Installing Rigid Core SPC Vinyl Planks with EverHome

This post is sponsored by EverHome. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ahhhhh…the day is here. I’m so excited to share the reveal of our new EverHome flooring and give you the big Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to installing Luxury Vinyl Planks yourself. We ended up installing approximately 1700 square feet, with no flooring experience and very few tools, in a few weekends as a husband and wife team. Read on to not only see our big reveal but learn about installing Rigid Core SPC vinyl planks with everhome in your home.

When we initially bought our home, although new, the options and finishes were already picked out. I was never a huge fan of the flooring and always knew someday I’d want to switch it out when the timing was right. We did already have LVP, however, it was a light gray color and did not match my design aesthetic in the house. I fell in love with the EverHome line and their Napa Oak color and the rest is history, ha ha!

About everhome

With over 35 years of experience and with clients in over 20 different countries, everhome have cultivated a company culture around excellent service for their customers. Customer satisfaction is at the forefront of their business. everhome is committed to providing the most current trends in technology and style, while also providing a product that is durable and timeless. Their floor designers have thoughtfully curated a boutique collection of high-quality Rigid Core SPC vinyl for every interior style, with shades and finishes inspired by the latest in home décor trends. Exclusively in California, their products are all backed by a strong warranty program. Quality and safety are everhomes top priorities. The products are manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities that undergo annual audits to ensure they adhere to safe and ethical manufacturing practices. All everhome products are consistently subject to testing, by independent agencies, to verify standards related to product caliber and durability. These rigorous practices are vital to ensuring all everhome products meet the high-quality standards customers can trust.

The Process

First things first……one of the most important must haves before installing LVP, is a level, smooth base to install on. You can install an underlayment, however, it’s not necessary. Downstairs, we actually installed the new flooring on top of the existing floor since it was LVP as well. When it came to the stairs and our second level, we installed over the plywood. The everhome planks come in boxes of 8. I found it helpful to open approximately 6 or 7 boxes and mix the plank colors up.

What you’ll need: (all tools are linked below)

• a box cutter/exacto-knife (with plenty of refill blades)
• measuring tape
• rubber mallet
• expansion joint wedge spacers
• flooring spacers
• tapping block (large and small)
• pull bar
• knee pads!
• combination square/speed square
• molding pry bar
• table saw for rip cuts

Always make sure to read the instructions before starting a project! When installing luxury vinyl planks, it’s important to begin with the farthest left part of the space you plan to install. It’s much easier for installation and you won’t have the urge to scream out into the room. Nooo…of course that didn’t happen with us (insert winking emoji here haha). Since we didn’t have ANY experience installing floors, this whole process was new to us and did take a little learning. However, we quickly became pros and LOVE how our flooring turned out! Believe me, this is completely doable for the average person ready to embark on their very own #diy project!

If you have baseboards up, use a pry bar to gently pull them off prior to starting. Determine how you’d like the flooring to run. Typically, it’s the length of the room. Using flooring spacers, make sure to keep the plank roughly 1/4-1/2 inch from the wall. This allows your floor to expand over time with weather changes and shifting.

Starting from the left with the tongue facing the wall, carefully place the board in place. Place the short end tongue of the second plank into the groove of the first plank. Press down firmly to lock the short end in and tap using your rubber mallet. Continue until the first row in complete. Woohoo! You completed your first row! Pat yourself on the back!

Begin the second row with the cut piece from the first row. Interlock the second plank with the first row by slightly pushing forward in an angle. Slide the plank to align the edges of the end point. We found using a pull bar and tap block really helped pull the pieces together seamlessly. Don’t tap too hard either, it can break the the tongue sides.

Continue laying the planks in the same way. When making cuts, we used a box cutter and a combination square. Measuring is key! If you have any crazy cuts for around walls or doors, use a table saw for the most precise cuts. Never use liquid nails on your planks! The ONLY place we used liquid nails was to secure the transition molding strips.

When it came to the stairs, we used the Everhome stair noses along with one plank for each stair. We chose to use white wood planks for the risers to give it more dimension and detail. We also added the stair trim ourselves and I’ll add videos at the bottom of the post on that.I styled it with long blue and white runners and brass stair rods. Tip: reuse the carpet padding (if you had carpet), and cut into pieces to fit the stairs to go under your runners for extra padding. It also helps make it slip resistant!

All in all, we LOVE our new everhome flooring. It comes with a LIFETIME limited residential warranty and the quality is superb! They also have a variety of colors to choose from. I can’t wait to share our upstairs with you on the next post!

You can check out more information on everhome and to order FREE samples, HERE.