3d #default-btn-4:not(:hover) { If low cost is a big priority and if you just plan to use your basement space as a workshop or workout room, the paint may be your best choice. A properly installed subfloor will create a flat, insulated substrate for the finished floor of your choice, ensuring more warmth underfoot. How to Replace Carpet With Vinyl Plank Flooring. You may need to trim planks to fit at the end of a row. Thank you for your support! * Does LVP form an air barrier? ($3-$8/sq. Find the best flooring option for your basement by comparing cost, comfort, durability, appearance, and installation details. Conclusion: We recommend to at-least install a 6-mil vapor barrier underneath. For more information, please see our As much as I love to plow through projects, I needed breaks. I design projects for clients so I can't take risks. Home Depot coveted Innovation of the Year Award, How to Measure a Room for Flooring in 3 Easy Steps, Why You Should Put Underlayment Under Your Vinyl Plank Flooring, 5 Reasons Why You Should Put Underlayment Under Your Laminate Floor. The same compounds that make wood rot-resistant, naturally or artificially, also make it mold-resistant. What do you fill concrete cracks with before laminate? Read my full terms of usehere.). weeks old. Plastic sheet over concrete slab - what about mold? So: There shouldn't be any powder or flakes. Have you considered that LVT is not the best solution for a floor. It would look so good in my home office! Also what about PT plates on floor in basement, arent they for exterior, do those grow mold too?? background: red !important; You also need to insulate the walls to keep the cool parts of the wall away from humid air. vinyl plank flooring on concrete are quite easy to follow. Vinyl flooring is flexible, but the planks will come apart if you do not prepare the concrete subfloor.The first thing you need to do is fix any cracks that can compromise the stability of the subfloor.. LifeProof includes a pre-attached sound mitigating pad. I took breaks when my hands started to hurt (typically the hand gripping the tapping block) and wore work gloves most of the time. Again arguable, I'd say yes. Cracked or missing tiles should be fixed or filled in. Just make sure to check the manufacturers instructions for safety issues. This flooring looks like real bamboo without the worry of it getting ruined. My experience is mostly with older homes in a cold climate, and I have researched mold enough to be very wary of it. Now, lay your laminate or vinyl flooring over the carpet as instructed by the manufacturer. But I definitely would have died cutting the door jambs and trim by hand. My dream office studio is complete, see it here, https://www.homedepot.ca/product/lifeproof-sterling-oak-8-7-inch-x-47-6-inch-luxury-vinyl-plank-flooring-20-06-sq-ft-case-/1001099360. back just a few hundred bucks, depending on the size of the area you This flooring can be made to look like different wood species, or to resemble ceramic tile. Why so many conflicting answers? nstalling this LifeProof Vinyl Plank Flooring for beginners. I am installing Lifeproof LVP within my ground-level living room, which sits atop a concrete slab. important to take time and prepare well before you start assembling. I like carpet like Jonathan mentioned so I could add as a final layer synthetic area rugs. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. name speaks for itself. But the age old question always comes up. Do you need something underneath them? Flooring installation requires preparation. Wait 3 hours for it to dry. Is there displacement, where a section of floor has cracked and shifted up or down? Take a look at our step-by-step guide: You should start and end the Can you install LifeProof flooring over concrete? For your concrete slab to function as a subfloor, holes, cracks, and low spots need to be patched. an underlayment. it is the easiest to install. Do I need a moisture barrier under vinyl plank flooring? Can you install vinyl plank flooring over plywood? than a day to install vinyl plank flooring on concrete. The same goes for rubber sheet flooring. The subfloor also needs to be level for your engineered wood floor to be level. Should I be concerned? } Any concrete floor used as a subfloor for vinyl tile must be clean, dry, and smooth. 6. Concrete subfloors must be fully cured and should have minimum 6 mil (0.15mm) poly-film as a moisture barrier between the concrete subfloor and the flooring. If you're installing in a kitchen or bathroom, be sure to install vanities, cabinets, tubs, showers, and sinks before . Heres How to Fix It, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If you are, youll need to cut down the first plank to ensure there is room for a longer plank at the end. the concrete in your basement or have some bare concrete in your home Should You Use a Subfloor Beneath ideally click lock vinyl plank flooring should be installed directly background: red !important; } . But this created some tricky spots under door jambs and on some corners. QuicPrep Universal Underlayment can be used as an additional underlayment under LifeProof floorng. Patching compounds typically are mixed with water and applied with a trowel. Our installer said they have laid over existing engineered hardwood glued to concrete slab. Privacy Policy. The process much