How To Match Existing Tile – Here are the details and our experience installing luxury vinyl plank flooring over existing ceramic tiles.
When I shared that my husband and I were planning to install our new luxury vinyl plank flooring over our existing ceramic tile floors, I received many questions and doubts. My Instagram and Tik Tok followers have a million questions and concerns for us. I am happy to say that we have had no issues and are very happy with our new LVP flooring. Let me dive in and share our experience with you…
How To Match Existing Tile
First of all, I am by no means an expert in flooring, I am just sharing our personal experience. Prior to this decision we spoke with senior staff at our local flooring store to get their opinions and professional input. Based on their input and our own research, you can install LVP flooring over existing tiles as long as the tiles are solid with no loose pieces, the floor is level throughout the room, and the grout lines are not too deep. When installing LVP on other floor types, I go back to the same rules: Is the existing floor secure to the foundation/sub-floor (not loose or floating) and is the floor level? If you answered yes to both of these, I think you’re good to go with putting LVP on top (but I’d still suggest talking to a local flooring company).
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Many people want to know if LVP can be installed in their bathroom and kitchen and if it is waterproof. Yes – real vinyl plank flooring is 100% waterproof. You can soak or soak the boards, pull them up, dry them, and move them. There is absolutely no damage to vinyl from water. Make sure you get vinyl and not laminate. Laminate floors are not 100% waterproof (some advertise waterproof but are not).
Now let’s talk about what type of vinyl flooring we use. We chose a 7mm thick rigid vinyl plank with padding already attached to the back. The brand is CoreLuxe and the color is Beach Cottage Oak, purchased from Lumber Liquidators. I think the thickness of the vinyl and the included padding play a big role in preventing clicking noises when walking on it and the joint lines that appear on vinyl over time. We bought a sample piece of 5mm thick rigid vinyl and sure enough there is a big difference in the feel of 7mm tiles compared to 5mm. Definitely going for thick vinyl.
I get a lot of questions about the “blue plastic stuff” we put on the tile before we put the vinyl down. This is a vapor/moisture barrier, also called an underlayment. Not all vinyl floors require this. It depends on the brand and type of vinyl you’re using, so ask a flooring store or check the vinyl manufacturer’s website. From our research and what we learned at the flooring store, a vapor barrier will prevent moisture from rising into the subfloor and damaging the floor; and/or prevent moisture from building up between the subfloor and the vinyl. Click here for more information on how to make a vapor barrier or try a quick Google search to read the details.
The question I get asked the most on my Instagram and TikTok is what to do if the vinyl ends up next to other tiles, carpet, laminate or more vinyl or wood floors. I was asked what to do if the vinyl floor collides with another type of floor that is higher or lower than the vinyl floor. Don’t worry! This is an easy fix. They make many transition pieces that go between vinyl and other types of flooring. It is better if there is a lip or if the second floor is shorter or longer than the vinyl floor. Below I will share pictures of some of the different parts of the transition there. It is manufactured to fit vinyl, and your flooring store can help you determine what type of conversion you need.
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A T-moulding, for example, usually runs between two floors on the same floor. It can also be used on doors if you want to finish the vinyl and start it in another direction (for example, bedroom door).
A reducer is a type of transition that you use to go between vinyl and another non-vinyl floor.
I will not go into detail about the process of actually installing the floors. I suggest watching as many YouTube videos as we did to learn the best way to lay vinyl flooring. You can visit my Instagram page and see all the videos I have saved in my “Vinyl Floor” highlight on my profile. We removed all our baseboards before laying the floors. We make sure the tile floors are properly swept/vacuumed and then we roll the vapor barrier. We taped the edges of the vapor barrier with backing tape, starting with the vinyl in the front right corner of the room and working to the left, row after row. One important tip I would like to point out is how important it is to have the right tools when installing vinyl flooring. Having the right tools can make the job easier, safer and less frustrating. I’ll include a photo below and links to the tools we use that make the job easier. For example, a vinyl cutter is an absolute must! This keeps us from having to get up and go to the garage to use the saw every time we need to cut. It was so easy and almost trouble-free that I could cut the boards myself without my husband’s help.
Can we feel grout lines when walking on vinyl? No, we cannot feel the joint lines and you will not know that there is tile under the LVP. I think this is because we use 7mm vinyl and have a padding attached to the bottom of our vinyl.
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Does the LVP make any clicking or clicking noises when you walk? no As the padding is attached to the bottom of this floor, there is absolutely no noise when walking on it.
Can you put LVP on the carpet (yes, I’ve been asked this question many times)? Of course not! You must remove the carpet before installing the vinyl. It doesn’t outshine the carpet.
Can you install LVP over an existing wood, linoleum or laminate floor? Again, I’m no expert, but here are my thoughts: Based on what our local flooring store told us and what we researched online: Yes, you can install LVP over hardwood floors if the hardwood safe sub-floor. condition Yes, you can lay LVP over linoleum glued to the subfloor. No, you cannot lay LVP over a floating laminate floor. Most laminate and vinyl plank floors are floating (not glued to the subfloor). If your laminate is glued and secure and won’t move or shift, then yes, you should put LVP on top.
Does the vinyl scratch easily or show scratches? The LVP we received has a natural wood feel with a matte finish. We have a large dog and a toddler who pulls on toys all the time and we have yet to see the first scratch. I think scratches are more visible on a smooth floor with a glossy finish, so keep that in mind when choosing the look of your floor.
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Is it beginner friendly? This is a tough question… if you are a pretty handy person and have watched YouTube videos before to learn how to do something, I think you can do it yourself. I would suggest finding a familiar family member or friend to help you get started. My husband installed laminate flooring in our first house 7 years ago. So he had experience under his belt before laying this vinyl floor.
How old is LVP? Vinyl flooring prices can range from $1.99/sqft to $4.99+/sqft. We specifically chose Lumber Liquidators because they had the best price for the millimeter thickness of the floor that we knew we needed. The floor we chose was normally $3.39/sqft, but we waited until they had a big sale and the floor was discounted to $2.57/sqft. We bought 1,900 square feet, enough to make all the rooms in the house we planned.
How much does it cost?
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