Laminate surface area furnishes property owners with the chance to acquire a wooden look at a lower cost, and it is simple to install. Interlocking tongue-and-groove or snap-and-click pieces of wood make it easy for the typical homeowner to install laminate flooring. Anyone with a basic aptitude for practical tasks, some essential tools, and the ability to understand instructions can gain the skills they need to lay laminate flooring.
Before You Begin
Prior to embarking on the process of buying and laying laminate flooring, it is important to gain some knowledge about it. Firstly, you should figure out the total area of the room to decide how much of the product to buy. To figure out the amount of material needed to do a certain task, take the measurement of the width of the room, multiplied by the measurement of the length of the room to calculate the area. Be sure to add in an extra 10 percent for any mistakes or miscalculations. To determine the number of boxes of laminate flooring you must purchase, divide the total size of the area plus an additional 10 percent by the amount of square feet in each box (22 to 24).
After buying the laminate flooring, unbox it and let it adjust to the environment of the home. Wait at least one to two days before putting it in.
Realize that even the top-notch laminate flooring needs an underlayment as padding, a sound basis, and protection from moisture. For optimal results, buy the best laminate underlayment possible.
Finally, understand that the condition of the subfloor matters. The irregularities or missing portions in the base floor must be dealt with prior to applying levels on top of it. Covering the floor with a few panels of ¼-inch lauan should correct for any unevenness, however holes in the subfloor may require fixing.
How to Install Laminate Flooring
By employing the required equipment and possessing some fundamental abilities, it is possible to have a totally renovated floor in two days. This guide will provide you with an easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to put in laminate flooring.
Collect materials and confirm measurements
Be certain you have all the required equipment and supplies necessary to finish the job prior to removing the existing floor covering. Once you’ve commenced placing the floor, having to hastily depart to the home center will only generate anxiety and postponements.
Be certain to buy at least 10 percent more flooring than required in order to provide for trimming when necessary.
Acclimate the new flooring to the space
Allow the flooring to adjust to the atmosphere of the area at least a day or two before you install it since floors tend to shrink and expand in response to temperature and moisture adjustments. Place the boards either in a horizontal position or pile them in the place where they need to be put up. Be sure to take the plastic covering off the flooring; this will help the air to circulate and make it easier for the flooring to adapt.
Prepare the subfloor for a laminate installation
Remove and stow base moldings before doing anything else. It may be necessary to take out the current floor if it has been damaged or the ceilings in the room are very low. Begin lifting the old flooring from the edge of one wall, doing so cautiously. Eliminate nails and staples (or tack strips, if the job involves taking out carpeting). Remove all litter and check the underneath of the floor layer for any areas that require mending.
It is essential to put down a vapor barrier if you want to lay laminate flooring on concrete. Concrete is porous and will absorb moisture. The most efficient plan of action is to cover the floor with a concrete sealant, let it dry and then put a strong underlayment over the concrete prior to laying out the laminate floor.
Install the underlayment
Some laminate flooring can come with an integrated padding underneath, which is commonly referred to as a vapor barrier. Buy the padding independently from the floor and put in it one piece at a time, beginning with the longest wall. Comply with the producer’s instructions regarding how to craft butt edges and sealing joints.
Trim the door jambs
Once the underlying material is in place, there’s one more step that should be done beforehand: cutting the door frames. Place one board so that its edge is aligned with the side of the frame. Mark the board with a pen, then use a handsaw to slice down along the floor level so that the board slides easily and nicely under the jamb for a neat, expert result.
Install the first row
The first row of the project is the most vital. It should be set up alongside the longest wall, beginning at one corner and extending to the other. Be sure that the initial line is correctly aligned so that the ensuing rows will line up properly and appear professional.
Place the initial board with the groove pointing towards the wall and line up to one of the corners of the room. Leave 1/4-inch gaps every 12 inches between the board and the wall to make sure there is room for natural shifts in position. Put in the rest of the first line of planks one at a time, making sure the tongue of each piece slots into the groove of the next, and give each plank a light tap to secure it properly. Once you reach the last section of the row, employ the pull mechanism to firmly push the final plank into its spot.
Install the rest of the flooring
Once the initial row is finished, continue laying the planks one by one, making sure to place the tongues in the grooves. You need to employ the flooring cutter in order to trim the first and last part of each row when required. Hit each board gently with the hammer and tapping block so that it is snugly in place. Be wary of not hitting too hard, as it’s possible to ruin the laminated surface or the tongues.
For an aesthetically pleasing, enduring installation, make sure to arrange the end seams of adjoining boards at least 6 inches apart. This stops the separation of the flooring and stops tight joins from warping.
Continue working row by row installing laminate over an underlayment
Select flooring from varying containers while looking for the most appealing aesthetic.
