My husband and I remodeled our house in 2021 after purchasing it, mainly because it had a strong cat pee smell. We treated and sealed the subfloors and chose a budget-friendly luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring. While I still love the look of it, it's started breaking—first in the kitchen and now it's spreading into the hallway. We have a toddler and a large dog, so I'd prefer to stick with LVP. We're planning to replace it with a thicker, more durable option and have it professionally installed. My main question is, could this be due to the subfloor? How can we ensure it doesn't happen again?
2 Answers
If your LVP planks are shifting and forming gaps, it's likely the subfloor isn’t even. You might be able to carefully remove the flooring, fix the subfloor issues, and reinstall it if it’s still in decent condition. Just make sure you're addressing those underlying problems first.
There’s definitely high-quality LVP available that can withstand heavy use, like from pets and kids. I’ve seen cheaper LVP get ruined by water damage, so you're doing the right thing by wanting to upgrade. Make sure your subfloor is perfectly level according to manufacturer specs—usually within 1/8" over 4 feet. Look for a product with a 20 mil wear layer or better. The thicker and more rigid the plank, the better. Also, ensure proper installation with sufficient spacing along the walls and no extra underlayment unless specified.
I totally agree! I think the subfloor might be the culprit. It sounds like the previous owners didn’t maintain it well, which is why I had issues too when I replaced my flooring. It really makes a difference getting a good quality product and a solid installation.
That’s exactly what happened! It started with gaps, and now it’s cracking. Lesson learned—I should have invested more upfront instead of opting for cheap materials.