Of all of the different types of flooring that are available, the kind that is the most popular is laminate flooring. Laminate flooring was first invented in Sweden, by the same company that invented laminate table tops in the 1920s. The flooring was invented in the late 1970s and was first sold in the United States in the mid 1990s. In just a little over a decade, the mere four decade old flooring method is now one of the biggest selling forms of flooring world wide. Not only can you put laminate flooring in every room of your home, you can even put laminate flooring on stairs.
One of the reasons that laminate flooring is so popular is that it is incredibly easy to install. Most people find that they can redo an entire room in less than a day thanks to the tongue and groove "click together" installation method. Installing laminate flooring involves very few tools and no glue at all. Here is a quick list of tips for people who want to install laminate flooring on stairs:
1. If your staircase is an open staircase (open stairs are stairs that do not have walls on either side) you should have a licensed carpenter do all of the finishing.
2. Unlike most rooms, in which there is no glue-laminate flooring on stairs must be glued down because "floating" them is not safe.
3. Make sure the laminate is cut to fit both the riser and the tread and that it leaves room for the stair nose.
4. Glue works best with laminate flooring on stairs, though you can also use a brad gun and to fasten it down. If you use a brad gun, use it along the edges of the stairs so that the holes will be covered by the trim.
5. The track that gets installed on the stair nose should be installed with either liquid nails or screws and then the nose molding should be glued onto the track. This is the best way to keep it secure.
Laminate flooring on stairs is a little bit of a trickier installation process than simply putting laminate flooring onto a floor. There is more measuring, a little bit more glue and it takes a much larger store of patience, but it can be done. Make sure that you work with someone who understands carpentry so that they can help you with your measuring and cutting.
Laminate flooring is popular because it is far more affordable than the other forms of flooring that is available. It is also popular because it is more durable, more resistant to moisture, harder to scuff and scratch and far easier to install. You can even put laminate flooring on stairs, if you have the patience for the measuring and cutting that go along with the project. Laminate flooring is the best way to get the look of hard wood, tile or stone floors without having to spend an exorbitant amount of money on more expensive products.
Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #1
If you are on a tight budget, laminate flooring is the most cost effective way to redo the floors in your home. With laminate flooring you can get the look of an expensive hard wood, marble or tile floor, at a small fraction of the cost of actual hard wood, marble and tile floors. This is because the materials and treatment processes that are used to make laminate flooring are not nearly as expensive as the materials and treatment processes that are needed to make and install "authentic" floors. |
Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #2
Laminate flooring is more durable and lasts longer than "authentic" floors. Most laminate flooring is treated to be resistant to stains, scuffs, and scratches and fading. Laminate flooring can last for more than a decade before it will need any serious attention. |
Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #3
Laminate flooring is a lot easier to keep clean than regular floors. All you need for your laminate flooring is a damp rag or a simple solution of mostly water and a little bit of vinegar. Even hard to remove stains are usually easy to get up with a simple cleaning solution and a clean rag. |
