How To Install Laminate Flooring - Top 5 Tips

If you have purchased laminate flooring, or are thinking about it, would it not be a good idea to learn how to install laminate flooring? By doing so you could potentially save yourself hundreds of dollars that could be put towards a better quality laminate.

Time and time again I see people pay $2 per square foot and then some to have a "pro" come to their home for the install. Then after a couple of hours they are done with you thinking how quick it was!

Obviously you are please to have your new laminate flooring down, but in the back of your mind, or after handing over the check to your installer you may be wishing you knew how to install laminate flooring.

I hope to give you some tips that you can use to install your own laminate flooring, and in turn save you a bunch of money at the same time. Also the pride factor of telling your friends that you did it yourself is worth so much more!

How To Install Laminate Flooring TIP #1: Measure Your Floor

The most important part of this project is to make sure you get enough material for your job, in order to do this you need to know just how many square feet you need to cover with your laminate flooring.

This can be confusing for some, but I'll try my best to make it as easy as possible.

Take a tape measure and measure both the width and the length of your room.

Example: 10' wide by 20' long (10x20)

Now multiply the two measurements together.

Example: 10'x20'= 200 square feet (200sf)

So now you know you are dealing with approximately 200sf of area, now all we need to do is add an extra 10% for cuts and waste.

Example: 200sf + 10% = 220sf (220sf)

This method is based on the fact you have a square room. However many rooms are odd shaped and can confuse people when trying to measure them the right way.

You can do two things here, you can either still measure the longest wall as well as the longest width of your room, and then multiply them together to get your square feet.

When using this method you know you have plenty of flooring for your room, and in some cases can avoid adding the 10% extra because you are already covered by over measuring in the first place.

The second option is to divide your odd shaped rooms into smaller box shaped sections, this enables you to find out the square foot of each section, then add the total square foot together from each one of your sections. Remember the 10% applies for this option too.

How To Install Laminate Wood Flooring TIP #2: Start At The Longest Wall

The first thing to do is lay the underlayment(padding) down first, just one row against the longest wall is fine. Now you can begin with your first plank, make sure you start with a full plank first, the cuts will be made at the other end.

Place the first plank down a couple of feet away from the longest wall, then lock in the remainder of that rows planks one by one all across the floor until you get to the other end.

Upon approaching the other end of the wall you will notice you may have to cut a plank shorter in order for that last plank to fit. So now we are going to make our first cut.

Measure how much you need to cut off the last plank from that row allowing for a 1/4" expansion gap(step #4). Once this is cut lock it into place to complete this first row.

Now you have your very first row completed all you need to do is follow the same method for the next row, but this time starting with the 2/3 plank(tip #3).

When you have completed the second row its now time to slide both rows back against the wall, again allow for that 1/4" expansion gap(tip#4), use spacers if needed or even waste cuts from your floor standing up.

The reason we started away from the wall was to give you enough space to work on the rows closest to the wall, without actually having to be right up against that wall with no space to move in.

Once you have the two rows against the wall the rest is easy! Keep going all the way across the floor adding the underlayment and the planking until the job is completed.

Oh - Tape the seams of your laminate flooring underlayment with either regular packaging tape, or duck tape.

How To Install Laminate Flooring TIP #3: Cut Planks Into Thirds

Before making your first cut on your laminate flooring, I'm going to share with you a neat cutting rule that saves on waste, and will stagger the pattern of your floor to make it look like a real wood installation.

Cut planks into thirds - So the very first plank you use will be a full one, when you start the next row, you should start with 2/3 of a plank, and the row after that will be 1/3.

When you cut the laminate flooring like this it will not only stagger your laminate pattern to make it resemble a more natural wood floor, but it also means you can use the waste you cut off your 2/3 plank(1/3) at the start of your very next row and so on.

This method limits your waste a great deal, and gives you a cool pattern at the same time.

Hint: Some laminate flooring designs look like tile, and some wooden designs require you to cut the laminate planking in half for each row. But just check that floors instructions and if it does not require this, then use the rule of 3rds.

How To Install Laminate Flooring TIP #4: Use An Expansion Gap

Regardless of what laminate wood flooring you install, most, if not all products require you to leave a 1/4" expansion gap around the entire perimeter of your room.

This 1/4 inch gap allows the floor to expand and contract in different temperature changes throughout the seasons. If this is not taken into account when installing your floors and making cuts, the laminate floor could bow and split if that 1/4" gap is not applied around the entire area.

How To Install Laminate Flooring TIP #5: Tools Of The Trade

The right tools can save you a ton of time, and a huge amount of aggravation at the same time.

From your local hardware store grab hold of a pull bar, a tapping block, and a rubber mallet. The pull bar will assist you in pulling together lose seams at  the shorter ends of your laminate flooring. And the tapping block will help you tap together gaps between planks on the longest sides.

Use the rubber mallet to gently tap either the pull bar or the tapping block in order to close any laminate flooring seams together that you could not join by hand.

If you do not have a rubber mallet, wrap a regular hammer in either duck tape or painters tape, this will act as a buffer and take most of the impact away from the laminate seams keeping them intact.

Hardware stores stock laminate table saw blades to cut the flooring, but if you cant get a laminate blade find a blade with fine teeth, or a good finishing blade to get a nice fine cut.

How To Install Laminate Flooring Conclusion

I hope this information helped give you an idea how to install laminate flooring, it really is not that hard to do with the know-how and desire to complete your project. And just think of the money you will save too!

Have fun with it, and again take pride in telling others that you did it yourself.