How To Put Down Laminate

How To Put Down Laminate – Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair and DIY. Tried, true, trusted home advice

How to Install Laminate Flooring With the right tools and a few basic skills, you can have a brand new floor by the weekend. This step-by-step guide on how to install laminate flooring will walk you through the process.

How To Put Down Laminate

Laminate flooring allows homeowners to get the look of wood for less and is easy to install. In fact, tongue-and-groove or snap-and-click carpentry makes laminate flooring installation ideal for the average DIYer. Anyone who is at least moderately handy, owns some basic tools, and is able to follow instructions can learn how to install laminate flooring.

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Before you get started, there are a few things you need to know about buying and installing laminate flooring. First, you’ll need to calculate the square footage of the room so you know how much product to buy. To do this, multiply the linear material of the width of the room by the linear material of the length of the room to find the area, then add 10% for mistakes and waste. Laminate flooring typically comes in 22- to 24-square-foot boxes, so divide the area plus 10 percent by the square footage of each box to determine how many boxes to buy.

After purchasing the laminate flooring, open the boxes and let the product acclimatize to the atmosphere of the house. Leave it for 24 to 48 hours before installing it.

Also understand that even the best laminate flooring products require a base layer to act as cushioning, support and a moisture barrier. For best results, buy the best laminate base coat possible.

Finally, understand that the condition of the floor matters. If the floor is uneven or large pieces are missing, these defects must be addressed before installing layers on top of them. Laying a few sheets of ¼ inch lauan over the floor should take care of the unevenness, but missing pieces of flooring may require patching.

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Before ripping up the old floor, make sure you have the tools and materials needed for the project. Once you start laying the floor, having to rush to the home center will only cause stress and delays.

Again, plan to buy at least 10% more flooring than you need to account for the boards that will be cut for the end fittings.

Floors contract and expand as temperatures and humidity levels change, so at least 24 to 48 hours before installation acclimatize the floor to the conditions of the space. Lay it flat or stack the boards in the room where they will be installed. Remember to remove the floor from the plastic wrap; this promotes air circulation, which helps the acclimatization process.

Remove and store the base molds before doing anything else. You may then want to remove the existing floor, especially if it is damaged or if the room has exceptionally low ceilings. Working from the edge of one wall, carefully begin to lift the old floor. Remove nails and staples (or duct tape, if the job involves pulling up carpets). Clean up debris and inspect the floor surface for areas that require repair.

How To Install Laminate Flooring Over Concrete

If you are installing laminate flooring over concrete, it is very important to install a vapor barrier. Concrete is porous and will absorb moisture. The best course of action is to seal the floor with a concrete sealer, allow it to harden, and then install a high-quality base coat over the concrete before laying laminate flooring.

Some laminate flooring is sold with a pre-attached foam base layer (also known as a vapor barrier). Otherwise, buy the base coat separately and install it one strip at a time, starting with the longest wall. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for forming the butt edges and sealing the seams.

Once the base coat is down, there’s one more preliminary step to take: cutting the door posts. To achieve this, lay a board so that its edge runs along the edge of the post. Mark the board and using a handsaw, cut parallel to the floor, creating a cutout that allows the board to fit snugly under the stud for a clean, professional look.

The most important row of the entire flooring project is the first row. It should be installed parallel to the longest wall, starting at one corner and working towards the other. Make sure this first row is straight so that subsequent rows will fit properly and look professional.

Diy Laminate Floor Cleaner

Position the first plank with the groove facing the wall and head into a corner of the room. To allow for natural expansion and contraction, place 1/4-inch spacers between the board and the wall at 12-inch intervals. Install the rest of the first row, placing one board at a time and matching the tongues with the grooves, tapping lightly for a perfect fit. When you reach the end of the row, use the pull bar to tap the last plank tightly into position.

With the first row done, proceed one board at a time, matching the tongues with the grooves. Use the flooring cutter to cut the first and last piece of each row as needed. Lightly tap each plank into place with the hammer and tapping block. Be careful not to hit too hard as you may damage the laminate surface or the tongue.

For a durable and attractive installation, be sure to stagger the end joints of adjacent boards by at least 6 inches. This also prevents the floor from separating and prevents buckling of close seams.

Installing the last plank can be somewhat of a pain. You may need to cut the board, or at least the tongue, to make sure it’s level. Finish the job by inserting thresholds wherever there is a door or wherever the laminate meets another flooring material. Finally, remove the spacers and reinstall the base form. Now sit back and admire your work.

Laminate Flooring For Basements

Bob Vila has partnered with Empire Today to help you easily get beautiful new flooring at a great price.

Laminate flooring is a favorite among DIY enthusiasts. Since it’s light years better than it was a few decades ago in terms of quality and selection, there’s good reason to love it. Beyond these points, there are other significant benefits of laminate flooring:

With these steps for installing laminate flooring, homeowners can give any space a new look without having to make a long-term commitment. The techniques needed to install laminate flooring are easy to learn and the project goes quickly once the first row is installed correctly.

After reading this tutorial on how to install laminate flooring, you may still have a few questions about the process. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about laminate flooring installation.

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As a general rule, it is best to start installing the laminate with the first row along the longest wall. Place the first board in the corner, keeping a ¼-inch gap from the walls, then continue that row along the wall to the other corner.

Yes, laying laminate flooring requires a layer of base coat underneath. The base layer helps support the floor and creates a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from penetrating the laminate floor. Some laminate flooring products have a built-in base layer.

It’s easy to learn how to install laminate flooring, and this popular DIY upgrade has a tremendous impact on the look of a room. Laying a laminate floor requires no nails or adhesives, and the planks are easy to install and adjust as needed. Just make sure to tap the seams well and keep a gap around the edge of the floor.

It is best to let the laminate floor float over the existing floor or sub-floor, but there are some products that can be glued down. Be aware that the adhesive will damage the existing floor u
nderneath, so it’s best to avoid this method when installing laminate flooring in apartments or other spaces where the floor might be temporary.

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After laying the laminate floors, you can walk on them immediately. There are no glues or other adhesives holding the floor down, so it’s ready to go as soon as the project is complete.

A laminate flooring cutter is the best product for cutting laminate flooring. These devices easily cut through the floor and create clean and precise cuts. However, you can also use a handsaw, miter saw, or even a utility knife in some cases. Hello, good people! Glad you can join me for another DIY as I continue to work on fixing up mom and pops place!

About a year ago I started tearing up the old dirty carpet and putting laminate floors in their house. I finished the large family room and a guest bedroom and then took a break. A very long pause.

The thing is, laying the floors means semi-chaos in the rest of the house because all the furniture has to be completely removed from one room and placed all over the place.

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I mean, this is what the family room looked like while I was working on the latest round of flooring installation…

You can say “OYE!”

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