Installing Laminate FlooringA GuidelineConstructed as a "floating" floor, the boards or tile simply "click" together (tongue & groove) and require no glues or nails. After installing laminate flooring it is immediately ready for use! No waiting for the adhesive to dry or the wood to settle. Plus, replacing any part of the laminate floor can be done without replacing the whole floor or damaging the surrounding laminate and what is beneath it...
Installing laminate flooring itself doesn't require any experience, specialized skills or tools and can be done quite easily in a short period of time, but this is not always the case...
For the (DIY) enthusiast or handy-person it makes a nice week-end project, providing all things considered fall into place. The flooring material itself goes together quite easily (most are click/lock systems), however... preparing the site and installing the flooring material may be a bit more complicated, especially if it is a basement or ground-level flooring area with a concrete sub-floor.
Preparing The SiteIf the existing floor is hardwood or hard-tiled, stable and free of moisture, you can lay laminate flooring over it... You'll need to level tiles with leveling compound to a depth of 1/8 in. If this raises the floor higher than the old covering, trimming existing doors and casings may need to be done. You may want to remove existing hard tiles instead of leveling them. This can be done by pulling them up using a floor scraper or spade, or knocking them out using a cold chisel and hammer. Be sure to wear safety eye protection for this job... Existing resilient and soft floors SHOULD be removed... Chances are they will deteriorate under the new flooring if left in place. For flooring you suspect may contain asbestos, like pre 1980's vinyl, hire a professional to remove it. The easiest way to remove old soft or resilient flooring is to cut it into strips. A utility knife (or something similar) and floor scraper work well for this. Tack-less strips can be removed using a pry bar. Moldings and baseboards will need to be removed and replaced to cover expansion gaps after installing laminate flooring. IMPORTANT! A water-proof membrane and cushioned foam under layment SHOULD always be placed under laminate floors. Underlayments of foam with a waterproof backing are available as one unit, and some laminates come with it already inplace on the back of the product. This is the BEST way to go... Killing two birds with one stone! For basements and/or ground-level concrete floors (even wood over concrete), checking for moisture is imparative... And here's how; duct-tape 12-18 in. square pieces of clear plastic onto several different areas of the floor, (corners, center) and leave overnight. If any condensation or color changes take place you have moisture issues (this test isn't necessary for upper story floors). Laminate will tolerate moisture well, but the potential for problems can increase if it is a constant factor. So, if you think it may be a problem, consider another flooring material that tolerates moisture better...
Purchasing MaterialsFiguring out how much flooring material you'll need can be tricky and will depend on the size of the boards or tiles you decide to use... Measure the floor site area and go to your flooring distributor for calculation of just how many square feet you will need of the laminate flooring material of choice. Laminate flooring material is usually pre-packaged in cases of 18 sq/ft per case, making it very easy to figure out how many cases you'll need. For consistency and availability, buy all your materials at the same time. Always buy more flooring material than you'll need. Down the road you may need to replace some boards/tiles... Store the flooring material on site for 48-72 hours to acclimate before installing. Step-by-step, easy to follow instructions for installing laminate flooring is included with the packaged material. Following the manufacturers instructions will keep the warranty valid, and if you need to, ask your supplier for help or advice. Videos & books on installing laminate flooring are available to rent or buy from the library, book stores or a flooring distributor. Sometimes it helps to see/read beforehand rather as you go and this would be a good way for you to do it...
Concrete Subfloor FlatnessOne way to check your concrete subfloor for flatness is to use a straight piece of lumber 8-10 ft. long. Move the straight edge over the entire subfloor in different directions, and mark the high & low spots with a pencil. For a REALLY uneven floor, fill in the low spots with leveling compound or file down the high spots. In other words, make it as FLAT as possible. A subfloor will tolerate 3/16th of an inch difference over a 10 ft. span. Anything greater than this, if not corrected, eventually you'll be hearing popping and squishy complaints from your floor! Wood subfloor leveling is only necessary if the floorboards are in terrible shape! If that's the case for you, use marine plywood for leveling by placing it on top of the waterproof backed foam underlayment.
Safety TipsWork safely. Wear safety glasses, a mask to avoid inhaling dust and clamp boards firmly when sawing, and ALWAYS wear gloves and ear protection when using power tools .
Go to our web page on laminate flooring for details about this incredible flooring material! It's very revolutionized and has opened up a whole new market in the flooring industry... We hope this information is useful and wish you great success installing laminate flooring! Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!
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