How vital is acclimation with luxury vinyl flooring?

When you shop for new flooring, you want something that will look great and perform well for a long time.

Luxury vinyl flooring, cut into planks or tile-sized pieces, answers that call! It has a high-end style with affordability, durability, waterproof capabilities, and low maintenance.

Installation is uncomplicated but needs to be done correctly. That includes the all-important pre-installation process and acclimation. Then you'll have an installation that lasts 25 years or more.

Acclimation: a necessary pre-installation process

It's waterproof and looks solid, but luxury vinyl flooring is porous with microscopic air holes. The vinyl expands when the air is humid; when it's cold, it contracts.

If you don’t acclimate the luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or vinyl plank, it will result in buckling and gapping.

Don't think you're safe just because it comes locally. The pieces are stored in a very different climate from your home.

Keep in mind that LVT and vinyl plank are often installed via the floating floor technique. Unlike glue-down, a floating floor isn't affixed but instead hovers. Therefore, the slightest movement can throw the floor off balance.

It pays to have the pieces delivered a few days before installation

Leave the luxury vinyl flooring in opened boxes. The product should be kept in the room in which it’s to be installed for 48 hours.

The room should be climate controlled between 59 and 80 degrees. Humidity levels should be between 35-75 percent.

This gives the flooring a chance to adjust its moisture levels to that of your home. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact our flooring experts.

Visit our showroom when shopping for LVT or luxury vinyl plank in Sarasota, FL

Come into Paradise Floors and More. You'll see luxury vinyl flooring from top brands like COREtec, Cali Bamboo, Armstrong, and more. Our staff will get your creative juices flowing to transform your home affordably.

We’re located in Sarasota, FL, and work on projects of all sizes in Sarasota, Bradenton, and Venice.