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beedrew

Novalis peel-and-stick vinyl planks -- feedback?

beedrew
17 years ago

Hello,

I'm new here and looking for good/bad feedback from anyone who has used the Novalis peel-and-stick vinyl planks available for about $1 each from Lowe's. I need an economical floor covering for a basement, going down over cement slab. It also must be a DIY solution as we are on a tight budget and this is a large space.

I saw some Pergo at HD for about the same price but was told not to buy Pergo-type unless I was willing to spend at least $4 sq ft. Plus it would be harder for me and my husband to do the install ourselves, as we're newbies.

Years ago I used peel-and-stick vinyl tiles in a condo that I owned, and it worked out GREAT -- looked wonderful and never peeled up. My neighbors bought it after seeing my floor. But I think it was an Armstrong product and they aren't making peel-and-stick vinyl planks anymore -- pretty much nobody is except Novalis. Plus I had no kids then and had the $$ for professional installation.

I brought home samples of the four available colors Lowe's has -- Golden Oak, Natural Oak, Gunstock Oak, and Summer Cherry. All of the Oak ones have an embossed pattern to them -- an attempt to look like wood grain. The Summer Cherry is more smooth, but it's somewhat dark for a basement and it looks like it will show dust more than the other ones.

So I am wondering, for those who might have used this product:

- How does it hold up? Any edges peeling up?

- Easy / hard to keep clean?

- Does it look "fakey" -- any more than Pergo sometimes does?

- How do you like the color you chose? Is the embossing a problem?

Any feedback at all would be most welcome.

Thanks,

Bee

Comments (157)

  • midwestmama
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We are looking to put this down over about 1200 ft2 in our new construction house. We are doing this ourselves. I'd like to not have to layer plywood over all the wood subfloors. Could I somehow sand and then coat with the primer? I am SO not looking forward to installing that much ourselves, but the money for installers just isn't an option for us. I am so dreading this part!!!

  • linda00000
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I was wondering about how your floors sound with kids and dogs playing on them. We helped our daughter install laminate flooring from Ikea in her home. It looks wonderful, but the clicking of her lab's well trimmed toenails drives me nuts. Do any of you have issues with noise?

  • gusdmiller
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just laid this today over the existing linoleum in our bathroom. It was not difficult and looks great. I didn't remove my existing baseboards and I think it looks fine up tight against them. I did struggle some with cuts around the door molding but nothing terrible. Does anyone know why it says not to use rubber backed bath mats? Has anyone used one without problems?

    Thanks

  • art_teacher_mom
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wanted to thank everyone on this thread for their feedback and photos. We put Novalis gunstock in our master bedroom 2 months ago based on this thread. LOVE IT!!
    So much better than the old disgusting carpet the previous owners left.
    Only a couple of planks weren't sticking that well, but we put weights on them for a couple of days and they're fine now.
    It did scratch, but it was totally my fault. I dragged a small table across the floor that had a screw sticking out of the leg. DOH! It's ok, we just replaced that plank.
    The sound is solid and nothing like laminate. The smell was not bad at all and was completely gone in a couple of days (I usually get migraines from smells, but did not.)
    My husband and I installed it in 2 afternoons. It went so much faster after we finally used heavy duty kitchen shears to cut.
    We just bought a new bed, so after we get that set up I will add photos!
    Thanks!!

  • clfflp
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    From what I am reading it sounds like most everyone is putting this floor straight to the concrete. My husband thinks we need a pad down first, any thoughts on this?? And if you did put a pad down first how did you do it?? After reading all the reviews on this flooring I am ready to put some down in my house.

  • nataliejo502
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    WOW!! is all i can say were half way done with our dinning room and this stuff is great.it went down fast and easy no mess no fuss we LOVE IT!and if we hadnt bought carpet this is what we would had done for our whole house:)great stuff love pd. i will take pics to show asap

  • cablequeen
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I really appreciate all the comments posted above. I just bought a condo badly in need of care and new flooring throught except the foyer and bathrooms--which are ceramic tile. Novalis vinyl planks look and sound great, but I am "mobility challenged" and need a wheeled walker/wheelchair to move around. I need a smooth, level but not slippery surface. (And have cats & dog.) I am concerned about some of the earlier comments ("old dog slipping") Has anyone with accessiblity issues like mine had experience with Novalis? Any suggestions for making non-slip? Thanks in advance.

