Installing laminate floors is definitely an easy job that you can do it by yourself. Having experts do it for you will definitely cut time and might provide you with a better flooring experience but here’s a quick guide to ensure that you install your laminate floors the same way the experts would. Laminate floor are different from other types of floors, you can easily snap the laminate planks together. All you have to do is place the planks correctly right next to each other in the space required.
Before starting the installation process here are a few tools that you will need when installing laminate floors
- The laminate floor planks, make sure that you purchase 10% more than you actually need so that you don’t miss out on any. These extra planks will not go to waste as you can save them for the future if you ever face a problem with a plank and need to replace it.
- Underlayment: As mentioned before, underlayment is extremely essential even if your laminate flooring already comes with an underlayment. The underlayment is a thin foam layer that is placed under your laminate floor.
- Saw: There are different types of saws that you can choose from it’s preferable to purchase the table light saw that is particularly perfect for laminate floors. The lighter the saw, the easier it is to use.
- Working Gloves
- Measuring Tape
- Pencil
- T-Square
- Vapor Barrier (if needed): if you want to install your laminate floor in an area that might be exposed to moisture like bathroom or kitchen, you must use the vapor barrier. Sometimes your underlayment will include a vapor barrier, but for extra protection in high moisture areas it is advisable to install a separate vapor barrier.
Preparing your subfloor
It is extremely important to start the installment process by preparing your subfloor. Here are a few points that you should take into consideration when preparing your subfloor:
- Check that the subfloor is free of any debris, dirt, moisture. Make sure to clean the area well using first a vacuum cleaner then warm water and cleaning detergents, then you must make sure that it is completely dry.
- Remove any leftover screws and nails that might come in the way and cause damage to the laminate planks
- Lay all the laminate floor planks in the same direction. Place them all without gluing them to the ground to make sure you have the desirable look.
- Don’t forget to place the underlay in the subfloor preparation process.
- Remove any transition strips, skirting boards and beadings so that you can leave space for comfortable laminate floor installation and re install new ones for a better flooring experience.
The Installation process
When installing your laminate floor you must make sure that all the planks are placed in the same direction so that they are fixed directly.
- Start laying the first row of laminate floors near the first longest wall.
- The laminate planks will click together automatically when you place them next to each other.
- You should make sure that there’s space between the floor and the wall for protection therefore you can place spacers between them.
- Measure the lengths of the planks so that they fit the entire room.
- Lay the planks in rows side by side. Remember to always use spacers between the planks and the wall.
- For the last board you must lay a plank over it so you know the exact width, and you can use another plank to measure the length. This will provide you with the correct measurements.