Instructions For Installing Laminate Flooring
Posted on 2007-Nov-20 at 04:13
No matter what kind of laminate flooring you choose, the basic instructions for installing laminate flooring will be the same. The first step when installing your new floor is to prepare the subfloor. Most laminate flooring choices are floating, which means they do not need to be nailed or screwed down. They also do not use glue, which means no fumes, no mess and no drying time. You can walk on your laminate floor right after installing. When preparing the subfloor, the first step is to remove all moldings and baseboards.
Make sure the subfloor is clean and dry. For cement flooring there will need to be plastic sheeting installed under foam padding. Hardwood floors should not have plastic sheeting installed. Whether or not you will need separate foam padding will depend on what kind of floors you have. Some flooring choices come with foam padding attached, others do not. This foam padding adds comfort, durability and sound control. Some padding is designed to make your floors sound like real hardwood when walked on.
Once you've prepared the subfloor and installed your foam padding (if in fact you need foam padding) it is time to start installing the actual floor. There should be a one-fourth inch space between the floor and the wall. This is called an expansion space and can be concealed by your baseboards. The expansion space accounts for temperature and moisture variations in the room. When laying the floor, start at one side of the room and work your way across. Each plank or tile can be easily snapped together. Some pieces may need to be cut to fit perfectly. You can use a hand saw or a power saw to cut your flooring to the proper size.
When reading your instructions for installing laminate flooring, you will find the trim molding can be used to conceal the expansion space. You can attach the trim molding directly to the subfloor. You do not want to use nails or screws to secure the floor or the trim molding. It may be necessary to use transitional pieces like end moldings to make the floor look more like real hardwood and create a seamless look from one room to the next. All the pieces you need should be available from the store where you purchase your laminate flooring.
Please visit http://laminateflooring.tmcbiz.com for more details about Laminate Flooring
Make sure the subfloor is clean and dry. For cement flooring there will need to be plastic sheeting installed under foam padding. Hardwood floors should not have plastic sheeting installed. Whether or not you will need separate foam padding will depend on what kind of floors you have. Some flooring choices come with foam padding attached, others do not. This foam padding adds comfort, durability and sound control. Some padding is designed to make your floors sound like real hardwood when walked on.
Once you've prepared the subfloor and installed your foam padding (if in fact you need foam padding) it is time to start installing the actual floor. There should be a one-fourth inch space between the floor and the wall. This is called an expansion space and can be concealed by your baseboards. The expansion space accounts for temperature and moisture variations in the room. When laying the floor, start at one side of the room and work your way across. Each plank or tile can be easily snapped together. Some pieces may need to be cut to fit perfectly. You can use a hand saw or a power saw to cut your flooring to the proper size.
When reading your instructions for installing laminate flooring, you will find the trim molding can be used to conceal the expansion space. You can attach the trim molding directly to the subfloor. You do not want to use nails or screws to secure the floor or the trim molding. It may be necessary to use transitional pieces like end moldings to make the floor look more like real hardwood and create a seamless look from one room to the next. All the pieces you need should be available from the store where you purchase your laminate flooring.
Please visit http://laminateflooring.tmcbiz.com for more details about Laminate Flooring
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