  • hdrockercgirl
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I did it! It looks and sounds GREAT! No hollow sound like Pergo! I love it, I think it looks very classy and sophisticated. I used Gunstock oak, the darker of the three colors. I got my husband to remove the toilet and I removed the 1/4 round moulding from the baseboard. Removing the toilet is recommended, makes it easier to hide the edges. I also removed the trim around the door so I didn't have to worry about any intricate cuts. I installed the planks right over linoleum, I did not do anything to the linoleum prior to the installation other than clean it with water, it was 5 years old. As I was about 3/4's finished I found it was easier to cut the planks with kitchen shears instead of a utility knife. The prep work (removing toilet, 1/4 round, and dry layout) took longer than actually laying the planks. It was very easy. I still have to put the 1/4 round back on and caulk around the tub but here are some photos. There are 2 with dry layouts going in opposite directions. I searched online to see which way was the proper installation of wood flooring, as it turns out anything goes. I decided to install in the direction that had less cuts.

    I am also contemplating installation in our offices. My husband and I just purchased a new building for our school bus company. It used to be a car dealership, then they tried selling motorcycles. They had installed home depot ceramic tiles which buckled during the summer heat, it has been vacant for about year. We pulled up some of the tiles (came up very easily) there is black stuff on the concrete, it looks like remnants of vinyl tiles. If there are no divits in the concrete and it's smooth, what do I have to do to prep for the planks? In the showroom area we will be building walls for offices, and I'd like to install the planks, 1440 sq ft. Thank you for any information and advice anyone can give me.

    BJ

    Well, forget the pictures, I can't paste them here. But here is a link to photobucket to see them.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Barb's Pictures of Novalis Vinyl Plank Flooring

  • art_teacher_mom
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nice pictures, Barb! I like the direction you chose.
    As for prepping the other concrete floor - we used Henry's Concrete Primer as suggested by many on this thread. However, i don't know how this will affect the remnants you described on the floor. If it's truly perfectly smooth, I would think go for it.

  • trailer_gal
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Very nice floor, Barb. I am also thinking of installing over bathroom linoleum. Has anyone every installed the vinyl planking without removing the toilet? Would it be pretty easy to cut a rounded line to fit the shape of the toilet?

  • Donna Hurst
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    After reading this thread, I really think the Novalis may be my answer for new flooring in my small kitchen and laundry area.

    One question I've not seen answered is how soon you can move appliances back onto the floor. I don't have a problem letting the floor set overnight, but I'm hoping that the refrigerator, washer/dryer can go back the next day. (I had originally thought I'd use an adhesive under my tile choice, but that sounds like a bad idea and isn't recommended by the manufacturer...which is fine because I can't wait 24-48 hours to walk on it.)

    Anyone have any problems with shifting tiles when moving heavy stuff back? For that matter, can you walk on it relatively soon?

  • cat_ky
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Barb, I dont think you are going to be able to get your office floors smooth enough for the Novalis. There is a product now that you can install that looks like either tile or wood, that snaps together. Guess, it might be called a type of floating floor. Probably a better thing for your concrete, with the residue on it from tile. A floor has to be completely smooth for the Novalis to work well, and look great.

    Trailer gal, I am sure you could put it around the toilet without moving the toilet, if you made a paper template for every piece as you were laying the tile. I would also caulk around the toilet, once you were done. That said, however, I would remove the toilet. :-)

    Lyricfox, I didnt move my appliances or any furniture out of the rooms, when I laid my floors. There was not anywhere else to put the stuff, so as soon as I had a finished section, everything was moved to that finished section, so guess, the answer to your question, is you can move the appliances back once you are done working in that area. There is no reason to let the floor set over night. It isnt an adhesive that has to cure, or anything. It stays sticky, just like it is when you put it down. If you pull one up months down the road, just to check it out, it will go back down exactly like it was. I havent had any problem with tiles shifting, but like any type of flooring, best to have a bit of help moving heavy stuff, rather than just draggin it across the floor. Dont forget to roll everything with a roller (I use rolling pin), a couple times, before you put stuff back in place. Good Luck

  • Donna Hurst
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cat_KY,

    Thank you for the info!

