Laminate Flooring
How To Fit Laminate Flooring
If you’re set on fitting laminate flooring in your home, but aren’t quite confident enough to do it yourself, fear not! Here are some handy tips to help provide an overview of the stages involved, which will hopefully make the task seem much more manageable.
First of all, be sure to choose you measure out the space where you plan to fit the laminate flooring. It is always a good idea to purchase about 10 percent extra laminate boards than you think you’ll need, just in case you’ve made a mistake in measuring, or some of the boards get damaged during the installation. Most quality tile and wood flooring specialists will refund any products you haven’t used if they are still in their packaging. To calculate the amount of laminate flooring you’ll need to purchase, measure the length and width of your room in metres, and multiply the two numbers together to give you the amount of m2 you need to cover. Most packs of laminate will tell you how many m2 is in each pack, which is great. Always make sure you double-check your measurements, never take just one set of measurements. If you have a particularly awkward shaped space to measure up, a useful method is to split the room up into smaller squares/sections, and then add the m2 together at the end.
Ensure you leave your laminate flooring lying flat in the room you are going to install it in at least 48 hours before you begin fitting. This is to allow the laminate to acclimatise to the room temperature, and to do any expanding or shrinking that it may do in the new environment. Then make sure you clean and hoover the surface you are going to lay the laminate flooring onto. Before you begin laying the laminate flooring, be sure to install a quality underlay to help with padding the surface, reducing noise from walking on the boards, and also to help with damp-proofing (particularly if you are laying onto a concrete floor).
The first step to fitting your laminate flooring is to achieve a ‘master row’. A master row is the first line of laminate boards stretching across the widest edge of your room. By ensuring the master row provides a straight line, you can safely begin adding the rest of boards to this row. To create a master row, you lay out a line of laminate boards along one edge of your space, and then using spacers, you pad out the side of the boards touching the wall to create a nice even, straight line on the edge of the boards furthest away from the wall. Just one last thing to consider before you get going – make sure you take any inward opening doors off the hinge, or make sure there is enough clearance under the door that it will still open after you have laid the flooring – the last thing you want is to trap yourself in the room whilst you’re laying the laminate!
Now that you’ve started laying your laminate flooring you will undoubtedly find that you need to cut some of your boards when you reach the far side, or the top or bottom side of the room. The best tool for the job is a laminate cutter, which is purpose-built to give a quick, easy, clean cut to your laminate, without creating the mess of using a hacksaw. As you proceed through the laying, make use of beater blocks, and pulling bars along with a hammer, to encourage the boards to sit tightly and form a good lock together. A beating block is a buffer between your board and your hammer, to prevent damage to the board, and a pulling bar is a useful tool when you reach a wall, and there is no room to hammer a board in place; instead you insert the pulling bar into the gap between your laminate flooring and the wall, and then hammer the vertical lip of the bar to encourage the board in place.
After you’ve laid your laminate flooring, you will need to apply some finishing touches to make the job a quality one. There will most likely be a small gap between your laminate boards, and your skirting board, as well as a gap between the boards and any doorways in the room. For filling the gap between the boards and the skirting, you can choose from a wide range of skoshers or quadrants to compliment the colour and tone of your laminate flooring. For doorway, you can use a transition bar, which again is available in different forms to suit the profile and type of doorway and flooring you are using. For help and advice, why not contact a tile and wood flooring specialist who should be happy to assist you.
Hopefully this brief guide has given you a good overview of the stages involved in fitting laminate flooring, so that it no longer feels like such a daunting task!
About the Author
Topps Tile’s offers a wide range of high-quality laminate flooring, as well as expert advice on how to install and maintain your laminate floor.
