Installing laminate flooring is not at all difficult, as any DIY enthusiast will tell you. However, you need to know what steps to take. If you are not handy with tools and you never underwent a major project till now, it is better to call a professional. If you believe that you are ready for the project, here are the steps you have to follow.
1. Stacking Before Installing Laminate Flooring
Humidity and temperature will affect your plants. With this in mind, make sure that you move the planks inside the home and that you acclimate them for 2 days before you install. Remove plastic wrapping and leave enough air space to allow free air circulation. Make sure that you buy 10% more than your room’s estimated need.
2. Clean The Subfloor
The entire subfloor area has to be free of debris and dirt. In the event you install over concrete floor, make sure it is fully cured. Remove all molding before you start the process.
3. Installing Vapor Barrier
Start from the longest room wall and lay vapor barrier 1 row at a time. When you join 2 sheets, follow the directions offered by the manufacturer. This is because installation technique varies.
4. Trimming Door Jambs
Take a flooring piece and lay it flat on the subfloor region against door jambs. Use this as your mark in order to make sure that you install flooring that can slide under the jamb. You can use a coping or flat saw in order to cut jambs. Just make sure you cut in a parallel line with your subfloor. This offers a better finish.
5. The First Flooring Row
This is the most important part of the process when referring to design. You need to pay the planks parallel to your longest wall. The first plank should be installed with groove end towards wall. A half an inch spacer has to be placed against a wall and you can then push the first plank in proper position. This is a gap that is necessary for the flooring to breathe. You will eventually cover it with the use of base molding. You also get a base to install the new flooring against. You can place spacers at a difference of 12 inches.
6. Installing The Rest Of The Laminate Flooring
Do not hurry during this step. For every single plank that you add, you need to make sure that the tongue matches the groove. Tap it right into place with the use of a bad piece of flooring. Pieces have to fit snugly together. No gaps should remain along plank length. When you install the next row, stagger flooring joints. You have to offset new rows at around 6 to 8 inches because end plank joints should never be lined up.
7. Your Last Plank
You will have to trim the last plank in order to make it fit. Carefully measure gap width so that it fits in perfectly against the wall.
8. The Last Step
You now have to install thresholds between open doors where flooring ends and the flooring end mark. The thresholds can come in different styles and you can find what you need at the store. Spaces can be removed and base molding can be installed to cover expansion gap.