    I picked up a sample plank at Lowe's last week, and it really looks like it will go well in my kitchen/utility room. I was hoping someone would say that the appliances could go right back in because I have NO idea how long I could live without my fridge. :)

  • 51gerri
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I thought some people might be interested in how the Novalis performs over time. It's been over 4 years since my husband and I installed over 1200 sf of this flooring in our home (LR, DR, 3 BR, Hall and closets). Yes, there are a few scratches. Mostly this can only be seen when the light is from the right direction. They don't bother me, but if they did replacing the scratched planks would be easy. A few planks have shifted a little. Here again it really isn't noticeable. I don't think you could have a better floor for pets. No matter how good they are, sooner or later they will have an "accident" or throw up. It's really easy to clean up and doesn't damage the floor. Is vinyl bad for your health? I don't know. If you're concerned about it, don't use it. I remember a cartoon I saw many many years ago. Two scientists are talking, one is saying "We're finally proven it. Living really is hazardous to your health." I've loved this flooring from the day we installed it and now wouldn't have anything else.

  • ti009_grow
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I recently used a product from Novalis - self stick vinyl tiles that look like wood. Read some good review about it but now I wonder if the company put some fake reviews to get people interested.

    IT DOES NOT STICK. I hired a professional contractor to clean the floors, primed it, then stick. Few days later, the seems started to bend upwards. This is bare cement floor and smooth.

    BUYER BEWARE. Got it from Lowes, who forward me to the manufacturer. cost me $900 for materials alone + labor.

  • tdsmith_gw
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What is the felt underlayment that sooky used on the concrete? Ive been procrastinating because of the need to smooth out the concrete floor before installing these vinyl planks on a pitted surface. When I look at Lowes for felt underlayment, I find roofers felt.

  • sunets
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am really loving this floor when I saw it at Lowes. One of the main reasons is because I think laminate looks like hard plastic, it is clunky, skippery, it chips, and makes a room feel cold because of it's hollow sound even tho it is a warm wood color.

    My neighbor did an expensive laminate thruout their house. They have 2 Golden's and my goodness!!! It is sooooo loud w/them running and sliding all over the place on this floor. It echos thru the house, and their nails running across the floor makes you want to just plug your ears.
    My biggest concern is the resale value because this is such a new product, and people are not use to it. After all, laminate was considered a cheap product when it first came out.

    I looked into this product after I was in a Home Goods store here in St Pete, Florida, and LOVED the flooring. There were some guys working in the store, and I asked them if they knew what kind of flooring it was, and they said they have it written down in the back because so many people do ask. IT is peel & stick flooring that looks like wood. It wasn't Novalis, it is called Amtico flooring, and they do sell it at Lowes as well. I think it is a little thicker than Novalis.

    I wish this company would advertise more so it does become more common, and not a big deal with resale concern, but to me, as long as flooring is maintance free, hides dirt well, looks good, it doesn't matter what it is. It is not a mechanical issue that will break down in a house.

    They also use this peel & stick on some of the Super Walmarts I have been in in the clothing sections.

    If anyone has a Home Goods store near them, go inside and check out their flooring.

  • vicsin42
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I wanted real wood in my bathroom but did not want the worry of it getting wet so I came across this sight and read about Novalis peel and stick vinyl wood look planks..wow I was sold right away. I bought it at Lowes and put it down myself. I painted the old vinyl flooring I had with latex paint and the flooring stuck to it like glue. The floor was uneven around the toilet and it was trying to come up around where I had to cut a hole around the valve behind it. So I decided to use small brown brad nails that I use in my staple gun. I grabbed a pair of needle nose pliers and hammered a couple nails to keep it down. OMG..you could not even tell I nailed it down. No one could even tell it was vinyl til I told them. I love this floor, its been down for almost a year and water from the shower has escaped a few times causing a puddle of water on the floor. It never phased it at all. I am going to put this flooring down in my washroom and maybe in the back two bedrooms. I also used it in the hallway from my bathroom. The vents are actual oak wood and match perfectly. The moulding I got were made hardwood and I stained them to match. I love this new flooring and would not go back, it does not shift or peel up. Its the best buy ever.

