Laminate flooring-Lay it yourself!
In today's trend of homely yet modern design is plenty of space for laminate
flooring. The ease of maintenance and hygienic properties of this type of flooring
are just two of the reasons that more and more people choose to go 'laminate'. It
will be able to give you the feel of a wooden floor, without having to spend bags
of money. And nowadays it is so easy to lay it yourself!
With the development of the click-and-go laminates, you really don't need to be a
professional to be able to lay your own floor. Which saves you a lot of money! In
this guide we will give you a few handy pointers to laying your own laminate floor
and how to care for it.
What is laminate flooring?
Laminate is a type of flooring that exists of different layers of material that all
have different qualities. From top to bottom, in a typical laminate floor there are:
a decorative surface (made of a resin-based melamine that is hard wearing), a
wood-based core (which is the main component of a laminate floor), and a
backing that is bonded to the underside of the core, which gives it its rigidity.
Laminate flooring comes in all sorts of designs, mainly copying wood patterns and
is produced in rectangular plank shape. But recently new designs have been put
on the market, imitating slate and tiled flooring. Therefore these laminates have a
square shape, but will still have the same main features of laminate flooring,
namely durability, ease of maintenance and ease of fitting.
Which flooring to choose?
There are different types of laminate flooring, but both of them work with the
tongue-and-groove principle and both of them are 'floating systems', which
means that the floor is not attached to the under-floor, but is resting on the
under-floor. First of all, there are two methods of putting the floor together: with
glue and without glue. Glued flooring is put together by putting a bead of glue
between the tongue and the groove. Glueless flooring is a system by which the
panels are clicked together and gets more and more popular every day, as it is
quicker and cleaner than the glued system. It is also possible to 'unclick' the
panels and take them with you when you move.
Laminate flooring comes in a lot of different qualities, thickness and water
resistancy. Choose the best flooring you can afford and make sure the flooring
you choose is appropriate for the room you're going to put it in. For example, you
best use waterproof laminate flooring for the bathroom and the kitchen! Have a
look around your local DIY stores, comparing qualities and prices to make sure
you make the right choice.
Tools and materials that you will need
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Laminate flooring (!). Be sure you check and double check the size of your
room and buy 5% more than you think you need. You will always need
more for cutting and nobody likes going back to the DIY shed for one pack
of planks! Besides that, when you do return, they might not have your
colour match anymore!
Underlay (to make the floor sound proof and to provide insulation). Take
5% extra of this as well.
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Edging trim (a laminate flooring is not fixed anywhere, edging trim is used
to keep it in place along the sides and to provide a neat finish). Take some
more of this as well, as you will always have to cut around funny corners
you hadn't anticipated.
Tape measure
Mask and goggles
Scissors
Circular saw/Jigsaw
Handsaw
Spirit level
Square
Nails/screws etc.
Tools and materials that you might need
When you have a concrete sub-floor:
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Chisel
Hammer
Levelling compound
Bucket
Damp-proof membrane (for when you have tiles, asphalt/concrete or vinyl
as your sub-floor)
When you have a wooden sub-floor:
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Hammer
Detector for pipes and electricity cables
Plane (for protruding areas)
Filler or levelling compound (for holes and hollow areas)
Pipe covers to neatly finish flooring around pipes
How to start
First of all you have to condition the flooring to the room's temperature and
humidity. Leave it in its packing and lay it horizontally (to prevent bending of the
laminate) for at least 48 hours before you start to lay it.
Remove all the flooring you will not need anymore (like carpets, etc.). Leave only
the sub-floor. You will now have the opportunity to access any under-floor
electrics and plumbing, so take it! It will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Determine whether your floor is level enough to start adding the underlay or
whether you have to level it out first. Important! Not taking enough time to
level the floor at this stage will later surface in a number of problems, like
bending and warping of the boards and a general unevenness of the floor. This
will reduce the enjoyment you will have from your floor and will also shorten its
life expectancy. A floor is considered level when difference in height is less than
1mm over a metre.
To level a concrete sub-floor, you will use your hammer and chisel to chip away
the protruding areas, and your levelling compound to fill any gaps. However, if
they floor is generally not level, it is best to apply the levelling compound over
the whole area, which will give a perfectly smooth finish all-over. A damp-proof
membrane now has to be put in place according to the composition of the subfloor.