|
|
8.3mm LAMINATE Santos Mahogany Flooring/Floors/Floor AC3 $0.88/sf $0.01 |
|
|
12mm Brazilian Cherry Laminate Flooring/Floor AC3 $1.08/sf $0.01 |
|
|
12mm Laminate Medium Cherry Flooring/Floors/Floor AC3 $1.08/sf $0.01 |
|
|
12.3mm LAMINATE Bhutan Rosewood Flooring/Floors/Floor AC3 $1.08/sf $0.01 |
|
|
8.3MM Chocolate Walnut LAMINATE Flooring/Floor AC3 $0.88/sf $0.88 |
|
|
8.3mm Laminate Piedmont Cherry Flooring/Floors/Floor AC3 $0.88/sf $0.88 |
|
|
12mm DISTRESSED LAMINATE Pecan Flooring/Floors/Floor AC3 $1.28/sf $0.99 |
|
|
8MM Walnut Full Plank Wide Board AC3 HDF Floating Laminate Wood Flooring $0.99 |
|
|
8MM Pine Full Plank Wide Board AC3 HDF Floating Laminate Wood Flooring $0.99 |
|
|
Black Laminate Floors AC4 12MM floating flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
Black Laminate Floors AC4 12MM floating flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM LAMINATE FLOORING AC3 Santos Mahogany $0.88/sf $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM LAMINATE FLOORING/FLOOR AC3 Chocolate Walnut 0.88 $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM LAMINATE FLOORING/FLOOR AC3 Medium Cherry 0.88/sf $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM LAMINATE FLOORING/FLOOR AC3 Piedmont Cherry 0.88 $0.99 |
|
|
8MM Walnut Full Plank Wide Board AC3 HDF Floating Laminate Wood Flooring $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 8.3MM Flooring AC2 Click floors, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC4 Laminate Floors Bevel-Edge flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 12MM Laminate Floors Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Black Laminate Floors AC4 12MM floating flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC3 Laminate Flooring Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
AC2 Laminate Flooring 8.3MM Click floors , floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM AC2 Click floors Laminate Flooring, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 12MM Laminate Floors Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 Flooring Laminate 10.3MM w/Pad floors, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Realistic Looking Floor Wood 12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Bevel-Edge Floors Flooring Sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate AC3 Floors 10.3MM w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 Realistic Looking Wood floor $0.99 |
|
|
10.3MM w/Pad floors Laminate Floors AC3 floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Bevel-Edge AC4 12MM flooring Laminate Floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 w/Pad floors Laminate Flooring 10.3MM floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 12MM AC3 Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
10.3MM w/Pad floors AC3 floor sample Laminate Floors $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors AC3 10.3MM w/Pad floors floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
10.3MM AC3 Laminate Floors w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 Laminate Flooring 12MM Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Click floors AC2 Laminate Flooring 8.3MM , floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM Laminate Flooring Click floors AC2, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 Realistic Wood Looking Floor 12MM Laminate Flooring $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM Floors AC3 w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC4 Laminate Floors 12MM Bevel-Edge flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 floor sample 10.3MM Laminate Floors w/Pad floors $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Floors flooring Bevel-Edge sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 w/Pad floor flooring sample Laminate Floors 10.3MM $0.99 |
|
|
AC4 12MM Flooring Sample Bevel-Edge Laminate Floors $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors AC4 Bevel-Edge 12MM flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC4 Bevel-Edge Flooring Sample Laminate Floors 12MM $0.99 |
|
|
Floating flooring Laminate Floors AC4 12MM floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 Laminate Floors w/Pad flooring 10.3MM floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Bevel-Edge Floors Flooring Sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 w/Pad floor flooring sample Laminate Floors 10.3MM $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM Floors AC3 w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 w/Pad floor flooring sample Laminate Floors 10.3MM $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM AC3 Floors w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 Realistic Looking Wood floor $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM Floors AC3 w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC3 Laminate Flooring Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Realistic Looking Floor Wood 12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Floors flooring Bevel-Edge sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 10.3MM AC3 w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
Click floors AC2 Laminate Flooring 8.3MM , floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC3 Laminate Flooring Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM Floors AC3 w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Floors flooring Bevel-Edge sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM AC3 Floors w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
