Install Your Own Laminate, Vinyl Plank, or Tile Floor With Professional Results
Wherever you are in your flooring project—researching materials, figuring out where to start, or stuck on a tricky doorway cut—I'll walk you through it step by step with practical videos, specialty tools I invented for the trade, and 1-on-1 floor plan coaching.
Pick the Stage That Matches Your Flooring Project
Jump straight to the guides, videos, and tools built for exactly where you are right now:
1. You're Just Researching
Comparing luxury vinyl plank vs. laminate, checking my favorite floors (like Flooret Modin), or figuring out underlayment, transitions, and which tools you actually need before you buy.
2. You're Ready to Start Installing
Your boxes are in the house and you need to know which direction to run your planks, how to center the room or hallway, and how to anchor your first rows so they never shift.
3. You're Already Installing
Already laying planks and ran into a stubborn locking joint, a tight doorway jamb, working backwards into a bedroom or closet, or finishing your final row against the wall?
Joe's 7-Step Pro Flooring Plan (And What Helps You at Every Step)
Follow these 7 steps in order—and click any step below to jump straight to my free guides, specialty tools, or 1-on-1 coaching for that stage of your install:
Pick a Quality Plank & the Right Pad
Choose a durable plank with a strong locking system (like Flooret Modin). If your plank has an attached pad, either put nothing underneath it or use QuietWalk LV (never use regular foam pad or 6-mil poly plastic!).
Calculate Exact Boxes, Waste & Transitions
Never guess on square footage or run short by one carton mid-project. Enter your room measurements into my Digital Project Planner & Estimator App to get your exact box count and transition list before ordering.
Flatten Low Spots & Level Your Subfloor
Click-lock floors hate uneven subfloors. Tear out old materials properly, check door clearances when matching heights across rooms, and skim low spots flat with Ardex or Henry 549 Feather Finish.
Map Your Plank Direction & Starting Room
In a single room, run planks parallel to the longest wall. In multiple rooms, base your layout off the main hallway and pick the starting room that minimizes working backwards—or let me map out your floor plan drawing on video!
Mark 10 Planks on The Layout Buddy
Click 10 planks together flat on the floor and mark each seam on The Layout Buddy. Pull it from your center mark to any wall or doorway to spot skinny 1-inch slivers in seconds—without metric fraction math or paper cheat sheets!
Build Rows 2–6 First & Tap Tight With One Hand
Leave Row 1 open until the very end! Assemble rows 2–6 at an exact plank multiple from your chalk line, screw scrap blocks behind them so the floor cannot shift, and seat joints cleanly using The Plank Hammer.
Undercut Doorways, Back-Fill Row 1 & Pull Final Rows Tight
Slide planks cleanly under door frames using an oscillating saw, come back to scribe your very first row and floor vents off your rock-solid anchored floor, and pull the final wall rows tight without denting your drywall using my 4-lb Plank Puller!
Solve the 3 Biggest Flooring Mistakes Before You Open a Single Box
Pick a tool below to calculate your cartons & waste, check if your room will end with a 1-inch wall sliver, or verify what underlayment pad you need:
The 3 Specialty Tools I Invented & Use on Every Plank Installation
Big-box store tapping blocks and thin stamped-metal pull bars slip, bounce, and chip fragile click-lock edges. Here are the three pro-grade tools designed to make your installation faster, tighter, and frustration-free:
Zero Metric Fraction Math
The Layout Buddy ($29.95)
Mark your 10 locked planks right on the blank white tape blade. Instantly see how wide your wall and doorway pieces will be without writing out a 60-plank paper cheat sheet.
One-Handed Tapping Block
The Plank Hammer
Hold the plank down with one hand and tap with finesse or brute force with the other—seating stubborn locking systems cleanly without a separate hammer or chipped edges.
4-Lb Heavy-Duty Pull Bar
The Plank Puller
Weighing a solid 4 lbs, it does the heavy work for you—pulling end joints and final rows tight under cabinets and against walls with plenty of clearance so you never dent your drywall.
Choose the Right Tools & Support Package for Your Project
Get all 3 specialty tools with FREE shipping, the Digital Project Planner App, and step-by-step coaching inside Plank Bootcamp:
Plank Bootcamp & Planner Pass
Best for DIYers who already have tools and want step-by-step video training & material estimates.
- ✅ Digital Project Planner & Estimator App
- ✅ Full Plank Bootcamp Video Library (6 Months)
- ✅ Private Community Q&A Feed with Joe
Complete Installation Tool Kit
Best for hands-on installers who want Joe's 3 specialty tools and estimator app with free shipping.
- ✅ Layout Buddy, Plank Hammer & Plank Puller
- ✅ Digital Project Planner & Estimator App
- ✅ FREE Shipping Included
Bootcamp + Tool Kit Bundle
Get all 3 specialty tools PLUS full Plank Bootcamp video training & Q&A for just $40 more!
