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Flooring Design Dilemma DIY

What advice or tips can you give on how to lay out lvp to blend well?

8 days ago

So far we have opened 5 boxes (50 planks) of our lvp flooring. Very few are "exact" repeats, as the pattern is cut at different points, so that will not be a problem. But what is the best way to blend the different color tones - as in light, medium and dark? I don't want to end of with a "checkboard" look!

Thanks for any help!

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Comments (3)

kayozzy
8 days ago
last modified: 8 days ago
To start, I sort all the planks by pattern. Even if they aren't exact pattern repeats, you will start to see markings that are obvious like a knot with a line next to it. Then, lay out several rows without installing them. Stand back and see what you think. At first I was picking each plank as I went, but then I learned it is much quicker to pick out a whole row of planks. Then you can look closely at the marks to see if there are any similar right next to it and how the colors look and move things around. I started naming the different planks and would ask for them by name. Luscious had a lot of movement, eyes had 2 knots, etc. Made it more interesting. :-)
Mary Elizabeth thanked kayozzy
SJ McCarthy
8 days ago
We call this a 'dry lay'. And it is exactly as it sounds. You open 2-3 boxes and lay them out (without clicking them together) and start SHUFFLING things around. Only you can decide how you like your mix. My mix is going to turn out differently from yours. 'Tony's' mix is going to turn out very differently from mine. Remember to PROPERLY STAGGER the joints...a bad set up can look WORSE by putting 'ladder joints' into the floor (thats when each short edge is EXATLY 6" away from the next and they create the look of a set of STAIRS in the floor...bad...bad...bad!).

As you start shuffling these planks, you will notice that putting super light up against super dark is an issue for you (....but not for me!!! I LOVE movement!!! Give me more of that please!).

Once you start going, you will continue to pull from 3 DIFFERENT BOXES at ANY TIME in the installation. If you are having someone install these, then feel free to leave the 'dry lay' on the floor when they arrive. Take a photo of the floors BEFORE they start work. Explain this is pretty close to perfect for you and if they would keep the order as best as they can.

As they finish up the floor, they will only have the last 2 planks in each row to do. It should be enough for them to keep the look of what you are after.

If you come back and the floor looks like HELL you have the pics to prove it wasn't you (or it might have been you...hard to say).
Mary Elizabeth thanked SJ McCarthy
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Mary Elizabeth
Original Author
8 days ago
Thanks for the tips! We laid out enough planks to determine the best direction, and then separated those 5 boxes into stacks of "similar" color and markings.

We'll see how it goes in the next week or so. Still lots of planning and measuring to do!

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