Preparing to Install
Before laying laminate flooring, determine the size of the room you are working on and buy enough laminate flooring with some extras in case some errors occasion. Have the working surface cleaned and leased to ensure you get beautiful results. It is always important to place underlayer to provide cushion and absorbs noise, so make sure that it is properly laid down without overlapping and tape securely to avoid shifting. Take the time to peruse the kind of subflooring you have, as this can also affect the result of your project. It is even possible to lay laminate flooring on concrete, though it is important that you check for moisture first and lay down a moisture barrier before embarking on the laying process.
The Laying Process
Select the first three planks you plan on installing and line them up against the wall that will serve as your starting point to determine how they will fit. When you are satisfied with their alignment, you can then start the actual laying process. In laying laminate flooring, it is important to leave a small space for expansion between the wall and the first row of plank. Laminate flooring is installed through the floating method, in which only the planks are glued together and no adhesives are used in attaching the planks to the subfloor. In aligning the planks, use a tapping block to fit the planks snugly, so as to avoid directly hammering on the edges of the plank. Some professional installer may recommend waiting for an hour or so before installing the rest of the planks to allow the glue in the first three to dry.
Continuing the Process
As you proceed in the process of laying laminate flooring, you can use a pry bar to tighten the joints snugly, which should be place some eight inches or more from a joint of the previous row. Angle the plank as you attach its edge to the previous row and lock them in place. Use a hand saw to cut the end planks to desired length and width. To hide those spaces left for expansion, use shoe moldings with the same or complimenting design for a nicer finish. It would also help to use trim cutters for clean results and apply the adhesive to the back of the trim.
Tips to Remember
Laying laminate flooring is easy enough to non-professionals to do. However, keep these tips in mind as you go about on the project in order to have a floor you can be proud for. Always allow several days of storage of laminate flooring inside your house to acclimatize it, as failure of doing so will lead to several complications, including the buckling of planks after installation. Check with laminate flooring manufacturer if you plan on installing the planks on carpet. Make sure that the subfloor does not squeak as the problem can not be remedied after installation.