How To Install Laminate Flooring?
I am a beginner in DIY projects. I want to know the detailed steps in installing laminate flooring. I know it is said that it is pretty easy and also seems very easy. But there has to be some catch to it. I heard that I am supposed to leave the box of the laminate floor in the room for 48 hrs. What is this about? Am I supposed to open up the box and lay the tiles without clipping them together for 48 hrs or something else? Also I heard that you are not supposed to make the tiles touch the walls, and that you are supposed to leave a little gap. Can you please explain this further and how to do it, and how much gap to leave? Please help
THanks in advance
I’ve laid this for over twenty five years, sometimes my crews would be working six houses in a week.
If it’s cold, bring the tile in to meet interior conditions. After your floor is super clean, and, I mean not one grain of sand, it will look like a mountain after the tile is on it.
Lay the squares out, measure from the edges and, determine the exact center of the room, the way you want you tile to run and, determine how much is going to be the edge or, where you want your edge. It may look better to the wall, after removing the cove trim on the floor, or even it out with both sides.
After you’ve determined how you want the tile to run, remove it all, put down a good sealer, we always run two coats of sealer. From Home Depot.
I run the tile to the wall and put the trim back in over the edge. It’s real neat this way, some try and trim it to fit but, it looks like heck.
Borrow or rent a 100 pound roller to roll the tile flat after laying, before the glue dries. Make sure you have any carpet edges for the carpet.
You may, if it’s easier, after you know where your going, lay the tile under the appliences first and, follow suit from there but, you have to be careful to make exact ends.
You don’t have to open the box. You just need to let the wood stand inside the house for 48 hrs so the temperature will be the same as the laminate because the laminate expands and contracts. If you don’t wait to install it might buckle. As far as the rest you will have to buy the box because it is way to much for me to explain. Hope so of this helps you. Sorry about the rest.
Check out http://www.videoflooring.com They have some instructional videos that may help.
Attached to this answer is the Armstrong Laminate Flooring instruction manual. The installation process is easy, however you have to think through the steps before installing the flooring. We install laminate flooring year round and it is quick, easy and painless. The only problematic note I add, if you are faced with doorways, it is a tedious process getting it installed correctly. Since you are a beginner in DIY projects, take your time and do not become frustrated.
The box usually has pretty good instructions on it, otherwise ask the people where you bought the tiles. You can use the tiles themselves as spacers between the wall and the tiles so that there is a gap. Just place them on edge. Or you can get plastic spacers from any DIY store. This is to leave room for expansion so the tiles don’t warp. You can then cover the gap with floor trim. Good luck. It is fairly easy.
Go to http://www.skillspublish.com.au and type into their internal search engine laminate flooring. There are articles and books there that may be of some help.
You let it sit so that it can adjust to your home’s climate. The space you leave around the edges is for expansion. You will need some kind of thin padding or lining underneath. If you have an icemaker fridge or dishwasher that could possibly leak, you need to put some kind of caulking around that area. Also, wipe up spills quickly so that they don’t leak into the seams.