Top tips on how to lay LVT flooring

When it comes to installing your brand new LVT flooring, a qualified fitter will often be the best option, but if you are up for the challenge and want to know how to lay vinyl flooring yourself, here are our top ten tips for how to install in your own home:

1. When selecting which LVT design or pattern you want, check its suitability for the space you’re planning to fit the flooring. For instance, LVT is not designed for outdoor use and care should be taken to shade from extreme heat in conservatories and around fireplaces where high temperature adhesives should be used. The subfloor onto which the tiles will be fitted must be free of damp. Ensure that tiles are in good condition before you start laying.

2. Acclimatisation is really important; make sure that before you start installing, your flooring has been stored flat and in dry conditions between 18-27°C in the room where they will be fitted for at least 48 hours prior to fitting. This is a really important step as your LVT needs time to acclimatise to its new environment.

3. Underfloor heating must be turned off 48 hours before installing your LVT flooring and remain off during the fitting process and for a further 48 hours after the tiles have been installed; this is to allow the adhesive to begin to cure and fix your luxury vinyl flooring firmly in place. Then gradually bring the room up to temperature over the next seven days.

4. It’s important to maintain a steady room temperature between minimum 18°C and maximum 27°C, before, during and for 72 hours after fitting, and to prevent fluctuations within these limits of more than 3°C in any 12 hour period. Take measures to ensure a constant temperature throughout, such as shading the room from direct sunlight and preventing nighttime temperature drop..

5. Subfloor preparation is key when laying LVT flooring. Use either a latex screed over a solid, concrete floor, or flooring grade plywood, with a minimum of 6mm. If needed, you can smooth over plywood with a suitable fibre reinforced smoothing compound, which may be required over uneven joints, known as ‘feathering’. The floor must be free of moisture; if you have any doubts, a trained fitter should test moisture levels using professional equipment before the flooring is laid. Make sure that the finished surface of your subfloor is completely flat, smooth, rigid and dry before moving on to the next step.

6. Ensure you’ve agreed on your laying pattern before you start to lay your LVT flooring. It’s also important to locate where cuts will be made at this stage, particularly around doorways, kitchens islands etc. It’s often best to dry-lay first and then start fitting from the centre of the room.

7. To achieve that stylish, hand-made finish, our designer LVT patterned floors are not printed centrally on the tile, so each differs from the next. To make sure you get that optimum finish and the beautiful design you’re after, follow the product’s installation advice.