How do you install laminate like a pro?

How do you install laminate like a pro?

5 Tips for Installing Laminate Like a Pro

1. PROFESSIONAL LOOKING EDGES. Start the process at the edges of the room.
2. PREP YOUR SUBFLOOR. A smooth, clean subfloor is key to a good-looking final product.
3. INSTALL YOUR UNDERLAYMENT.
4. INSTALLING LAMINATE FLOORING.
5. USE THE RIGHT TOOLS.
6. WRAPPING UP.

Can you shim under laminate flooring?

Shim up the subfloor as an alternative to a level compound for long lengths of a floor that are out of level with the joists. Place wood shims between the subfloor and the top of the floor joist. Tap them into place where needed with a hammer until you have leveled out the floor above.

Is there a pattern to laying laminate flooring?

Laminate flooring should be laid in a “random” stagger pattern. The remaining piece of one row should start the next row. Each piece must be 6 inches or greater. If the remaining piece is less than 6 inches, start the row with a full piece.

What should I put under my laminate flooring level?

Use an underlayment, floor leveler or floor patch product to fix low spots in a wood or concrete subfloor. An underlayment is a thin layer of material sandwiched between two other materials. It’s used to help insulate, absorb sound and reduce wear on your floor. It can also serve as a vapor barrier.

How do you level an uneven subfloor for laminate flooring?

Levelling compounds can come in a premixed product or a dry powder to then be mixed with water. Pour the liquid substance over the subfloor and use a trowel to spread it around and smooth the surface. Levelling compounds will work using gravity to be pulled in the deeper areas that need filling.

Should I use transition strips between rooms?

Transition strips serve two main purposes in a residential or commercial space. First, they’re put in place to make navigating from room to room easier. They also provide a visual break between rooms and flooring materials that might otherwise be jarring and less than attractive.

Do you have to use transition strips between rooms?

If you’re using a single kind of flooring throughout and there are no height differences or underlayment/stability issues, you don’t have to install transitions. You do need to install base of some kind where the flooring meets the walls.

Should you stagger laminate flooring?

Laminate flooring manufacturers often require their floors to be staggered anywhere between 6 to 12 inches, some manufacturers even want more.

When installing laminate flooring where do you start?

Begin the first row of flooring by placing the planks with the tongue side facing the wall. Install the second plank next to the first by aligning the tongue into the groove and press the plank down to snap it in place. When you come to the end of the first row, cut the length of plank needed to complete the row.

How do you install laminate flooring without damaging it?

If you actually read the instructions on most laminate flooring, the pieces are supposed to be snapped in consecutively. Some flooring (usually the cheap stuff) is almost impossible to install that way without damaging the planks. If you’re having problems, snap the butt ends of a whole row together, then snap it in as if it were one long piece.

Should you install a transition strip between rows of flooring?

If you’re installing flooring that continues through a doorway, you’ll be better off leaving a gap (rather than snapping together the flooring) to receive a transition strip between rows. Position the gap directly under the door so the transition strip will make visual sense. A transition strip lets you treat each room as a separate project.

Should underlayment be installed perpendicular to the floor plan?

Our flooring pro recommends installing underlayment perpendicular to the way the planks will be installed. The underlayment will be less likely to “bubble” as you lay the flooring. He also suggests installing only a few rows of underlayment at a time to avoid tearing it up with your boots.

Do you need knee pads to install a laminate floor?

A good rule of thumb is that a typical laminate floor can still move properly under a fully stocked refrigerator The hard-shell knee pads you wear for roofing and landscaping are not the knee pads you should wear to install a floor. There’s no question about it: Flooring is hard on the knees and the wrong knee pads will scratch laminate floors.