Vinyl Plank / Locking Demanding PERFECT Flat Floor?

[neo von retorch]

We're laying down this plank - https://www.lowes.com/pd/CALI-Longboard-Vinyl-Pro-6-Piece-9-in-x-70-87-in-Oceanic-Oak-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring/1001427892

We're about halfway through the living room, and... it's REALLY not locking in place. Especially if there's a 1mm transition. Some places the old tile broke up, and we put down "nearly" the same thickness peel and stick. This plank has a semi-firm rubber underlayment. But there seems to be ZERO give. Does the floor typically need to be absolutely perfectly microscopically flat for click/lock flooring to work?

[lthenderson]

The floor does have to be really flat for that stuff. Check the installation directions but if I recall, it is something like 1/8" over 10 feet is all you are allowed to be out.

[vand]

The flatter the better.. but in reality LVP is not completely rigid and can usually cope with some uneveness.

But LVP is much better at bending along its length rather than across the short edge, so the direction you lay the flooring can make a difference - if you are trying to lay the width across an uneven bit of floor then that might be more problematic that laying it lengthways.

Also.. it's not necessarily just the unevenness of the floor at the particular point you are getting stuck. The key to laying LVP is that you shouldn't move onto the next row until the last row is done and perfect. If the last row or 2 isn't well snapped and banged into place they it can quickly have this accumulating effect and make the current row you are trying to lay very difficult. So maybe undo a row or do and check back that they are seemless and easily locked in.

[Dicey]

When you lay a new floor over an old one that has pattern, grout lines or cracks, over time the old floor can begin to broadcast through the new floor.

DH says there's a product called "Ardex Feather Finish" that you can use in this situation. If you're careful, you can pull up the boards you've installed and start over.

Some locking systems are a pain in the ass a little tricky. It's good to practice a bit until you get the hang of it. Be sure to take your time and be very deliberate. One missed "click" can screw up a whole installation. You probably know this, but be sure to leave a 1/4" gap along every wall to allow for expansion and contraction.

And +1 to vand's advice.

[neo von retorch]

This is from the instructions:

The subfloor must be level – Flat to 3/16” per 10-foot radius

I'm not sure how to translate that to the sub-1mm transition from old tile to peel 'n stick but... Yeah it was surprisingly not really OK in some places. *shrug* But even on the totally flat middle of the room, the locking didn't really work as advertised. Fortunately we bought a gigantic rug to cover all this so our favorite mastiff can have some traction, and we're going to pretend this floor lived up to its promises.

[lthenderson]

By chance did you sight down the locking groove of both boards having problems? Perhaps there was a manufacturing defect that is causing the issue. Once while installing flooring, I had a small pebble somehow migrate into the grove of some wood tongue and groove flooring. Once discovered and removed, the board finally slid right into place.

[neo von retorch]

It's like they seem to lock, and then you get a row over and a previous row will pop up. This isn't too surprising, because even on a perfectly flat floor, two pieces "locked" will lift opposing edges a bit. But in theory the locking mechanism should be able to handle that as you lay more floor.

That's a long way of saying, I don't usually have the problem and then can immediately look at the boards. Instead I have to tear up a row and a half and try to re-seat it. In a few cases, we did remove those boards and put more in. But we might have to do that more and more. And I'll try to remember to look more closely at the joining edges of the boards that seem the most problematic.

[PMJL34]

OP,

My bet is that your floor is fine. You just haven't mastered the clicking action of the LVP. So some of them are properly locked in and others aren't. So over the span of the room, they start to separate.

The truth is that some clicking systems are just terrible. There can also be manufacturer defects and you have to return some batches. If you are done, then you are done. If you aren't, I can highly recommend the laminate from costco. It's cheaper and thicker and water proof. It appears to be the same exact color/style as the one you have as well.

Best of luck.

