LVT Click flooring

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

I’ve not found any examples / threads / blogs talking about installation of floating LVT click flooring (i.e. not glueing down). Has anyone got any advice or tips on doing this yourself?

[MPH243]

I have fitted a couple, it is basically same as wood laminate be careful with the short joints when tapping down they can crack if not right.

 

Make sure you have expansion gaps around the edges.

 

 

[Super_Paulie]

Yeah I've done it. 

I used a block and mallet on the short sides to put that home and an offcut and mallet to bring the long side into the tongue/groove. 

 

It's a fairly satisfying project I found. Easy to cut with a straight edge and a Stanley knife, just score it and snap, jobs a good un.

 

With the UFH I often hear the odd click of a length popping out slightly I assume, but it hasn't been a problem so far and I'm 18 months in. Also dropped SWMBO's favourite ceramic ice bucket on it which exploded into a million bits but the LVT was undamaged.

 

What I found a pain, especially in a big room, was trying to keep the pattern random. So a plank with as many individual designs as possible is a bonus, I was always fighting it trying to randomise it. Worked out nice though I thought. 

 

 

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

19 minutes ago, Super_Paulie said:

Yeah I've done it. 

I used a block and mallet on the short sides to put that home and an offcut and mallet to bring the long side into the tongue/groove. 

 

It's a fairly satisfying project I found. Easy to cut with a straight edge and a Stanley knife, just score it and snap, jobs a good un.

 

With the UFH I often hear the odd click of a length popping out slightly I assume, but it hasn't been a problem so far and I'm 18 months in. Also dropped SWMBO's favourite ceramic ice bucket on it which exploded into a million bits but the LVT was undamaged.

 

What I found a pain, especially in a big room, was trying to keep the pattern random. So a plank with as many individual designs as possible is a bonus, I was always fighting it trying to randomise it. Worked out nice though I thought. 

 

 

@Super_Paulie that looks amazing. Excellent job!

 

Did you have any of it flush with an edge that wasn’t under skirting? My areas of challenge are going to be the mat well at the front door and along a large sliding window which we really want a flush finish. Some have suggested gluing that section down and allowing the other areas under skirting to maintain the expansion gap, but I’m not so sure. It’s a bit of a conundrum for me atm.

[Super_Paulie]

I always left an expansion gap. One can assume with UFH and the south sun beating down it's gonna move. I left it maybe 5, 8mm from the edge of the doors and put a trim over it with the trim attached to the doors rather than the floor so it can expand underneath it without bucking. The rest was just a gap that you can't see once I'd added skirting.

 

I did ponder having a sunken mat as well but ultimately couldn't be arsed with the hassle. My plan was the same as above with a trim from the mat well and then over the edge onto the floor with the LVT edge covered by this, I guess like an upside down L shape. Like I say I didn't go for it, so couldn't really advise on that one.

[MPH243]

1 hour ago, Super_Paulie said:

Yeah I've done it. 

I used a block and mallet on the short sides to put that home and an offcut and mallet to bring the long side into the tongue/groove. 

 

It's a fairly satisfying project I found. Easy to cut with a straight edge and a Stanley knife, just score it and snap, jobs a good un.

 

With the UFH I often hear the odd click of a length popping out slightly I assume, but it hasn't been a problem so far and I'm 18 months in. Also dropped SWMBO's favourite ceramic ice bucket on it which exploded into a million bits but the LVT was undamaged.

 

What I found a pain, especially in a big room, was trying to keep the pattern random. So a plank with as many individual designs as possible is a bonus, I was always fighting it trying to randomise it. Worked out nice though I thought. 

 

 

Looks very nice

 

Yes do what has been described above. Also leave a expansion along the doors with trim fixed to doors.

 

The guys I work for fitted some and it buckled in front of the bifold doors, I took it up and relaid it and made sure all expansion gaps etc, and it still buckled. We think it's was the flooring but I would always leave a gap now as it is a massive hassle if it goes wrong.

 

And do not do H pattern it is even more likely to happen.

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

7 hours ago, MPH243 said:

And do not do H pattern it is even more likely to happen.

We’ve gone for herringbone, which I may live to regret when we eventually get to the install stage!

 

 

[kandgmitchell]

11 hours ago, MPH243 said:

The guys I work for fitted some and it buckled in front of the bifold doors, I took it up and relaid it and made sure all expansion gaps etc, and it still buckled.

We fitted Amtico floating LVT in the extended kitchen at our last house. The extension featured large bi-folds looking south across the hills, lovely view... However, the first summer it all buckled between the island and the bi-folds. I chased Amtico and they said the product wasn't suitable for conservatories, having pointed out that this was the ground floor of a two storey extension, they changed to . ..... we wouldn't recommend it in that location due to the heat. Eventually they sent a technical guy down to help the kitchen fitter and between them they glued it down in that area.

