Vinyl Plank Flooring Question

[wcd]

So our cabinets are painted , they look awesome walls are painted. So now it’s time to do the flooring. I am wonder if a inexpensive table saw would make the install easier? From what I understand they say a utility knife is all, that is needed to cut it but I wonder about making long strait cuts?

we are pulling the shoe molding etc but I still want to make the install as easy as possible.

thoughts ?

 

[littletommy]

I used a utility knife for just cutting a straight line across the plank, but yeah, a table saw would be perfect for the long rip cuts. It’s a good idea to have a jigsaw handy, too. I used a small dewalt circular saw and jigsaw, but a table saw would have worked well, I just didn’t feel like going out to the garage for every cut.

You’ll probably want to buy a tapping block too,

 

[Cameramonkey]

I used a utility knife for just cutting a straight line across the plank, but yeah, a table saw would be perfect for the long rip cuts. It’s a good idea to have a jigsaw handy, too.

You’ll probably want to buy a tapping block too,

THIS.

Things I couldnt do my laminate floor without.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-Various-4-pack-Installation-Kit/50330851

And the mallet from this kit. Not sure if other brand mallets are equally as squishy but this one worked great. Its about half as stiff as a standard rubber mallet. It literally squishes out like a marshmallow as you pound the flooring seams.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bostitch-BULLDOG-2-in-16-Gauge-Flooring-Pneumatic-Nailer/50416262

As we were trying to snap in our thick mid grade laminate, it just wouldnt go. We'd get it almost snapped in, then it would pop loose. Out of frustration, once we had the flooring pressed down but it still wouldnt "click" I started pounding the hell out of the seam with the mallet. Worked like a charm.

 

[Rookie]

Amazon product ASIN B00B0BYY4Q
Worth it's weight. For long cuts, just score it with a utility knife and straight edge. Those tools, along with a jigsaw and tapping blocks are all I used for 4,000 square feet.

 

[nra4ever]

I used a table saw and a chop saw both. Made for an easy install. Also used a trim removal tool A mallet and a metal bar tool that I got a Home Depot to pull on hard to get to spots. I wouldn’t do a floor without that tool. Good luck.


this is the tool. It’s called a pull bar.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-Black-Flooring-Pull-Bar/3229222

 

[wcd]

I used a utility knife for just cutting a straight line across the plank, but yeah, a table saw would be perfect for the long rip cuts. It’s a good idea to have a jigsaw handy, too. I used a small dewalt circular saw and jigsaw, but a table saw would have worked well, I just didn’t feel like going out to the garage for every cut.

You’ll probably want to buy a tapping block too,

Yeah so I have aversion to utility knives, was cutting drywall once with a T square one opps blood every where and I made my index finger a few millimeters narrower.

I think we should be ok with out a tapping block believe it or not we are going with a loose lay vinyl plank. Stuff was not cheap but my wife really liked it so there is that. I think we can recover a good portion of the cost on the install side. I have coworker that put the stuff down about 4 years ago and they are just as happy with it now as when they first picked it out.

We have always used Pergo in the past but my wife saw this stuff and really liked it. So here we are. Right now we are about 2k into it for paint flooring and just the cabinets alone has made a huge difference.

 

[bobjones223]

Depends on how much you are installing?

One room and I don't think I would invest in a table saw.

Entire first floor...ABSOLUTELY get a table saw....that being said just buy a cheap one off of Facebook...doesn't have to be anything special or precise.

Most of the vinyl flooring guys i have seen just have the cheapest Black and Decker/Harbor Freight model's they can find...light, portable, and cheap.

You don't need anything that is heavy-duty vinyl is thin and easy to cut.

 

[wcd]

Depends on how much you are installing?

One room and I don't think I would invest in a table saw.

Entire first floor...ABSOLUTELY get a table saw....that being said just buy a cheap one off of Facebook...doesn't have to be anything special or precise.

Most of the vinyl flooring guys i have seen just have the cheapest Black and Decker/Harbor Freight model's they can find...light, portable, and cheap.