[sonofsven]

OP,

My bet is that your floor is fine. You just haven't mastered the clicking action of the LVP. So some of them are properly locked in and others aren't. So over the span of the room, they start to separate.

The truth is that some clicking systems are just terrible. There can also be manufacturer defects and you have to return some batches. If you are done, then you are done. If you aren't, I can highly recommend the laminate from costco. It's cheaper and thicker and water proof. It appears to be the same exact color/style as the one you have as well.

Best of luck.

Yes, some products suck. In the construction world we are guinea pigs to the manufacturers. So many products get slapped with class action lawsuits it's not even funny.

[EricEng]

We did some renovation work on our main floor that has vinyl planks that lock together.  The surface area definitely wasn't perfectly smooth and we didn't have much issue.  So maybe varies by what you use?

[neo von retorch]

OP,

My bet is that your floor is fine. You just haven't mastered the clicking action of the LVP. So some of them are properly locked in and others aren't. So over the span of the room, they start to separate.

There's some truth to it. But we took the whole floor apart and gave it a second try. The length of the board has a special shape that, at least in the small sample pieces, locks together. On these long boards, once they are in, you cannot slide them. They are putting pressure on each other. That should be enough to keep them that way forever. But... on too many of the boards... you get a row over and they manage to pop out. It should be impossible. They shouldn't be able to separate without you lifting the other end to at least 15-20°. Certainly not while lying flat. On to the other edge, the butt joints, sure. It takes a more aggressive mallet beating then you think at first, and it took us a lot of practice to get any confidence with those joints.

The truth is that some clicking systems are just terrible. There can also be manufacturer defects and you have to return some batches. If you are done, then you are done. If you aren't, I can highly recommend the laminate from costco. It's cheaper and thicker and water proof. It appears to be the same exact color/style as the one you have as well.

Best of luck.

But yeah, I just don't see how it can't be manufacture defect when 4 feet into a flat surface, you go another row and the previous row comes unlocked. That's crap, given what I said about how the "good" pieces lock below the elevated angle. I'm not sure if I should be trying to call Cali, or calling Lowes, and if they want me to round up a box worth of defective ones? I hate phones but I guess I need to get on the horn and start rattling branches?

[Jon Bon]

What product are you using?

A trick I use is that I nail a 2x4 to the ground on top of the first row. That way it cannot move as your are adding rows. Shifting around your first few rows is a really good way to mess up the whole room. So I just nail the 2x4 on top of the first row on the edge where the trim will cover, so that you are not nailing through your brand new floor, only nailing or screwing into the subfloor. Then when you have a few hundred pounds of flooring down remove your braces and the floor is good to go.

Honestly I am not understanding your problem, I've put down LVT on some pretty uneven floors, and have found it pretty forgiving. Try to phone a friend with some experience? My guess is you are doing something wrong somewhere in the process.

Also don't forget to undercut your doors!

[neo von retorch]

What product are you using?

A trick I use is that I nail a 2x4 to the ground on top of the first row. That way it cannot move as your are adding rows. Shifting around your first few rows is a really good way to mess up the whole room. So I just nail the 2x4 on top of the first row on the edge where the trim will cover, so that you are not nailing through your brand new floor, only nailing or screwing into the subfloor. Then when you have a few hundred pounds of flooring down remove your braces and the floor is good to go.

Honestly I am not understanding your problem, I've put down LVT on some pretty uneven floors, and have found it pretty forgiving. Try to phone a friend with some experience? My guess is you are doing something wrong somewhere in the process.

Also don't forget to undercut your doors!

As linked in the first post, CALI lvp - in retrospect, it looks like they are known for bamboo, so this might be a relatively new foray into vinyl.

