Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
This is the BEST vinyl plank floor! Use the DIY tutorial, materials list, and the breakdown of cost for finishing a basement floor to add farmhouse-style charm to your remodeled basement!
This post is sponsored by Ryobi Tools but all opinions expressed are my own.
Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Like when you start a home renovation project full of hope and joy in your heart only to curse the world 5 hours later when you realize the scope of tedium and torture it actually involves.
I have installed a lot of floors in my decade of home renovation, and it is not one of my favorite DIY tasks. I have installed ceramic tile, poured concrete, laid click and lock floating vinyl planks, peel and stick vinyl, mortar-washed brick, concrete pavers, carpet, and the list goes on.
This grip edge luxury vinyl plank flooring was the easiest flooring project I have ever done and resulted in the prettiest farmhouse style aesthetic.
The best part? It was half the cost of similar farmhouse style floors. For this project, we used Khaki Oak Grip Edge Vinyl Flooring, and I will 100% use it again.
Let’s get started! Be sure to scroll to the end and enjoy the reno video!
Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
You Will Need:
- Rent a heavy floor roller
- Khaki Oak Grip Edge Vinyl Flooring from Home Depot
- RYOBI Flooring Saw
- Utility Knife
- Measuring tape
- Marker
Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
1. Prep The Floor
If you are installing the LVP flooring over concrete be sure to take a small scraper and remove any debris or uneven surfaces. For a large surface, you can also rent a power floor stripper. Sweep any debris and make sure the surface is clean.
Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
2. Empty 3 boxes of vinyl flooring and pull from the pile at random.
This is essential to an organic appearing wood floor. Be sure to pay attention to repeat patterns such as the one below.
See how these two planks are too similar in pattern and color? I switched this out for a darker-toned plank. The variation of grains and color tones in these Khaki Oak planks is a large reason it looks so much higher end than it actually is.
Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
3. Lay down the first row of planks.
When laying the first row of planks be sure to start along the longest wall. This will create the most visual appeal. Not always, but more often than not in a basement that will mean the flooring is running perpendicular to the stairs as was the case in this remodeled basement.
Make sure the first row is laid with the exposed grip edge facing the inside of the room.
Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
4. Mark and cut the extra section of flooring off the last piece.
See the overlap here? This is the section you want to mark and cut off. First, flip the plank to the right, and then be sure to mark the end of the wood plank design NOT the end of the grip strip like the next picture.
Now zip off the end. This is where the amazing RYOBI flooring saw comes in. Between the grip strip design of the Khaki Oak LVP and this flooring saw, Zach and I both said often how this was the easiest floor we have ever installed (and without a doubt one of the prettiest!).
This piece that gets trimmed off will be the first plank of your next row. The only exception to this is if the length ends up less than 6 inches then I would recommend starting with a fresh plank. 6 inches is not a lot of grip edge to work with and increases the risk of seams pulling part for the first strip.
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4816361″]Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
5. Use the flooring roller frequently over the seams.
You can rent one of these from your local Home Depot for $70!
Getting it done with my trendy flooring knee pads (ie: old volleyball knee pads). The very last row will need to be zipped down the long side to remove the final grip edge against the wall.
Best Vinyl Plank Floor For Remodeled Basement
After
First, let’s remind ourselves where we started.
Ready? Let’s see what it looks like now!
My favorite view – let’s check out the side-by-side before and after shots!
Watch the install happen below!
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[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4816361″]Floor Installation FAQ’s
Product ideas for finishing a basement floor include carpet, stained concrete, luxury vinyl plank, tile, and laminate.
Below is the average cost of finishing a basement floor if you hire a pro to do the work. Many of these costs can be cut in half if doing it yourself.
Carpet $1-12/sqft
Stained concrete $7-15/sqft
LVP $3-7/sqft
Tile $10-15/sqft
Laminate $3-8/sqft
The best waterproofing basement floor options include vinyl, laminate, stained concrete, and ceramic tile.
Flooring inspiration be sure to checkout:
What do you think? What questions can I answer for you?
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