  • mona68
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It peeled but it DID NOT STICK. I had a professional install it over new plywood with a waterproof material on the plywood because I am using it in the entire house and I was concerned about water in the bathroom and kitchen. It looks horrible. Is it possible that the waterproofing material is causing the problem? Could I now paint the floor with a latex paint and correct the problem? This is a brand new house and I want to move in and can't until I solve the floor problem.
    Mona

  • mona68
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Since my last post I feel that I'm now more educated about how to lay this floor. After trying several different procedures we decided to glue it down. This seems to be working. The professional we hired has never laid this type of floor before because it is usually done by do-it-yourselfers. We are too old to do it and the knees would not permit us to lay it. The pro used Armstrong S-750 Tile Flooring Adhesive. He did the office and a closet and a portion of the hall way. Tomorrow we tear up the bedroom floor and start over. I took pictures of the bad job and if I can figure out how to put them on this site I will.

  • Cap23
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    After reading all these reviews, I finally took the plunge and bought and installed my Novalis Golden Oak floor yesterday. I'm so pleased!

    I had carpet in my room, but water damage forced me to rip it up, which unveiled an extremely ugly and badly damaged terrazzo floor. Here in Florida, terrazzo is making a bit of a comeback, but this style was hideous! After doing some research, I realized that what it would take to restore the terrazzo, I could lay down this Novalis.

    I prepped by using a degreaser to remove the carpet glue and anything else stuck to the floor, then doing the obvious: sweep, mop, vacuum, repeat as needed. Now, because there were so many chips and holes, there was some dust that was present when I laid the floor down, but it didn't seem to cause any problems with sticking. Granted it's only been two days, so far so good! I didn't remove my baseboards and placed the planks right up against them; it looks fine to me and was much easier! With two people, it took about 5 hours to do an oddly shaped 16x13 room.

    I have laminate floors in another bedroom in my house and I honestly like the look of the Novalis so much more. It looks more like "real" wood and for me, the texture is wonderful. My poor little dog is always slipping and sliding around the laminate and with the Novalis, there is a bit more texture and tread. Not to mention, there is no hollow sound involved with Novalis! For anyone doing it in the future, a paper cutter works wonders for getting straight cuts with the planks.

    I'm going to try to figure out how to post pictures and put them up tomorrow!

  • cat_ky
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mona68, what did your professional coat the plywood with before laying the Novalis? It should have been the Henry's from Lowes that was used.

  • babs77
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We recently installed the Novalis Golden Oak in our Family Room, laundry area, 1/2 bath and mudroom. I absolutely LOVE this product. Everyone who has seen it so far assumes it is real hardwood flooring and can't believe it when we tell them it is vinyl. You really have to walk on it for a few minutes or reach down and touch it to confirm that it is vinyl. We had no problem with odor/outgassing but we also had it stored (with the boxes open) in our garage for 1 week before installing. DH and I did all the prep work (removed old carpet, padding and carpet tack strips from floors and stairs, nailed down or pulled up all loose nails and staples and removed all baseboards, heat vents, etc). We originally planned to install it ourselves but decided to have it professionally installed because of other work being done in these rooms at the same time but watching the installer I can say that this is a VERY easy DIY project. In fact, I am so happy with the result that DH and I will be doing the den (which is off the Family Room) ourselves sometime in the near future.

    An underlayment was first installed over our plywood subfloor and the seams were filled in with a wood filler for hardwood floors product and allowed to dry overnight and sanded the next morning. It is important to be sure the planks are installed very tight/snug together and that the underlayment flooring is totally free of dirt and debris. We did not start at the center of the room but in front of our fireplace so that there would be no cut pieces along that wall -- one of the most visible areas of the room. We did a pryamid pattern that was repeated after 5 rows. We also had it installed it on our stair risers -- we did have to put a small nail in at least one end of most planks on the stairs to help them adhere to a vertical surface but they look great and help tie our pine stairs into our "oak" floor. We'll stain the treads of the stairs soon to match the new floor (along with installing new baseboards). There is a repeat in the pattern that looked very obvious to DH and I when first installed, but now with the furniture all back in place, which breaks up the long expanse of just floor, it is not noticeable at all.

    PLEASE NOTE IN THE PICTURES: It was NOT necessary to remove the trim around the french doors leading into the den to install the flooring -- that trim was removed because that wall had a built-in entertainment unit and paneling that DH and I removed prior to the floor installation. Oh, and the furniture for the TV and electronics is temporary!

    I'll be happy to try to answer any additional questions those considering this product may have.