A wooden sub-floor needs to checked on protruding nails and loose floorboards. A
plane can be used for any uneven boards. Filler for smaller areas and levelling
compound for larger areas can be used to even out the floor.
What next?
Put the under-floor down according to the instructions on the packet. As soon as
you've done this, check whether the door will clear the final height of your floor
by putting a laminate floorboard against the door. If the door gets stuck on the
floorboard, now is the moment to remove the door and sand or plane away the
excess in order to let the door open properly.
Decide which way you would like to have your floor laid. It is recommended that
the floor is laid at a 90o angle across the floorboards (if you have any) in order to
reinforce the joints. Another solution might be to first apply a hardboard
underfloor to the floorboards. This way it doesn't matter which way you lay your
laminate.
Use two spacers in one corner of the room in order to leave a gap between the
floorboards and the wall, and lay your first board against it. Make sure it is
aligned properly with the wall. Now you can start clicking the boards together
until you get to the end of the first row, making sure you use spacers all along
the entire wall.
To cut the last board off at the correct point, place the board next to the flooring
that is already in place. Make sure you allow for the spacers that need to be
placed at the end of the row.
If the cut-off of the last board of the previous row is longer than 300mm, you can
use it to start the next row. It is important to create a staggered effect, as the
boards shouldn't end at the same place.
It is now easy to click and fit the biggest area of your room, and quite quickly it
will look like you're creating something! The only areas you really have to take
care of are around doors and pipes. Try to fit your floor as neatly as possible
around your door mouldings. You might have to carefully saw into the moulding
to ensure a snug fit. Use a laminate floorboard as a guide to show you how much
you need to cut away. For pipes you have to measure the distance into the
floorboard where the pipes will emerge (taking care to allow for a gap between
the boards and the wall). Also measure the width of the pipe. Use a jigsaw to cut
out the area around the pipe, starting at the edge of the board. This way you can
remove the bit where the pipe will come through the board, and you can replace
the bit behind the pipe (using a bit of glue to hold it in place). Use pipe covers to
neatly cover around the pipe.
After removing the spacers from around the floor, use edging trim around the
room to neatly finish off the floor.
Now you just have to give it a sweep and you're ready!
Top tips
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Have a good look around your local DIY sheds before you commit yourself
to a particular type of flooring. Nowadays there are a lot of different
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designs and colours available, and there are quite a few offers on laminate
flooring, so shop around and get yourself a good deal!
A shopping list is always a good idea!
Measure measure measure before you go to your DIY shed. And even then
buy about 5% more than you need. Especially if you've never done
laminate flooring before it helps if you don't need to worry about miscutting a few boards. You don't want to go back for one extra pack just
because you couldn't be bothered with it in the first place!
Always buy the right flooring for the right environment. Check whether the
floor will be water resistant when you want to apply it to your kitchen or
bathroom.
Plan any electrical or plumbing work ahead. When you remove your carpet
or old floor, you have the easiest access to the wires and pipes under the
floorboards, so do it before you lay your new floor!
Check whether the spacers are included in the pack of floorboards you're
buying. They are handy tools to keep your floor in place while you're
fitting.
Take your time while fitting the floor! Although you really want to finish it
tonight, deep in your heart you know the floor will look a lot better when
you sleep on it and look at it again with fresh eyes the following morning!
If you decide to go for a glued laminate floor, please keep the drying times
in mind. This mainly determines the strength of the flooring.
If you decide to take the floor with you when you move (only possible with
the glueless variant), be careful with unlocking the boards. The tongues
snap quite easily if treated roughly.
Use a special laminate floor cleaner to optimise the shine and durability of
your floor. Do not use any abrasive or bleach-based products.
Lay a Laminate Floor
To complete this project, you'll need accurate measuring and
cutting skills.
Floormaster laminate floors are precision-made, making
them easy to work with.
Always wear a face mask and goggles when cutting laminate
flooring. Ensure children and animals are out of the way.
Laminate flooring can transform any room with its warmth
and beauty. Simply choose from our range of LOC or Tongue
and Groove laminate flooring and give your room a facelift
by following these step by step instructions
2 - How Much Will I Need?
How much underlay will I need?
To work out the amount of underlay needed for your floor,
measure the length and width of the room. Multiply the two
numbers together - this figure will tell you how many square
metres the underlay needs to cover.
