All building materials, vinyl flooring included, expand and contract as temperatures change. To allow for that movement without causing the planks to buckle as they expand or slip apart as they shrink, installers are supposed to leave an expansion gap around the perimeter of the room.
Apart from moisture and temperature fluctuations, wood floor boards can separate and develop gaps if the flooring hasn't been properly acclimatised prior to installation or if an insufficient expansion gap has been left around the room.
The pass level for ASTM F 2199 is such that shrinkage of up to 0.024” / linear foot is considered a “pass”. This equates to a maximum allowable gap of 0.072” for a typical three foot plank, which is more than double the thickness of a credit card.
Both luxury vinyl tile and vinyl plank flooring expand and contract when exposed to changes in weather, including temperatures. The expansion and contraction are only fractions of an inch, but this can make a difference.
If the planks are glued down to an uneven surface, they will peel away or crack in those irregular areas. Alternatively, floating LVP can withstand a slight unevenness to the subfloor. It can mask those slight imperfections.
Extreme heat and sunlight damage is one of the most common reasons for vinyl plank buckling. Prevent this from happening by taking steps to protect sections of the flooring from nearby windows. Applying a UV film or glass tint directly to the windows helps to limit the heat and light transfer through the window.
If the proper expansion gap is not left during installation, and the planks on the sides push up against the wall, the pressure will cause planks elsewhere in the room to buckle. Buckling floors are repairable, however, they are a major inconvenience and can be tricky.
No. Rigid vinyl planks like Sound-Tec, Studio 12, and Foundations float over minor subfloor imperfections. They mask slight subfloor unevenness. However, because of the precisely milled clip system, a flat substrate is recommended for support.
Because the flooring isn't attached to the sub-floor, it can move slightly when walking over it. However this is often tiny movements, caused by the underlay compressing underfoot. A hollow or echoed sound can sometimes occur when walking over a floating floor.
Hardwood floors inevitably form gaps due to how wood moves. During hot days, moisture content inside the wood is lost, causing the wood to shrink. Water-logged wood can swell, applying pressure against planks so they chip and break. It is okay if there are small gaps between your planks.
Use the filler from the vinyl repair kit and build up a thin layer over the cracks, remove the excess, and let it all dry. Repeat this process until the filler is even with the original vinyl covering, then press down with the grain pad to texturize the filler as it starts to dry.
A floating floor that is not staggered will not only look odd it will not perform well and as it expands it can even lift up like a hinge. Staggering adds strength and structural stability.
Moreover, if your floor is just slightly uneven, keep in mind that a vinyl plank over uneven floor can provide it with full coverage, as well as other sturdy materials. Not only do these types of materials give the floor the illusion of being more even than it really is, but they're also easy DIY flooring options.
In short, vinyl flooring itself can be completely self sustainable and does not require an underlayment to function properly. Another reason underlayments may be suggested for vinyl flooring is if the vinyl flooring type is thin. When the vinyl flooring is thin, it becomes a lot easier to flex and bend.
The most important fact is that you can only remove and reinstall luxury vinyl flooring if you have utilized the floating floor installation method. Since these pieces only click together to install, they are just as easy to remove by taking the pieces apart in reverse.
While LVP is extremely durable, it isn't totally indestructible. Luxury vinyl flooring can dent and even scratch or scuff, especially from heavy appliances, furniture, or other weighty objects. Just because it's resistant to something doesn't mean it's impervious to it.
Vinyl Flooring “Don'ts”
Don't use wax or solvent-based polishes. Don't use ammonia or ammonia-based cleaning solutions. Ammonia can break down the vinyl and cause it to crack. Don't use a steam cleaner on vinyl plank flooring.
Natural causes like sunlight and heat are one major reason for bubbling vinyl flooring. As the material warms (and cools), it can expand and contract, widen and shrink, and that constant changing of size can lead to buckling.