Install Vinyl Plank Flooring
Floating vinyl plank is one of the better weekend floor projects, as long as the subfloor is flat, dry, and you leave the expansion gap.
This is a judgment page, not a step-by-step how-to. The procedure lives in the vetted links at the bottom.
The call
A click-lock vinyl plank floor over a flat, dry subfloor is a DIY for one room if you can remove baseboards and undercut door casings. Hire a flooring installer if the subfloor has humps you cannot flatten, the slab is damp, or the room is a whole-house layout with lots of angles.
- Difficulty
- Time
- A weekend for one room
- DIY estimate
- $2–$5 per sq ft in materials
- Pro estimate
- $4–$10 per sq ft installed
2 of 5
Rough national estimate, not a quote. Prices move with the city, the brand, and whatever the job turns into once you open it up.
Tools
- TODO: affiliate link
Utility knife and a straightedge, or a flooring cutter
- TODO: affiliate link
Tapping block, pull bar, and rubber mallet
- TODO: affiliate link
Spacers for the expansion gap
- TODO: affiliate link
Pry bar for baseboards
Materials
- TODO: affiliate link
Vinyl plank, plus about 10% extra for cuts
- TODO: affiliate link
Underlayment, only if the plank and the manufacturer require it
- TODO: affiliate link
Transition strips for doorways
- TODO: affiliate link
New or reused baseboard and shoe molding
Affiliate slots are placeholders. A live shop link will be marked as sponsored. See the affiliate disclosure.
Safety notes
- Wear safety glasses when you undercut door casings or score planks.
- Knees take this job. Knee pads are not optional if the room is more than a closet.
- A damp slab or a soft wood subfloor is a moisture problem. Covering it locks the damage in. Fix that first.
- Move appliances on a dolly. Don't walk a refrigerator across the new floor.
Do I need a permit?
A new floor in an existing room is not a permit project.
Installing vinyl plank over a sound subfloor does not require a building permit. You still have to reset the toilet carefully if the bathroom floor goes under it, and a soft or wet subfloor is a different repair.
Permit triggers are local. This is general information, not legal advice. All state pages · Disclaimer
Best How-To Videos & Articles
We link to guides that already exist. We don't rewrite them.
- How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring
Family Handyman · Article
- How To Install Vinyl Plank Flooring
This Old House · Article
TODO: add a verified YouTube link for this project.
Questions people ask first
- Is vinyl plank flooring a DIY project?
- Yes, for a single dry room with a flat subfloor. Hire it out if the floor is out of level, the slab is damp, or the layout is a whole house.
- How much does vinyl plank flooring cost?
- Materials are often $2–$5 per square foot. Installed, a typical job is often $4–$10 per square foot. Those are rough estimates, not a quote.
- Do I need a permit to install vinyl plank?
- No, for flooring over an existing subfloor. Structural or moisture repairs under it can be a different project. Ask the local building department if you are replacing subfloor.