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DYI- How to Install Laminate Flooring
General Installation Instructions for Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is designed to be a floating floor that may be
installed over virtually any type of sub floor. It is not nailed or
glued to the sub floor. Instead, a glue- less system with an extremely
strong and durable tongue and
groove “locking” system creates a beautiful, stylish floor to be enjoyed
as
soon as the installation is complete.
Just as all materials in the home expand and contract, laminate floors
react to the changes in temperature and humidity. To allow the planks to
adjust to the environment where they will live, acclimation to “in use
conditions” is necessary and important. “In Use Conditions” means the
area of installation should be heated or cooled to the typical use
conditions. Acclimating a floor to a site that is not brought to in use
conditions, is not proper acclimation.
To acclimate, place unopened cartons of planks flat on the floor in the
room where they will be installed at least 3 feet away from outside
walls and heating/air conditioning vents for a 48 hour minimum prior to
installation. Maintaining temperatures between 60 – 85 degrees
Fahrenheit and a 35% - 65% relative humidity level provides a
comfortable, healthy environment for people as well as the new flooring.
Because this is a “floating floor”, a minimum ¼” expansion space must be
left around the entire perimeter of the room and any fixed objects to
allow for movement. FAILURE TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS CAN
RESULT IN BUCKLING AND OTHER PROBLEMS! When installing the floor in wide
or long areas, extra expansion space is recommended.
- Laminate floors offer a wide variety of coordinating moldings and
transition pieces to cover the ¼” expansion space at walls, doorways
and transitions to other flooring. Some laminates have an attached
foam underlayment on the planks while others require the installation
of a separate underlayment. When installing over any concrete subfloor,
a moisture/vapor barrier must be installed first, if not already
incorporated in the product. Install a moisture barrier by rolling it
out over the floor, overlap and tape the seams, lap up the walls (to
be trimmed later).
Laminate flooring is intended for indoor use only. Make sure you have
all the appropriate installation tools and materials:
Essential Tools and Materials
Laminate Flooring
Underlayment
Manufacturers approved vapor retarder (for concrete substrates)
Spacers
Hand saw or power saw (Carbide tipped blade)
Tape measure
Utility knife
Hammer
Pull bar
Masking tape
Manufacturers approved wood glue
Calculator
Jigsaw
Dust pan and broom
Undercut saw
String line or 8 ft. straight edge
Pencil or marker
Spade bit (SpeedBor)
Safety glasses
Recommended
Chisels or pocket plane
Rasp or file
Pry bar
12” Speed Square
Vacuum Cleaner
Floor patch material
Knee Pads
Trowel and mixing bucket
Floor Sander
Concrete grinder
General Sub Floor Requirements:
- The sub floor surface must be flat. Flat means no low spots or
ridges more than allowed by the manufactures instructions.
- The sub floor must be structurally sound and clean of debris.
- The sub floor must be dry. (See specific requirements for wood and
concrete below)
- Patching compounds must be allowed to dry thoroughly before
proceeding with the installation.
- Laminate flooring can be installed above, on or below grade.
- Do not install laminate flooring in rooms with a sump pump or
floor drain.
- All sub floors must be checked for moisture. (See section on
Moisture Testing)
- Concrete sub floors
- New concrete must cure for at least 60 days.
- All slabs must be flat to within manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Cover all concrete sub floors with a manufacturers approved vapor
retarder.
- Overlap all joints 8” and install from wall to wall.
- Slabs on, above, or below grade, and lightweight concrete need a
vapor retarder.
- Existing sheet vinyl, VCT, LVT, ceramic tile, and terrazzo
installed over concrete require a vapor retarder and must met flatness
requirements.
- Any existing wood flooring glued to concrete must be removed prior
to
laminate installation.
- Carpet and pad must always be removed prior to laminate
installation.
- Any floating floors must be removed.
Wood sub floors
- Wooden sub floors must be constructed according to local building
codes, be structurally sound and deflection free.
