Laminate flooring has become an incredibly popular flooring option for homes and businesses over the past few decades. Laminate offers the look and feel of real hardwood, tile or stone floors at a fraction of the cost. Installing laminate flooring is also a DIY-friendly project that can transform the look of a room. This guide will walk you through the entire laminate floor installation process from start to finish.
Choosing Your Laminate Flooring
Choosing the right laminate flooring is an important first step that will set the tone for your whole project. Take time to consider these key factors:
Style
Laminate offers a wide array of designs, from wood and tile to stone imitations, suitable for any room’s aesthetic. Choose warm wood tones like oak or cherry for a cozy living space, or opt for distressed styles for a rustic look. Tile patterns in laminate, such as slate or marble imitations, are ideal for kitchens and baths, adding elegance and resilience. To truly capture the essence of each design, view large samples in your intended space. For optimal results, employ expert laminate floor installers to ensure precise installation and extend your flooring’s life.
Thickness
Laminate can be as thin as 6mm or as thick as 12mm for those who need something really strong. Here’s the breakdown:
- 6-7mm is good enough for your room.
- 8-10mm is what most houses have.
- 12mm is perfect for places with lots of people walking around.
The thicker the laminate, the tougher and more sound-proof it is. But, it will cost more and be harder to shape.
Attached Underlayment
Now, lots of laminate flooring comes with a pad already stuck to it, so you don’t need to add another one. If yours doesn’t have it, make sure to get a good pad. It keeps moisture out, makes the floor softer to walk on, and keeps things quiet.
Finishing
The finish on the laminate makes it look and feel the way it does at the end. Here are some choices:
- Embossed means there’s a design pressed in to make it feel like real wood or stone.
- Beveled edges make each piece look separate, just like real wood floors.
- You can choose from shiny, semi-shiny, or no-shine finishes. Shiny ones make the colours stand out more.
Tools and Materials Needed
Laying down laminate floors is something you can totally do on your own. You just need the right tools and bits and pieces to change how a room looks. Here’s your checklist:
Tools:
- Tape Measure: You’ll need this to figure out how long and wide stuff is. For big rooms, get a long one.
- Pencil: Handy for drawing where to cut or where things go.
- Table Saw or Jigsaw: Perfect for making clean cuts on the boards. You could use a miter saw too.
- Rubber Mallet: Works with a special block to fit the boards snugly together.
- Pull Bar: Great for getting boards to fit in snug spots. Try to get one that’s a bit angled.
- 1/4” Spacers: These little guys make sure there’s just enough room between the floor and the wall.
- Tapping Block: Use it with the mallet to join boards without hurting them.
- Carpenter’s Square: This makes sure your cut lines are perfect for a neat look.
- Safety Glasses and Gloves: Keep your eyes and hands safe when cutting.
Materials:
- The Laminate Flooring You Picked
- Underlayment Padding: You’ll need this unless your laminate already has it stuck on.
- Transition Mouldings: These go around the edges to cover gaps. Pick ones that go well with your floor.
- Adhesive: Only use the kind that’s okay for laminate floors, if the instructions say you require it.
- Moisture Barrier: This is like a plastic sheet that stops water from messing up the laminate.
Getting the Subfloor Ready
Making your subfloor ready is a big deal if you want your laminate floor to last a long time.
Cleaning Up
First off, sweep the floor to get rid of any loose bits and pieces. Make sure to get into the corners and along the edges where dirt likes to hide. Then, give the whole subfloor a good mop with a cleaner that’s made for prepping laminate floors. This step helps get rid of sticky stuff like grease and wax. It’s especially important to clean areas that see a lot of action and around doorways where grime piles up. A clean subfloor means the glue will have a better chance of sticking.
Smoothing Things Out
Grab a long level and a ruler to look for any low or high spots. If you find a spot that’s off by more than 3/16 inch over a 6-foot stretch, mark it. For the high spots, you’ll need to sand them down. Remember to wear a mask so you don’t breathe in the dust. For the low spots, fill them in with a leveling compound that’s been mixed up just right. Make sure you let it dry completely, just like the package says, before moving on to the next step.
Removing Mouldings
Carefully pry off any baseboards, quarter-round mouldings, and door trims. You’ll want to be gentle to avoid damaging the wall. A good tip is to label each piece with tape as you remove it, so you know exactly where it goes back later. For doorways, you might need to trim the bottom of the casings to make sure everything fits without a hitch. Don’t forget to remove any nails or staples that are left behind.
Laying Down the Underlayment
Now it’s time for the underlayment padding. Roll it out with the moisture barrier side facing down and cut it to fit the room with a utility knife. You’ll want to extend the padding slightly up the walls, about an inch or two, to create a barrier against moisture. Make sure the edges of the padding are snug against each other or slightly overlapped, then secure them with tape. This layer should cover the entire area where you’re planning to lay the laminate planks, setting the stage for a smooth installation.
Installing the Laminate Flooring
After getting the subfloor ready, it’s time to lay down the laminate.
Making Room to Expand
Start by measuring the room to figure out how much space to leave around the edges for the floor to expand, which is usually about 1/4 inch. So, if your room is 10 feet by 10 feet, you’ll actually lay the floor as if the room is a tiny bit smaller, like 9 feet 3/4 inch by 9 feet 3/4 inch. Use a pencil and ruler to mark where this space should be on the walls. You might have to trim the bottoms of door frames or mouldings to make sure there’s enough room. Keep plastic spacers handy to stick between the floor and the walls to keep this gap consistent as you add the planks.
Starting Point
Pick a corner to start from, placing the first plank with the grooved side facing the room and the tongue side next to the wall. Use spacers to keep that 1/4 inch gap along the starting wall. Make sure your first piece is lined up straight with the room by using a simple squareness check, like the 3-4-5 triangle method.
Joining the Planks
Grab the next plank and line it up end-to-end with the first, making sure the ends meet snugly. Use the tongue-and-groove design to connect them. A rubber mallet and a tapping block can help you gently lock the planks together without damaging them. Work your way across the room, plank by plank, keeping all the edges tight.
Keeping Things Varied
When you start the second row, cut a plank so it’s about two-thirds the length of a full one. This way, the ends of the planks don’t line up exactly with the ends of the planks in the first row, which makes the floor stronger and looks better. Keep up with that 1/4 inch gap at the walls and keep the pattern random as you lay more rows.
Finishing Touches
For the last row, you’ll probably have to trim the planks lengthwise to get them to fit. A pull bar can help snug these last pieces in place without leaving a gap. Don’t forget to put spacers at the ends and along the wall.
Maintaining Your Laminate Floors
To make sure your laminate floors stay looking awesome, here’s what to do:
- Make it a habit to sweep and mop, but only with cleaners that are safe for laminate.
- If something spills, clean it up right away so it doesn’t mess up your floor.
- Put little pads under furniture legs and throw down some rugs where people walk a lot to prevent scratches.
- Don’t get the floor too wet and stay away from strong cleaners that can harm laminate.
- Sometimes, think about putting a new coat of sealant on the floor to keep it protected.
Summary
Putting in laminate flooring can really change how a room looks and feels, giving it a fresh, new vibe. This is a project most people can do on their own with a bit of planning and the right approach. Stick to the steps for getting the subfloor ready, laying out the planks carefully, and putting the trim back on right. Take your time with each part of the process. Before you know it, you’ll be stepping back to admire the cool, tough laminate floors you put in yourself. Your family and friends are going to be pretty impressed with what you’ve done. With this detailed guide, we hope you feel ready to tackle your own laminate floor installation and enjoy great-looking floors for a long time.
