First time fitting LVT planks, help? :)

[robodelfy]

Hi

I fell out with the guy who was meant to fit my karndean floor in my kitchen. He said my floor couldn't be made flatter, and it had 8cm undulations. I levelled it with fibre self levelling compound from mapei, and now it's much better.

I have karndean opus planks. They reccomend using their adhesive. But Screwfix has a mapei one with good reviews, I'm guessing this will be fine?

My main confusion is how to lay it all out correctly, to look right and minimise waste. I've never done this before.

Any tips? Do I start from one side, or draw lines and start from the middle. I just can't really work it out.

The planks will go parallel to the worktop by the window and door in the photo.

Thanks

 

[robodelfy]

Anyone?

 

[Alec_t]

I've never laid them, but from what I've read you might want to consider the optical effect. The room will tend to look longer in the length direction of the planks. Also, consider the visibility of joins, bearing in mind that the main room lighting will normally be daylight from the patio doors.
Have you checked Youtube for tutorials?

 

[robodelfy]

I've never laid them, but from what I've read you might want to consider the optical effect. The room will tend to look longer in the length direction of the planks. Also, consider the visibility of joins, bearing in mind that the main room lighting will normally be daylight from the patio doors.
Have you checked Youtube for tutorials?

Thanks yeah uv looked on YouTube but not found anything great, especially about planning it out before sticking. Maybe I'm overthinking it!

 

[crazydaze]

The planks will look better laying towards the light source as the light will run down the length and less likely to show any cupping of the surface of the board. For a plank design, its common to center the design in the doorway looking forwards, for a tile design, center in the middle of the room and work towards the edges of the room.

 

[Mottie]

Have you already bought the planks? If not, have you considered Click lock vinyl planks?

 

[robodelfy]

Have you already bought the planks? If not, have you considered Click lock vinyl planks?

yeah I already bought them

 

[dazlight]

You want Karndean universal adhesive or uzin KE66 or Ardex LVT glue

 

[robodelfy]

The main thing I'm wondering is do I start at one wall and work all the way across, or start from the middle out?

You want Karndean universal adhesive or uzin KE66 or Ardex LVT glue

Thanks, its just not easy to get certain things right now...what do you think of this from Screwfix?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mapei-ultrabond-eco-vs90-plus-ht-vinyl-rubber-flooring-adhesive-5kg/8267h

 

[dazlight]

Not used it but it will be ok with that.

Start down one wall. Cut in 4 rows then glue them in and keep going like that to the other side of the room.

 

[robodelfy]

Not used it but it will be ok with that.

Start down one wall. Cut in 4 rows then glue them in and keep going like that to the other side of the room.

Ok great thanks. I got a special roller to activate the adhesive once they are down, hopefully will help

 

[dazlight]

Ok great thanks. I got a special roller to activate the adhesive once they are down, hopefully will help

eh ? Roller ? What LVT do you have

 

[robodelfy]

eh ? Roller ? What LVT do you have

I called Karndean and they said you need to roll it with one of these once you've put the planks down, or it won't properly adhere. Or on big jobs they have a huge 45kg one, but this one you just lean all your weight on it :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extendable-Roller-Floors-Karndean-Flooring/dp/B004FM9C9Y

 

[dazlight]

That’s great. Thought you meant a paint roller to put adhesive down.

 

[SpecialK]

Try and plan it so you don't have small slithers near the edges anywhere?
I only did a small area - I think it was Ball Stycobond F46 I used.

Have you checked the self leveller is flat? Mine had little bobbles from air bubbles I had to sand off