How to Replace a Damaged Vinyl Plank: Step-by-Step Guide
To replace a damaged vinyl plank in a click-lock floor, either unclick the rows from the nearest wall back to the damaged board, or cut the damaged plank out in place and glue in a modified replacement. Wall-side removal keeps every joint intact; the cut-out method is faster when the plank sits in the middle of a large room.
Tools and materials
- A replacement plank from the same product, ideally from leftover stock or a closet
- Utility knife with fresh blades and a straightedge
- Oscillating multi-tool or circular saw with depth set to the plank thickness (cut-out method)
- Pry bar, putty knife and a rubber mallet
- Tapping block and pull bar
- Vinyl seam adhesive or a flexible construction adhesive suited to vinyl
- Painter’s tape, a heavy weight such as a box of books, and a caliper
| Method | Best for | Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unclick from the wall | Planks within a few rows of a wall | 1 to 3 hours | Moderate |
| Cut out and glue in | Planks in the middle of a room | 1 to 2 hours | Moderate to hard |
Step 1: Confirm the replacement plank matches
Measure the thickness of the new plank and an existing one with a caliper, including any attached pad. Compare width, length, bevel and the locking profile on both the long and short edges. Lay the replacement next to the damaged area in daylight to check color and grain. If the product is discontinued, read how to find a replacement plank for discontinued flooring; most of the identification steps apply to vinyl as well.
Step 2: Choose a removal method
Count the rows between the damaged plank and the closest wall that runs parallel to the planks. If there are only a few rows, unclicking is usually the cleaner job. If the plank is far from any wall, the cut-out method is more practical.
Step 3A: Unclick the rows from the wall
Remove trim and the first row
Pull the baseboard or quarter-round with a pry bar, protecting the wall with a putty knife. Lift the long edge of the first row to an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees and the joint will release.
Separate and label each plank
Separate the short ends by sliding the planks apart horizontally, not by bending them upward, which can snap the locking lip. Mark each plank on the back with its row and position using painter’s tape. Continue until the damaged plank is free.
Reinstall in reverse
Click the replacement into place, then reinstall each row in reverse order. Close the joints with a tapping block and a light mallet, and use the pull bar at the wall. Replace the trim last.
Step 3B: Cut out the damaged plank
Cut the old plank
Draw a line about 1 inch in from each edge of the damaged plank. Cut along the lines with an oscillating tool, keeping the blade off the neighboring planks. Make diagonal relief cuts from the inner rectangle to the corners, then lift out the center and work the edge strips loose from the surrounding joints.
Trim the replacement
Cut the bottom lip off the groove side on one long edge and one short edge of the new plank. This lets the board drop into the opening from above.
Glue and weight the plank
Run a thin bead of adhesive along the exposed tongues and grooves of the surrounding planks, not onto the subfloor, so the floor can still float. Lower the plank in, press it flush, wipe off any squeeze-out at once and set a weight on top for the time listed on the adhesive.
Common mistakes
- Gluing the plank to the subfloor, which pins a floating floor and can cause buckling later.
- Bending planks upward to release the short ends, which breaks the locking lip.
- Skipping the thickness check; a difference of 0.5 mm is easy to feel underfoot.
- Using a plank from a different dye lot without checking it in daylight first.
Tips for older and discontinued floors
Older TrafficMaster Allure planks used a GripStrip adhesive edge rather than a click joint. Those planks can usually be peeled apart and a new one pressed into the strip, which is simpler than the methods above. For background on the line, see what replaced TrafficMaster Allure. If no exact match is available, take a plank from a closet or from under an appliance and use the closest substitute in the hidden spot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace a vinyl plank without removing the baseboard?
Yes. The cut-out method leaves the trim in place because the damaged plank is removed from above and the replacement is glued to its neighbors. Removing trim is only needed when unclicking rows from the wall.
Will a glued-in replacement plank hold?
When the adhesive is applied to the joints and the plank is weighted while it cures, the repair is generally durable in normal household traffic. It is not designed to be removed again without cutting.
What if the replacement plank is a slightly different color?
Small differences between production runs are common. Move the new plank to a low-visibility area, such as under a rug or furniture, and use a salvaged original from that spot in the visible location.
Photo: grantlairdjr, CC BY (CC BY 2.0 license), via Openverse.
More how-to guides: See all of our discontinued flooring how-to guides.
