Smartcore Pro Flooring Installation

Hey guys, in this video I will be installing Smartcore Pro flooring in our new Master bathroom. This is a really simple and easy process and after watching this video you know all you need to get started! Check out this video to see helpful tips and tricks, what tools you will need, and how this project is done. This video is #12 in a series I am doing on our bathroom renovation. Check out the links below to see how the bathroom is coming along.
1. Siding - • DIY Board and Batten S...
2. Gutters - • DIY Vinyl Gutters
3. Electrical - • DIY Electrical
4. Sewer Plumbing - • DIY Sewer Plumbing
5. Hot and Cold water lines - • DIY PEX Pluming
6. Insulating - • DIY Insulation
7. Sheetrock - • Video
8. Spackle - • How to Spackle a Wall
9. Beadboard - • DIY Beadboard
10. Subfloor - Replacement • Replacing rotten subfloor
11. Painting - • How To Paint A Room
12. Vinyl Plank Flooring - • Smartcore Pro Flooring...
13. Toilet Installation - • How To Install A Toilet
14. Shower Installation - • How to Install a Dream...
15. Bathroom Vanity - • DIY Bathroom Vanity
16. Butcher Block Countertop - • DIY Butcher Block Coun...
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Smartcore Pro Flooring Link
www.lowes.com/pd/SMARTCORE-Pr...
#SimonSaysDIY #Homeimprovement #Smartcore

[@joep9764]

Looks fantastic Thanks I’m about to lay my first smart pro vinyl tomorrow

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Awesome! I hope the install went well! clipping together can be tricky but once you get it together it is a super nice floor! We are wanting to redo our kitchen floor soon soon and we will most likely use the smart pro flooring again.

[@barrettwilliams3355]

Thanks for making this great video--very helpful. I love the little QA inspector barging in during the install to let you know where you need to improve lol! :)

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Awesome! I’m glad to hear that my video could help! Thanks so much!

[@UberKrispy]

Thanks for the video, I installed 2 boxes in a postage stamp sized bathroom and found this flooring to be more difficult to work with than some others I've installed in my house over the years. I used the Woodford Oak and It really is a pretty floor.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! They are tough to get together but re really loved the end results!

[@handymandan4119]

Wow, great video. Thanks for the tips.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks!

[@thegem3588]

Great job!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[@grojoebo]

Awesome thanks ! Looks amazing any wait to install mine!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks!! 😁 good luck!

[@WilliamSmith-fi9lh]

I'm installing the smatrcore pro flooring in a basement cement foundation floor. I removed all my carpet, carpet strips and thresholds. I also purchased my flooring at Lowe's. Is it necessary to put down the roll under lament on the concrete 1st taping the seems? If so should the flooring lay the opposite direction of the flooring strips? Thank you for all your easy access videos!

[@davidschaefer2008]

What did you use for the threshold coming into the bathroom and how did you get under the door trim?

[@jenamolitor7005]

great video

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks!

[@BigTrk27069]

Nice flooring

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks!

[@basketballjones6782]

Closet flange should rest flush on the flooring, not recessed into it making it flush with the subfloor. Buy a vacuum cleaner next time. That and an install kit (spacers, tapping block, pull bar) will help you tremendously.

[@jasonh9329]

good job. Great video. My kid loves to help and always picks up the most dangerous tool I have laying around😂

[@SimonSaysDIY]

thanks! Yeah, I guess the more dangerous the tool is the cooler they must look to them LOL. She keeps us on our toes but she is a great little helper! :)

[@markfaber3441]

Great video man. Appreciate you showing it from start to finish. Question, when you were running the bead of silicone under the base boards, was it on the flooring and then the baseboard stuck to it?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks I appreciate it! I put the bead of silicone on the floor. I felt that was more consistent then on the base board first because I could make sure the silicone made it into the cracks.

