How to Install Laminate Floors
Part 1
The following are some general guidelines and tips for
installing laminate flooring. Of course, you should always read and follow your
flooring manufacturer’s instructions as failure to do so could void your
warranty. Your carpentry skills for this type of project should be intermediate
or better. This article assumes you have already measured and purchased the
correct amount of flooring for your project.
Let’s start with the tools you’ll need:
- Safety Goggles
- Measuring Tape
- Pencil
- Circular Saw with fine-tooth blade
- Clamps
- Glue (check manufacturer’s instructions for
recommendation)
- Pry Bar
- Hammer
- Handsaw
- Jigsaw
- Never install laminate flooring on the same day
you get it. Laminate flooring must be allowed to acclimate
itself to the environment of your home. Check your manufacturer’s
instructions for their specific recommended time.
- Begin by making sure the floor you will be installing the laminate flooring
onto is even. It’s okay to install laminate flooring over
an existing floor, but the floor must be level with no irregularities.
- Make sure any doors will clear the floor once installed by placing a plank in front of the door and making sure it can still swing properly. If it doesn’t, you will need to trim the necessary amount from the bottom of the door so it can swing properly.
- Remove molding from baseboards and any doors from the room.
- Make sure you leave a 1/4” gap between flooring and all walls. This gives the floor room to expand and contract with temperature changes.
- Trim door frames to allow flooring fit underneath. To determine amount to trim off, place a plank of flooring with a piece of the foam underlayment next to the frame and mark with a pencil. Cut frame with handsaw.
- If the floor is concrete or below grade install a moisture barrier before the foam underlayment. An 8 mil polyethylene plastic is a good material for this purpose. Overlap the moisture barrier edges a minimum 4” and seal the seams with duct tape. For all other floors, skip this step and go to step 8.
- Roll out your foam underlayment flush with walls. Make sure foam is completely flat with no overlap and seal any seams with duct tape or as directed by the flooring manufacturer. This foam underlayment will make your floor more comfortable to walk on and will help reduce noise when walking on it.
- Inspect each plank before installation. Do not install any damaged planks. Depending on the damage, this could cause buckling of your floor and/or void your warranty.
- Plan your layout with your beginning wall being the most visible wall of the room.
Once you’ve got the plan for your floor figured out it’s time to start gluing
and cutting. This will be covered in Part 2.
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