easier. .btn-3d #default-btn-8:not(:hover) { Tiling a Shower Floor or Wall First: Which Way is the Right Way? This isnt going to necessarily be a full tutorial for installing LifeProof Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring because Home Depots instructions (both the ones that come with the flooring and the official installation video at the end of this post) do a great job. Overall Score - 8.83 out of 10. Although some manufacturers sell engineered wood flooring that can go down over a concrete floor, its better to install this type of flooring over a subfloor. The important thing here is to choose a paint formulated for concrete floors, and carefully follow the instructions on the can pertaining to surface prep, application, and drying time. Where did you buy your rug from? Im thinking moisture would have to get past moisture seal, then pass the 6mil poly, if liquid water would even get to the top of poly it would be in an air gap and not soaked up by bottom of vinyl flooring. The next step is to install the planks. The spacers keep the LifeProof vinyl flooring from shifting as it is being installed and come with the flooring. While installing your new floor, why not install a low cost, effect floor heating system so you can enjoy the colder months while walking barefoot? Learn how your comment data is processed. After the first row, I was, as my dad would say, shittin in tall grass now, jack., Also, no where in the instructions did I see anything about how you really shouldnt remove planks to re-position them after youve locked them in. oz. or 3/8 in. vinyl plank flooring is down. * As groundwater that comes up from below. A place where people can come to learn and share their experiences of doing, building and fixing things on their own. A subfloor is thebottom layer of any floor. LifeProof flooring can be installed over standard OSB and plywood underlayment and many existing floor types. This can save you a lot of time and According to the installation instructions, adding another underlayment such as QuietWalk Luxury Vinyl under LifeProof would void the warranty. Leave a 3/8-inch gap along both walls to allow for expansion of the flooring. Your basement needs multiple layers of protection: a rain layer, a vapor layer, an air layer and an insulation layer. If you do not allow the product to acclimatize, you may not get the best results. Does lifeproof flooring require underlayment? >>>> end quoted text. This kind of damage should be repaired before any new basement flooring is installed. Lifeproof vinyl flooring installation how to install installing plank waterproof rigid core sustain my craft habit why we chose and it the home depot tips for over concrete floors lemon thistle so you re thinking of just call me homegirl our diy guide exquisitely unremarkable Lifeproof Vinyl Flooring Installation How To Install Lifeproof Vinyl . Will be installing Lifeproof LVP, version with the pad underlayment attached, in my basement. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments.Thank you to all the subscribers and supporters of this channel! 1 more reply More posts you may like r/DIY Join 26 days ago A couple things to consider here. This is avoided by having a waterproof rain screen that allows the water to flow down to the bottom of the wall, where it is collected and diverted by perimeter drains. } the cheapest solutions, and at the time of writing it could set you Arguable, I'd say yes. It shouldn't be damaged and it must be smooth. There are a number of vinyl plank flooring options. * Does LVP form a vapor barrier? However, some people prefer to add another thin layer of subflooring between the concrete and vinyl. Take the readings in at least 20 spots per 1,000 square feet of flooring and average the results. Also, is that floor dead flat? I just opened a box and read the manufacturers instructions and in one section they mentioned not to install over engineered or hardwood glued to concrete. Is there a need to apply any kind of sealant or other prep prior to laying down the LVP? Heres the vid: Organize all cuts in to piles based on which end is cut in relation to the tongue and groove sides. I also re-swept each area before laying planks to ensure there was no loose dirt or chunks, especially that could get into the little locking grooves on the planks. We are looking at the Sterling Oak that Home Depot offers. The good news is that it is indeed possible. Ideally, it should be between 7% and 9%. LifeProof flooring is easy to install and designed to withstand everyday use for years. This is an important step in how to install LifeProof flooring. A look at installing vinyl plank flooring when the concrete is uneven. important thing is for your subfloor to be free of any debris. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dips and cracks on the concrete slab should be corrected with self-leveling concrete. Some disadvantages of vinyl flooring include: Best Flooring for Concrete Slab Foundation. border-bottom-color: #ae1313; No lie, it took me about 2 hours to lay the first row. These differences affect not only your flooring choices but also how your flooring is installed. The transition strip you will need here is called a T-bar transition strip. If there are any cracks or holes, they must be repaired first. Some have said basically I am asking for mold.