[@markfaber3441]

@@SimonSaysDIY excellent. So bead of silicone on the floor, then mush (technical term here...lol) the baseboard into the bead and nail her down. Thanks again for taking the time to share!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

@@markfaber3441 yes that's correct.

[@andreagrant6426]

Do you have any pictures of it completely finished maybe in different lighting we are trying to decide on a vinyl flooring throughout our whole house and I really like this but the bourbon oak looks completely different on the website. TIA

[@gabeayala2684]

Great video! When installing the base molding, did you 45 cut the corners together or just overlap? I couldn’t tell in video. (Reason I ask is I’m trying to avoid buying a miter saw) Thanks

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! I did not use a 45 cut for a few reasons. This house is pretty old and the moldings throughout the house are not cut with a 45 so I chose to match everything else. It is also a preference but I think the flat cuts look really nice and simple with the farm/cottage style we were going for. Hope that helps!

[@hendog2108]

At about 17 minutes in you were placing a small piece that was going around your hot and cold and that was the finishing piece on the wall my question is what did you use to cut that plank in 1/2 longway? Just a razor knife, thanks.

[@grguy793]

Great video. Use waterproof caulk around the perimeter to stop water from going underneath boards.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! and thanks for the tip

[@davidarango1034]

Question. I'm thinking of installing the same brand flooring. But is underlayment required ? Or is it more of a optional item to place under the vinyl.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

It depends on the flooring type you purchase. This flooring I used had a rubber underlayment already attached to each board to ad cushion and to also grip and hold it in place. If the flooring doesn't have this I would recommend using underlayment.

[@lorenzovienna934]

Nice floors & job on installation. Whats the name color of these?

[@faroutgenetics59]

When installing the first plank do you usually start with a full plank or do you cut it shorter for staggering / offsetting the joints?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I try to stager the seams so cutting the starter boards as needed is ideal.

[@bmann792]

Can you install this floor in both directions for some tricky wall/room connections

[@SimonSaysDIY]

You probably could but you may need to put a thin molding where the floors connect. Thanks! :)

[@dancurtis461]

I was told I cannot have my cabinets on top of my floating floor, but it looks like you have your vanity on top. Also, it looks like you ran silicone in front of the vanity, but that leaves the edge along the wall unsealed? My what a clean flange and drain you have there!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

we decided to run the flooring under the vanity because it was such a small room and if we ever want to change the vanity the flooring may not have to be replaced. I actually put a beed of silicone around all of the edges before placing the moldings so that all the sides are sealed as well. Thanks! :)

[@jojo21609]

I just found your channel, the flooring looks beautiful! Thinking about buying the same product from Lowe’s. I know it’s only been a few months, but how is your floor holding up?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

It has been great! It has only been a couple months but I left it open in the basement to make sure the flooring doesn't leak and with the shower getting the floor wet occasionally it hasn't leaked and all the joints have stayed together. We are actually thinking about installing it in our kitchen as well, so I would recommend it!

[@jojo21609]

That’s awesome!! Thank you for responding

[@munkeymn]

Hey simon....did you have any problems getting them to "lock" in place? I am having a super rough time for them to actually lock. The only way I can currently get them to work is if I slide it in from the side.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yes, I did have a hard time getting them to lock into place. What I found worked the best for me was to tilt the board up at a 45-degree angle from the floor then place the two edges together and use pressure keeping them together as you lay it back down to the floor. The only way I could get the ends snap into place was to use a rubber hammer to hammer on the joint. I could actually hear the tung and groove clipping or snapping into place. I hope this helps!

[@1380beagle]

@@SimonSaysDIY not to be a cynic but we’re they snapping into to place or we’re the tongue snapping off? Tgat was the problem we had.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

@@1380beagle We checked several times throughout the floor and they seemed to have been working for us. i tried to take several apart and they were licking together nicely and had no damage on the tongues. I did have a few that snapped when I tied to force it in and had to cut a new pice and try again. It was very warm when we installed these, I don't know if temperature can make these brittle and more likely to crack. Sorry I can't be more help!