Sure, I could be doing some wildly crazy things wrong, but... I mean this also is not rocket science ;) As I just said, if you take two 8" samples, they LOCK together. (They also lay flat which would be nice if the full planks did the same...). If you slide the long edge (completely, snugly) together at ~15 degrees and lower it, it's pretty much a solid connection that you cannot slide, assuming they are good pieces. But most of the time once you "lock" it you have no reason to try to slide it; that was just some testing I did. So to go a row or two over and when you lower a piece to lock, and another piece a row back pops up... you have to scratch your head. How did it go from being "locked" to being "unlocked." It should be impossible. Unless the locking mechanism is physically insufficient... to handle the way the edges want to come up rather than lay flat.

Given our frustrations on basically attempt 2.5-3 or so, we screwed the first row to the ground to get everything else started, while using a long straight edge to ensure that first row was all evenly together. It wasn't that the floor was sliding (though that would be a problem, too), it was that when you have the pieces in the "lock" mode, they don't really want to be flat. They want opposing edges to raise off the ground. Even if you have a billion pounds of flooring down, the edges would still come up off the ground when you remove screws or 2x4s. That just seems... problematic. While this product doesn't have a lot of reviews, there are a few on Lowes, and comments on the CALI youtube video for "how to" that have a similar issue of edges not lying flat.

We haven't gotten to doors, except the sliding glass doors, and there I did use the oscillating tool to undercut the (vertical) trim.

The project is on hold, whereas the poorly laid floor is hidden under the giant carpet we got to aid our dog in having traction. We were initially sad to hide what we hoped to be a beautiful floor, but for now, we're happy to hide how it looks awful. The hallway is in the ripped up and covered with rugs phase. We'll see when motivation returns, given our level of frustration thus far.

[neo von retorch]

Photos might help.

Here's one perfectly fine joint, one bad joint, and the long edge locking system. At first glance there's a lot of overlap, but the edge that actually prevents a board edges from coming up is quite small.

[neo von retorch]

Tried to call Cali - they said my PO # is specific to their distribution center, and I have to work with Lowes to resolve the issue. Called Lowes, who didn't pick up. Looks like I have to put a mask on and deal with their flooring department in person. I think my ideal resolution would be to return this product. Pain in the ass to pack 1000 lbs back into my car, but I think a better product should go on my floors. I don't know if that's at all a thing. EDIT - Narrator: It isn't. Otherwise fingers crossed it's not a design flaw, and we can get replacement boxes for the pieces that have failed to lock.

EDIT Yeah return policies are generally only for unopened boxes. (We have 2 or 3 of those, roll eyes.)

[Jon Bon]

Ok sorry I missed your link initially. You are using a super premium product, I usually get it for ~2-3 bucks and it goes down fine. I mean not to be a dick but IME its much more likely its operator error rather than a defective product.

For sure something is up with the flooring/install/subfloor, it should not look like that. You got anyone with experience in this? They should be able to tell you exactly what the issue is and pretty quickly. I too would be furious to have to hump all this back to Lowes for the return. Id put it out there in your personal network or social media for a friend that has done LVP a few times in their life. If you must return it bring the open boxes too, its not your fault if something is wrong with the product. Lowes should take it all back.

Only issue I have had with LVP was boxes that had obviously been dropped on the corner as large portions of them were chipped off the corners so I could not use the pieces.

[neo von retorch]

its much more likely its operator error rather than a defective product.

For sure something is up with the flooring/install/subfloor, it should not look like that. You got anyone with experience in this? They should be able to tell you exactly what the issue is and pretty quickly

But what operator error? Are there ways that ignore the manufacturer and YouTube videos for how to install that are the "actually" correct way to do it? Pretend the weird locking shape isn't supposed to lock? That's some interesting line of thinking ;) Yes I'm being stupid because I need to understand what you're suggesting I did wrong. My neighbor has been here and has done flooring, and he said it seems shitty. And that the minuscule differences in height at "transitions" shouldn't be a problem (again less than 1mm.)

[Jon Bon]

its much more likely its operator error rather than a defective product.