[S2D2]

Fitted quickstep here, really easy DIY job. As everyone has said, follow the expansion gap instructions to the letter. I undercut the skirting to keep an expansion gap and clean lines. I didn't want to undercut a tall kitchen panel and cut the plank with a 2mm gap to look good, inevitably that's the one point that made contact in the latest heatwave and that gap needs increasing. 

[Oz07]

Fitted quickstep in 2020. Joints on the 300mm wide stuff wasn't quite square. Was passable but not perfect and only showed after I'd done a bit. Can't remember ins and outs contacted them after a few rows. Supplier said to crack on will straighten out. Didn't straighten out, ended up refunding me for the whole lot and then some as I remember. 

[scottishjohn]

when i was considering the flooring 

the first thing my man said was   "no  way  with that size of floor area and a bifold door"

it will always buckle and move about 

 

only suitable for small areas with no direct sun problems

 

 thats what he told me and said if i want to use it --he would not be doing the job

[Super_Paulie]

21 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

when i was considering the flooring 

the first thing my man said was   "no  way  with that size of floor area and a bifold door"

it will always buckle and move about 

 

only suitable for small areas with no direct sun problems

 

 thats what he told me and said if i want to use it --he would not be doing the job

im south facing with 2 sets of bifolds and its been fine. Mine is SPC for what its worth, but its ok so far.

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

4 hours ago, Super_Paulie said:

im south facing with 2 sets of bifolds and its been fine. Mine is SPC for what it’s worth, but it’s ok so far.

@Super_Paulie What’s SPC?

[Super_Paulie]

58 minutes ago, Great_scot_selfbuild said:

@Super_Paulie What’s SPC?

Stone Plastic Composite. Probably all the same stuff.

[BotusBuild]

On 29/09/2026 at 07:15, Great_scot_selfbuild said:

We’ve gone for herringbone, which I may live to regret when we eventually get to the install stage!

 

 

I did that in a room about 6x8m. It nearly killed me 😁

 

To answer OP, no gluing, expansion gap around edges. Used trimmed tile edging to cover the gap.

[-rick-]

7 minutes ago, BotusBuild said:

I did that in a room about 6x8m. It nearly killed me

 

Glad you did it though? It looks good to me!

Edited 6 hours ago by -rick-

[BotusBuild]

2 hours ago, -rick- said:

 

Glad you did it though? It looks good to me!

Yes. It looks fecking brilliant

[Super_Paulie]

3 hours ago, BotusBuild said:

I did that in a room about 6x8m. It nearly killed me 😁

 

To answer OP, no gluing, expansion gap around edges. Used trimmed tile edging to cover the gap.

 

 

always love a "done in" photo mid-build.

[Nestor]

In our kitchen I fitted 60sqm of Parador Rigid click vinyl SPC solid core with acoustic underlay, 6mm x 457mm x 914mm tiles on caberdek.

Great quality product out of the box, a little awkward to fit together due to the size, planks would be easier. Fully floating with expansion gaps and skirting fitted later.

However in front of a south facing 3G 4 metre sliding door the tiles have buckled slightly across the width of the tiles and do lift (0.5mm ?) on very sunny days, enough to feel a tiny pop when walked on. 

This product cannot deal with full sun.

[Indy]

Is it just the click style floating LVT that cannot deal with direct sun beating down on it? We’ve gone for a Glue down LVT in a SW facing living/dining/kitchen area. The installer did use the Uzin KE 49 HT adhesive as we have UFH as well underneath. 

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

4 hours ago, BotusBuild said:

I did that in a room about 6x8m. It nearly killed me 😁

 

To answer OP, no gluing, expansion gap around edges. Used trimmed tile edging to cover the gap.

@BotusBuild this is the inspiration I need. Looks amazing! How did you set out the alignment? And tips for do’s/dont’s?

[Nestor]

8 minutes ago, Indy said:

Is it just the click style floating LVT that cannot deal with direct sun beating down on it? We’ve gone for a Glue down LVT in a SW facing living/dining/kitchen area. The installer did use the Uzin KE 49 HT adhesive as we have UFH as well underneath. 

This is the only LVT I have installed so cannot comment on other products. I did buy some replacements but as yet have not replaced them.

I plan to glue or use double sided tape on the replacements.

 

[MPH243]

4 hours ago, BotusBuild said:

I did that in a room about 6x8m. It nearly killed me 😁

 

To answer OP, no gluing, expansion gap around edges. Used trimmed tile edging to cover the gap.

That looks really good, I have done a real wood parquet and it was hard work keeping it straight as each block was slightly difference size(as wood is), I guess lvt is just keeping the angle correct.

 

I have fitted a SPC and normal, the SPC does feel difference and it is not supposed to expand much I think it's a 12m run. It has been down 3 years and no problem but only has 1 french door onto it.