Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring

Installing laminate flooring is something that you will want to do correctly the first time. While the flooring itself is very durable, it is important that you make sure that you or somebody working with you knows how to install laminate flooring, otherwise your laminate flooring installation could become a considerably more time consuming procedure.

When installing laminate flooring, you will need the following tools: a tape measure, a miter saw that has a laminate blade, a right angle square, a brad gun or a hammer and brad nails, a compressor, a hammer, a small and flat crowbar, a chalk line, a jigsaw, a utility knife, a rubber mallet and a pencil.

The first step of your laminate flooring installation should be to clear everything from the room. If you have shoe molding, use your small crowbar to remove it. Take special care to not damage the wall or molding when you remove it. You might also need to remove flanges and radiator pipes that are in the room. After everything has been taken out, clean the floor thoroughly.

The next step when installing laminate flooring is to, if applicable, lay out the foam underlayment. The manufacturer should have included instructions on how to do this (some kinds of laminate flooring already have an underlayment attached).

The next step in our how to install laminate flooring tutorial is to make sure to start your flooring along the wall that is the most prominent as well as the most noticeable. You will want to start laying the floor away from the wall to make sure it stays straight and square (not all walls are square and straight). Start laying the flooring one width of flooring away from the wall plus a fourth of an inch. Put a chalk line here and line up everything after it. The entire room needs to have a fourth of an inch gap to allow the flooring to expand and contract as humidity changes with the weather.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions to install the laminate flooring and use your jigsaw to cut around any odd corners or pipes. If you have shoe molding, you should cut it to fit the flooring with your miter saw and then use your brad gun (or hammer and brad nails) to nail the molding to the baseboards of the room. You can install the rubber base instead of the shoe molding. The rubber base is relatively easy to install.

Finally, you will want to put in transition strips where the flooring meets carpet, tile or other floors. They can be installed by nails or glue.

When installing laminate flooring it is important to take your time. It might not seem like a complicated process but you will want to take your time and allow for changes in the flooring due to the weather. Laminate floor installation goes best when you have let the tiles stand for forty eight hours in the room where they will be installed. Now you know how to install laminate flooring!

Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #1

Not all house walls are perfectly straight. In order to get a good fit on your first board, you may have to cut it to match the curve in your wall.

Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #2

Unlike most hardwood flooring, laminates are virtually dent resistant, but remember you can find a good selection of matching fillers online in case of any gouges or dents.

Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #3

Make sure you clean your floor thoroughly before you start working, use either a vacuum or a stiff bristled broom. Once your floor is clean and clear of debris you will be in a good position to determine if your floor is even or not.

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