How To Install Vinyl Flooring On Stairs-Step By Step Installation Guide

Vinyl Flooring, besides being the most serviceable floor treatment, is also an entirely excellent and long-term favorable choice to treat your stairs with. This kind of staircase upgrade will not only let you cherish a whole new and adorable aesthetic uplifting around you but will also turn out to be a really favorable change.

And of course, it’s time to recall all those incredible advantages associated with Vinyl Flooring, the foremost one of which is durability and wholly resilient functionality. Thus it goes without saying that a Vinyl staircase is meant to bring you genuinely endless and everlasting benefits. 

Besides, all you need at this point is an easy and practical guide on “How to Install Vinyl Flooring on stairs”, and the Pro Flooring Guide is right at your service, this time too. 

Let’s begin with the required essentials of Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring on stairs first. 

How To Install Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring On Stairs

While it might seem a majorly demanding task in the first place, you’ll be really surprised to know that there’s absolutely nothing critical about the entire procedure, at all. All you need to do is proceed with smart planning and a careful approach, and just wait to be astounded by the outcomes. 

Tools And Supplies Required

• Saw
• Caulking Gun
• Blade (choose the one with a good tooth)
• Measuring Tape
• Carpenter Square
• Nailing Gun/ Drilling Gun
• Stair-tread Gauge
• Screws/ Nails
• Stair Nosing
• Vinyl Planks (of course!)
• Associated Adhesive/ Glue  

Vinyl Plank Flooring On Stairs Step By Step Installation Guide

1. Preparation

Start by preparing your stairs, before you proceed any further with the installation which, in the first place, involves getting the planks at least 48 hours in advance to the very beginning of the installation. First things first, remove any of the moldings or trim that’s present around your stairs, so as to obtain adequate measurements for a secure fitting of the Vinyl Planks which could last longer. P.S. don’t forget to clean your working space thoroughly with either washing or sweeping so that there won’t be any kind of buildup in your way as you work.

2. Cutting Baseboard

Work your way by cutting back the baseboard on the stairs. Besides, it’s best that you make use of a jigsaw in order to remove all of the overhangs and a jigsaw will make the job much easier for you. Another crucial preparation step is to ensure the fact that stairs along with all of the landings must be on ground level, essentially without any bumps. A caulking gun will help you at this stage, in order to achieve a smooth canvas to work with.

3. Height & Width Measurement of Stair Riser

Moving to the installation of Vinyl Plank Flooring on each stair riser (the topmost part of every stair in a staircase), you’ll need to measure the height and width of every rise, followed by cutting the exact fitting Vinyl Planks. 

4. Use of Adhesive on Planks

Spread an even layer of the glue or the adhesive on the backside of each Vinyl Plank, followed by gently pressing it against the riser, until you get the idea that it has been secured tightly at every point. You can also make use of the nails or screws at this point to achieve maximum effectiveness. This will ensure the perfect positioning of the Vinyl Planks once the glue dries up. Remember to never place the fasteners amidst the Vinyl Planks. 

5. Accurate Measurement for Nosing

Take the Carpenter’s square and use it to verify the accurate measurements for the track. Post the plank tread, comes the stair nose (the trim piece that goes next to the edge of each stair that gives the entire staircase a presentable finishing and beautiful look). Always choose the stair treads with a built-in stair nose, as the one-piece profile will make the installation job a lot easier for you.

6. Use a Stair Tread Gauge

While you’re taking the stair nose and tread measurement, ensure to use a stair-tread gauge, followed by taking measurements of the step planks in the bottom to see if that’s a square or not. Don’t forget to jot down the figures as you get to measure the tread depth. 

7. Perfect Covering of Space

In case you’ve got a wider stair depth than the Plank, you’re about to use, consider utilizing another plank, in order to ensure a perfect covering of the entire space. Wait for the thorough drying of both the stair nose and the tread, before moving to the installation.

8. Plank Tightening

Apply the adhesive or glue at the back of each stair plank tread and ensure their appropriate positioning with a gentle pressing but no excessive force application. Follow an S-pattern while applying the glue, so as to achieve sturdier stairs. Do make sure to use the screws and nails all along your installation process, so as to firmly hold the treads. 

9. Installation of Stair Nosing

Next comes the installation of the Stair Nose, for which you can either go with the stair nose snapping over the planks or the one with an otherwise mechanism. Do remember that the non-snapping stair nose will require Shim which is technically a strip of wood. As for working with the Shim, it needs to be glued down on the naked side and the same goes for the nosing plank too, however, this time the glue application will go over the top side, careful to NOT COVER the stair tread with the glue. You’ll need around 4 to 5 fasteners an inch apart from the tread end, along with the length of the nosing.

10. Finishing of Stair Nosing

As for the working scenario that doesn’t involve a Shim, you can go with the glue application on the nosing, followed by placing it over the tread, eventually covering the stair edge. P.S. This method won’t require any fasteners. Keep repeating the above-mentioned steps till you manage to cover the entire staircase of yours, essentially proceeding in a bottom to top working format. 

Other Versions Of Vinyl Plank Flooring Installation On Stairs 

Now there are several other scenarios of installing Vinyl Flooring on the stairs, which despite having minor differences, require careful conduct and handling all along.

