Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Vinyl Plank Flooring?

This is what I learned when I remodeled the house we are in.

Vinyl plank flooring comes is different thicknesses, such as 1.5 mils, 2.0 mils, etc., all the way up to 7.5 mills. There may be thicker flooring, but I'm not aware of it. Along with the thickness is the 'wear layer'. The thicker the product and the thicker the 'wear layer', the better the product. The 'wear layer' comes in 8mm, 10mm, etc. all the way up to 28mm. Again, there may be thicker 'wear layers', but I'm not familiar with them.

I was told that 7.5 mils thick with a 28 wear layer was heavy duty commercial flooring. Stuff like they would use at a Wal-Mart store, large grocery store, etc. Pallet trucks can run over the stuff and not hurt it.

5 mil with a 20 wear layer would be commonly used in a light commercial setting.... an office area with lots of walking traffic, hospital, etc. This is what I put in my house.

So on and so on..... the thinner the material and thinner the wear layer, the cheaper the product.

Make sure to get a product that locks together and when locked is waterproof. I tried it out before I bought it and the stuff I got will not leak water when locked.

Be sure not to put too thick a pad under the flooring. The pad and flooring can be installed over any type of surface..... concrete, wood, osb, etc. It can even be installed over older flooring, if its stable and sound. You can glue the product down or let it float. I let it float in my house. I did the entire 1200 sf house for about $3500, IIRC. Took me about a week to do it, by myself. You'll definitely need knee pads and a rubber mallet. Cutting the stuff with a table saw make it go a lot faster.

Added: As said before, be sure to get a product with the backing on it. Cheaper flooring does not have the backing.

This is what I did.......... https://www.homedepot.com/b/Floorin...feproof/N-5yc1vZbzjzZnv7?storeSelection=

No pad required...............

Cut with a shop knife = Total BS, technically you could, but trust me you will NOT, used a chop saw and a Jig-saw....

They make a 'kit' - a couple of tools, tapping block and such, to aid in installation, I recommend it.

Great stuff. Just got done replacing 5 rooms of laminate with rigid vinyl planks in our house. The surface of laminate may be advertised as guaranteed waterproof but not the bottom or ends whereas vinyl is 100% waterproof top, bottom and ends. Plumbing leaks that get under laminate will ruin it quick. It will swell up then shrink as it drys out leaving gaps between planks.

Vinyl is great though a bit more prone to scratches than laminate is so before trying to slide heavy furniture over floor be sure floor is clear of anything that could cause scratches like fine grit, pebbles, etc., tracked in on shoes and best to use felt or carpet bottomed furniture "slides", too.

Also, over time heavy furniture and appliances can leave depressions in vinyl, too, so if possible probably a good idea to leave padded furniture slides under all the time to help absorb and spread the weight.

You might want to check that wear layer info.
28mm is over an inch.
Pretty sure you something got crossed up.

First stuff I had was absolute schit, as a matter of fact they quit making it. Second time around I went with more expensive stuff I really like it. Life proof sold only at Home Depot.

If it a 100% waterproof product like home depot life proof yes.

If it a 100% waterproof product like home depot life proof yes.

Yes, if it ceramic or porcelain tile you need to float the grout lines so the floor is level.

This was what we used. Impressed so far.

good stuff.

That’s what my concern was...Grout lines.

Thanks, Roger.

🦫

Consider the question to be a recommendation to buy LVP that has the pad on the bottom then.
Roger recommended floating the grout lines for install over tile. Same rec if there are any uneven spots either high or low.
We put down 8mm as our carpet and tile friend thought that it was the best compromise of thickness without overpaying by going thicker.

Alot of misconceptions on here already, not surprising though.

Some of the better vinyl plank flooring is 100% waterproof. Just test it like I stated earlier. A good company will back up their products.

You can cut vinyl plank with a flooring saw but it means multiple trips outside to cut if you want to limit dust.

A good quality vinyl plank cutter will save install time by 40-50% and no dust. Well worth the price. You will have to lengthwise using a saw on edge planks.

This is the stuff we installed last year. Indestructible and it looks great. Big dogs, lots of traffic, water dishes, etc, can't hurt it.

https://www.karndean.com/en/floors/products/rp61-canadian-maple

So if on a concrete slab you recommend I grind the high spots and level it?

Yep, you're right!

5mm thickness with a 20 mil wear layer.

Here is a photo of a room.

The professional installers did on our concrete floor before installing the new rigid vinyl plank floors and used a fast drying concrete type mix on low spots to level and "feather" edges in cracks.

yes, you can get by with some but if they are noticeable you want to float it, it will tell on the instructions what's allowable.

Biggest tip I can offer is to be absolutely 100% sure that whatever surface you install it on is completely free of any high spots or debris. The people who installed out Allure, missed some high nail heads, resulting in high spots where the finish got rubbed off over time. Looks like he'll now.

This plywood is in good shape. I believe it to be 1-1/2”, but won’t swear to it. But, it’s flat and smooth.

Good chance it’ll be HomeyD lifeproof. No Lowe’s here. Another building supply had to order from anchorage.


Ok, part II question:
Lay the LVP parallel to the subfloor plywood or crossways?

II(b): should there be a preference at the room door? i.e. board ends at the hallway or longways?

Or, am I overthinking this?

get end caps for where it meets carpet and t cap where it meets ceramic tile, reducer for linoleum. They call them transition strips. Undercut your door jams.