Luxury vinyl tile or LVT can be installed virtually anywhere in your home. There are several installation methods for installing Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) depending upon which type of LVT that you purchase. LVT comes in two types, which include glue down and loose lay LVT. The glue down LVT can also be grouted to look just like ceramic tile flooring, but can be installed with or without grout, depending on the look you are attempting to achieve. Below is a brief summary of the three installation methods.
Loose Lay Installation
Loose lay Luxury Vinyl Tile has a unique click locking system, wherein the vinyl tile or planks lock together at the edges and there is no glue required for installation. This is the easiest do it yourself flooring to install. LVT can be installed using the loose lay method over any sub-floor or existing floor that has a level surface, which is clean and free of any debris. There is no underlayment required and it can be installed on grade, above grade or below grade because moisture is not an issue with LVT.
Grouted Installation
In this installation process, LVT is installed in much the same method as ceramic tile. Grout is then added between the tiles to give the appearance of ceramic tile. LVT has advantages over ceramic tile because it will not crack if something heavy is dropped on it and it is not cold in the winter like ceramic tile. It is important to acclimate the vinyl tile to the room in which you intend to install it for no less than 24 hours, since LVT can expand and contract according to the temperature and amount of moisture in the air.
Glue Down Installation
In this method, a special non-toxic, water based flooring adhesive is applied to the sub-floor or existing floor after removing any floor molding. If installing in a bathroom, it is recommended to remove the toilet or a pedestal sink to limit the amount of cuts you have to make. The vinyl tile or planks are then placed into the adhesive to securely attach them to the flooring underneath. It is important to make sure that the sub-floor or existing floor is level, clean and free of any debris. Please keep in mind that any imperfections in the flooring underneath may transfer through to the LVT surface.
At Woodwudy Wholesale Flooring, we are here for you! If you need any assistance or additional information, please call our trained flooring specialists at 1-877-966-3983.