For sure something is up with the flooring/install/subfloor, it should not look like that. You got anyone with experience in this? They should be able to tell you exactly what the issue is and pretty quickly

But what operator error? Are there ways that ignore the manufacturer and YouTube videos for how to install that are the "actually" correct way to do it? Pretend the weird locking shape isn't supposed to lock? That's some interesting line of thinking ;) Yes I'm being stupid because I need to understand what you're suggesting I did wrong. My neighbor has been here and has done flooring, and he said it seems shitty. And that the minuscule differences in height at "transitions" shouldn't be a problem (again less than 1mm.)

Yeah sorry I cant tell you exactly what is wrong from the pictures. I assumed someone in person you know has done flooring a few times could easily diagnose it but perhaps not.

IME i have never had it come "un-clicked" unless I was really messing with it. Once you get it clicked in, it should really not move much if at all.

I can say from your description I do not believe that it is the height difference in your subfloor. Sometimes I will have noticeable difference in the height of the floor and the a piece will float maybe 1/8 of an inch above the floor when clicked in, But the next 2-3 rows after will help bend it down and lay flat. Generally the first row is very hard to get right (thus why I screw it down as detailed above) then you can hammer on it pretty good and it will not move.

Good luck out there!

[neo von retorch]

Thanks. Sorry if my attitude wasn't great. I really think the problem is that the part that locks it in is just... a very small amount of somewhat brittle plastic. And I think some of the boards lock great, and some are just on the edge of letting ago and it doesn't take much movement in a nearby row to push them over the edge.

I absolutely agree

Once you get it clicked in, it should really not move much if at all.

Which is why anywhere it pops up, I think the locking edge has sheered off, at least partially. Which is sub-standard. Especially for, as you noticed "very premium" planks.

[Dicey]

What product are you using?

A trick I use is that I nail a 2x4 to the ground on top of the first row. That way it cannot move as your are adding rows. Shifting around your first few rows is a really good way to mess up the whole room. So I just nail the 2x4 on top of the first row on the edge where the trim will cover, so that you are not nailing through your brand new floor, only nailing or screwing into the subfloor. Then when you have a few hundred pounds of flooring down remove your braces and the floor is good to go.

Honestly I am not understanding your problem, I've put down LVT on some pretty uneven floors, and have found it pretty forgiving. Try to phone a friend with some experience? My guess is you are doing something wrong somewhere in the process.

Also don't forget to undercut your doors!

Do you use shims to preserve the required 1/4" gap between the wall and the first plank under the 2 x 4?

[Dicey]

Thanks. Sorry if my attitude wasn't great. I really think the problem is that the part that locks it in is just... a very small amount of somewhat brittle plastic. And I think some of the boards lock great, and some are just on the edge of letting ago and it doesn't take much movement in a nearby row to push them over the edge.

I absolutely agree

Once you get it clicked in, it should really not move much if at all.

Which is why anywhere it pops up, I think the locking edge has sheered off, at least partially. Which is sub-standard. Especially for, as you noticed "very premium" planks.

My (former flooring professional's) opinion is that you stop the work, contact the retailer and have them contact the manufacturer right away. The rep will come out and inspect the problem. Sometimes you have to be a squeaky wheel, because they're busy and don't get paid extra to handle claims #askmehowiknow. If the retailer wants to send their person out first, that's fine, too, but don't be afraid to go to the manufacturer. Happens all the time.

[PMJL34]

OP,

The second picture you posted clearly shows that the locking edge has broken off. My best guess is that you've locked it in an unlocked it too many times to the point where multiple pieces broke. This is user error unfortunately as the pieces aren't meant to be locked and unlocked again and again. They can be very brittle in some models.

What I would do in your shoes is return the entire thing and try a new flooring. Lowes saying you can't return opened products is bullshit. They take anything back lol. Jon Bon is correct, there is zero need for you to pay $4.50/sq ft for vinyl planks. That's more expensive than some hardwood.

Best of luck!

