Laminate floors are easy to install and an excellent low-maintenance option for homeowners seeking low-upkeep alternatives to wood flooring. Furthermore, laminates can withstand high traffic areas while coming in various styles that suit individual preferences.
As the first step of installing your laminate floor, the initial preparation involves clearing away debris from your room, taking down old flooring and other obstacles that might hinder installation.
Once your surface is clean and dry, install an underlayment. This dense foam layer can absorb noise while adding warmth to your flooring surface; additionally it serves as an important insulating layer if your subfloor has unevenness or has any dents.
Measure the area you intend to cover with laminate planks so as to ascertain how much material will be necessary.
Check for proper fit by conducting some test-fits of some pieces to be assembled. A dry-erasable marker is helpful here in marking cuts accurately.
Cut the length of plank needed for one row (saving any scraps that are at least 12 inches long for later use). If your planks feature tongues, make sure that this side faces towards the wall; some manufacturers suggest cutting off tongue edges of planks that face walls.
Planks may be joined together by aligning their tongues in each other and pressing down until the joints snap into place. Some planks can be connected by hand; others require using a pull bar from your installation kit as well as hammer or tapping block to lock joints together.
