Will small measurement differences in vinyl plank installation be noticeable to the eye once fully installed, or is this a concern I am overthinking?
Asked by Silvério Barbosa 
4 months ago
Last Updated: September 11, 2024
I’m in the process of putting in vinyl plank flooring in my house, but I’m running into a little bit of a snag. I started by figuring out the center point of my hallway and made sure that all my doorways will have a seam in them. Then I measured off the same wall in the living room and snapped a chalk line. Everything looks good from the middle of the wall to the chalk line, but the outside wall of the living room is not completely perfect. There’s about a 1/4” difference when I measure the plank from both ends. And when I measured the width of the room on each side, there’s a 1/2” difference between the two measurements. Do you think this will be noticeable after I install the flooring, or am I just overthinking it?
It’s a common occurrence. To keep the gaps even, scribe the last row that needs to be cut by placing a cut piece against the wall and tracing along the pieces.
. I was considering that, just wasn’t sure if a 1/2 inch difference would be noticeable at all.
Is an inevitable part of most projects. A wood grain plank may not attract as much attention as a solid tile, though.
Thanks, ! Perfect, I appreciate it!
Start by being about 1/4 inch off from the walls. And if the gap is too big for a base shoe, consider using 3/4 quarter round as your flooring trim.
You’ll probably be the only one who will ever notice that.
It would stand out more if it was in a doorway. A 1/2″ difference on an outer wall is not a big deal (happens all the time). And there’s really nothing you can do about it. You’ll be the only one who notices.
Split it into three sections without necessarily laying it out perfectly straight down the middle. Use the 3-4-5 triangle method to identify any walls that are not aligned correctly. Then make calculations based on those findings.
Most walls aren’t perfectly square, so using a 3/4 or 1″ x 6″ base will help hide any inconsistencies when installing flooring.
Are you intending to install them in the manner displayed in the initial photo? If that’s the case, I recommend staggering the LVP instead of what is shown in the picture.
Arranged them like that to make it easier to count and double-check the numbers before laying them out in a staggered pattern.
I know what you mean, Matthew! Some people do lay it out that way, even though it’s not technically accurate. But hey, you can do whatever you want! 😜🤷🏽♂️
Divide the disparity and proceed with it
You have the option to conceal the discrepancy beneath the baseboard
If I were in your shoes, I’d measure the width of your room and then divide it by the width of your flooring pieces. For example, if your room is 12 feet wide and your flooring pieces are 5 1/2 inches wide, you’d do 144 divided by 5.5, which equals 26 rows. ‘t forget to also measure the length of your room to ensure you don’t end up with less than 8 inches left to cut at the end.
No, you definitely won’t notice the 1/2 inch difference unless you happen to get a sliver.