Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) Installation in Woodstock & North Metro Atlanta

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a layered vinyl floor with a printed wood look. It suits some rooms very well and others not at all.

• Kitchens. Spills stay on the surface instead of soaking in, so LVP is a common choice around sinks and dishwashers.
• Bathrooms and laundry rooms. Solid hardwood and moisture don’t mix well. LVP is a common alternative in rooms that get wet.
• Basements. Concrete slabs below grade can carry moisture. LVP doesn’t swell like wood, and a floating floor doesn’t need nails into the slab. The slab still needs a moisture test first.
• Rentals and flips. Installation is quick, the look stays consistent, and a damaged plank can usually be replaced without redoing the floor.
• Homes with pets and kids. A hard, easy-to-clean surface helps with muddy paws and spilled juice.

Where LVP isn’t the right call

We would rather tell you no than install the wrong floor. We steer people away from LVP when:

• You already have hardwood in good shape. Hardwood can be sanded and refinished, and covering it gives that up. Refinishing is often the better move.
• Long-term value is the goal. LVP can’t be sanded and refinished, so when it wears out it is replaced. Hardwood is the better call when longevity and resale matter most. See our guide to hardwood vs. LVP in metro Atlanta.
• The subfloor is soft, wet or badly out of level and nobody wants to fix it. A floating floor follows what is underneath and shows it.
• A moisture problem hasn’t been solved. A leak, a damp crawlspace or a wet slab will still be there under the new floor.
• The room gets hours of direct sun, or has radiant heat. Manufacturers set temperature limits, so check the product instructions for sunny glass doors or in-floor heat.

For the longer list, read our post on LVP pros and cons.

Most LVP complaints, like hollow spots, gaps and lifting seams, trace back to what is under the floor or how the planks were set. So the work that matters most happens before and between the planks.

1. Moisture test

We look at what the planks will sit on before they go down. Over a concrete slab, that means testing the slab for moisture. Over a wood subfloor, it means checking the wood and what is below it, such as a crawlspace. Manufacturers publish a moisture limit, and installing over it can put the manufacturer’s warranty at risk. If the numbers are high, we tell you before any flooring goes down. The fix belongs at the source, such as a leak, drainage or a slab that needs a moisture barrier.

2. Subfloor flattening and leveling

LVP floats, so it follows whatever is under it. Low spots become hollow, bouncy areas, and high spots can strain the click-lock joints. Every manufacturer publishes a flatness tolerance. We check the subfloor against it and correct what is out, whether that means grinding high spots, filling low spots with leveling compound, fastening loose wood subfloor or replacing damaged sections. Already have a hollow spot? Our post on fixing hollow spots in LVP flooring explains what it means.

3. Underlayment and vapor barrier

Many rigid-core planks come with a pad attached. The NuCore and NuCore Performance planks listed below each show an attached cork pad (per Floor & Decor). Adding a second underlayment under a plank that has its own pad is usually not allowed and can make the floor feel spongy. With an unpadded plank, we use the underlayment the manufacturer calls for, and over concrete some manufacturers also require a vapor barrier film. We follow the product instructions because the manufacturer’s warranty often depends on them.

4. Layout and expansion gaps

A floating floor expands and contracts with temperature and humidity, so it needs a gap around the edges and around pipes, door frames and cabinets. Baseboard or quarter round covers the gap. We plan the layout before the first row so you don’t end up with a thin sliver of plank along one wall. Cabinets and islands shouldn’t sit on top of a floating floor, because they pin it in place.

5. Transitions

Every place LVP meets something else needs a decision: hardwood, tile, carpet, a sliding door, a hearth, the top of a stair. Depending on the height difference, that means a T-molding, a reducer, a threshold or a stair nose. Some manufacturers also limit how long a floor can run without a break, so long hallways and open floor plans get a look first. We also check height at doors and appliances, since a thicker floor can change how they fit.

6. Stairs

Stairs don’t float. Each tread and riser is covered separately, the planks are typically glued down, and the front edge gets a stair nose. Not every line is approved for stairs, so we check the manufacturer’s instructions first.

Our installation work carries a 1-year warranty on installs & full refinishes. See our warranty page for details.

If budget is the priority, The Hardwood Guys also sells Pyzo, a budget-friendly LVP line. Colors on our site include Simple White, Old White, Country White, Classic Grey, Rustic Beige, Arizona, Barrell, Cherokee and Red Sea. Each color’s page lists details such as core type, wear layer and plank size, so you can compare it with any other line.

Availability changes, so call 470-826-3581 to confirm what is on hand, or see the full lineup on our LVP products page.

LVP handles wet spots well, but it isn’t immune to water problems. The plank often survives. The trouble starts when water gets in through seams, under a threshold or up from the slab and gets trapped between the plank and the subfloor. Signs to look for:

• Click-lock planks lifting, peaking or separating at the joints
• Gaps between planks, or curling edges
• Soft or spongy areas underfoot
• A musty smell that doesn’t go away

First, find and stop the source: a plumbing leak, an appliance line or moisture through the slab. Then the area has to dry, because new planks over a wet subfloor just trap the problem again. Once the subfloor is dry and sound, damaged planks can be replaced. On a floating click-lock floor, planks can often be unlocked back to the damaged area, or the damaged ones cut out. Leftover planks from the original install match best, so keep any you have.

If water reached nearby hardwood, that is a different repair. See our water-damaged hardwood floor repair page. For plank replacement and other fixes, see our flooring repairs page.

Whether damage is covered depends on your policy. We meet with you, and with your adjuster on site if needed, document what we find, and repair the floor.