How do I install laminate flooring?

How do I install laminate flooring?

How do I install laminate flooring?

Laminate flooring is an easy-to-install product, and can be really for as soon as it's laid in most cases! Unlike laying tiles which involves grouting and cleaning, laying laminate flooring is a clean, and relatively quick job.

There are two predominant types of laminate flooring available from tile and wood flooring specialists. The first is assembled via a click-system' where the boards simply click' into place with each other, and the other involves a similar process but features a glue strip, which provided added adhesion between the boards.

The first thing to ensure before you start laying your laminate flooring is that the surface you'll be laying the boards onto (also known as the sub-floor) is clean and free from dirt, dust, and any debris. Even the smallest pebble or clump of dirt can cause real problems when you come to laying your boards as they may cause an inconsistency in floor levels and encourage movement between the boards to occur. This is definitely something to avoid as any regular movement between the boards can easily worsen and start a nasty cycle. Equally, if you have an old floor already installed that it in a state of disrepair, you will need to remove this before laying your new laminate flooring. You can lay laminate boards straight on top of existing floors, providing they are even and well-prepared, and also taking into account the overall height that floor will be (i.e. you don't want to finish the job and then realise you can't exit the room because the door won't open anymore believe me, this has happened!

Once your sub-floor is clean and prepared, you may need to install a moisture barrier depending on what kind of sub-floor you have to work with. Concrete sub-floors need particular care and attention since moisture can easily pass through concrete. It's advisable to either purchase an underlay that features moisture protection, or to install both a moisture barrier, and underlay before laying your laminate flooring. Underlay will help insulate your floor, and also help to cushion the floor when you walk over it.

Don't forget to leave your laminate flooring in the room you'll be laying it in for at least 72 hours before you lay it. This is because the boards need to acclimatise to the room temperature, and do any expanding or contracting before they have been laid in place. This could otherwise cause the floorboards to separate. Be sure to check through all your laminate flooring before you start laying, and always order at least 10% extra boards to allows for mistakes, damages and mis-calculations.

As you begin to lay your laminate flooring don't forget to use board spacers between the boards and the walls, and also to stagger the boards to increase the strength of the tongue-in-groove system. Don't be afraid to encourage the boards to sit flush in regard to the other boards either using some gentle pressure, or using a beating block or a pulling bar with a hammer. You will without doubt need to cut your boards to complete the job, particularly when laying around fixtures and fittings, and this is best done using a mitre saw. Don't forget to keep hold off all the off-cuts in case they come in handy at a later stage.

Once all the laminate flooring is laid, all you have left to do is to remove the spacers and add your finishing and moulding pieces, such as your skirting boards (or base boards) to tidy up the transitions between your flooring and the walls, or between other floor surfaces.

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