[Metalcat]

If it were me, I would buy one box of a different product and see if it's much easier and reliable to install. If it is, then you can be certain it's not user error.

Just a question though, the edges of all the planks seem to be curved and to have a weird texture, like a plastic looking edge trim. Is this evident in person, or just an artifact of your photographs?

I'm just asking because you are paying a lot, and to me, it really makes the planks not look like wood. I'm looking at vinyl flooring myself right now, and what I like is that so many of them click together with what looks like a tight, seamless connection where you can't really feel the seams of the boards.

Granted, I've never used the product, so maybe this is normal for vinyl planks?

[neo von retorch]

If it were me, I would buy one box of a different product and see if it's much easier and reliable to install. If it is, then you can be certain it's not user error.

Just a question though, the edges of all the planks seem to be curved and to have a weird texture, like a plastic looking edge trim. Is this evident in person, or just an artifact of your photographs?

I'm just asking because you are paying a lot, and to me, it really makes the planks not look like wood. I'm looking at vinyl flooring myself right now, and what I like is that so many of them click together with what looks like a tight, seamless connection where you can't really feel the seams of the boards.

Granted, I've never used the product, so maybe this is normal for vinyl planks?

The gnarly flaws are something I mostly only notice in those sorts of macro photos, but in general, I'm not sure how to feel about these planks. In another room in our house, there's something "like" this installed, but it's all seamless and super smooth and flat. These have texture and even with everything pretty much "perfectly" joined, the joints are still a "thing." I think if you spilled a drink, you'd see it running down those joints. And I don't think it's normal for vinyl planks.

If you can, get samples of the ones you're considering (at least 2 each so you can see them joined.)

We got caught up in the idea of wide (9"), long (70") planks, which are relatively rare, and the overall look in the photos, and thought "these are it!" But we're largely not convinced of that same spirit now. But yeah that's a good idea to get comparison planks.

I don't know if Lowes really would refund these (especially the ~dozen or so that we broke into sections, or cut to fit around special areas...). But if so, then we'd want alternatives to try out and eventually buy/install. So it's a good idea.

(Of course, it could still be user error, but the new pieces being installed after the learning curve.)

Also, on the pricing - our total all in cost for 15 boxes (26.66 * 15 = 400 sq. ft.) was $1434.xx including tax or $3.59 / sq. foot. Still not great, but not as awful as the web site pricing.

[Metalcat]

If it were me, I would buy one box of a different product and see if it's much easier and reliable to install. If it is, then you can be certain it's not user error.

Just a question though, the edges of all the planks seem to be curved and to have a weird texture, like a plastic looking edge trim. Is this evident in person, or just an artifact of your photographs?

I'm just asking because you are paying a lot, and to me, it really makes the planks not look like wood. I'm looking at vinyl flooring myself right now, and what I like is that so many of them click together with what looks like a tight, seamless connection where you can't really feel the seams of the boards.

Granted, I've never used the product, so maybe this is normal for vinyl planks?

The gnarly flaws are something I mostly only notice in those sorts of macro photos, but in general, I'm not sure how to feel about these planks. In another room in our house, there's something "like" this installed, but it's all seamless and super smooth and flat. These have texture and even with everything pretty much "perfectly" joined, the joints are still a "thing." I think if you spilled a drink, you'd see it running down those joints. And I don't think it's normal for vinyl planks.

If you can, get samples of the ones you're considering (at least 2 each so you can see them joined.)

We got caught up in the idea of wide (9"), long (70") planks, which are relatively rare, and the overall look in the photos, and thought "these are it!" But we're largely not convinced of that same spirit now. But yeah that's a good idea to get comparison planks.

I don't know if Lowes really would refund these (especially the ~dozen or so that we broke into sections, or cut to fit around special areas...). But if so, then we'd want alternatives to try out and eventually buy/install. So it's a good idea.

(Of course, it could still be user error, but the new pieces being installed after the learning curve.)

