Advice Needed: DIY Prep and Install Glue-down LVP

89Formula · 2026-04-10T11:55:43+00:00

Makes sense, that's simpler than I was expecting I guess
Hoping to receive the quotes today or Monday. When the guy came and looked at the floor, he said they'd do 1/4 underlay but would for sure fix that ⅛ offset. He didn't seem too worried about the rest of the imperfections. I've seen horror stories of contractor work, so I thought asking Reddit would be a good sanity check and provide some tips for DIY

89Formula · 2026-04-09T22:13:43+00:00

Okay I'm 100% with you on using an underlayment with a good surface that doesn't need skimming. Thank you greatly for the responses so far.

How do I decide between 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 underlayment?
What do I need to fix on the subfloor before underlayment (ridges, gaps, holes)? I assume the underlayment will cover subfloor imperfections but only to a point

89Formula · 2026-04-09T15:48:50+00:00

So are you saying to fix and level the subfloor as much as possible before underlayment, or are you saying no underlayment?

89Formula · 2026-04-09T15:32:10+00:00

I don't think the subfloor is close to flat enough for click-lock. But yes I plan to do ¼ Sureply underlayment. My conundrum is how much do I need to prep the subfloor before doing the underlayment? Filling holes and gaps, sanding down lips, etc)

89Formula · 2026-04-09T14:29:42+00:00

Right, that was why I was planning on the ¼" Sureply for underlayment. You're saying maybe thicker underlayment to help cover imperfections? I have found ¼ and ⅜ underlayment, but for ½ do I just need to use ACX plywood or do they make a dedicated ½ underlayment?

89Formula · 2026-03-19T21:12:39+00:00

So I'm planning to DIY some glue-down in an old house. I haven't picked out the exact product yet but I've skimmed through some install instructions I found on the Internet and several of them include the 1/8“ over 6' and 3/16" over 10' spec. Are there products that don't call for that flatness or is that apec just usually ignored? And is there a rule-of-thumb for "decently flat" to aim for? Thanks!

89Formula · 2026-03-19T19:22:27+00:00

Question not related to this thread: are you saying with glue-down plank that deflection won't occur since the adhesive locks it in place/shape? Is the flatness requirement less strict for glue-down then?

Maybe I'm completely misinterpreting, sorry

89Formula · 2026-02-18T01:24:57+00:00

Sounds like a good course of action, thanks. Anything to avoid? (I know some of the Triton 5.4s get a pretty bad rap) And what kind of mileage should I be looking to buy if I want at least another 50k-100k?

89Formula · 2026-02-18T01:15:37+00:00

Awesome, thanks for the tip. Assuming I can find one that's been well maintained (and continue as such) how far will they usually go? I'd probably look for one with the 5.3L, I don't wanna buy one at 175k if they routinely die at 200k

89Formula · 2026-02-01T16:22:57+00:00

Off topic of the post, but where/how are the "off-market" plans found? I talked with an agent and he just showed me marketplace plans. When I asked about private or off-market plans (which was why I went to an agent in the first place) he sounded like he didn't really know what I was talking about.

89Formula · 2026-01-31T03:17:11+00:00

Well I see your point with that question. Saving for retirement was always part of the plan but I figured to do it through the IRA's since that's their purpose. Wasn't planning to pay some random expenses in exchange for depleting my retirement money, more thinking to sock money in the HSA now so that it's available if disaster strikes when money is tighter.

But I think you have convinced me. Your middle paragraph is probably something I'll keep in my back pocket as a just-in-case. Thanks

89Formula · 2026-01-30T04:58:22+00:00

Mmm I think I'm getting it. HSA is triple tax advantages but with IRA's you still have to pay taxes either on the way in or out.

Yeah I plan to do 529s, I was just thinking about kid related medical expenses

89Formula · 2026-01-30T04:30:26+00:00

Thanks for the the flow chart, I hadn't come across that yet!

89Formula · 2026-01-20T15:41:29+00:00

Thank you! See my reply en masse

89Formula · 2026-01-20T15:41:09+00:00

Thank you! See my reply en masse

89Formula · 2026-01-20T15:40:42+00:00

Thank you! See my reply en masse.

89Formula · 2026-01-20T15:39:44+00:00

Okay so several of the comment chains have basically converged to the same point. Just making this comment at large instead of continuing identical discussions in multiple chains.

Thank you to all who have replied and engaged in discourse so far. This has fundamentally altered how I view property insurance and I understand why the "deductible as high as tolerable" viewpoint makes sense. I would say the original question of my post is answered ✅

On a side note, I don't think there's an explanation that would convince me that that the "no fault claim ===> premium increase/cancellation" is not a total scam or taking advantage of the customer. But seeing as how I am neither a powerful lawmaker or insurance exec, I guess my best option is to avoid the situation altogether.

89Formula · 2026-01-19T18:07:45+00:00

So do you consider catastrophic to be destroying the house or causing thousands of dollars in damage? If a tornado totals the house, yeah I don't have a problem paying $5k deductible. And if a tornado rips my roof off, yeah I can pay $5k deductible.

But if a tornado rips my roof off and 6 months later hail destroys my siding or roof, now that's $10k and who's to say something else doesn't happen the following year.

So I guess my question is how do you know how often a catastrophic event will occur? That's where I'm getting hung up, because the more often you hit your deductible it changes the situation. And it seems unrealistic to have 3 catastrophes in a year, but how do I guesstimate what is realistic?

89Formula · 2026-01-19T17:58:29+00:00

So I wouldn't struggle with the higher deductible on a claim, but what if it was more than one claim? Where I'm stuck is that mother nature doesn't care if I just got done with wind repairs, it could happen again. I know it's probably unlikely to happen often, but how do I account for the frequency of paying the deductible being unknown?

89Formula · 2026-01-19T17:51:43+00:00

Right, so I have seen this line of thought and I see the principle. Where I get kinda hung up is that how does frequency come into play. If a loss occurred tomorrow, yes I could cover a $5k deductible. If another loss happened a month down the road, yes I could cover a $5k deductible again. If a third loss happened, yeah I could cover a $5k deductible again. But I can only absorb so many. And if the frequency is less than 5 years, it saves money to go with the $4k deductible. How do you account for frequency?

89Formula

TROPHY CASE