I'm building a new house and got quotes from the builder to upgrade the carpet to LVP in a few rooms. However, the price was way too high (over $10 per square foot), so I've decided to remove the carpet myself and replace it with LVP either by doing it myself or hiring someone else. If I buy the same LVP that's already in the adjacent room, can I install it so it all blends together without using transition strips?
3 Answers
It really depends on the type of LVP you're using. If the planks are long and placed in a staggered pattern, it can be tough to make the new flooring connect seamlessly. Lower quality LVP might break or bend when you try to uninstall, so you want to choose a good quality product if you go this route.
Honestly, this is one of the frustrating aspects of new builds. The upgrades seem to cost so much more than just hiring someone for better quality work. LVP is great for DIY, but remember to check how flat your subfloor is since carpet can hide some imperfections. If you're buying the same LVP, just keep in mind different batches might not match perfectly, so you may want to blend them a bit.
So for your question about making it contiguous without transitions, if you're running the new LVP perpendicular to the threshold, you might need to cut back some of the existing planks so you can interlace them. This way, you won't have straight pieces meeting staggered ones. Without cutting some of the old floor, it could be nearly impossible to get a good fit.