If you’re a do-it-yourself type homeowner who is thinking about the benefits of wood Stain Concrete Designs for your home then you may want to consider installing vinyl wood plank floors. These floors are a great alternative to solid wood flooring due to their ease of installation, the look of real wood they provide, and the considerable cost savings they offer over solid wood floors.
There are numerous advantages to installing vinyl wood plank floors for your home. The cost savings of vinyl wood flooring compared to solid wood flooring happens to be one important factor you can’t ignore. Today, companies are capable of producing incredibly realistic looking wood floors out of vinyl material. They’ve developed the ability to mimic numerous species in countless colors and stain variations. Another important aspect of vinyl wood flooring that makes it attractive to homeowners is the ease in maintaining it. Just a damp mop with some all-purpose cleaner is all that’s required to clean these floors.
However, the one major drawback of vinyl wood plank floors are their inability to be re-finished and relatively short life-span compare to solid wood floors. Depending on the thickness, manufacturer, and foot traffic volume, vinyl wood plank floors last about an average of 5 to 8 years. After the floor has reached the end of its life, it will have to be removed and a new floor installed. Solid wood floors afford the homeowner the ability to re-finish them several times, even allowing for the ability to change stain variations and colors. Most homeowners would prefer to avoid the inconvenience associated with replacing any type of flooring in high traffic areas such as hallways and Kitchens.
But what really makes vinyl wood flooring so attractive to handy homeowners is the ease in which these floors are installed. All that is required to install theses floors is a utility knife with a sharp blade and a tape measure. When considering installing one of these floors it’s important to know that they can be installed over both a concrete or wood sub-floor. However, the subfloor must be smooth before installing the vinyl flooring. This may require some dash patching or self leveling compounds for concrete subfloors that have noticeable depressions or cracks. It’s also recommended to seal the concrete subfloor to protect against moisture before installing a vinyl floor. Over time, excessive moisture can lead to bubbles forming in the vinyl flooring.
To begin the installation it’s crucial to determine the center point of the room as your starting point. That way, you’re ensured even cuts on both sides of the room and a symmetrical overall layout. Some manufactures offer “peel-n-stick” vinyl flooring meaning the adhesive has already been applied to the back of the vinyl flooring piece. All that’s required to install the vinyl plank is to peel off the protective paper and firmly press the plank in place. For vinyl flooring that does not have pre-applied adhesive backing there are several floor glues available on the market that can be substituted instead. Application of the glue requires a 1/16″ trowel and usually takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to set-up. A quick way to determine if the glue is ready is to touch it gently with your finger. If it’s tacky to the touch without leaving any residue on your finger, then it’s ready to go.
Unlike wood flooring, vinyl wood plank floors don’t require a miter saw to complete the cuts around the room. The vinyl material allows planks to be cut to size with nothing more than a good utility knife and an accurate tape measure. For beginning handymen, installing one of these vinyl floors in an Entrance Hall, Kitchen, or even Bathroom could be great first project to tackle.
It’s no wonder with installation aspects such as these, plus the overall low cost of vinyl flooring, why these floors are so attractive to the average homeowner. Now, consumers have countless options in styles and colors to choose from when it comes to vinyl wood plank floors. Because it’s so easy to install and requires very little tools, even a novice do-it-yourself homeowner could install a vinyl wood plank floor with great results.