- ✅ Plank Hammer, Plank Puller & Layout Buddy
- ✅ Full Plank Bootcamp Video Training (6 Months)
- ✅ 24-Hour SOS Coaching + FREE Shipping
Ultimate VIP Blueprint Bundle
Joe personally maps out your exact floor plan drawing on video—showing where to start & plank direction!
- ✅ Everything in the $139 Bootcamp Bundle
- ✅ Custom 1-on-1 Installation Blueprint Video
- ✅ 1 Full Year Access + Priority SOS Support
Most Common Laminate & Vinyl Plank Questions
How do I pull tight joints or finish the last row against a wall?
The Problem: Cheap big-box pull bars bend, slip out of the groove, or dent your drywall.
The Fix: Pull from the edge with a heavy, flat-seated bar that distributes force evenly without prying against the wall.
Why are my click-lock joints chipping when I tap them together?
The Problem: Rubber mallets bounce and steel hammers shatter thin vinyl and laminate locking ridges.
The Fix: Use a controlled, one-handed tapping block that keeps the plank flat while seating the tongue cleanly.
How do I avoid getting stuck with tiny 1-inch slivers at the far wall?
The Problem: Metric plank widths don't line up with standard inch tape measures, leading to skinny slivers at walls and doorways.
The Fix: Check your center line and wall piece width before laying your very first row.
What tools do I actually need without buying junk store kits?
The Problem: Cheap $20 store kits come with flimsy plastic spacers and hollow blocks that break on your first room.
The Fix: You only need 3 pro-grade specialty tools to handle 90% of installation hurdles.
Do I need to use pad under my plank?
If your plank comes with an attached pad, either put nothing at all underneath it or use QuietWalk LV—that is the only pad I would ever use underneath it (never use standard foam pad, which flexes and breaks joints). On a concrete slab, I either use QuietWalk LV or nothing at all—I never use 6-mil poly plastic because it traps moisture and causes mold and mildew!
See the QuietWalk Pad I Recommend →What type of floor patch should I use to fix low spots?
I use Ardex Feather Finish. It is flexible, won't crack, and bonds tightly so it never shears loose or causes a crunching sound under your planks. If you can't find Ardex locally, grab Henry 549 Feather Finish at Home Depot—it's made by the same company and does a great job.
What kind of glue should I use for joints that I plane?
When you shave a locking ridge flat under a tight door jamb, use standard PVA wood glue for laminate flooring. For vinyl plank (LVP), I use Clear Gorilla Glue (non-foaming)—just lightly moisten the groove with a damp sponge or cloth before applying the glue to the joint!
How do I deal with multiple levels of flooring in my house?
Your subfloor needs to be brought to the same flat level across all connected areas (and always check that your doors will still clear before building up a subfloor!). Inside Plank Bootcamp, I show you step by step how to tear out old flooring, build up subfloors, and handle transitions cleanly.
Get Subfloor & Transition Guidance in Plank Bootcamp →What type of transitions do I need—or can I skip transitions in doorways?
Where your plank meets carpet, tile, or a step down, you'll use a T-molding, reducer, end cap, or flush stair nose. However, between rooms with the same flooring, I avoid doorway transitions whenever possible by basing the layout off the main hallway and undercutting door jambs so the planks flow continuously!
Read My Multi-Room & Doorway Layout Guide →Can I install my floor in stages room by room instead of all at once?
Yes! You don't have to rip up your entire first floor at once. You can prep subfloors and install planks in stages room by room as long as you plan your master starting line, plank direction, and staging order ahead of time. Send me a simple drawing of your floor plan (no measurements needed) and I'll map out your exact staging order on video!
Get a Custom 1-on-1 Floor Plan Blueprint ($269 Bundle) →"Am I Really Capable of Taking On This Flooring Installation Myself?"
Yes! I have helped thousands of first-time DIYers—men and women, young adults, middle-aged homeowners, and wise elders—complete their own floors with professional results. If you are willing and able to follow the steps I teach, you are capable!
Fear should never stop you. Remember this: God is on your side! He will help you through this and give you the confidence you need—you just have to ask Him. I had no clue what I was doing when I started over 20 years ago, and now I get to teach others how to do it. Pray, my friends—God loves you, and we can all be saved through Jesus Christ!
Working on a Tile Floor, Tub Surround, or Custom Shower?
Tile hates an uneven subfloor—and spreading thinset too far ahead of yourself is the #1 mistake DIYers make. Start with my step-by-step tile guides below:
Tile Floors & Cement Board
Learn how to level wood or concrete subfloors, mix thinset the easy way, fasten cement board properly, and cut cleanly around toilet flanges.
Tiled Tub Surrounds
The walls are easy—it's the curved lip around the tub that trips up most DIYers. See my step-by-step method for tiling a tub surround in a weekend.
Thank you for visiting So That's How You Do That! I'm honored to help you with your project.
None of this would be possible without our Lord • We can all be saved through Jesus Christ! — Joe Letendre