How To Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring-Get The Best Results

Staggering, according to its general definition, is basically the installation of non-uniformly cut Vinyl Planks that have random lengths, eventually creating a staggering pattern at the end joints of the Vinyl planks within adjacent rows.

It is one of the most crucial factors that particularly need to be taken care of, during any and every given project of Vinyl Flooring. That’s because it not just features a fundamental structural significance but also doing so saves from a lot of trouble later, which otherwise has a greater likelihood to be faced.

Pro Flooring Guide will be providing you with all the necessary info about all that you need to know, in order to carry out a successful installation of your Vinyl Plank Flooring.

Basic Concerns About Staggering Vinyl Plank Flooring 

Now this, of course, is a new concept about Vinyl Plank Flooring installation to some degree, specifically if you’re new to the use. So this has to give rise to a number of concerns such as, most obviously, the need for doing so and the possible consequences of not doing so.

Let’s begin our debate by learning about why doing so is so mandatory?

Do You Have To Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring?

You certainly have to! That’s because

• Staggering your Vinyl Plank Flooring is how you’re guaranteeing a highly improved structural strength for your flooring and ultimately the most promising longevity.

• While Vinyl Flooring definitely is a sturdy floor treatment on its own, staggering it can absolutely serve as icing on the cake, making it last a lot longer and making you benefit from it a lot more than you normally would.

• Staggering Vinyl Flooring is an incredible way of enhancing its overall aesthetics and achieving the most adorable-looking decor outcomes from it.

• Staggering Vinyl Flooring diminishes the potential likelihood of plank warping, separating, or bowing.

• Staggering, as a matter of fact, is to benefit from the minimum spacing around (playing with it or taking advantage of it, whatever you wanna call it!) and placing the Vinyl Planks in a random manner, preferably as much as possible.

Therefore, it all comes down to the fact that staggering Vinyl Plank Flooring will bring about the best of it, and that’s how you can enjoy a sturdy, long-lasting, and visually pleasing functionality from it.

What If You Don’t Stagger Vinyl Plank?

You’re simply risking its alignment, working, and most importantly durability in the first place. And in case you don’t consider staggering your Vinyl Plank Flooring:

• You’re most likely to end up with perpendicularly running lines to the direction of the floor. In other words, there will be unpleasant-looking distracting lines running across the floor.

• Not staggering Vinyl Plank Flooring leads to the creation of weird-looking joint patterns of the entire flooring.

• When Vinyl Planks aren’t staggered, they don’t remain intact and there is a huge possibility of gaps start appearing all around.

• Not maintaining a random pattern of laying Vinyl Plank Flooring will give off the nasty impression of an amateur installation, which is a total waste of both time and money.

And now that we’ve got enough convincing about “Do you have to stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring” or not, it’s high time that we jump to planning out Vinyl Plank Flooring Staggering and not indulge in any misconduct regarding the installation.

So set back and we’re about to nail our Vinyl Plank Flooring Installation.

How To Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring

Here’s how to do this in an easy and efficient way.

Tools And Supplies

• Safety Gloves
• Spacers
• Straight Edge
• Measuring Tape
• Replacement Blades
• Utility Knife
• Vinyl Plank Flooring

Preparation Guide

A good prep always ensures maximum outcomes and is particularly crucial to carry out most of the time. And planning out Vinyl Plank Flooring Staggering isn’t an exception, either.

Let’s get to see what we’ve got to do beforehand.

• In order to get the number of Vinyl Planks (full rows) required, you’ll need to start by measuring the room’s width, followed by dividing the obtained number by the planks’ width.

• Next up, comes the calculation of the final row’s width. You’ll need to cut the planks in case the width is lesser than the normal plank’s width. The idea is to get the same width for both the first row and the last row of your Vinyl Planks, so as to make the floor appear entirely symmetrical.

• Unpack the planks, preferably within the exact room in which they are to be installed. Start mixing up the planks from different packages to look for variations in the color, as the planks could possibly be from distinctive runs of flooring. Mixing up the planks is necessary as this will prevent similar colored planks from getting together and make the overall flooring pattern appear non-uniform and unattractive. One common example in this regard is the collection of (very) light-colored planks on one side and significantly darker ones on the other.

• Do not forget to thoroughly read the guidelines provided by the manufacturer, since every flooring comes with different requirements and needs to be dealt with in a particular manner.

• Your chosen Vinyl Plank Flooring might as well, also require you to use spacers of ¼ inch between the walls and the planks.

Steps On How To To Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring

Staggering Vinyl Plank Flooring is never a critical or demanding job at all, until and unless, you proceed with adequate preparation and of course, patience.

1. Start by laying a full plank for the beginning of row one, after doing all the required calculations.

2. The plank at the end of the row should have a length no lesser than 6 inches. And if the length is less than 6 inches, you’ll need to cut off from the row’s first plank, so as to have the last piece with a length of more than 6 inches.