Also, on the pricing - our total all in cost for 15 boxes (26.66 * 15 = 400 sq. ft.) was $1434.xx including tax or $3.59 / sq. foot. Still not great, but not as awful as the web site pricing.

Okay, so I'm not seeing things, the seams are weird.

We're interested in vinyl flooring specifically because we have an old tiny dog with an old tiny bladder and need flooring that is waterproof and cleansable.

Those seams look like they would pool tiny amounts of liquids and collect dirt and be impossible to clean perfect.

They just don't look like any of the planks I've been looking at.

[Jon Bon]

Long planks could be an issue, just harder to manage and get perfect. Usually mine are ~48 inches and easier to handle.

As for the seams, yes they advertise that they are waterproof. However I would think you have to have a near perfect install to get that done. I dont think they would gather gross stuff anymore then the gaps of tile or hardwood do.

Maybe snap 6 or 8 of them together on a floor you know is flat?

[Metalcat]

Long planks could be an issue, just harder to manage and get perfect. Usually mine are ~48 inches and easier to handle.

As for the seams, yes they advertise that they are waterproof. However I would think you have to have a near perfect install to get that done. I dont think they would gather gross stuff anymore then the gaps of tile or hardwood do.

Maybe snap 6 or 8 of them together on a floor you know is flat?

The edges all are curved, not flat like hardwood. Those curved edges will create a v-shaped dip at every seam where dirt can gather. I have never seen real wood planks with rounded edges like that.

The vinyl planks I've been looking at sit totally flush next to each other so that you can barely feel the transition from one plank to the next. The seams are as tight and smooth as parquet floors.

Although I don't know if all brands are like that, but I know I have never seen rounded edges.

But I am not an expert, this is just what stands out to me as someone who is interested in vinyl flooring for cleansability.

[Papa bear]

Long planks could be an issue, just harder to manage and get perfect. Usually mine are ~48 inches and easier to handle.

As for the seams, yes they advertise that they are waterproof. However I would think you have to have a near perfect install to get that done. I dont think they would gather gross stuff anymore then the gaps of tile or hardwood do.

Maybe snap 6 or 8 of them together on a floor you know is flat?

The edges all are curved, not flat like hardwood. Those curved edges will create a v-shaped dip at every seam where dirt can gather. I have never seen real wood planks with rounded edges like that.

The vinyl planks I've been looking at sit totally flush next to each other so that you can barely feel the transition from one plank to the next. The seams are as tight and smooth as parquet floors.

Although I don't know if all brands are like that, but I know I have never seen rounded edges.

But I am not an expert, this is just what stands out to me as someone who is interested in vinyl flooring for cleansability.

Most prefinished hardwood floors will have beveled edges.  If you don’t want the beveled edges for new hardwood, you have to find a lumber yard that makes them and either go with unfinished, or when you have them custom finish, don’t have them route the beveled edges.  You can also get rid of the beveled edges on prefinished after you sand them to refinish them after 20-30 years.  I would say the vast majority of hardwood floors installed in the last 20 years have the beveled edges. 

Most LVT I’ve used and seen does not have the beveled edges, as it is typically the lower end (value) products that do. Higher end (expensive) products typically have those edges and look more like new installed hardwood as a feature. 

The LVT I’ve used that does not have the bevel is very easy to install. You lay the edges in line, hammer it back so it’s tight on the short end, and then rubber mallet the short seam.  The LVT that has the beveled edges is trickier and is a harder install.  You have to be careful to get the long and short side installed and clicked together before it will lay flat.  If it doesn’t lay flat after you lay the board down, it is NOT installed properly.   Try again until it’s right.

The OP’s pictures look like boards that were either damaged in box or damaged during the install.  Most of the issues OP has sounds like installer error.  It can take awhile to get those floors down correctly.  Take your time. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Metalcat]

Long planks could be an issue, just harder to manage and get perfect. Usually mine are ~48 inches and easier to handle.

