Procore plus luxury vinyl plank flooring

Recently we shared our inspiration board that included a flooring update with ProCore Plus luxury vinyl plank. Our floors are installed (YAY!) and I’m going to go over some tips for install and FAQ from our Instagram friends.

Why ProCore Plus LVP?

Well for starters, we do a lot of projects and can be kind of rough on our floors (plus kids). LVP provides the durability we need while also being waterproof! 

I LOVE having seamless flooring throughout our home. Being waterproof, this type of flooring can be installed in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry area–so we didn’t have to use transitions or thresholds.

Lastly, the cost is a factor as well. With LVP you’re able to get the look and even similar feel of real hardwoods without the cost.

How to choose the right color

This is our third set of flooring we’ve installed in our homes. We learned right away in our first home that dark colored flooring was NOT ideal for families with kids and pets. Every single crumb, dust bunny and pet hair was visible.

The last flooring we had was trendier in color. The more experience we have in renovating our home, the more I understand that it’s best to stick with classic and timeless features in larger ticket items, such as flooring and tile. 

With all this in mind, we opted for ProCore Plus in Warm Honey Oak. Not too dark, not too light and brings just the right amount of warmth into the space.

Installing Luxury Vinyl Plank

The first thing you need to do is prepare your subfloor. Our subfloor is concrete and since ProCore Plus LVP already has an attached pad, no underlayment is necessary (although a 6 mil moisture barrier is required over concrete). Minor imperfections in your concrete are fine, but for anything larger you will need to use a concrete repair solution before install.

Next, you’ll need to gather a few simple tools.

Tools:

●Utility knife

● Pencil

● Knee pads (optional)

● 5-N-1

● Tape measure

● Rubber mallet or dead blow hammer

● Level

● Framer’s square

● Chalk line

● Spacers

● Broom

● Hand saw, Jamb saw or oscillating multi-tool to undercut door jambs

To get started, make sure your subfloor is clean and free of debris by sweeping or using a shop vac.

It’s best to open a few boxes of flooring at once and mix the planks from each box for a natural look and a more random appearance. When planning the direction of your planks, it’s really a matter of preference! For example, we chose to lay our flooring to draw the eye straight into our home versus running them the length of our home.

Start at your first wall on the left and add spacers between the wall and flooring to allow for proper expansion gaps. (If the length or width of your room is ≤ 50-ft., use an expansion gap of at least 1/4-in. around the entire perimeter. If the overall length or width of the room is between 50 – 85-ft., then you’ll need a 1/2-in. expansion gap.) 

Completely install the first row. Getting this row straight is so important and will make the rest of the installation much faster and easier. You can double check for ‘straightness’ using a chalk line if needed.

To cut the planks, you can use a framer’s square and utility knife to score several times before snapping apart, or use a miter saw.

The cut plank from the previous row may be used as a starter plank for one of the following rows, making sure the end joints are at least 6” apart from the previous row, and at least 9” in length. To install the second row and beyond, join the long sides together and at an angle slide the short side down to the next and lock the joint into place by lightly tapping starting from the “T” using a deadblow hammer or rubber mallet. You’ll tap the planks until they are perfectly flush and locked in. ProCore Flooring has a good video on their YouTube channel demonstrating the clic floor system.

Once you have a few rows in place, turn yourself around so that you’re on top of the installed flooring. This will not only help reduce any shifting, but I personally think it’s easier to lock each plank in place this way. 

When you reach a doorway, you may need to undercut the door jam. Take your oscillating tool and a piece of scrap flooring to measure out the correct height to remove. 

Once you get a good rhythm going, the install really is a breeze! 

FAQ

I asked my IG friends to send in any questions they had regarding this flooring and install. 

Q: What is your subfloor?

A: Our subfloor is concrete. LVP is a “floating” floor, so it can be installed right over top.

Q: What color are you using?

A: We are using the color Warm Honey Oak.

Q: Where do I even begin to find the most durable?

A: When researching you should look at the vinyl plank wear layer – thickness and protection. ProCore Plus has a 12-mil wear layer which is standard and sufficient for most homes. On ProCore Plus products, ProCore even offers a 5 year ‘light commercial’ warranty, which is a great sign that it can hold up to the wear and tear from most families! They also have a urethane protective wear layer that offers a good deal more protection. A bonus is the attached pad for comfort and a sound barrier.

Q: Is it smooth or can it have texture?

A: The best part about ProCore Plus LVP is the look and feel! There is a slight ridging to the planks making them look and feel more like real hardwoods.

Q: Can you lay them over existing vinyl/linoleum floors? Or does it have to be ripped out before LVP?

A: Don’t install LVP over any other floating or loose floor coverings, hardwood, carpet, cushion vinyl, rubber, cork, foam, or asphalt tile. Other substrates may be acceptable; however, they must be clean, structurally sound (well bonded), dry, smooth (ridge-free) within a flatness tolerance of ≤ 1/8-inch over 6-foot and 3/32-inch over 1-foot in all directions.

Q: Is it softer than tile to walk on?

A: 100%! There is no give in tile whereas LVP is softer with the attached pad making it more shock absorbent. 

Q: Are these waterproof?

A: Yes! ProCore LVP comes with high density, rigid core construction that is 100% waterproof.

Q: Do you have issues with the joints separating over time?

A: If properly installed, you shouldn’t! Getting the joints flush/locked together is so important, and so is creating the expansion gap. Vinyl is susceptible to temperature changes which will cause the vinyl flooring to expand and contract with normal hot and cold fluctuations. Without an expansion gap, the flooring could ‘peak.’

If you have any more questions, leave them in the comments below! Stay tuned for the final reveal!