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Igor’s blueprint
Hi Joe,
that’s the 2nd floor of my house. I am planning to lay LVP everywhere except the bathrooms (there are tiles, I’ll make transitions there). Currently there is carpet in the left side of the floor + hallway and laminate in two bedrooms to the right. I also want to convert stairs from carpet to LVP (it looks like there is no wood bullnose there).
I’ll post photos of the challenging areas.As for the planks, I’ll likely move forward with Lifeproof 8.7 in or Flooret 9 or 6 in planks (need your technical advice here).
I’ll install with quarter rounds if that matter – walls were painted last year and the 1st floor has rounds around hardwood there.
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51 Replies
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Photos of IMHO challenging areas
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My ideas considering logistics of removing floors and moving furniture around:
Start with the center piece 1, temporarily leaving unfinished rows entering areas 3 ,4, and 5
Finish the room 2
Finish the room 3
Finish the room 4
Finish the room 5
Deal with the stairs 6
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This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by Igor.
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This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Hi Joe,
thanks for the quick reply.
I’ll do E-W because the 1st floor is done that way and I think it’ll be a better match with the stairs. That said, I heard you and will do the horizontal run (end to end) in one go.Regarding the stair. Attached are photos of the top. It looks like it is a single piece of plywood.
Can I lay LVP to the edge? I think that later on, if we decide to do it flush with the wall, it’ll be easier to cut. -
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Thanks Joe, I am watching your bootcamp as I am preparing the floors. Today I removed laminate in the room 4 and of course saw 5-6mm dips in the middle, so will follow your lessons on filling them with Ardex/Henry. It looks like be the time LVP arrives (ETA on HD and Flooret samples is Thur) I should have the floor prepped.
Could you please post links to the various staircase solutions you mentioned – I’d like to get familiar with what’s available / what do I like.
Thanks again!
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Hi Joe,
I am trying to figure out if I need to order the spaces your recommended. In the video you used them against the drywall. I will be installing against a 0.5in thick baseboard (will install quarter round to match my 1st floor). Will these spacers be helpful?
I did some random tests – there is a gap almost 1in from the end of the baseboard, I guess I will be starting/stopping the row flush with the baseboard’s edge?
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Thanks Joe, spacers are ordered.
If I remove baseboards, my concern is that I may end up with “waves” , i.e. uneven vertical gaps once I put baseboards back. What’s the remedy – level the subfloor along the walls?
Could you please also share your view on HD Malibu LVP if you ever worked with it?
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hi Joe,
I’ve received 3 Flooret Base planks of my selected colors. Only one is partial match so I keep looking. I ordered HD Malibu samples and 3 boxes of Lifeproof 22mil colors they don’t have in the stores. Once these arrive next week, I’ll make my final call.
FYI: I did a fork test (learning from you) on a Lifeproof 22mil sample and one of Flooret 20mil planks. While Lifeproof piece seems indestructible, I was easily able to leave deep scratches in Flooret. They use Aluminum Oxide coating.
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did you try to rub out the scratches? Can you share a pic of that sample? Lifeproof 22 mil is a good product, I gave it a decent review.
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A lot of times a fork will leave a scratch, but the scratch will wipe away with a wet cloth or rubbing it with your finger.
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I know about cleaning, did the same as you in your videos. One photo is a cleaned version, another is ‘as is’ right after scratching.
Lifeproof’s 3 trial boxes will arrive next week, until then I am on the sideline waiting.
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This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by Igor.
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This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by
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And here is the 22mil Lifeproof piece that I literally tortured with a fork. You can see one large scratch, but it blends quite well.
By the way, I tried to break ‘trim’ of F Base and was easily able to do so, just like with noname LVP samples I collected at Menards.
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Hi Joe, I’ve removed carpet in the starting room (#2) and the hall, exposing the stairs. Please have a look, I left some questions in the photos.
In my view the bathroom transition will be too much into the bathroom; I think that’s ok because if one day I remodel that bathroom, I could cut 1 in of LVP and move transition back UNDER the door as it is supposed to be.
Thanks!
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hi Joe,
once I am done with LVP I’d like to upgrade my staircase. I’ve seen on YouTube that shoe is often used to keep metal balusters. In my case, especially when I change the newel post (the same as I have downstairs), it’ll solve the issue of working around the metal plate and ugly edges.
The bottom white post dimensions are 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 size; it is larger than the metal plate that keeps the upper yellow wood post.
What I am leaning towards now: first install LVP flush with the metal plate (1/4 gap) and the edge of the plywood. Once I complete LVP and decide on the shoe/newel post, I’ll cut excessive LVP so it’ll become flush with the new elements. What do you think? I’d like to delay dealing with the staircase after the floor is done and in my mind such approach would provide enough flexibility to tackle two installations separately.
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Joe,
I have a quick question on spacers (save your time – please just reply in text):The ones you recommended are backordered in Acme (3-5 weeks) and Amazon (1st March delivery (!). Will any of below designs work if I remove baseboards and press spacers against the drywall:
Option 1: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092V39H51/ref=ewc_pr_img_2?smid=A15DEYEI23JMGX&psc=1
Option 3: https://www.amazon.com/Tfloor-Spacers-Laminate-flooring-Flooring/dp/B01N9LWZQF/
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This reply was modified 3 months, 2 weeks ago by Igor.
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This reply was modified 3 months, 2 weeks ago by
