PVC flooring

Installing a PVC floor yourself? Here's what to look out for

Would you like to lay a new floor? Then a PVC floor is an excellent choice! A PVC floor is waterproof, soundproof, easy to maintain and easy to lay yourself. How? Read all about it in this article!

Clicking or gluing?

PVC floors are available in 'click PVC' and 'stick PVC'. Adhesive PVC consists of flexible strips which need to be glued to the substrate. Click PVC consists of straight planks which you can click together using a click system. Click PVC from Floorinq.co.uk or another retailer is easier and faster to install than adhesive PVC, which is why it is also known as the 'do-it-yourself floor'.

How do you lay click PVC?

Acclimatisation: It is important to let a new floor acclimatise in the room where it will be laid. This means you need to let the floor rest for at least 48 hours, so it can get used to the temperature and humidity in your home. For this, it is best to stack the click PVC flat on the floor.

Prepare substrate: You lay a PVC floor on a flat, clean surface. Often an underlay is desirable to dampen impact sound. Make sure the subfloor is dry, clean, smooth and free of dust and grease. Unevenness more than 2 mm should be levelled.

First row: Start laying the first row in the corner of the room on your left, with the groove towards the wall and work from left to right. Leave an expansion joint of 1 cm around the laid PVC. Place spacers between the wall and the PVC floor for this purpose.

Connecting rows: For the second row, saw (or cut) a plank in half at any point. Use this to start the second row. Connect rows by clicking the planks together vertically. Press the click system firmly by hand or use a rubber mallet.

Complete the floor: For awkward spots, use a profile scraper. With this you can easily trace the right shape on the plank and then cut it to size. Finally, don't forget to lay skirting boards.