How to install vinyl click flooring

Vinyl planks and tiles have been on the market for a while now alongside more traditional options like hardwood and laminate. Cost-effective and easy to install, vinyl click flooring has really taken off in recent years and with good reason – these floors are water-resistant meaning they can be fitted in any room of the home, including kitchens and bathrooms.

On the downside, PVC does expand and contract so vinyl planks or tiles can disconnect if the surface beneath is uneven or the floor is not fitted correctly. To ensure you install your vinyl click floor properly, be sure to follow all steps carefully. The rules are the same for vinyl tiles and vinyl planks.

Steps

1. Prepare the surface

2. Fit a laminate or vinyl underlay

3. Install your vinyl click floor

4. Tips for cutting vinyl

Required skills

Anyone – even DIY novices – should be able to lay a click vinyl floor by following these steps. The only step that may require more skill would be if you have to repair a damage surface before starting installation.

Time required

Approx. one day for a 20 m² room

Number of people required

1 person

Tools and equipment

• 2-metre straight edge

• Flooring spacers

• Pencil

• Pull bar

• Mallet

• Utility knife

• Tape measure

• Measuring square

Safety and workwear

• Protective gloves

• Safety goggles

• Safety shoes

• Overalls

Please note: this list is non-exhaustive. Be sure to match your protective equipment to the job at hand.

Whether you are installing vinyl planks or tiles, it is essential to start by preparing your surface. A vinyl floor requires an even smoother and more level surface than most other types of flooring.

• Check that your surface is flat or take steps to level the floor.

• Fill in any holes and cracks if required.

• Clean your surface using a broom or vacuum cleaner.

Vinyl floors will usually require an underlay from the same brand as the floor itself. You can either fit your vinyl or laminate underlay in stages or fit the whole thing in one go following the manufacturer's instructions.

It's worth noting that a vinyl floor warranty will usually require you to install the vinyl or laminate underlay that they recommend. Be sure to check this before making your purchase. Underlays can come in rolls or in panels that fold out.

Proceed as follows:

• Unroll the underlay over your surface.

• Take care to tape the strips together to make sure the layer is watertight.

• Do not glue the underlay in place.

Vinyl click flooring is fitted as a floating installation: the planks or tiles simply lock together and are not actually attached to the surface to which they are fitted. Most of the time, a vinyl click floor will be fitted in a staggered pattern. This means there will be very few offcuts and little material wasted.

Start fitting the floor in a corner of the room. Start with one full board making sure to place a spacer against the wall. These spacers are designed to leave an expansion gap around the perimeter of the room and should be used along every wall.

Clip the second plank so it is lined up with the short side of the first. It is very easy to slot these planks together – there's no need to force or bang them into place. Once you come to the end of the row, mark out where you need to cut the plank. Use a straight edge and utility knife to cut the plank. You just need to score the plank lightly to make a mark before bending the board. The board should then snap neatly along your cut.

Please note that your cuts should be made on the decorative side of the board and not on the underside. Use a pull bar and a mallet to fit the final board in the row making sure to maintain your expansion gap. A pull bar should allow you to slot the last board securely into place. Use the offcut from your final board to start the next row and keep locking the planks or tiles into place until your entire surface is covered.

Depending on your floor, you might need to use a tapping block and mallet to get the ends of the planks or tiles to fit together. However, avoid banging too hard to avoid damaging the locking system. Only use offcuts that measure over 30 cm and use a full plank instead where required.

There are lots of little tricks to help you trim boards in tricky spots such as around heating pipes, in corners and so on.

Remember that your vinyl click floor must not come into contact with any object in the room as it needs to be able to contract and expand easily. The expansion gap will eventually be covered up by your skirting boards, baseboard or scotia trim. The gaps around pipes or door frames can be covered using silicone.

That said, this isn't always the most attractive option and it's always best to choose other solutions whenever possible. For example, it can be a good idea to cut the base of door frames to allow your vinyl floor to slot neatly underneath. This way, the floor will be able to expand freely and the result will be much neater.