Laying Laminate Flooring And Placing Sub Floor

In some instances you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material.

Laying laminate flooring and placing sub floor.

To test for the flatness for laying laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor lay a 10 foot long 2x4 board. Wood and concrete are the idea subfloors. Laminate floor systems do not function well on uneven surfaces. It can be installed over any other tightly bonded flooring making it ideal for retrofits.

Laminate planks snap together and float above a subfloor which means tiny subfloor imperfections are okay although again a level subfloor will help prevent damage. Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width. They should acclimate for at least 48 hours. A little cheat to help work past a small dip in your subfloor when installing laminate flooring.

Before starting any flooring work inspect the subfloor. Laminate is a budget friendly attractive alternative to hardwood flooring. Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding. While the subfloor provides the foundational support for the room the underlayment is what supports the flooring material itself intended to enhance and protect the flooring.

Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy. These hills and valleys will eventually lead to unwanted bouncy spots squeaks and groans in the final laminate floor. A laminate floor is a floating floor meaning it is not fastened directly to the subfloor. Start with a smooth subfloor.

Look at the board where it touches the subfloor and see if there are any dips bumps or otherwise uneven areas. Occasionally it ll be necessary to tap a plank into place or. To level a subfloor for installing laminate follow the directions above to remove high and low spots. Installing laminate flooring is a snap literally.

In laminate flooring installations the underlayment is the thin flexible sheet of resilient material that is installed on top of a subfloor in order to act as a base for the laminate planks or tiles you re installing. If you are installing the flooring below grade or in a room like a basement with high humidity or moisture lay down a vapor barrier before you install the flooring. Lay out the unopened boxes of laminate planks in the room. This will allow them to acclimate to the room s temperature and humidity.