As for the seams, yes they advertise that they are waterproof. However I would think you have to have a near perfect install to get that done. I dont think they would gather gross stuff anymore then the gaps of tile or hardwood do.

Maybe snap 6 or 8 of them together on a floor you know is flat?

The edges all are curved, not flat like hardwood. Those curved edges will create a v-shaped dip at every seam where dirt can gather. I have never seen real wood planks with rounded edges like that.

The vinyl planks I've been looking at sit totally flush next to each other so that you can barely feel the transition from one plank to the next. The seams are as tight and smooth as parquet floors.

Although I don't know if all brands are like that, but I know I have never seen rounded edges.

But I am not an expert, this is just what stands out to me as someone who is interested in vinyl flooring for cleansability.

Most prefinished hardwood floors will have beveled edges.  If you don’t want the beveled edges for new hardwood, you have to find a lumber yard that makes them and either go with unfinished, or when you have them custom finish, don’t have them route the beveled edges.  You can also get rid of the beveled edges on prefinished after you sand them to refinish them after 20-30 years.  I would say the vast majority of hardwood floors installed in the last 20 years have the beveled edges. 

Most LVT I’ve used and seen does not have the beveled edges, as it is typically the lower end (value) products that do. Higher end (expensive) products typically have those edges and look more like new installed hardwood as a feature. 

The LVT I’ve used that does not have the bevel is very easy to install. You lay the edges in line, hammer it back so it’s tight on the short end, and then rubber mallet the short seam.  The LVT that has the beveled edges is trickier and is a harder install.  You have to be careful to get the long and short side installed and clicked together before it will lay flat.  If it doesn’t lay flat after you lay the board down, it is NOT installed properly.   Try again until it’s right.

The OP’s pictures look like boards that were either damaged in box or damaged during the install.  Most of the issues OP has sounds like installer error.  It can take awhile to get those floors down correctly.  Take your time. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah, I've almost exclusively lived in older buildings, so I've never.seen beveled edge hardwood floors. Thanks for explaining.

I know for my purposes, I absolutely do not want beveled edges, so I'll make sure to look out for that when I pull the trigger on LVT flooring.

[JustFixIt]

Sounds like the planks have not been joined properly.

Do you have a pull bar and tapping block so you can tap the clicked planks together?   I've done several floors with LVT and have never had an issue with a joint separating.  Just clicking the planks together by pushing them together at a slight angle then lowering till the plank clicks is not the entire process, you then have to tap the planks together to complete the process. 

For each row, you need to tap each new plank to the existing plank after clicking to ensure the joint is fully locked, then tap the planks together at the short end (where two planks join end to end) until the joint is fully engaged.  A tapping block or scrap piece of the flooring can be used to tap on to complete the locking process.   At the last plank nearest the wall, you'll need the pull bar as there will be no room to get a scrap piece or block in to tap on.

Here is an install kit available from Lowes. 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-Various-4-pack-Installation-Kit/50330851?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-flr-_-ggl-_-LIA_FLR_244_Tools-Setting-Materials-Access-_-50330851-_-0-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9KrNoPuh8wIVrx6tBh3-XwIlEAQYAyABEgK7avD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[neo von retorch]

Yes, I have a very nice tapping block and I got the flooring kit including pull bar (from Home Depot incidentally.)

Troubling, but I do think the first go was the problem, and may have damaged the tiny bit of interlocking/overlap that prevents lift on several of the boards. (Was putting them a bit wrong, tapping them dutifully as you stated, and it all looked pretty good, with just a few weird corners.

Our plan:

 - mark the boards that are lifting as BAD
 - pull the (new) floor up a second time
 - put down some underlayment with a pinch of give just to ensure it is level enough (because 2mm is TOO MUCH!)
 - put the floor down a third time, with replacement boards as needed, and of course lessons learned

Pretty confident we installed it "correctly" the second time, but some of the boards were already damaged from the first time.