LVP flooring buckling

Submitted by MotherofTerrier t3_z2zv6a in DIY

We had LVP installed in the main level of our house about 2.5 years ago. Within about 6 months, we noticed buckling in certain areas that had gradually worsened. We asked the contractor who installed it if it could be fixed and he said that he wasn’t sure what went wrong but that we could always rip it out and reinstall it. 😑 He did mention that it shouldn’t need that much room for expansion because it is essentially plastic and not real wood, which makes me think he did not leave the 1/4 inch minimum expansion gap around the perimeter.

If I took off the baseboard and quarter round, and used an oscillating tool to cut out an expansion gap, would that likely help? Or could this be happening from moisture? Any advice is greatly appreciated. I attached the only picture I have of the floor in the comments but can add more if needed. 🙂

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SpaceGoonie t1_ixjgx36 wrote

FYI... vinyl has a greater thermal expansion response than most wood products do.

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Spencerc47 t1_ixjh8a3 wrote

Another possibility is the length of the run. Brand dependent, but LVP has something like a recommended maximum run of 25’ and needs breaks or transitions if it’s any longer. At least that’s what the brand we buy warns against.

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GideonD t1_ixj7yy6 wrote

It's most likely cut too tight around the edges. Removing the base and cutting the gap should help. It's the house that expands and contracts around the floating floor. The structure of the house is wood. You can also have this issue if he pulled a classic builder move and set heavy appliances and cabinetry on top of the floor. This type of floor should be cut around cabinet, not have them sit on top to pin it in place. Areas where heavy appliances are to be installed should be area glued down while the rest of the floor is allowed to float.

Looking at the photo, you may need some extra material to fix it. That looks like it has sheered the tongue off the sides of the boards.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixjbs0o wrote

Thank you so much for the reply and luckily we have a few extra boxes of the planks. I have a feeling everything you said is spot on and exactly why Reddit is so helpful. Edit: What tool would you use to cut the expansion gap? I was thinking of using an oscillating tool with a flush cut blade.

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bms42 t1_ixklig4 wrote

Actually he's quite incorrect in one of his points, which is another example of something Reddit is good at- misinformation. Your house does not expand or contract around your floor. It's the floor that changes size due to temperature changes.

That said he's right that cutting in an expansion gap is a good solution, just not for the reason he gives.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixl3a1f wrote

Thank you. What would you use to cut the expansion gap?

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bms42 t1_ixl7i7r wrote

I'm not sure, kind of a weird scenario. An oscillating tool would work but it'd be slow. A biscuit joiner might actually work well, although it's not meant for that purpose. Not sure how the blade or motor would stand up to that kind of usage.

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bms42 t1_ixkl7at wrote

>It's the house that expands and contracts around the floating floor. The structure of the house is wood.

This isn't actually the case. Wood only expands/contracts perpendicular to its grain. Your house is framed such that it's effectively stabilized from such movement.

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Moglor t1_ixj4yoi wrote

Our floor tends to buckle a little in the summer, though not as much as yours. It makes a lot of cracking noise when you walk on it. If the contractor is offering to pull it up and redo it for free, then I would let him, and have him add the 1/4 gap around perimeter. If not, then cutting it yourself might help, although it will be a pain.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixj6gdk wrote

Thanks so much for the reply! I’ll reach out to him again and see what he says

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kjbenner t1_ixj8pan wrote

>... makes me think he did not leave the 1/4 inch minimum expansion gap around the perimeter.
>

Pull some baseboards and take a look. If he didn't leave a gap, I wonder if you can cut it in situ with a toe kick saw or something like that so you don't have to re-lay it (assuming the LVP hasn't been damaged by the buckling).

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Spencerc47 t1_ixjh0wo wrote

Once it’s buckled it typically gets replaced as it’s not elastic enough to return to its original shape.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixjc5y3 wrote

Thank you for the reply and I will definitely take your advice. We have a few extra boxes of planks and can replace damaged ones if needed.

