If you want to save yourself some money and lay down your laminate floor on your own, then there is nothing to be afraid of. Depending on the type of floor you bought it may take more or less effort, but by adhering to a couple of basic steps you can ensure a job well done.
Starting with the sub-floor, it has to be level, dry and clean. If it's made of wood make sure there are no nails or screws sticking out and that it's dry and equally dense along the premise. If necessary, cover any problematic areas by using thin plywood boards nailed in place. If you're laminating a solid surface like concrete, it is important to fill in any irregularities and holes with a similar mixture and let that dry out properly.
The underlayment is the next step to tackle and to begin with, especially with solid sub-floors, use a damp proof membrane before laying down anything else. The next step is to use a cork, foam, rubber or specially made plywood layers that even out the surface and act as shock and sound absorber. The quality of these depends mostly on your budget and personal preferences, so make sure to consider your options. Some laminate floors come up with their own underlayment built-in, so make sure to check upon that. The supplier or manufacturer of your laminate floor often knows best what combination of underlay materials is best, so asking is a good idea.
When it comes to putting the laminate planks or tiles in place, make sure to have an additional amount as a reserve, just in case. 7-10 % on top is good enough. Ensure that all of your laminate floor elements are left inside the room for at least 3-4 days. That will ensure they acclimatize to the local humidity levels and either expand or shrink accordingly.
Following the installation guide is your best option for putting the planks in place. It is often just a case of snapping the tongue and groove joints together. Make sure to leave around 10mm of gap between the walls and the laminate as it's going to react to changes in humidity levels throughout each year. Using spacers is an easy way to do that and you can later fill in the gaps with trims of similar finish as the laminate. Most manufacturers provide such and if not, you can always cut out your own from the left-over planks.
If you would like to learn more about floors in general, flooring types, floor installation and floor cover maintenance tips, visit AllAboutFloors.co.cc where you can read about flooring comparison, installing laminate floors guides and resources, cheap bamboo flooring, laminate hardwood floors, pre-finished hardwood floor,engineered bamboo flooring,and more.
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