  • mjkyattorney97_yahoo_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I LOVE the look of this product but have a concern if anyone can suggest how to deal with it. We have ceramic tile in the entry of our home through the kitchen, breakfast nook and 1/2 bath. I want to put this vinyl plank flooring in the living room and dining room on the first floor and then the hallway and bedrooms upstairs. Our stairs are currently covered in the same carpeting used in the rooms to be replaced with vinyl. Without removing the carpet, I think the stairs are very basic pre-made sets that the builder purchased - not very attractive. I like the idea I saw here from CityMomof3 about painting the riser and staining the tread to match the vinyl. However, I am confused as to what to do on the top stair that opens into a landing/hallway. If we stain the top step and then have the vinyl come up to it, there will be a bit of a height difference where the tiles meet the wood. I think it would look bad to put a trim piece at the top of the stairs/in the middle of the hall. For anyone that put this floor upstairs and near the stairs, how did you finish it out? Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks!

  • cindosha_comcast_net
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    we installed this in feb of 2010 based on the reviews on this site and i am very unhappy with it. it was fine for a while but started buckling and separating at the seams when the weather changed and it got warmer. we installed the planks according to the instructions on the box and i even checked the website and made sure we were doing it right.

    our floor looks horrible and now we are going to have to replace the floor. i think we will get real wood this time!!!

    i don't recommend this.

    thumbs down for this product.

  • Rellimit_gmail_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just completed about 800 sf of the gunstock and I've decided to finish the rest of my first floor. I really like it.
    I did find that one of my boxes may have been a bad "batch" or something. The planks from this box are slightly turned up. I also noticed these planks from this one box, have grey backing instead of black like the other 20 boxes...I put down about 6 of the planks then stopped and moved to another box. I will be returning this box to lowes. And the few planks I laid from that box need to be replaced. I am VERY glad that wasn't the first box I put down.
    I did pull up carpet and linoleum; painted the floors with Kilz, then put down the planks. I think they look great and I think for the money and effort, I'm super-pleased. What prompted me to respond was some of the other posters weren't happy at all, I'm wondering if the got a bad batch. I suspect that maybe they were exposed to too high temperature when shipped or stored.

  • Rellimit_gmail_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just completed about 800 sf of the gunstock and I've decided to finish the rest of my first floor. I really like it.
    I did find that one of my boxes may have been a bad "batch" or something. The planks from this box are slightly turned up. I also noticed these planks from this one box, have grey backing instead of black like the other 20 boxes...I put down about 6 of the planks then stopped and moved to another box. I will be returning this box to lowes. And the few planks I laid from that box need to be replaced. I am VERY glad that wasn't the first box I put down.
    I did pull up carpet and linoleum; painted the floors with Kilz, then put down the planks. I think they look great and I think for the money and effort, I'm super-pleased. What prompted me to respond was some of the other posters weren't happy at all, I'm wondering if the got a bad batch. I suspect that maybe they were exposed to too high temperature when shipped or stored.

  • louisannrippy_gmail_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Put Gunstock down about 3 years ago. We really are pleased with the effect. Easy to clean. All rooms look great except my office. The pieces seemed to buckle where they are touching at ends. Can you tell me how to fix that problem? When you stand back and look into the room you can see all of the buckled places.

  • d_rwedlake_q_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I accidentally discovered this product at Lowe's when I went there to buy Swiftlock laminate tile-looking stuff that was on sale. I bought the 18X18 tiles with beveled grout edges. Has anyone used these with the vinyl tile grout?

  • chrishatem_yahoo_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I did my family room with the 18X18 tiles and I love it! It was so easy and quick. I decided I would try the wood plank in gunstock in my kitchen so I bought 15 boxes and I am so nervous to attempt this one. I am so happy to hear all of the great reviews so it is making it so much easier for me to start it. I have a pretty big kitchen and we had awful white ceramic tile with a darh green little diamond shape in between uuggghh! I am just hoping that the drastic change from white to the gunstock won't be too overwhelming.There are a lot of big windows and light from outside so that is one good thing. Wish me luck!!!! I will post some pics when I am done.
    Thank you for all for taking the time to leave such honest reviews. This is my first post on this website and I'm thinking it won't be the last :o)

  • mintersday_aol_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    All these posting are great. I am going to try and do my living room. Has anyone layed these planks over engineered hardood? It this ok? The Novalis instruction says not to install over hardwood flooring but it doesn't mention engineered hardwood. Ours is flat and clean but looks bad due to scratches and the top layer can't be refinished. It seems that this would provide a cushion & barrier instead of the concrete underneath (not to mention not having to remove it). There is a small area by the sliding door where the weather has caused the boards to deteriorate so I will take that section out and replace it with a flat suitable board and then fill in the gaps to make sure it is flat. Just hoping someone might know if this would work?

