Is It Hard To Lay Laminate Flooring

Install the underlayment or vapor barrier.

Is it hard to lay laminate flooring.

The hard shell knee pads you wear for roofing and landscaping are not the knee pads you should wear to install a floor. The planks click together at the edges and there is no need for fasteners or glue since this is a flooring that floats over a thin layer of foam underlayment. While laminate flooring can be installed below grade it is still not the best flooring for basements. Best if you pay attention to the manufacturers specifications and directions.

Lay moisture barrier thoroughly clean the subfloor so that there is no debris on the floor and that it is flat and smooth. Remember to stagger offcuts so the joins don t align and use a small piece of laminate as a buffer when you tap the newly laid lengths into place ie don t use a hammer against the lengths you have laid fit a small piece of laminate and tap that then move it to the next bit you want to tap. They should acclimate for at least 48 hours. It can be installed over any other tightly bonded flooring making it ideal for retrofits.

Installing laminate flooring is a snap literally. To lay laminate flooring first clear out any furniture in the room you ll be laying the floor in. Flooring is hard on the knees and the wrong knee pads will scratch laminate floors. A laminate floor is a floating floor meaning it is not fastened directly to the subfloor.

Insure your floor is level or level it and that you measure your room to plan to cut the width of the laminate so that the last pieces are 2 or wider. This will allow them to acclimate to the room s temperature and humidity. There s no question about it. Lay out the unopened boxes of laminate planks in the room.

If you are installing the flooring below grade or in a room like a basement with high humidity or moisture lay down a vapor barrier before you install the flooring. Flooring installation calls for pads that have a cloth foam or soft rubber material on the business end. Like traditional wood laminate flooring is available in a variety of colors to complement virtually all design styles. How to install laminate flooring.

Flooring manufacturers always recommend putting down underlayment before laying the laminate. Directly onto the subfloor lay down a layer of plastic sheeting to create a moisture barrier. This thin dense foam layer helps to absorb sound provides a thermal barrier makes it easier to walk on the laminate and helps the flooring bridge minor gaps and bumps in the underlying floor. Laminate flooring is very easy to install making it a favorite for diyers.