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booglejfox t1_ixjcx2q wrote

Red what is on the package so u know what is going on and figure out what he did wrong or what the problem is with the material. Best way

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604_heatzcore t1_ixjtqbk wrote

Moisture shouldn't affect LVP. Did he let the boxes acclimate for a few days before installing?

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixl4bdj wrote

He did let it acclimate for a few days and thanks for letting me know that moisture shouldn’t be the culprit of my buckling floor

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Special_Key_3741 t1_ixlrrd3 wrote

Same problem here (Houston, TX) expensive crappy product, it seems. Flooring company has ignored our complaints. I’m stuck with an additional 6 very heavy boxes of it. Want to go send it through the companies plate glass storefront windows.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixn0mz1 wrote

Those boxes are heavy and that would be super impressive. It is really frustrating to spend so much time and money and get no response.

We have the same flooring in our second floor with no issues at all, so I’m thinking it has more to do with how the contractor installed it on our main floor.

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604_heatzcore t1_ixmrrze wrote

No problem, your best bet is to pop off one of the baseboards or the quarter round on the same line as the popped plank to expose it and it u can prove that He didn't leave an expansion gap he should fix it.

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Ma1eficent t1_ixjlkjc wrote

There's quarter round attached to the baseboard? WTF. This was installed totally wrong. It does need the expansion gap, it should be under the baseboards, and no quarter round should be needed. Installing mid summer on a hot day is the best plan, but with a proper expansion gap hidden under the baseboards, should never buckle. I've installed my own LVP planking and it hasn't buckled at all.

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_ixkn38a wrote

It’s very common for renovation installs to add quarter round rather than remove and reinstall baseboard.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixl3tnb wrote

The baseboard and the quarter round were installed after the flooring. I’ve heard of people doing what you are describing though.

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Ma1eficent t1_ixn3d3k wrote

Shit renovations. It's so easy to pull the baseboard and replace.

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_ixn48hh wrote

So you like repainting walls when the touch ups don’t blend well? It’s all about personal and customer preference.

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Ma1eficent t1_ixn58xm wrote

Never had to touch up for that. Run a utility knife on the top of the baseboards and take them off with a gentle pry. The LVP floating floor raises it up a 1/4 in or so, replace and run a bead of caulk it a baseboard color match. Done.

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_ixn60kb wrote

I’m betting you did one room in your own house like this. If you did more you’d know it’s a can of worms when you remove base. Sometimes is comes out clean, other times it’s like they made the base structural and you just created a ton of extra work for yourself due to the junk original builder’s work.

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Ma1eficent t1_ixn6wcl wrote

Front room, kitchchen, hallway, two bathrooms, 3 bedrooms after carpet replacement, and rec room on this house, and the entire thing on a previous. Plus helped a friend do their entire basement. But do go on making up reasons to feel better about cutting corners.

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_ixncav8 wrote

If you truly did all that then you would have at least a handful of trouble spots. No wall is perfectly straight. Often there’s deep areas of caulk at pull the paper off the drywall.

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Ma1eficent t1_ixnghlt wrote

If you're pulling drywall paper you didn't cut fully. Of course the walls aren't straight, if you are prying and it's trying to.pull paper you just score it at the top of the baseboard.

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_ixni09f wrote

I appreciate how much you don’t know. On larger gaps the caulk can run down below where you’ll never know until you start pulling. You should only score caulk and not the paper. Often, walls aren’t even finished all the way to the bottom. There are many good reason to add quarter round.

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sameteam t1_ixkxf7o wrote

This is how you know you have a ghetto ass contractor.

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NotWorthTheTimeX t1_ixkxtns wrote

Not at all. It’s an installer’s choice what services to offer and a customer’s to accept. I once installed 700 sq ft of LVP with upgrading the baseboards to modern style ones. Later the customer asked me if we could still add quarter round because they thought it looked more elegant. I didn’t have time to do it but to each their own.

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MotherofTerrier OP t1_ixl3niz wrote

The flooring was put down first, baseboard and then quarter round. So the baseboard and quarter round are on top of the LVP. I personally like how finished it looks with the quarter round. Glad to hear yours hasn’t buckled 🙂

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