Steve Ball, Technical Services Manager for Malmo™, outlines his top tips for laying Rigid Click luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring.
It’s no idle claim that LVT is faster and easier to install than natural stone and wood, and this is one of the factors behind its rising popularity, alongside its credentials for being high performance, easy maintenance and offering broad design scope. The product is supplied in packs of planks or tiles that are lightweight and easy to handle and transport to jobs.
The Rigid Click installation system, where the planks and tiles are laid and locked into place, is particularly quick and easy to install, whereas stickdown requires a greater level of expertise. For example, our Malmo™ Rigid products feature Välinge 5G push down end joints meaning each plank only requires a firm finger touch to securely click the product into place with no need for hammers or tapping tools. The fact that the end joints need less positioning space also makes the flooring ideal when working in tricky or restricted spaces such as around sanitaryware and underneath doors in bathrooms. Some rigid LVTs, including Malmo™, feature a 1mm thick underlay offering further time and cost saving benefits by eliminating the need for separate installation.
Although the Rigid Click system is straightforward to fit, we always recommend that the full instructions are read prior to installation and followed carefully, as incorrect installation will invalidate the warranty. Here are some top tips to bear in mind to ensure a correctly installed floorcovering and a satisfied end user.
1. Always allow 48 hours for the LVT product to acclimatise in the room where it is to be installed. Store the packs flat and no more than two packs high.
2. Take appropriate time to prepare the subfloor ensuring it is level. Use a good quality levelling compound with a maximum 2mm variation over a 2m x 2m space.
3. Remember that expansion gaps of 6mm are required around the perimeter of the room and any fixed items like door jams and radiator pipes. Do not obstruct any expansion gaps with objects or sealant.
4. When installed over underfloor heating, expansion gaps should be 10mm and the surface temperature not allowed to exceed 27⁰C. Refer to the full UFH instructions prior to installation.
5. Install a door profile in every doorway.
6. The maximum area of coverage without an expansion break is 10m x 10m.
7. Heavy furniture, such as kitchen furniture, cannot be installed over a rigid click LVT floor. Being fully adhered to the subfloor and more stable, Stickdown LVT can withstand heavy weights.
8. If the area has lots of glazing, e.g. a conservatory or bi fold doors, recommend to the customer to install blinds to minimise temperature variations.
The complete Malmo™ collection offers a total of 57 designs; 25 stickdown and 32 rigid, including the award-winning Senses range. The range has up to 25 years domestic wear warranty, with up to 10 years for commercial applications.
Expansion gaps of 6mm are required around the perimeter of the room and any fixed object when fitting Malmo™ Rigid LVT.
The maximum area of coverage without an expansion break for Malmo™ Rigid LVT is 10m x 10m.