For example: if your room is 4 metres long and 3
metres wide, 4 x 3 =12 square metres. You will need
to buy underlay to cover 12 square metres of flooring.
Never be tempted to buy less than you really need and allow
an extra 5% for cutting.
How much laminate flooring will I need?
Remembering the length and width of your room, use the
tables below to calculate the number of packs of laminate
flooring you will need.
For example, if your room is 6 metres long and 5
metres wide and you have chosen to use Floormaster
900 LOC laminate flooring, you will need to buy 15
packs of flooring to cover the floor.
Floormaster 900 LOC
LOC laminate flooring
requiring no adhesive.
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Can be fitted anywhere except bathrooms and
humid areas
Resistant against cigarette burns, fading, stains,
impact and scratching
Available in wood effects and coloured
Floormaster 1600 LOC
LOC laminate flooring
requiring no adhesive.
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Water resistant, so can be fitted anywhere
including bathrooms
Resistant against cigarette burns, fading, stains,
impact and scratching
Available in wood effects and coloured
Floormaster Tile LOC
LOC laminate flooring
requiring no adhesive.
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Water resistant, so can be fitted anywhere
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including bathrooms
Resistant against cigarette burns, fading, stains,
impact and scratching
Ceramic tile effect, available in a range of colours
Extras
You should not fit your laminate floor right to the edge of the
room. You will need to allow a 10mm gap for it to contract
and expand with the room temperature. Use fitting wedges
(shaped pieces of plastic), included in the fitting kits, to
create this 10mm expansion gap. When the floor has been
laid, the wedges are removed and the gaps can be covered
with skirting or laminate flooring edging trim for a
professional looking finish.
Measure round the perimeter of the room (or add the length
and width measurements of your room together and multiply
by two) to find the length of beading needed to cover the
extension gap.
3 - Laminate Flooring Basics
Laminate flooring is laid as a loose, 'floating' floor. The
boards are not nailed to the floor but simply joined to each
other without the need for nails or screws. This means
laminate flooring can be laid on top of most surfaces,
including timber or concrete, as long as it's dry, clean, and
level.
Choose carefully
In bathrooms or other areas of high humidity, ensure you
select a suitable grade of flooring. The Floormaster 1600
LOC and Floormaster Tile LOC ranges are water resistant
and suitable for bathrooms where the flooring may get wet.
And remember, inappropriate floor covering is always a false
economy, especially where there is a lot of foot traffic or
other wear and tear.
Condition the laminate flooring
Before you lay your laminate flooring, it must be conditioned
to the room's atmosphere. If this is not done it could warp
(become twisted and bent out of shape).
To condition the flooring:
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Make sure it's kept in its original packaging
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Put it in the room where the floor will be laid (ideal
temperature of 18oC to 20oC)
Lie the pack horizontally
Leave the flooring in this position for at least 48
hours
4 - Sub-Floor Preparation
The floor you intend to lay the laminate flooring on top of
must be dry, firm and level. A floor is considered level if the
deviation in height is less than 1mm over a distance of 1
linear metre. Sheets of fibre-board can be used to level
minor deviations and they have additional acoustic and
thermal properties. Deviations above this must be levelled
out before laying the new floor. The following sections advise
how this should be done, depending on the type of sub-floor
you have.
Wooden sub-floor preparation
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Remove any protruding nails or tacks to ensure you
have a smooth surface.
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If you are laying your laminate flooring on an upper
floor, re-fix any loose boards using screws rather
than nails as hammering might damage the ceiling
plaster below.
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Use a detector to identify if there is any underlying
pipework or electricity cables so that you can avoid
these areas when driving in nails or screws.
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Smooth any high spots in the floor using a plane,
and fill hollow patches with levelling compound
(sometimes called screed) to make the floor level.
Concrete sub-floor preparation
Some concrete sub-floors have raised 'high' spots of
concrete that can be chipped away with a bolster, but the
easiest way to achieve a smooth surface is with levelling
compound (screed). Simply mix this in a bucket with water,
then pour and spread with a trowel. It will then set to a level
finish.
We recommend that newly laid concrete or screed be
allowed to dry at a rate of 1mm per day prior to fitting
laminate flooring, i.e. 50mm screed = 50 days.
