Self Building

How to Install Laminate Flooring: Step-by-Step Guide

Lock and click fitting method does not require the services of an expert.

Updated on

March 27, 2020

Laminate floors offer the look of hardwood flooring at a relatively lower cost. PHOTO | FILE

They are a great alternative to the natural materials they simulate since they are easy to install, less expensive and very durable.

They are suitable for any room including high-traffic areas and high-humidity areas such as laundry rooms and bathrooms since the latest innovations have a moisture-resistance finish added to them.

Laminate flooring installation has been made a simple task thanks to the lock-and-click fitting method which does not require the services of an expert.

The following is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare, install and finish laminate flooring.

1.) Prepare the subfloor

Remove old flooring such as carpets and scrape off any adhesive that could have been used to fix them.

Use a self-leveling compound in case of an uneven concrete floor carefully following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Remove the moulding or skirting boards for ease of fixing the laminates at the edges and later refit them over the new floor.

Clean off the floor using an appropriate method. To determine how many laminates you will need, measure the length and width of your room at the longest points and multiply them to find the area in square metres.

Add 10 per cent of this to cater for wastage. Divide the room area with the pack size indicated on the packet to establish how many packs to buy.

2.) Install underlay and DPM

If your flooring laminates do not have a pre-attached underlay, you will need to install one to help even out the subfloor. A damp-proof membrane (DPM) is also required to prevent any moisture in the subfloor from sipping through to the laminates.

There are different types of underlays depending on the condition of your floor and the level of sound and heat insulation required.

Ensure the underlay should just meet not overlap during installation and all the seams/edges are taped down together to lock out moisture.

3.) Lay the laminates

Before you start, acclimatise the laminates by leaving the unopened packs placed horizontally on the floor in the room where they are to be installed for not less than 48 hours.

Start from a corner and lay the laminates lengthwise along the longest wall of the room with the tongue facing the wall.

Create a 10mm to 12mm expansion gap between the planks and the wall using spacers placed at intervals of 15 inches.

Finish the first row by interlocking the planks’ groove and tongue ensuring the row remains straight and parallel to the wall.

Most probably, you will need to cut the last piece for it to fit in. Place it face down next to the previous piece, maintaining the expansion space with the wall and mark a line across it where the previous plank ends. Cut and fix the piece to finish the row.

If the off-cut from the first row is more than 300mm long, you can use it to start the next row. If not, cut a plank in half and use one half to start the row. This is to ensure that the joints are staggered to the first row for a firmer fix.

Continue to lay the laminates one row at a time until you get to the last row where more often than not you will have to cut planks to obtain the proper fit. Measure how much you need and cut one plank at a time.

4.) Adjust door frames

Using a plank as a guide, mark and cut underneath the door frame using a hand saw. If it is impossible to lift the plank so that you can interlock the tongue and groove, use a chisel to remove the tongue and use an appropriate adhesive to hold the plank in place.