  • vintagegal1940_hotmail_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks everyone for your comments and photos! I want to replace the nasty carpet in my basement and was seriously looking at the Allure from Home Depot till I read about this product. From what little I've seen of the concrete so far, it's smooth (or will be when I remove the carpet and pad) but may have a few "dings." Is it enough to use the Henry's to coat and fill, could I just use any latex paint or primer? I see several started against a primary wall (as with Allure installation) instead of in the center of the room...did you have to remove the baseboards or did you need 1/4 round or did it look fine just tight up against the base? Do you need to provide any "give" room at the edges like with laminate? Thanks everyone!!!!!

  • hcparazine52_yahoo_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The carpets in my double wide mobile home are 20 years old. I want to replace with something. I'm on a tight budget and plan on painting my vinyl kitchen and breakfast room floor to look like tile. I was wondering if this product could go in a mobile home and what I would have to do to prepare. I'd pull up the carpet of course, take out the nails they used to put it down with, but there will be a particle board type of product under it. I so want to get new flooring, but don't want carpet and can't spend a lot of money. any suggestions. Thanks so much. This sounds like a wonder product to me!

  • jorjafox49_yahoo_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    where do i purchase these tiles and does it come in darker colors?

  • ghostlyvision
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Novalis planks are available at Lowes, the gunstock oak looks to be the darkest shade they come in.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Novalis peel and stick gunstock oak planks

  • sooky
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    tdsmith on Wed, Nov 3, 10 at 14:19 asked:
    > What is the felt underlayment that sooky used on the concrete?
    Sorry to be so slow to reply.
    I used a kind of underlayment that had a thin sheet of plastic on one side and then the felt-like stuff on the other. I installed this on the basement floor. Everyone suggested that I put the felt-side down and then stick the tiles to the plastic side.... But I did the opposite! I figured I wanted the plastic in contact with the cement floor to keep the moisture out. So I used double-stick carpet tape to stick the plastic side of underlayment down. Then I put the Novalis on top of the felt ... I know that seems strange, but it's held up very well.
    And I still love it.

  • lgilmartin_insightbb_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We have a second guest bedroom in which we had to take up the carpet and tack strips. Now it is a bare plywood floor. Will these vinyl wood tiles go directly over it? What is the approximate cost for a 200 sq. ft. room? Does it look as good as these pictures appear to be? They look nicer than my hardwood floor. Can my husband do it in a weekend?

  • LuGal78
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi folks! Thank you so much for your pictures and postings as it helped me greatly in figuring out what to do with my steps leading to the basement. My dogs rebelled one day and decided to chew off the lip of two of the steps (once because my mom left them in basement for longer than the usual & the second time because I took one to the vet and left the other). The steps where the cheap plain wood that builders use but to remove the damaged steps was going to be a hassle so I was looking for ways that were an easy fix and let me tell you.... wood filler, a rounded wood edger (the ones used on the bottom of walls, Novalis Timber Gunstock Oak Vinyl Planks & Stair Edging are a life saver!!!

    I went and bought a box of the planks ($26.40 per box), ebony wood stain (cheap stain, nothing fancy) and the metal stair edges at my local Lowe's and got to work. I do not have any pictures of what the steps looked like but anyone knows the plain look of unfinished basement steps that are installed. This is what the steps looked like after I nailed/filled the steps to match the lip of the undamaged steps, stained them in ebony, laid the planks and nailed the stair metal edges (which I bought in a silver color but spray painted black).

    All in all, I spent around $45 in materials at Lowe's and I LOVE HOW MY STEPS LOOK!!!! Oh, PLEASE DO NOT MIND THE WALLS... it's a work in progress!!!! (I actually put a hole in the wall going down the steps!) =/

    Two months go by...

    Okay, so I loved the look of the steps so much that I got to thinking.... the kitchen floor was a mess (previous tenant dropped glue on laminate in certain spots, stained it some areas & punctured a slit on the floor with what looked like an axe. Looked okay at first but not so much after I saw what the planks did to the stairs.

    This is what my kitchen looked like before....