You don't need anything that is heavy-duty vinyl is thin and easy to cut.

We are just doing the Kitchen. From what I can tell they used a half tile that goes under the cabinets and a half tile at the transition from the hard wood. There appears to be a Ryobi avail for about $130.00 from HD. Kind of thinking $130.00 is in the budget if it will make things easier.

Also kind of thinking a light duty saw might be handy for cutting moldings etc every once in a while.

 

[nra4ever]

I picked up my Porter cable portable table saw on marketplace for $50. If you can wait there are good deals all the time.

 

[Mounty09]

Amazon product ASIN B00B0BYY4Q
Worth it's weight. For long cuts, just score it with a utility knife and straight edge. Those tools, along with a jigsaw and tapping blocks are all I used for 4,000 square feet.

I also used this and it worked great. No mess and I bet quicker and easier than just a utility knife. I picked up a used one on Facebook marketplace and ended up selling it for the same price when I was done with it.

For everything else I used a jig saw.

 

[bobjones223]

I picked up my Porter cable portable table saw on marketplace for $50. If you can wait there are good deals all the time.

This!

 

[Cameramonkey]

And also pawn shops.

There is also this. Its on sale right now, $150 off. Good reviews, and a good deal when on sale.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Metabo-HPT-was-Hitachi-Power-Tools-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001279880

 

[dudley0]

I think we should be ok with out a tapping block believe it or not we are going with a loose lay vinyl plank. Stuff was not cheap but my wife really liked it so there is that. I think we can recover a good portion of the cost on the install side. I have coworker that put the stuff down about 4 years ago and they are just as happy with it now as when they first picked it out.

Explain this vinyl please. It is a loose lay plank that you don't click together? Is it glue down? If so best of luck. I always get something amiss during install. The good stuff doesn't peel back up easily.

If all you are doing is one room and you don't have other projects planned for the saw don't get it. I have used my oscillating tool to make the long cuts and even tin snips when I don't want to deal with the mess a saw makes and it is a smaller job.

 

[Super Bee]

The wife and laid vinyl plank in the living room and the kitchen earlier in the year. All I used was a blade and reciprocating saw to cut them.

Oh, and if you do not curse, you will by the time you are finished.

 

[wcd]

Explain this vinyl please. It is a loose lay plank that you don't click together? Is it glue down? If so best of luck. I always get something amiss during install. The good stuff doesn't peel back up easily.

If all you are doing is one room and you don't have other projects planned for the saw don't get it. I have used my oscillating tool to make the long cuts and even tin snips when I don't want to deal with the mess a saw makes and it is a smaller job.

It is 5mil loose lay vinyl plank. From what I am researching it is recommended to use two sided tape at transition areas. Once it is down it appears you have to work to get it back up. One of the selling points should one get scratched damaged you can just replace the plank.

 

[wcd]

I also used this and it worked great. No mess and I bet quicker and easier than just a utility knife. I picked up a used one on Facebook marketplace and ended up selling it for the same price when I was done with it.

For everything else I used a jig saw.

I am curious as the link does not appear to work on my I pad.

 

[Rookie]

Post 4...

 

[wcd]

Post 4...

Must be missing something? Just shows an Amazon logo?

 

[dudley0]

Must be missing something? Just shows an Amazon logo?

Try this.

I just got a similar one of these from my father. He bought it to shear laminate, but it wouldn't work well for that.

I have a couple LVP jobs coming up. I tested a couple cuts and it worked okay. No mess. Didn't make a clean cut but the cuts will be under trim anyhow. I really hope it works as well as I think it will.

 

[nonobaddog]

I bought a cheap table saw once and it had no provision for lining up the blade with the miter slot or the fence. The blade was permanently crooked which made for lots of binding and crappy cuts. I could have fixed it with cutting and welding the motor mounts but it wasn't worth it. I took it back and got a better one. So check the blade alignment right away on any cheap saw to make sure it is adjustable.