How to bend Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP)?

[Laurens]

I have watched many YouTube clips and now want to see if anyone here has any experience bending a curve in LVP.

I have 15 stairs with bullnose fronts that I want to bend the LVP flooring for.

I will have to buy a quality heat gun to do the job.

Not one of the YouTube clips used a metal pipe to bend the LVP over, which I thought would be better than timber as its important that the LVP retains its heat to make a good bend, but of course I dont know.

Over to you, the experts.. Typical bullnose for the 15 steps

[EricL]

Hello @Laurens 

Thanks for sharing your question about installing LVP on your steps. I'm sorry, but I can't recommend using heat bending tools or heat bending techniques on vinyl flooring planks. Using these techniques is technically a non-standard installation method and automatically voids the warranty on the vinyl planks. The other options are to either paint the timber steps or cover them with more timber and then staining & varnishing the timber surface.

Let me call on our experienced members @Nailbag and @Dave-1 for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good evening @Laurens 

Wooooooo Way interesting subject. First up I havnt tried anything like that before and havnt come across anything youtube wise. More shocked that I havnt then your question even

Ideas you could try... 

Heat gun with a wide mouth fitting, Think of a narrow appeture but wide width.

Oven rack you dont mind if it gets a little dirty.

A curved form that matches your step or a length of timber the width of your step.

A few extra pieces tro practice on.

Low heat or cold oven. 150deg C

Heat a piece of the luxuary vinyl plank until its softened (oven may need to be adjusted)

Take it out of the oven using oven gloves and quickly take it over and place on the step, using your timber form or plank bend over and under the step, heat may need to be applied while someone is bending. 

If this works to match up mostly with the step, then I would try it with the glue you will use for the step.

You may need to weight the step and curve, one reason to have a form work of something to help hold it around that curve whilke the glue sets.

Reason I am suggesting this process.

When I was working for telstra we use to form up clear perspec covers to go around Busbars and various electrical equipment. The best way we found to shape it was to soften it first in the telephone exchange oven and then the same process of timber and heat gun to form it in a shape and adjust if needed. 

Concerns that it will brittilise the LVP's with the heat process.

Long term attachment to teh step especially on the bend.

Practice on something else first is a recomendation

If it works or dosnt would love to see the results as a project as it will help the next person with a similar issue

Dave

[Laurens]

Hello Eric.

I am going to bend the LVP for my bullnose stairs.

Here is just one example available on YouTube..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v627jfPhNBU&ab_channel=CliffsShed

The outcome I am looking for is as the attached pictureCarpet rectangles glued to stepsReady Made stair treads

[Laurens]

Plenty of information out there to do the job I want to do.

There is a company on the Gold Coast that makes the bends at a price.

I prefer to tackle the challenge and get the results you see in the above photos..

I had considered adding timber to dress-up the stairs but that is far too costly.

[Nailbag]

Hi @Laurens 

Sorry but as I've not had any first hand experience I can't offer any advice. I also share @EricL comments re: the structural integrity on the vinyl and the loss of any warranty short or long term.  Being stairs, you need maximum durability and having that bull-nosed profile also add a further complexity for a DIY project. 

If you really want this finish, I would consider the Gold Coast company. They will have a proven method of applying the right amount of specific temperatures around jigs to give an even smooth curve, which possibly might be over more than one stage.

Having said that I also support anyone having a crack at new things at getting the satisfaction of DIY. 

Regards, Nailbag

[Laurens]

Gawd I am surprised at the number of people who, without experience, have opinions/doubts/fears that they need to express.

The impossible tasks that I have completed in my 70+ years with onlookers mouths open because they couldn't believe it was possible is extensive.

The loss of warranty is of no concern.

The 15 steps, once successfully done, will make a warranty irrelevant. It's not as if I am driving some sophisticated piece of technology. Its a thin layer of vinyl that can be replaced if necessary.

[Noyade]

G'day @Laurens 

"Not one of the YouTube clips used a metal pipe to bend the LVP over"

Until I watched your YouTube clip - I was doodling with the steel thought as well. Actually heating the steel prior.

What's the bullnose diameter?

[Laurens]

The diameter is 25mm.

The steel pipe, even if using a hot air gun would retain the heat and make the bend easier, or more reliable..

Have you got a reason or had experience with bending the 4.5mm vinyl plank?

The planks I am looking at bending is 4.5mm, not the thicker plank which locks together.

[Noyade · Accepted solution]

Evening @Laurens 

No, I have no experience with bending vinyl plank other than watching Cliff's video above which you provided and Googling a few others. What surprises me is how easy it bends and how thin it is.

I still like the idea of heating the pipe so that maybe 2 or 3 bends can be made quickly whereas Cliff mentioned it takes 5 or 6 minutes each with a hot air gun. I think I would also like to hyper-flex the bend so that it 'pinches' the bull-nose and gives a nice tight fit.

My thought was angle iron and pipe welded together with lugs. The 'depth' would need to be measured based on the under-bite of the bull-nose.

Once bent - move it off to either side and use a hair-spray bottle of water to cool it quicker.

All theory of course.

Cheers.