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Blueprint Request
Hi Joe,
I’m getting ready to start the installation of vinyl plank throughout the entire first floor of my house. I ordered the 9″ wide from flooret, and after a few months of waiting on backorder, it’s finally about to arrive. I’ve watched some of your videos, but I’m sure I’ll need to watch more to brush up and get ready for the project.
I’m really hoping you can give me some guidance as to where to start, which way to run the plank, and how to work around the hot water heat baseboards – I have ceramic tile installed in my bathroom, so if you have any pointers as to how to remove without damaging the pipes, that would also be greatly appreciated.
I’ve attached a drawing, and I can certainly follow up with some pictures, or anything else you might need.
Thanks,
Dan
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23 Replies
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Hey Dan, that is great news! Yes, please share some pics with me of any areas of concern you have. Is this a concrete slab or wood sub floor? I will go over this in detail on Monday when I return to the office. Talk to you then.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by
Joe.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by
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watch this – https://somup.com/c0j22eAQzf
my email is – floormechanics@gmail.com
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Thanks for the response Joe!
I did a quick walk through (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjofutXNO7c) and posted some pictures, so hopefully that gives you a good feel for the house.
As far as the direction of the plank, I wouldn’t say I have a strong preference. My wife and I liked the idea you suggested of east/west, but let me know if you think differently after seeing the video/pictures. There are a lot of opportunities to run the plank between rooms (living room/kitchen and dining room/office), so that might be a good look.
One additional thing I’d like to get your insight on as well: Do you have any ideas as to how I could phase the work? I’ll probably be doing most of the work myself, taking a few days off my job and working weekends etc. I was trying to figure out the best strategy for phasing, so we can still live here while I work through the project, and I’m not being too disruptive for my wife and baby. Whatever suggestions you have would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks so much for all your help!
Dan
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Also, wood subfloors.
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Pictures
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More pictures
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pictures 2
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Hi Joe,
I realized I made a mistake with the first drawing I did. The wall along the bathroom and laundry room is set back, not straight with the rest of the house. I don’t know if that makes a big difference or not, but I wouldn’t be able to snap a line from the hallway by the laundry room all the way into the living room. Sorry for the mix up on that.
In regards to your questions:
1. The plan is to demo all of the floors and only have the plank throughout. There are 5 different types of flooring right now, it’ll be nice just to have one.
2. The floor in the kitchen is a floating laminate plank. It’s almost perfectly flush with the tile in the bathroom, but it’s a bit higher (maybe 1/8″) than the laundry room.
3. I attached some pictures of the baseboard in the bathroom.
4. There is no hearth in front of the fireplace. It’s actually a stone veneer (my 2022 house project), but I left myself about an inch of clearance underneath, so that I could fit flooring under there.
5. We’re set on running the plank east-west.
One other thing – There is one stair nose, for the stairway to the basement, basically just the top stair. I wasn’t planning on doing the whole staircase though, not in this project anyway. The stairs going up will remain carpet as well.
In regards to the timing, I’m not in a rush to get this done. Tuesday is totally fine with me. I have enough other things going on right now, where I don’t think I could start until next week sometime, at the very earliest.
I also wanted to say thank you again. I really appreciate your patience and thorough attention to detail. I’m confident this project will turn out really nice because of all your help.
Dan
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I have you down for Tuesday.
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Thanks for the follow up Joe!
Regarding the bathroom, I think it’s cement board. I attached a close up of it. I was able to score it with a utility knife, so I’m guessing that’s what it is.
I’ve also attached a close up of the border between the vinyl floor in the laundry room, and the laminate. I think the vinyl is on some particle board, or something else that’s sitting on the sub floor. I’m sure when I take up the laminate it’ll be easy to see.
i haven’t been able to find any areas that I could look and see if there are two layers to the floor. I know the house was constructed in 1995, so I’m not sure if they were still doing that then.
I appreciate the recommendations on the hammer drill and the chisel bits too. I’ll definitely use those.
Thanks again!
Dan
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Here is your blueprint – https://somup.com/c0j3Y9Arwe
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here are the videos I mentioned – https://youtu.be/SASsyBVlEnQ and https://youtu.be/8ZmkxroZ11g
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Thank you so much for the blueprint and the responses Joe!
I’ve been working through the demo, and everything is going pretty well. Still have to demo the bathroom and laundry room though.
I do have a couple quick questions for you regarding prep:
1. I noticed there was a waterproof membrane in the kitchen when I took up the laminate. Do I need to put something similar down in the kitchen/bathroom before I install the plank? I don’t remember seeing you do that in the videos I’ve seen, but wanted to double check.
2. I bought some ardex to fill in any dips in the subfloor. Do you think a 4 foot level is long enough to identify those areas? It looks like you had a longer one that you used, so I wasn’t sure if I needed to get something longer or not.
3. When I took the dishwasher out, I noticed there was original hardwood underneath. Is it best to remove that hardwood, and run plank into the space where the dishwasher goes?
Thanks,
Dan
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Hi Joe,
Progress has been a little slow with the flooring (decided to paint and put up crown molding), and I’ve had some setbacks (had to take out a few rows after noticing the plank was running crooked), but I’m hopeful that I’ll make some good headway here soon.
One thing I’m a little uncertain on is how often and in what circumstances I should secure a row, or certain planks, with screws (for example a screw in the subfloor at the very end of the row right against the plank). The reason I ask is that when I do the bridge method of securing the plank, I’m always hammering the pull bar in the same direction (west). One time I tried to hammer a row the other direction (east), and I ended up having a few joints separate over a few rows, and had to take everything up again. I’m pretty sure the answer is just to make sure I’m hammering the pull bar in the same direction, but I thought maybe some screws would help keep things from separating on me. If you have any suggestions about the best times and places to secure with screws, I’d certainly appreciate it.
Thanks so much!
Dan
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link to spacers- https://amzn.to/469gPxP
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Thanks Joe, the spacers have been working out really well and things have been going pretty smooth!
I have a question on the stair nose. Here’s a pic of what it looks like. Can you explain how I should work through it? Do I run the plank to that seem, and put the overlapping stair nose on top of the existing nose? I’m also not exactly sure how to secure the stair nose, whether I should glue or screw it in, etc. I’m using the overlapping stair nose (https://www.flooret.com/overlapping-stair-nose/). If you have a video on it already, that would be great too. I didn’t see one when I looked, but I’m sure I could’ve missed it though.
Thanks so much!
Dan
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Thanks Joe!
I ended up having to remove that stair nose, since the overlapping nose wouldn’t completely cover it. Oh well, I think it’ll still look great anyway.
I do have another question or two though. I’m at the point now where I’m working into the living room, and I’ve already gone down the hallway by the bathroom/laundry room. When should I go back and finish the first row by the entry way? Should I wait until I connect the floor back together around the island?
Also, I’ve been using the screw method to secure the first rows of flooring along walls, and cabinets, etc. When should I take those screws out? Is it once I’m finished with everything?
If all goes well this weekend, I might be able to get through the rest of the kitchen and living room, which only leaves the bathroom and rest of the laundry room after that. I’m excited, it’s really starting to look nice. Thanks again for all your help with this!
Dan
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