[@carolwilliams3806]

What about the dimensions of that floor moulding? It looks great - pretty substantial.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks! The moldings I used were 1x8 primed pine boards. This matches the rest of the moldings throughout our house. I would suggest taking a look at what is used throughout your hose and try to match. I taller molding (1x8 or 1x6) along the floor tends to look nicer while thinner moldings (1x4) are great for framing in windows and doorways.

[@cedarwood320]

Im a diy also. I was advised that this flooring required the underlayment. Im getting ready to do my floor and i purchased the underlayment. What do you think? Thanks for the video.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Installing underlayment won't hurt. You just want to make sure it goes down smooth with no wrinkle or folds so that the flooring can be set evenly onto the floor. I will say our floor has held up really well and has had no issues with this type of flooring. Good luck with your project! :)

[@lizhayden8556]

Does each box contain the same patterns? We bought one box and it seemed repetitive enough it might be noticeable in a large room. We are trying to decide if we buy more or return and look for another product.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I believe they have different patterns. The manufacturer recommends opening several boxes at a time and shuffle them together as the color from box to box can change slightly and I believe the same goes for the pattern.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

Looks great. How is it holding up a year and a half later? Thanks.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Great! No issues and so far and has held up really well. :)

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

@@SimonSaysDIY Thanks for the quick reply. My husband just got our bathroom floor put in on Friday and I love how it looks. I had picked out the hearthside hickory and it took a while to get here but it was sure worth the wait.

[@swilliams1892]

What type of baseboard is that?

[@rajesh96b4u]

Can you please tell me the model of jigsaw tool you used to cut the planks

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I am not really sure, the jig saw is an old craftsman that I bought used. I am about due to upgrade it.

[@willystalla]

Great video! How is your smartcore pro floor holding up? I want to install it in my house, but I've read some bad reviews saying that the ends of the smartcore planks pop up over time. Has that happened to you so far? Thanks for the video.

[@mltdanielledraper]

Do you have to remove old tile flooring before laying this floor?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

No but I would recommend removing old flooring as each layer you add raised the floor height and adds more weight to your floor joist.

[@pearlperlitavenegas2023]

You can sit a vanity on top of this floor? My understanding is that click flooring doesn't support heavy cabinets on top.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

I did and it’s held up great so far! 👍🏻😁

[@pearlperlitavenegas2023]

@@SimonSaysDIY good to know

[@ElJotaDe]

Got a question can I put it straight on concrete or plywood is best?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yeah that would be fine. You may want to get a mat or underpayment that they make to go under this type of flooring.

[@ElJotaDe]

@@SimonSaysDIY Appreciate the help.

[@hb7678]

fairly good video except missing the key thing many will want to see: how you made the final finished piece/transition to the unalike other flooring at the doorway. T-molding? Reducer? That's what I actually came looking to find in a video....

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks for the feedback. Sorry about missing that!

[@618meplease]

What color is this?

[@lukem23]

What color is this! Looks great!!

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Thanks!! The name of the pattern we used was Burbank Oak. www.lowes.com/pd/SMARTCORE-Pro-7-Piece-7-08-in-x-48-03-in-Burbank-Oak-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring/1000942088

[@NESADDICT]

Just bought the same color for my kids room

[@rhubbard327]

Simon, spacers- instructions say 1/4 in along walls. I didn’t see you use any. Just eyeball it?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

good question, I did just eyeball it. The molding I was going to place over top was going to be 3/4 in thick so I tried to keep the gap around 1/4 in but if it went over a bit, it will just be covered up so there's reason to be that precise if the edges will be covered. Thanks!!

[@rhubbard327]

@@SimonSaysDIY thank you, sir!

[@angiedavis793]

U let it dry first?