    Loving the look of my steps, I went back to Lowe's and bought (5)boxes of Novalis Timber Gunstock Oak Vinyl Planks ($134.00) to cover an aprox. 144sq feet and I also bought Henry's tile primer (totally suggest this as it makes the tiles stick real good). Took me less than a full weekend to transform my kitchen floor!!!!

    {{gwi:203083}}

    This is what my Kitchen looks like now with the new floor...

    If anyone is looking to transform their floor at a fraction of the cost of hard wood floors, don't hesitate!!! I have two Black Labradors that go up and down the basement steps every day and the tiles are still as I laid them! They have no scratches nor lifting. I (by myself) dragged the refrigerator and dishwasher over the tiles to lay tiles behind/under where the appliance sits & once done, dragged the floor freezer from the dinning room into the kitchen and the floor did not sustain any scratches. These tiles seem to be very resilient to the "normal" wear and tear of daily life. I hope this helps someone as all the other postings helped me!!!

  • harrivel_bellsouth_net
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is the best flooring purchase we've made so far! Inexpensive, durable, attractive and easy to install.
    We had a tile floor installed a few years ago and I hated it. The grout looked dirty all the time no matter how much I scrubbed it and if you walked on it in your bare feet, it scraped the skin right off your toes! Ouch!
    We also had installed laminate prior to the tile and it looked so fake we thought tile would be better...I finally talked my husband into this floor and we installed it in our kitchen a month ago.
    Wow! It looks better than I expected. We have wood counters and island of red oak and this floor just pulled the whole room together beautifully! Every day I say the same thing over and over, "I love my floor".
    We used a leveler over the tile and then just to be sure it would adhere really well, we also used a floor adhesive that takes about 48 hrs to completely set up. This allows for adjustment if needed. Our tile floor was really uneven so we knew even with a leveler that there would be an uneven surface when putting in the new floor.
    I was surprised that it installed as easily as it did and went over the little "hills and valleys" with no problem.
    I did notice that as some of you have mentioned before, some of the tiles butted up end to end had tiny gaps while others did not. We laid the tiles as tight together as possible so I think it has to do with our not so level floor. The gaps occurred mainly where the floor was not level. I used some red oak wood filler over all the gaps and just wiped up the excess with a damp paper towel. I can't see where the gaps were now. Make sure to put in plenty of it so it fills in the entire gap. It will harden and I haven't noticed any shifting or expansion of the floor that maight cause the putty to loosen or pop out. So far so good. Even without fixing the gaps, the floor looks amazing.
    I highly recommend it. If it worked for our floor, it will work for anyone!!!

  • cosmokrissy_hotmail_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    How about the heat or hot climate. I want this in the gunstock color. I am just worried because I live in southern california it does get warm here. Like if we were gone and the house heated up, with no air conditioning. Any thoughts would love to hear. Everyones looks so great. Can't wait I would hate to damage it, and wast the time and money.

  • babs77
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'll try to answer some of the recent questions posted here...

    Mary, I think if you remove the damaged area and replace it with a suitable wood (or wood-like) material that is level with the current floor you should be fine. Fill in and sand all edges with a wood filler product to get an even/level surface throughout the room and you are good to go!

    Marie, since my December posting, I did install the Novalis in our adjoining Den without removing the baseboards, thinking it would save time. In hindsight, not sure I would do that again as it did not save time and made cutting the edge planks a bit challenging! Removing the baseboards allow you a little bit of "wiggle room" in not having to have an exact straight cut edge against the wall. Your other option if you do not remove the baseboards is to install quarter inch round as you mentioned.

    cp and Bookee, depending on the condition of the particle-board or plywood, you may need to put down a quarter inch underlayment. If in decent condition, you may need to only fill in the edges where each piece of particle board/plywood meets, and fill in any imperfections, with wood filler for hardwood floors. The goal is to be sure that your underfloor material is as smooth as possible.
    Bookie, each Novalis plank covers 1 sq ft and are currently .98 cents each. As for the timefame, I finished our Den in 3 days (ripping out carpet, fixing floor squeaks, installing underlayment, painting baseboards, applying wood filler and, finally, installing the Novalis flooring). Would have moved faster if I had taken out the baseboards!!! Lesson learned.

    LuGal78, your kitchen turned out STUNNING!

