Luxury vinyl plank has become one of the most popular floors because it's waterproof, durable, and clicks together like laminate for an easy DIY install. It's a great choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements where moisture rules out hardwood.
Prep the subfloor
Vinyl plank telegraphs imperfections, so the subfloor must be clean, flat, and dry. Fill low spots and sand high ones. Most click-lock LVP floats over the subfloor; some thinner glue-down products need a very flat surface.
Acclimate and lay out
Let the planks sit in the room a day or two to adjust to temperature. Plan the layout so you don't end up with a sliver-width plank at the far wall, and leave a small expansion gap around the perimeter.
Click it together
Stagger the end joints between rows for strength and looks, angle each plank into the previous row and press down to lock, and cut planks to fit at walls and around obstacles. A tapping block helps seat stubborn joints.