Realistic Looking Floor Wood 12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 floor sample 10.3MM Laminate Floors w/Pad floors $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 12MM AC3 Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Click floors AC2 Laminate Flooring 8.3MM , floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC3 Laminate Flooring Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM AC3 Floors w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 10.3MM AC3 Floors w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
10.3MM w/Pad floors AC3 floor sample Laminate Floors $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 12MM AC3 Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Floors flooring Bevel-Edge sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate AC3 Floors 10.3MM w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors AC3 10.3MM w/Pad floors floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
10.3MM w/Pad floors Laminate Floors AC3 floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 12MM AC3 Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Floating flooring Laminate Floors AC4 12MM floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 Realistic Looking Wood floor $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 Realistic Wood Looking Floor 12MM Laminate Flooring $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 8.3MM Flooring AC2 Click floors, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate 12MM AC4 Bevel-Edge Floors Flooring Sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 Flooring Laminate 10.3MM w/Pad floors, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 w/Pad floors Laminate Flooring 10.3MM floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC4 Laminate Floors Bevel-Edge flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 12MM Laminate Floors Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 w/Pad floor flooring sample Laminate Floors 10.3MM $0.99 |
|
|
12MM AC3 Laminate Flooring Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
8.3MM Laminate Flooring Click floors AC2, floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors AC4 Bevel-Edge 12MM flooring sample $0.99 |
|
|
12MM Laminate Flooring AC3 Realistic Looking Wood floor $0.99 |
|
|
10.3MM AC3 Laminate Floors w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC4 Bevel-Edge Flooring Sample Laminate Floors 12MM $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 12MM AC3 Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
AC3 12MM Laminate Floors Realistic Wood Looking floor $0.99 |
|
|
Laminate Floors 10.3MM AC3 w/Pad floor floors sample $0.99 |
|
|
AC2 Laminate Flooring 8.3MM Click floors , floor sample $0.99 |
|
|
Duck Laminate Adhesive Peel N’ Stick Shelf Liner, Clear … |
|
|
The Container Store Furniture Touch-Up Kit Restore color to worn edges of hide scratches in wood or wood laminated with our Furniture Touch-Up Kit. It allows you to make quick, permanent touch-ups and repairs to furniture, shelving, flooring or wood trim. The kit includes five touch-up markers and three filler sticks (used to fill deeper gouges). Fast-drying, the kit is colorfast and long-lasting.||Touch-up markers in five colors: walnut, … |
|
|
Dirt Devil 0313SLV KRUZ Cordless Floor Vacuum Cleaner $119.99 Dirt Devil’s KRUZ cordless floor vacuum offers easy maneuverability to address your hard surface cleaning needs. The KRUZ’s Soft Glide Technology delivers effortless cleaning of dry hard floor surfaces. This cordless vacuum sweeper’s Soft Touch Bumper maneuvers gently around furniture and along baseboards to quickly and safely clean even hard to reach areas. Designed by Karim Rashid, you can feel … |
|
|
Laminate Flooring – Hometime How-to Clinic Quick Reference Video Guide $14.94 This video instructs the viewer on how to install and maintain glueless and glued laminate flooring, including a wood floating floor…. |
|
|
LAMINATE FLOORING INSTALLATION VIDEO, Lowes, Armstrong, Swift-Lock, Easier to Install; 34 Minutes, 1999. $8.98 … |
|
|
Pergo Prodigy/Pergo Presto Installation Instructions $8.94 Installation instructions for Glue-free installation–Planks click together. Covers: Site Evaluation, Planning the Job, Preparing the Floor, Underlayments, Installation basics, Installing Planks, Installing around Pipes, Finishing/Moldings & Trim, Bathroom & Kitchens, Stairs & Steps, Care & Maintenance, Fixing Minor Damage, & Replacing Damaged Planks…. |
|
|
Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop Kit, FG1M1600GRYRD $32.90 Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop Kit Whether cleaning up a spill or just cleaning house, you’ll save more and waste less with the Rubbermaid Reveal. This lightweight spray mop uses microfiber pads to get the job done, picking up more dirt than traditional mops. The Reveal is safe to use on all hard floors and includes two refillable spray bottles so you can mix your own solutions. Just squeeze the trig… |
|
|
Shark S3501N Deluxe Steam Pocket Mop $69.99 SHARK S3501 PROFESSIONAL STEAM MOP HARD SURFACE CLEANER… |
|
|
Swiffer WetJet Spray, Mop Floor Cleaner Starter Kit (Packaging May Vary) $18.00 Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit includes 1 power mop, 2 absorbent pads and multi-purpose cleaning solution. Features new & improved dual nozzle sprayer…. |
|
|
Body Solid Super Mat RF34B Bike and Step Mat $21.95 Body Solid Super Rubber Mat is the perfect mat for bikes, ski equipment or as a general aerobics mat. Its a duper-tough, durable PVC material which helps protect your floors and carpets from the damaging effects of heavy exercise equipment and debris from mechanical parts. The mat also prolongs the life of your equipment by helping to prevent floor and carpet dust from entering belts and mechanica… |