- Repair any squeaky floor prior to installation.
- Sand or plane high spots.
- Fill all low spots with Portland cement based patching compound.
- Floor patch applied according to the manufacturer’s
recommendations is a good choice to fill low spots.
- It is not necessary to use a vapor retarder on top of a wooden sub
floor.
- Wooden sub floors constructed over a crawl space must have
adequate ventilation, 1.5 sq. ft. per 100 sq. ft. of floor space.
- The ground or concrete must be covered with a manufacturers
approved vapor retarder to prevent damage due to excessive water vapor
emissions. Overlap joints 8” and cover the entire crawlspace.
- Basement walls and floors must be dry to prevent damage due to
excessive water vapor emissions into the wooden sub floor overhead.
- The moisture content of a wood sub floor must not exceed
manufacturer’s recommendations.
Moisture Testing:
- A manufacturers approved moisture test is recommended over all
concrete
- sub floors, and wood sub floors constructed over a crawl space or
basement.
- Be sure to record the test results in a reliable manner for future
reference.
Certified Flooring Inspectors may be hired to perform Moisture
Testing.
- The maximum acceptable moisture reading for wood sub floors is
14%. A Tramex Moisture Encounter Plus MEP is a non destructive meter
that measures the moisture content of a wood sub floor.
Concrete sub floors
- The maximum acceptable moisture reading for concrete sub floors
must not exceed the manufacturer’s recommendations.Some manufacturers
accept a meter reading and some require a Calcium Chloride Test.
- The Calcium Chloride Test defines the water vapor emission rate of
a
concrete sub floor. The maximum emission rate for laminate flooring
varies
from product to product.
- The tests must remain in place undisturbed for 60 – 72 hours
before
harvesting and weighing.
- Follow the manufacturers test procedures precisely to obtain an
accurate
result.
- Refer to ASTM E 1869 for complete testing procedures; Certified
Flooring Inspectors may be hired to perform Moisture Testing.
Room Preparation:
- Be sure the room has the correct temperature and relative humidity
for installing laminate flooring, as specified by the manufacturer.
- Remove existing quarter round.
- Remove carpet, padding, and tack strip.
- Wood or parquet flooring glued to concrete must be removed.
- Undercut all door frames. Extend undercut approximately 1” beyond
the door frame. (Quarter round will cover where wall base or drywall
has been undercut).
- Flatten sub floor as described in section on “General sub floor
requirements”.
- Repair wood sub floors to eliminate squeaks or deflection.
- Sweep or vacuum up all debris and foreign matter.
- Roll out a vapor retarder from wall to wall, as specified in the
manufacturer’s installation instructions
- If required, roll out a suitable underlayment. Roll out additional
underlayment as the floor is installed.
Installation:
- Layout the first row. It is an accepted industry practice to begin
and end each row with a plank at least 8” long.
- For plank designs, measure the width of the room and divide by the
width of one plank. If the remainder is 2 ½” or less, cut down the
width of the first row to allow the last row to be more than 2 ½”
wide.
- For tile and slate designs the width and length of the planks in
the first and last rows should be balanced.
- To balance the width of a pattern in a room, add the width of the
last row to the width of a full plank and divide by two. The answer is
the width of the first and last row. For example, if the last row is
5” wide, add 5” to width of
the plank, in this case 11 ½” to get 16 ½”. Divide by two and get 8 ¼”
which is the size to cut the first and last row.
The same formula will work for the length, however it may be easier to
lay out as many full length planks as possible and physically center
them from end to end.
- If the starting wall is uneven, scribe or draw the contour of the
wall on the planks and cut along the pencil line. Remove the small
tongue from the end of the first plank in the first row.
- End joints on adjacent rows must be staggered according to
manufacturers recommendations.
- When possible, install planks perpendicular to the source of
light.