[@carolwilliams3806]

The link you posted goes to this product: SMARTCORE Ultra XL 4-Piece 8.97-in x 72.04-in Southern Pecan Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring, but your boards do not look to be that large. Can you give us the product name and the shade you used in the video? Thanks.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Sorry about that. I'll fix that link. The name of the pattern we used was Burbank Oak. www.lowes.com/pd/SMARTCORE-Pro-7-Piece-7-08-in-x-48-03-in-Burbank-Oak-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring/1000942088 Thanks!

[@jerfle7787]

I am putting the same flooring down. The directions say not to install cabinets or fixed objects on the floating floor application. You put it under your toilet. Have you had any issues with it?

[@SimonSaysDIY]

No, I haven't had any issues with it. The toilet has sealed just fine and is stable and doesn't move around at all. the flooring has some cushion on the bottom side so you will want to make sure that the bolts holding down the toilet are tight enough to keep it from moving. The vanity cabinet shouldn't have any issues as it is so large. I found it easier to cut out the hole for the drain and mounting the toilet on time because the cut around the toilet would have to be perfect or you would see a gap around the toilet. Putting the toilet on top covers up any mistake you make. Also if you ever need to replace the toilet the bases rarely match so you would have the wrong sized hole in your flooring and you would have to redo the flooring to fix it. Hope that helps! Good Luck!

[@jerfle7787]

@@SimonSaysDIY Thank you for replying. Cutting around the toilet bowl would look stupid. Thank you for posting your how to video.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

You're totally welcome! Thanks.

[@paulwoodman5131]

How's the flooring doing under the cabinets? I'm installing similar vinyl plank flooring and it has to be under the cabinets, the floor is visible, vanity has 4legs. Just been wondering if the cabinet needs to be set on blocks and then cut the flooring around the blocks so not to interfere with the floors shrinking and contracting cycles.

[@BolsakTBagger]

very nice flooring. nice legs too by the way. the only problem with this video is I keep losing my focus from the floor to the legs. many times, i forgot about the floor altogether

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Haha that’s funny! :) Thanks for watching!

[@jeannettedaughtry1989]

I am now worried about getting this flooring. I keep seeing problems snapping it together.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

We were able to get them to snap together really well but yeah I would maybe test a box of what every brand you end up choosing before purchasing the full amount for your project :)

[@jeannettedaughtry1989]

@@SimonSaysDIY at $60 a box !

[@chisexton5845]

What's the name of this pattern? Thank you.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

It was the Burbank Oak. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelmurphy337]

just a warning this is super simply to install on a flat surface but if you install this in a basement it does cause problems if the floor isnt completely flat

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yes, That is a very good point! Thanks for sharing!

[@WhiteTurtleDiver]

Watching you cut things made my insurance agent have a heart attack. Seriously why would you operate a jigsaw in your lap like that? This is how accident reports begin. If that wasn’t bad enough then you are cutting with a razor knife towards yourself, geez.

[@brianhamm7297]

the women started out helping.lol they never stay. they mean well but he still ended up sweeping it up at the end she started sweeping then disapeard .they all do lol but we take what ever help we can get. she might be making dinner or a million other things they do im not hating its just funny cause this happens to me all the time and im sure alot of other people lol.

[@bigdogkropp]

Filling the expansion gap with caulk voids the warranty. Gap is there to allow the flooring to expand without buckling. If you are going to make a video on how to install this flooring you should not be advising people to void their warranty. DO NOT CAULK THE EXPANSION GAP!

[@jimmiedriscoll8867]

This is the worst product we have come across in our DYI projects. This flooring does not snap into each other . Some times we get it to snap then adding other boards unsnsp the back piesces No one backs this stuff not even Lowes which recommends.

[@SimonSaysDIY]

Yeah I could see that. We had to really hammer on it hard to get it to snap into place. Getting it snapped was a big pain to get it snapped but once it was snapped properly it didn’t come apart and has been great for us. We actually like the finished product so much that we are planning to do another room with this flooring.

[@tcliff1]

I'm having a terrible time with it myself, and I'm trying to lay 1300 sq. ft. It's killing me!

[@johnvalcarcel8776]

This product sucks Don't use it it does not click quickly