How To Install Vinyl Plank On Stairs With Nosing

• Start by cutting Vinyl Planks in accordance with your obtained measurements using either a table saw or a circular saw. Don’t forget to clamp the flooring down, so as to avoid any dislocation during cutting.

• Go for the placement of the first Vinyl Plank in a position closest to the edge. Make sure that you leave enough space for the installation of the nosing piece. With a backward working, keep spreading the Vinyl Planks with the glue or adhesive.

• Moving to the tread nosing, you can either get it secured with the help of either the screws or the adhesive. 

• The very manner of installation can vary in accordance with the type of nosing you use. Vinyl Nosing can be installed using the same adhesive as the planks. As for metal nosing pieces, you’ll need to have them secured by fitting screws in the holes given. 

Point To Be Noted: Within the very case scenario of Vinyl Installation on stairs having nosing,

• You’ll need to be careful about the accurate measurement of all the treads of the stairs. This will help in achieving perfectly cut Vinyl Planks and their flushing with the treads  
• Ensure using a metal ruler for the measurements instead of a measuring tape. You can achieve the rest of the accuracy with the help of a Carpenter’s square.
• Ensure leaving room for the nosing pieces in your measurements.

How To Install Vinyl Plank Flooring On A Landing 

• The installation of Vinyl Plank Flooring on a landing is nearly similar to that of the standard installation carried out on the floor, with the mere alteration of the addition of a stair nose along with the edge first. 

• Based on the landing dimensions, you’ll need to calculate the number of rows you’ll be required as well as the fact whether or not you’ll have to rip cut the final row that goes along the wall. 

• Post cutting the exact fitting Vinyl Planks, go for a dry laying first, before the permanent installation, so as to check the adequate positioning of everything.

• Install the initial full plank as well as the stair nose at the landing edge, working your way to the back of the wall, while keeping in mind to GLUE DOWN the planks and never to float them. 

Additional Tips Regarding Vinyl Flooring Installation On Stairs 

These essential tips and tricks are there to save you from excessive effort, keeping you from indulging in hugely time-taking procedures. 

• If you stick to the smart approach of the installation of a piece plank stair cover, you can easily skip the entire installation process mentioned earlier. Besides, this way you’ll be getting a really presentable and eye-catching finish with the usage of a piece plank stair cover, as an added benefit. 

• While you’re on the way to LifeProof vinyl flooring installation, always measure your stairs one after the other, so as to not end up with any misconduct since the measurements aren’t always the same and there does exist a slight difference. 

• It’s always the safest and most foolproof approach to seek professional services, in case you don’t find yourself confident enough to take over the entire installation process, haven’t got enough time, or do not manage to thoroughly comprehend any of the installation aspects.

• Never skip the acclimation process of Vinyl Planks, which maximally is up to 48 hours, and to be really smart, you can consume that time for all the necessary preparation beforehand, that’s crucial for the installation.

• If you want to give a certain treatment to your Vinyl Planks, such as coloring them, you’ll need to carry that out in advance to begin the actual installation process. 

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions

Are Vinyl Stairs Slippery?

Vinyl is totally non-slippery and thus is an excellent and most fool-proof choice for stairs. Therefore it’s a highly recommended stair treatment for homeowners having children and pets. In addition to that, Vinyl stairs are a super affordable project and the installation is really easy, as well, and it does not consume a lot of time, too. As for the functionality, Vinyl stairs are extremely convenient to clean and the durability is really promising, too.

Is LVT A Good Idea For Stairs?

Luxury Vinyl Tile is, fair enough, a really amazing choice for flaunting your stairs in an adorably cohesive design. LVT stairs offer excellent resistance against all extents of foot traffic and their longevity makes them the most perfect investment. In addition to that, LVT stairs come with really easy and practical maintenance and also are an entirely safe option for families with children and pets. 

Is It Okay To Use Vinyl Peel And Stick On Stairs?

Vinyl tiles featuring the peel and stick technology are technically meant for floors since they come with a rather thin profile that is meant to be attached to the subfloors. Therefore, it’s likely to prove not quite suitable as a stair treatment project. Besides, if you still want to go for it, you might need to consider proceeding with a perfect plan and it’s best to have expert consultations in this regard. 

Do Stairs Have To Match Floors?

In the first place, there isn’t some sort of thumb rule for the stairs and floors to be matching each other, rather the idea is to always settle for what seems to be the most complementing. You can go for creating a corresponding design statement for both if you want, and of course, a contrasting styling will also appear to be really eye-catching.  

How To Calculate Stair Steps?

As a starting point, you’ll need to do the rise division by 15 cm or 18 cm (6 or 7 inches), so as to obtain the total number of stairs. For the smaller stairs, you’ll need to divide by 7 and by 6 for the larger ones. The resultant figure that you get is the number of stairs of your upcoming staircase, and that’s how you can proceed with the rest of the project planning of yours.  

What’s The Point Of Vinyl Plank Flooring On Stairs?

Vinyl Plank Flooring on stairs is an amazing treatment to consider and most importantly the one that’s fairly inexpensive as compared to natural wood. Vinyl planks not only have a sturdy build quality but also are totally unbeatable when it comes to aesthetics. Besides, it’s the stair treatment that seems greatly comfortable underfoot and also really quiet, as well. Moreover, it’s really safe too, in case you’ve got children and pets.