Arrange the laminate in rows and put one sheet in each pile so that the piles are made from different boxes for maximum efficiency. This is helpful because the laminate flooring is readily available close to where the installation is occurring, meaning there is less need to constantly go back and forth to the boxes.
Using a variety of techniques keeps the tempo steady when laying the floor in the desired direction.
Install thresholds and baseboard molding
Putting in the last board can be quite frustrating. It could be vital to cut down the plank or, at least, the tongue to make sure that it is even. Finish the task by installing door thresholds in any area where a door is located, as well as wherever the laminate intersects with a different type of flooring. Ultimately, eliminate the spacers and put the base trim back in place. Now sit back and admire your handiwork.
FAQs About Laminate Flooring Installation
Here are some commonly asked questions that might pop up if you are considering installing laminate flooring in your house.
Can laminate flooring be installed over concrete?
It is possible to lay laminate flooring on top of concrete, and that is the way we demonstrate in our tutorial. Laminate flooring can be laid down on any flat, even living surface, including underfloors made from wood, hardwoods, ceramic tile, solid concrete, and anything else. It is advised against putting laminate flooring over a plush surface such as rug or carpet because it does not have the necessary stability.
Are laminate floors easy to install?
Putting in laminate flooring is something that an average homeowner can easily do on their own and it makes for an excellent job. There are very few tools required. It is physically demanding to keep performing movements that involve standing up and down and kneeling.
How much would it cost to hire someone to install laminate flooring?
Are you considering doing the laminate flooring installation yourself or getting a professional to do it for you? It’s likely that you are wondering what the expense of having someone else install it would be. Typically, the cost of materials and labor averages out to be $3-$8 per square foot across the country.
Our living room has an approximate area of 400 square feet. If we hired a professional to install laminate flooring in our living room, it would cost us around $2,800, which is the upper range of the average cost of $7/square foot for a more high quality brand of laminate. The cost of buying all the floorings for our room and doing the job ourselves was only around $1,500, as opposed to the over $2,500 we have spent. This means we have saved over $1,000.
We went over budget due to reutilizing some laminate flooring that had been taken out of another area in our house. Once we saw the hardwood flooring underneath, we chose to restore it for our baby girl’s nursery and hallway. We cautiously took out the laminated floors and kept them securely in a cupboard until the time when we were prepared to lay them in the sitting room.
Do you need underlay for laminate flooring on concrete?
Affirmative, an underlayment must be used when putting in laminate flooring on concrete (or any other area). Laminate is a type of flooring which is not fastened to the subfloor with nails or adhesive; instead, it simply “floats” over the surface. Underlayment is important for providing a strong base for a floor to sit on, as well as helping to minimize noise and providing cushioning. We chose to use an underlayment that offers protection from moisture, which is essential when installing the floor on a concrete subfloor. It also facilitates constant air circulation, which efficiently decreases the chances of mold and bacteria growth.
Does it matter which way you lay laminate flooring?
We like it best when the laminate flooring is put down in a way that it is parallel to the longest wall of the room. It would be preferable to make sure that the wood or laminate flooring installed in the room is going in the same direction as any flooring from other areas in your home that it is connected to in order to maintain a continuous style. All the floors in your house should be laid out in the same direction.
Do you have to cut the tongue of the first row of laminate?
You will need to cut the tongue off of the side of the first row of laminate flooring that will be placed near the wall. Using a utility knife, one should be able to remove the tongue easily. Put a gap between the first line of lamination and the wall. This gives an extra space around the edge of the room.
How do I cut laminate flooring?
We utilized a miter saw to cut the laminate floor along its length. We employed a jigsaw to slice the laminate flooring across the width (for the remaining portion in the room). You can opt for a laminate floor cutter such as this one to swiftly and effortlessly cut the laminate without having to keep on switching from your saw.
Do you glue or nail laminate flooring down?
Using glue to attach laminate flooring is not advised, despite what some resources online might suggest. The laminate floor should be put in “floating” style, with some space around the edges of the room. This will permit the laminate to accommodate temperature variations by expanding and contracting over time.
How do I figure out how much laminate flooring I will need?
Calculate the area of your room by taking the length and width and multiplying them together. Estimate the areas where the flooring will be laid out around (for example, at the fireplace or entryway with tiles), and exclude them while calculating the total square footage. Finally, increase the total square footage by 10% to accommodate for material that is lost or unusable.
How do you measure and cut laminate edge pieces along the wall?
The simplest method of estimating the size of the laminate edge pieces is to rotate the item and make a mark on the other side. This is to ensure that the tongue and groove remain effective.
Ensure your tile is up against the wall and then designate the area where the laminate flooring meets the already in place unit.
When you are slicing this part, be sure you cut along the line; then the segment will line up with the edge.
