Installation Guide

Installation Instructions
Home Decorators Collection
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
For Assistance, Call: 1-866-843-8453
Homedepot.com/homedecorators
Product Description
4.0 mm (0.16 in.) x 7.5 in. x 47.6 in.
Vinyl Plank with DropLock 100
TM
joints
Grade Levels
Above Grade / On Grade
Below Grade
Installation Method
Floating - Drop and Lock
3 HOMEDEPOT.COM/HOMEDECORATORS
Revised 1/5/2017 Please contact 1-866-843-8453 for further assistance.
Helpful Pointers
GENERAL TIPS
□ Make sure your work area is well lit. Good visibility ensures that color is consistent and that visually defective planks are detected and removed.
□ The minimum length of the first and last plank is 8 in.. If the last plank will be less than 8 in., adjust the length of the first plank. The remainder of the last
plank can be used as a starter board on the following rows.
□ Using a shorter piece at undercut door jams will help when fitting flooring in place.
□ Never hit the flooring directly with the tapping block and be careful not to fracture floor edges.
CUTTING THE LAST ROW TO WIDTH
□ Most often the entire length of the last row will need to be cut so that it is narrow enough to fit the remaining space.
□ Measure the distance between the floor face edge (exclude the tongue) to the wall. Subtract 1/4 in. from this measurement for expansion gap. Draw a line.
Cut through the line. Discard the excess piece. Proceed with the installation
Preparing for Installation
□ Ensure subfloors are clean.
□ Lay out several cartons. Randomly rack planks to ensure good color and shade mixture
and end joint spacing. Minimum end stagger is 8 in. Inspect plank quality and grading.
□ Lay out trim moldings in advance and find planks whose shade closely matches. Set
these aside for future use.
□ Remove the existing base, shoe molding or threshold carefully. They can be used to
cover the 1/4 in. expansion gap left around the edge of the room.
□ Undercut doors and casings using a handsaw laid flat on a piece of scrap flooring.
Never undercut metal door casings.
□ Install the underlayment (if used) parallel to the flooring according to the underlayment
manufacture instruction. Any overlap (top) should be on the same side as the groove
of the flooring so that the floor planks will slide smoothly into place. Tape all seams.
Secure the underlayment material as necessary to prevent excessive movement.
8
1. INSTALLING THE FIRST ROW
a. First, lay a row of loose planks (i.e. without securing them to each other; Figure 1.1)
to determine if you need to adjust the length of the first plank to avoid a small piece
(less than 8 in.) on the opposite wall from where you started. Alternatively, measure the
length of the room and divide by 48 in. (length of one plank). If the remainder is less
than 8 in., calculate ½ of the remainder and trim this amount off the first plank. The last
plank should be the same length as the first one. To cut a plank, simply measure and
mark the plank. Then, use a straight edge and utility knife to score and snap.
b. Installation should start in a corner (left hand) and proceed from the wall with the
tongue facing the wall (Figure 1.2). Allow a minimum gap of 1/4 in. (6 mm) for subfloor
movement or product expansion, which should be covered by molding. Set 1/4 in.
spacers to create the required expansion space.
c. Lay the first row in a straight line and interlock the short ends by inserting each tongue
into the groove of the adjoining plank (Figure 1.3). Install each sequential plank on the
short end and be sure to line up evenly. Use a soft-faced hammer to tap down on the
short seam of the planks to ensure a tight fit (Figure 1.4). This is crucial for a good
installation.
d. Stagger the rows so that the short-edge seams are not aligned in a straight, uniform
manner. Refer to the "PREPARING FOR INSTALLATION" section for recommended
installation patterns.
1/4 in. / 6mm
tongue
groove
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
Installation