3. This length is the minimum requirement for the structural strength of the flooring, so it needs to be achieved properly for each and every row.

4. Coming to row two, start scoring and snapping the first plank in half. There must at least be a difference of 6 to 8 inches between the end of the first (above-mentioned) plank and the seam closest to it within row one. And this right here is the whole point of staggering Vinyl Plank Flooring, which actually is to stagger the seams randomly between two adjacent rows.

5. As for beginning row 3, you’ll have to start by cutting a plank with a full width similar to the ripped and trimmed piece present at the end of row one.

6. Repeat the above-mentioned steps for completion till row 3.

7. Take the cut-off plank from the end of row 2 and use it as a starting point for row 4. Repeat the above-mentioned steps to complete this one, as well.

8. Keep doing the same until the entire staggering Vinyl Flooring is done.

Some Additional Tips To Consider

Take these few aspects into account while you figure out a planning layout for how to stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring:

• Keep changing the blade of your utility knife as soon as it starts to feel dull, as working with a dulled blade makes jagged edges on the Vinyl Planks.

• The minimum distance between two adjacent row seams must be at least 6 inches (for planks having a width of 5 inches). In the same way, the distance can be increased up to 8 to 10 inches, when dealing with planks having a width of more than 5 inches.

• When staggering Vinyl Plank Flooring, never have a difference of more than 10 inches within two adjacent seams, even for the planks wider than 5 inches, since doing this is the most likely to give rise to H-joints.

• Use cut-off planks to begin each and every row as this will help prevent the Lightning or “Step” problem.

• If there are no cutoffs left anymore, opt for taking a look at the previously done two rows, followed by cutting the first plank of the next row. This is to avoid unnecessarily close contact with the seams.

• Avoid the lining up of first row seams to the third-row seams as this will generate an “H-joint”, otherwise known as the “H” problem, so as to have a completely natural and attractive profile of your Vinyl Plank Flooring.

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions

Should Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Be Staggered?

Staggering LVP is the best way to ensure amazing aesthetics and infinite durability. That’s because staggered LVP floors are a lot more long-lasting than the regular ones and also have a better tendency to withstand all the wear and tear. It not only appears much more attractive than the non-staggered one but also offers better prevention against floor lifting. And the same goes for waterproofing, as well. Last but not least is the fact that staggered LVP is way too convenient to remove, too.

Do You Need A Moisture Barrier For Vinyl Plank Flooring?

The very quality of your Vinyl Planks, the type of subfloor as well as the type of underlayment being used is the key factors that decide the need for a moisture barrier. If you’re using high-quality Vinyl boards, then you don’t really need to invest in a waterproof underlayment since such boards contain that already. In the same way, you’ll be needing a moisture barrier if you’ve got concrete subfloors as those are condensate and therefore moisture barrier is a crucial requirement. In the case of any other type of subfloor, you won’t be needing a moisture barrier.

Which Way Does You Lay Vinyl Planks?

Vinyl Planks should ideally run in an alongside manner with the longest wall of the room. This kind of installation not only makes the room appear a lot more spacious but also there is a lesser need for cutting Vinyl Planks this way, as well. In addition to that, such alignment tends to stay more durable and is capable of withstanding more wear and tear, too. However, if you still prefer an otherwise and more attractive LVP installation, then you should go for laying the Vinyl Planks along the shortest wall of the room. While there is no essential hard and fast rule for laying Vinyl Plank, installing it alongside the longest wall is something more preferable.

What Happens If The Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Is Not Staggered?

If you do not stagger your Vinyl Plank Flooring, the end joints of the planks will be lined up and eventually end uplifting from their placements, due to a huge weak spot being formed all along. This lifting might not always show up very soon and can take up to months for appearing clear enough to be noticed. And in the worst-case scenarios, the flooring is likely to lift up the next moment any furniture is put on it. All the situations ultimately require the flooring to be removed and then installed again, which of course will consume even more time and money.

How Far Apart Should The Seams Be On Vinyl Plank Flooring?

According to the thumb rule, there should be a minimum distance of 6 inches between two adjacent row seams, considering that the planks feature a width of 5 inches. As for the planks having a width of more than 5 inches, the distance between the two adjacent row seams needs to be increased up to 8 to 10 inches. Besides, if you go for a distance of more than 10 inches, things are likely to become difficult for you, since the H-joints will be hard to avoid in this way. Also, you might, as well, need to alter the blade of your utility knife during the procedure.

Does Vinyl Plank Flooring Go Down Randomly Or In A Pattern?

In order to avoid the formation of step patterns as well as H-joints, it’s always best to lay Vinyl Plank Flooring absolutely randomly, as much as possible. That’s because a random laying of the Vinyl Plank Flooring makes it easy to accomplish the staggering or stacking and doesn’t lead to any major troubles later, as well. Formation of step patterns or H joints is the most common concern of installing Vinyl Planks and therefore it’s best to avoid generating them beforehand.