- Maintain a minimum ¼” expansion space with spacers. Whenever
possible, use the cut pieces from the opposite wall to begin the next
row or another row. Stagger end joints according to manufacturer’s
recommendations.
- Start the installation in a corner of the room and work left to
right, or visa versa, according to the manufacturers plank
configuration.
- Trim the first row as per the above instructions or if starting
with a full plank or tile cut off the extended profile sides of the
plank that will be against the wall. Run this trimmed edge parallel to
the starting wall using expansion spacers. Keep the corners of the
planks in the first row perfectly aligned.
- For most installations, especially tile or slate installations,
the best visual effect is obtained by mixing planks from different
boxes (preferably 4 or 5 boxes) during installation. Bear in mind that
the width of the joint between the tiles on each strip varies. Using
planks from various boxes and placing thin joints next to thick ones
gives a more natural look.
Aligning grout lines lengthwise and crosswise in a room is
recommended. When you reach the end of a row, measure and trim the
last plank to fit. Remember to leave a minimum ¼” expansion. A sharp
carbide tipped blade with 60 of more teeth cutting into the decorative
surface will avoid chipping. Use the remainder of the cut plank to
start the next row if it is more than 8”long. (Does not apply to tile
or slate installations).
- To install flooring around pipes, drill a hole in the plank ½”
larger than the pipe diameter. Cut the plank across the center of the
circle, position on the floor and glue the plank pieces back together.
(Do not glue laminate to the sub floor). Cover expansion gaps with
molding or pipe rings when the floor is complete. All pipes require
silicone sealant in the expansion space.
- To replace any planks that may have been damaged, simply raise the
last installed board approximately 1 ¼” until it disengages. Replace
and reinstall the planks. Do not engage and disengage more than three
times.
Cutting the Last Row:
- Place a full row of planks directly on top of the last installed
row of planks.
Use the full width of a scrap piece of plank. Place the tongue side
against
the wall and a pencil against the extended groove and mark a line the
length
of the wall. Cut along the pencil line. Leaving the tongue an groove
on the
scrap piece will automatically allow for the ¼” expansion space
needed.
Bathroom Installation:
- Most laminate flooring is resistant to water and may be installed
in a bathroom; however, it is very important to prevent water or
moisture from getting under the flooring. Remove the toilet before
installing the laminate flooring. Seal all expansion spaces including
around the toilet flange and any pipes with mildew resistant 100%
silicone sealant.
Kitchen Installation:
When installing laminate flooring in a kitchen all expansion spaces
subject to moisture or plumbing leaks must be sealed using a mildew
resistant 100% silicone sealant. Fill the expansion space in front of
the sink and dishwasher, around the refrigerator and icemaker,
exterior door/s and any other area subject to flooding. It is
recommended that kitchen cabinets be installed prior to installing
laminate flooring. Install the plank up to the kick plate of the
cabinets, leaving a minimum ¼” expansion space. Cover the expansion
space with a quarter round molding.
Laundry Room Installation:
- All expansion spaces in a laundry room MUST be filled with sealant
including all exterior doors.
- Laminate flooring must not be installed if the laundry room has a
floor drain or sump plum.
- The expansion space around the perimeter of the laminate floor
must be ¼” wide and sealed prior to installing the wall trim. The
expansion space must be completely filled with sealant to avoid water
getting underneath the
flooring.
- When laminate flooring is installed in a laundry room and an
adjoining hall or room, a T-molding must be installed in the doorway
between the rooms or hallway, and the expansion space under the
T-molding must be filled with mildew resistant 100% silicone sealant.
Radiant Heat:
- Most laminate flooring can be used in combination with many types
of infloor heating. The heating system can be cast in a concrete floor
or in a thin layer of filler on the surface of a concrete subfloor. It
can also be installed under a wood subfloor or installed on the
surface of a subfloor as matting.
