Vinyl Plank Installation Alexandra Hills, Redlands
DIY vinyl plank flooring for a family home in Alexandra Hills
Diana Lovasi replaced dated tiles and carpet with waterproof vinyl planks in her Alexandra Hills home. She managed the project herself, from removing the old floors to installing the new, for a safer, cleaner, and more modern result.
- Flooring material Vinyl plank flooring
- Product / range Australian Select Timbers Tahoma 4.5 Vinyl Plank, Stirling
- Specification 4.5 mm thick, 1524 x 229 mm planks
The project
Why cracked tiles and carpet had to go
Diana's home had a mix of early 1990s tiles and low quality carpet that no longer suited her needs. "They were dated, but then not just that. There were a lot of damaged tiles, cracked tiles because the slab settled." The grout lines were failing, with "literally empty grout lines and cracks, chips, scuffs where the bar stools were." Safety was a big concern, especially with a pool: "The tiles are really slippery. So I always have to just make sure that anyone who is stepping inside the house after the pool is fully dried because that was dangerously slippery."
The carpets, though only a few years old, were hard to keep clean and not practical for her busy lifestyle. Diana wanted a flooring solution that was easy to maintain, safe for her child, and modern in appearance. The old floors made the house feel dated and difficult to manage day to day.
Choosing vinyl over hybrid and timber
As an interior designer and property stylist, Diana brought a professional eye to her flooring project. "I am a qualified interior designer and I work as a property stylist." She initially considered hybrid flooring, worried about the look of vinyl after seeing poor installations elsewhere: "Originally, I wanted to go with hybrid because I have seen some bad vinyl installations. And I wanted to just stay away from that."
After researching, she found "the more research I've done, things were pointing like installers were saying that hybrid is just a much more complicated system to lay." Vinyl offered easier installation, repairability, and a better fit for her budget and DIY plans. She compared multiple brands and colours before settling on the Tahoma 4.5 Vinyl Plank in Stirling.
DIY install with professional subfloor prep
Diana tackled most of the work herself, from removing old tiles and carpet to installing the new vinyl planks. She hired a professional to grind and apply a flat coat to the concrete slab: "I've had a contractor in to grind the floor and they did a flat coat throughout the whole house. So that part has been professionally done." She says, "I just jacked up the tiles and taken them to the tip." The floor preparation itself she left to the contractor, because she did not want to make a mistake with it.
With the subfloor ready, Diana installed the vinyl planks using a full-spread adhesive method. "There is no underlay with the vinyl." Her install, step by step:
- Established a straight reference line.
- Dry-laid the rows and cut the planks to fit.
- Picked up the dry-laid planks, applied the adhesive and laid them back into it.
- Finished with a heavy roller.
She worked around existing skirtings and undercut door jambs to achieve a clean finish, all while holding down her day job.
Pattern, pain, and measurement surprises
Despite careful planning, Diana ran into a few obstacles. "There was, I feel like a calculation error made at some point in my measurements ... So the last bedroom, I had to Tetris the pieces and the gaps and everything." This meant less pattern variation in that room, but furniture hides most of it.
The physical toll of the work was unexpected: "What surprised me was the amount of physical pain that you have to endure when you lay flooring because I had to be either on my knees, squatting down, or bending over." That was across about 145 square metres of planks, which she puts at five to six working days of laying. She adds, "My knees were throbbing at night, so I was very surprised that people choose this to make a living."
Modern, safe, and easy to live with
The new flooring has changed how Diana feels about her home. "When I open the front door and I walk into that place, I just love it. I am so happy to get home." The floors are modern, light, and easy to keep clean: "It's looking beautiful, fresh, modern and it's clean ... It just makes me feel so good."
She also appreciates the improved safety and comfort: "I don't have to as much worry about my son falling over and injuring himself on the tiles as well, because it's sort of a bit softer than the tiles." The vinyl planks blend well with her furniture and decor, and the house is now ready for everyday living.
Before and after
Before
After
The flooring used on this job
Australian Select Timbers Tahoma 4.5 Vinyl Plank Stirling
Product Code: OFS-NA-104
Colour: Stirling
Advice for your own vinyl plank project
Diana's top tip is simple: take the samples home. "Take the samples home, and check the samples in daylight, at night time and so forth, and make a decision like that." Store lighting can be misleading. Her warning is about picking "a sample in the store, like whatever looks good in the store lighting" instead of in the room it will live in.
She also notes that DIY installation is physically demanding: "Do not recommend. There are so many other DIYs you could be doing." If you still plan to lay it yourself:
- Allow extra time for the preparation, not only for the laying.
- Be realistic about your skills and your endurance.
- Leave the subfloor grinding and flat coat to a professional, as Diana did.
What the customer said
It looks like when I open the front door and I walk into that place, I just love it. I am so happy to get home. Honestly, made such a difference for me ... And it's looking beautiful, fresh, modern and it's clean ... It just makes me feel so good. And yes, it feels good under the foot as well. It's not cold like the tiles. I don't have to as much worry about my son falling over and injuring himself on the tiles as well, because it's sort of a bit softer than the tiles. I feel like it looks good on the videos ... and it looks good in real life too.
Follow Diana's project
Questions about this job
Why did you choose vinyl planks over hybrid flooring?
Diana considered both options but found vinyl easier to install and repair, especially for DIY. She says, "The more research I've done, things were pointing like installers were saying that hybrid is just a much more complicated system to lay." Proper subfloor prep made vinyl a practical choice.
What prep is needed before installing vinyl planks?
A smooth, level subfloor is critical. Diana hired a professional to grind and apply a flat coat to her concrete slab, saying, "That part has been professionally done." She did not attempt this step herself, knowing mistakes here would affect the whole project.
Is DIY vinyl plank installation physically demanding?
Yes, Diana found it tougher than expected: "What surprised me was the amount of physical pain that you have to endure when you lay flooring." Kneeling, squatting, and bending took a toll, so she recommends being realistic about your fitness and time.
How do you make sure your flooring colour works at home?
Diana's advice: "Take the samples home, and check the samples in daylight, at night time and so forth, and make a decision like that." She warns that store lighting can be misleading, so always test samples in your actual space.
How do you care for new vinyl plank floors?
Diana followed the manufacturer's recommendations, adding felt pads under all furniture and keeping rubber-backed rugs and mats off the floor to prevent discolouration. Three weeks after the install, in July 2026, she reported no damage.
Job details and photos supplied by the customer.
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