Are you moving out of your apartment? Or are you interested in making your current one more silk and picture-worthy? It’s 2022, and you most likely would have seen various pictures of homes with very cool aesthetics and designs. Well, an excellent place to start your home revamp is your bathroom. Take a look at the image below and think about your current bathroom.
“Nice!!! This is really cool”, those are possibly your thoughts; well, I am here not to talk about the whole bathroom aesthetics, but the floor; how you could set up your floor to look just this good. The floor isn’t made of tiles; neither is it marble; this is an example of Vinyl plank floors.
What is Vinyl Plank Floors?
Vinyl plank floors are synthetic materials that look just like hardwoods; they are created with Genuity to match various home styles and decorations. These plank floors come in various forms and vary from marbles to oak forms of hardwood. Designed in small shapes and lightweight, it is easy to fix.
A budget-friendly interior decoration that gives you a feel of expensive hardwoods or stone at a minimal cost. It is also important because vinyl plank floors are durable, easy to clean, maintain, and waterproof.
Yes, waterproof, a significant factor as to why you should be ready to have them in your bathroom.
How can I install vinyl plank flooring around my bathroom?
Vinyl plank floorings are the trend most in vogue now, and you might decide to order for your preferred design, but while you contemplate, you also need to know how to install them. It isn’t algebra, nor is it calculus, but it is relatively demanding and requires the right toolsets.
You would need to give keen attention to the detailing of your floor; you allow for spacing all around your bathroom to allow the material to expand and contrast. Below are the sets of equipment you would need to order with your vinyl plank floors if you do not have them before.
- Knee pads
- Belt sanders
- Tapping blocks
- Mallet
- Pry bar
- Utility knife
- Silicone caulk
- Jigsaw
Now you’ve got all materials and are ready for the big day. But, first, let’s give you a step-by-step guide on how to install your vinyl plank floors.
Step 1: Removal of obstruction
Removal of any obstructions; you probably have a certain way in which you’ve set up your bathroom and it could include a toilet system. You have to remove all obstacles in your bathroom. For example, if your toilet system is detachable from the drainpipe, remove it. Also, mirrors and other accessories need to be taken out when you want to work; This allows for smooth fixation of the vinyl plank floors for your bathroom.
Step 2: Removal of baseboard
Next is the removal of the baseboard attached to the bathroom. When fixing your bathroom vinyl plank floor, you have to leave space for allowance that ensures that the plan can expand and contrast. Temperature changes vary due to climatic conditions and humidity of the bathroom; therefore, removal of the baseboard is quintessential.
Step 3: Removal of existing floor
Now you are set to begin work, and you remember the pry bar you ordered; yes, it comes in handy now. So, use it to remove any existing floor. Some bathrooms could have ceramic tiles, and it has to come out first. Peradventure your floor is made of laminate or concrete, you don’t have to pull anything, the vinyl plank floor would fit on it easily.
Step 4: Work on the ground floor
Make a thoroughly flat surface or ground. Due to the removal of tiles, the floor might be gritty or uneven, so make use of the Level used by masons or carpenters to ascertain if you have an equal surface of floor levelness. Also, check for cracks or fissures, and they should be first fixed with concrete. Failure to do this would lead to pulling apart the vinyl plank floors. For uneven spots, the use of sandpapers is advised to smoothen them.
Step 5: Plan out floor dimension and layout
Plan your space and work layout. Often, bathrooms don’t come in the perfect shape or dimension. So, it’s vital to take time and measure, plan and sketch out the correct dimension of your bathroom. This allows you to be able to calculate and make proper plans as to how many Vinyl plank floors you would need and how to cut them.
Measure the extremities of the room and record, then measure to the center and plan an additional half-inch to the calculation for allowance.
Step 6: Create space for toilet flange
Factor in space for the toilet you’ve removed and plug the space to prevent blockade. Yeah !! You probably were eager to start setting your vinyl plank floors, but you need to cut out the diameter of your toilet flange, and if you have other things you want to be in direct contact with the floor, you have to cut them out also.
Step 7: Set the first row
Time to begin; yeah, we work row by row, but you have to set the first row one plank after the other. Remember to factor in the space for your baseboard, a quarter of an inch would be perfect, so arrange and align the planks, side by side. Then for the last plank, it should be 6 inches longer so that the next row can fit in easily.
Step 8: Continue laying the planks
Now, use your mallet and fix planks on the second row starting from the longer 6-inch side. Tap and set properly, so there are no spaces or air holes, and you continue to repeat the process, leaving a 6-inch allowance at the end of each new row.
Step 9: Last row and examination
Continue the installation until the last row, then cut the piece with your jigsaw and fit it appropriately. Finally, fall back on your mapped-out layout and access if you’ve done things as initially planned.
Step 10: Reinstall baseboard and trim
Now, you bring in your baseboard and trim, install it into the allotted space earlier planned. Make sure it fits perfectly, and then add silicone caulk between the bathtub and the new floating floor to protect against leakages and damage. You can clean and fix your toilet and other desired feature of your toilet.
If you’ve been hesitating to fix up your bathroom, now is the time to get up and make your decision. Make a choice of your preferred plank and use the above guide to create something perfect.