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Question about using a heat gun to stretch vinyl plank ends
My boss in Phoenix told me to never use a heat gun on the ends of rigid core planks, but after a tricky hallway job last week where the last row had a 1/4 inch gap, I tried it carefully and it closed up perfectly, so now I'm wondering if his rule is too strict or if I just got lucky.
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the_oscar1mo ago
Yeah, your boss is being way too careful. I had the same gap issue on a job last month with some CoreLuxe planks. Gave the end a quick pass with the heat gun on low, just enough to warm it, and tapped it home with a pull bar. No buckling, no problems. Sometimes you gotta bend the rules to get the job done right.
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derek_ramirez1mo ago
and honestly that's the kinda trick that separates guys who've been doing this a minute from guys who just follow the book. I've done the same thing with LVP when the temperature's a little off and the lock just refuses to seat right. The key is you can't rush it or get greedy with the heat cause then you're just melting the core and ruining the plank. But a gentle warm up softens that material just enough so it clicks without fighting you. That's the kind of rule bending that saves a job from turning into a headache and the floor ends up flat and tight no one's the wiser.
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