How To Lay Laminate Flooring

Laminate floors are a popular option for modern homes as they are easy to maintain, durable and stylish.

Step By Step Guide To Laying Flooring

If you don’t know how to lay laminate flooring, follow the guide below. This is a tricky job and requires good DIY skills so if you’re not sure that you’re up to it, call a professional flooring specialist.
Prepare your floor before you start, making sure they’re level, dry and firm before you begin laying your flooring. Flatten any nails in the floorboards using a hammer. If you’re laying laminate flooring over a new concrete base, make sure it’s dry first. If it’s old, uneven concrete, you can level it out using a self-levelling compound.

Fit Underlay

You must always fit an underlay before laying laminate floors. There are different types of underlay, but you should never use a carpet underlay. Here are the three types of underlay you can use:

Different Types Of Underlay

• Poly foam underlay - this is a thin underlay that’s best used with a firm, level sub-floor such as chipboard, hardboard or plywood.
• Combined underlay - this is thicker than poly foam underlay and is a good sound insulator.
• Wood fibre boards - these are the thickest type of underlay you can find, good for levelling out an uneven sub-floor and keeping in the heat.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fit the underlay, then you’re ready to start laying your laminate floors.

Acclimatise Your Flooring

Give your laminate floors time to acclimatise to the room by leaving the boards in there for about 24 hours first. When you’re laying the flooring, keep in mind that laminate flooring will naturally contract and expand - so leave a 10mm gap between the floor and the skirting using wedges or spacers.

Laying The Flooring

You should lay your boards in the same direction as the light that enters the room. Start in a corner, with the tongue side of the board facing the wall. Make sure the board is square with the wall. Lay your next board at the end of the first one, and carry on until you’ve reached the wall. You may have to cut a board to make it fit. Use the proper equipment, including goggles. The best saw to use is a jigsaw.
You can start the next row using the off-cut from the last piece of flooring you laid. Continue across the room, staggering the joints so that you’re not repeating the pattern. To get the final pieces of wood in, a good tip is to cut it so it’s about 10mm narrower than the remaining gap. If it’s awkward to fit, you can try levering it in with a chisel until it slots into place.

Need Help?

Laying laminate flooring requires decent DIY skills. If you have any doubts at all, be sure to contact a flooring specialist. Ask different tradesmen to quote you a price for the job, that way you’ll find the best deal!

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