Damp-proof membrane
A damp-proof membrane should be fitted to stop any
moisture from damaging the new boards. This is in addition
to a damp course which may already be present in the subfloor. The following sub-floors require a damp proof
membrane of 0.2mm thick:
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concrete
vinyl tiles
asphalt
quarry tiles
Underlay
Once you are sure the sub-floor is
clean, dry and level, you will need to
install underlay prior to laying your
laminate flooring. There are three
types of underlay available:
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Floormaster Laminate Flooring Underlay - can be
used with all laminate floors
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Wood Fibre Underlay - has extra acoustic and
thermal properties
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Combilay - laminate floor underlay and damp
proofing all in one
Doors
Check that your doors will clear the new floor. Place a board
of the laminate flooring you have chosen to lay, together
with any underlay you are using, on top of your sub-floor
and mark off how much of the door (if any) needs to be
planed away.
While you have easy access to your sub-floor, carry
out any plumbing tasks or electrical installations you
have planned.
Cutting laminate flooring
You will need to cut your laminate flooring to fit the shape of
your room, remembering to leave space for items such as
pipework.
Use a power circular saw with a carbide toothed blade and
cut from the non-decorative underside of the boards to avoid
chipping. Alternatively, use a hand saw and cut from the top
of the boards. Ensure you cut the planks carefully - they are
strong and durable but may chip during cutting if care is not
taken.
5 - Laying a LOC laminate floor
LOC laminate flooring simply 'locs' together, so no adhesive
is required. It is quick and easy to install and can be re-laid
up to six times - but remember that care should always be
taken when doing this.
Choose the direction
Most manufacturers recommend
flooring is laid lengthways, along the
room, running the boards towards the
window if there is one. If you're laying
over floorboards, lay the laminate
boards at 90o (right angles) across
them to reinforce the joints (1).
Laying the first row
Lay the first board with the Groove or
small tongue against the wall. Two
spacers should be used to allow for
the 10mm expansion gap between the
boards and the wall (2).
Check alignment and squaring.
Lay the next board against the short
side and fix into place. Once fixed be
very careful if separating the joints as
this may result in damage.
The end of the row
To measure the correct length of
board to use at the end of a row
(allowing for the 10mm gap), place
the final board next to the existing
flooring with the tongues facing each
other. The groove end should be
pushed up to the spacers against the
wall (3).
Cut the required length and turn the
board so that the groove and tongue are together.
Fitting the boards
Check that the first row is positioned
correctly and the spacers are in the
right place.
Insert the tongue of the first board at
an angle to 'loc' the boards firmly
together (4).
Starting a new row
When starting to lay a new row of
flooring, make sure that the first
piece you are going to lay is at least
30cm in length.
Remember to stagger the joints
(creating a 'brick wall' effect) when
laying the boards (5) and tap them
together using a tapping block - the
long side first, followed by the short
side.
The final row
When you come to lay the last row,
place a loose board on top of the
previously laid row, then place
another board on top of this with the
tongue touching the wall.
Mark the board underneath so that it
shows the required width (6) and cut
along this line before fitting it.
Pipes
If you need to fit your flooring around
pipes, start by measuring the
diameter of the pipe then drill a hole,
20mm larger than the pipe diameter,
in the laminate board. Saw a section
out of the board which goes through
the hole (7) so that it can be laid
around the pipe and replace the sawn
out section and glue in to place.
Mouldings and skirtings
You may need to make minor
adjustments to door mouldings and
skirtings to ensure your new flooring
fits comfortably.
Place a piece of the flooring face down
on to any underlay you are using and
saw the moulding above this board at
the base (8).
Fit the floorboard under the moulding,
remembering to leave a 10mm expansion gap.
Finishing
When you have laid your floor, remove the fitting wedges. If
you are using floor edging to hide the expansion gaps, pin or
glue it to the wall or skirting board (not the floor). Use a nail
punch to drive the pin heads below the surface. Cover holes
made for pipes with pipe covers and glue into place.
To restore your floor's shine, go over the surface with a
broom or vacuum cleaner (with the brushes down). To add
extra shine to your newly installed floor, use a laminate floor
cleaner.
Laminate flooring repair kits are available should your new
floor suffer any damage. Please refer to the product
instructions for advice on ongoing care and maintenance.
If you require additional advice on fitting a laminate floor,
please contact the Floormaster Helpdesk on 01276 410200.