- Follow the instructions from the supplier of the floor heating
system. The heating system must be in operation for at least 2
weeks prior to the installation of laminate flooring. The system may
be turned off or set to a
suitable installation temperature (65 – 72 degrees F.) After
installation, the temperature may be increased slowly at the rate of
approximately 5 degrees per day, and should not exceed 85 degrees F.
Follow the instructions from the manufacturer of the floor heating
system that do not conflict with the above requirements.
Installing Laminate Flooring on Step Down or Stair Tread
Applications:
- Prior to beginning the installation, any loose or damaged treads
or risers should be repaired or replaced. Any loose paint, debris or
old adhesives must be removed prior to installation.
Step Down from a Floating Floor
Cut the stair nosing to the desired length and attach to the sub floor
as per manufacturer’s instructions. A ¼” expansion space must be
maintained beneath the stair nosing and the floating floor. Insert the
stair nose in place
per manufacturer’s instruction.
Staircases
Cut the stair nosing to the desired length and attach to the sub floor
as per manufacturer’s instructions.
Tread Flush or Even with Riser
The riser must be installed before the nosing is fit into place. If
installing from a floating floor, follow the above instructions. When
installing on a stair tread, the nosing will be installed after the
tread and riser are glued into
place.
Tread with an Extended Round Edge Nosing
Cut off the rounded portion of the extended nosing. Do not cut off the
entire extended nosing. Glue a narrow strip of laminate on the edge of
the squared nosing to finish the exposed edge of the tread. Install
the tread and the riser
and finish the edge with a stair nosing.
Tread with an Extended Square Edge Nosing
On this style of tread, simply cut a narrow strip of laminate and glue
it on the edge of the existing tread. Install the tread and the riser
and finish the edge with a stair nosing.
Laminate on Stair Treads and Risers
Cut the laminate planks net from side to side, no expansion space is
necessary. Remember that the depth of the laminate tread material will
be cut to accommodate the width of the laminate nosing which overlaps
either a
riser of laminate or the piece of laminate which is glued to the edge
of the step. One plank of laminate will finish most risers; if two
planks are needed to accommodate the depth of the tread, position the
joint close to the riser.
After dry fitting the treads and risers, start with the bottom riser
an install each step until the last top riser is installed. Start with
the top riser and install each step until the last bottom riser is
installed. Use a premium urethane adhesive to adhere the treads and
risers. Install quarter round where the tread meets the riser if
needed. Allow the recommended amount of time for the adhesive to fully
set up before using the stairs. A stair application is the ONLY time
that a laminate floor is glued directly to a substrate. Laminate
flooring must be installed as a floating
floor for a step down and all other applications.
Transition Molding:
Transition moldings are used to give a finished appearance to laminate
installations. This includes laminate-to-laminate, laminate to other
flooring materials, and laminate to fixed objects or vertical
surfaces. Transition
moldings come in many different widths and lengths.
T-molding
T-molding joins laminate flooring to laminate flooring where
recommended by the manufacturer. They also may be used to other Hard
Surface flooring of EQUAL height such as ceramic tile, hardwood,
vinyl, or other resilient
flooring installed over underlayment.
Carpet Transition
Carpet Transitions and moldings are to be used where laminate flooring
meets a carpeted floor. T-molding should NOT be use to transition
laminate
to carpet.
End Molding
End molding finishes laminate flooring at sliding doors, exterior door
thresholds, and other vertical surfaces not receiving wall base or
quarter
round.
Reducer
Reducer transitions laminate to a lower hard surface floor such as
vinyl, wood, or tile.
Stair Nose
Stair Nose is used to finish stair edges or step down applications.
Repairing Minor Damage to Laminate Floors:
Minor damage to the floor such as a small chip or nail or screw hole
in wall
trim can be easily fixed or filled with finishing putty. A neat repair
is easy
to accomplish by using a small sharp chisel or knife to clean up the
edges of
the damaged area. Surround the damaged area with scotch tape before
applying the finishing putty with a new plastic spatula. Once applied,
remove the tape and allow to dry thoroughly.
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