    I will say again that I absolutely LOVE this flooring. Nobody guesses that it is vinyl; people cannot believe that it is not real wood. It actually looks THAT good. Now thinking about ripping the carpet out of our upstairs hallway next!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Novalis webiste FAQs

  • jaynees
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We used Novalis peel & stick tiles in our kitchen and eat-in area. We didn't do planks, but square tiles. We put them down about two years ago and they are fabulous. We have cats, a dog and two rough 'n' tumble kids and they look just as good today as they did the day we put them down.

  • chaigal911_comcast_net
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've just had some Novalis peel & stick vinyl tyles in the Almond Slate put down, some over plywood, some over existing sheet linoleum, and it is really peeling up around the edges, not sticking well at all! This is like a nightmare & I'm not sure what's causing the problem. We even coated the floor as Lowes flooring dept. suggested, with a primer, to enhance sticking, but it obviously is NOT working! Does anyone have any ideas on what we need to do?

  • chips4000_aol_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We removed vinyl tiles and the floors are a bit sticky - how do we remove the adhesive for prepping the novalis??

  • jjett1961_yahoo_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Love this site and all the pictures. I have recently removed carpeting from my living room and was thinking of replacing with these. However, underneath was the original flooring from when the house was built in 1929. They're OLD wooden floor planks, that have never been finished. Does anyone know if I can put the Novalis down, and if so, how do I treat the wood before? I'd appreciate any help!

  • cinbun911_hotmail_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I devoured this thread for months and finally went to Lowe's to look at these planks. When I first looked at them in the store I thought they looked so fake and cheesy that I almost gave up, but I brought a few home and set them on the floor. They looked good!

    It seems that most people have good results as long as they follow the directions really carefully and don't use professionals to install the floor. It also seems that the trouble comes when the climate is really hot or humid. But, just to make sure that we weren't the unlucky ones, I installed it in my entryway first to see how it would hold up on our concrete slab. I pulled up sheet vinyl and scraped off the remaining mastic, used the Henry's and it went down and stayed.

    I am a dog walker/pet sitter and we board dogs, all different kind of dogs, at our house and we needed something durable and easy to clean and this has fit the bill. I installed it in our entire downstairs myself. Everyone loves it and thinks it's either wood or laminate and several neighbors want to put it in themselves. I've noticed vinyl flooring everywhere now, including high end stores.

    Thanks to everyone for recommending this flooring and for the terrific tips. Here are a few of my own:
    1) Definitely prep, prep, prep the floor. I scraped up mastic and glue from the carpet pad. I didn't use adhesive remover because one site I saw said it may soak into the concrete and interfere with adherence. The key is clean, dry and smooth.
    2) The instructions on the box and the Novalis website recommend the self-stick tile primer. It is a must - it goes on really thin and dries clear in about half an hour.
    3) Take your time when laying the tiles and get them as tight and straight as you can.
    4) I found some walnut wood filler that I used in some of the tricky spots and it worked great.
    5) Definitely let the planks sit in your house for 48 hours before installation.
    6) I ordered OOPS! Painters wipes which Novalis recommends to remove excess adhesive. They also recommend them to remove the white "scratches" which Novalis calls scuff marks. I found that the wipes didn't work on the scuff marks, but time does. They eventually wear away.
    7) I didn't use a rolling pin, but did baby steps on the tiles once they were down. There are a few that I missed and they sound funny.

    I have not had any scratches from dog's nails, but we did have some from broken dishes. It's not as noisy as laminate, but it is hard - almost like walking on concrete.

    I love this flooring and am so glad to have put it in. I am a middle aged woman and did it by myself. I took my time and did one section at a time and it came out great!

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • terri633_netscape_net
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We laid Novalis vinyl planks in the Gunstock Oak color about a month ago in one bedroom to replace the horrible berber that was there. I was a little skeptical at first, but now that it is down, I couldn't be happier! It was soooo easy to put down and none of it has come up. It made such a difference in the room. It doesn't scream 1980's anymore!!! The rest of the house is going to be getting this on the floor in the near future.

  • cinbun911_hotmail_com
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The Lowe's in our area doesn't carry the Novalis any more, just a heads up!

  • Shelly Whitaker
    2 years ago

    I put it in my living and dining area about 15 yrs ago . Floor still looks great . Easy to clean too . I'm looking to buy more to put in my bedroom I'm

  • HU-964022889
    5 months ago

    I have the peel and stick 18 x 18 squares they dont hold up the color is coming off they are not durable. They claim a lifetime warranty but the company wont get back to me.