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How to Lay a Laminate Floor

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You need some DIY experience for laying a laminate floor. It’s crucial that the laminate boards are laid on a dry, leveled surface so ensure that you fix any loose floorboards, and clean damp areas or woodworm problems before installing your new floor. Get professional if necessary.

Time to complete job: Two or three days for a small to medium-sized room.

Approximate budget: From about £10 per square metre.

Materials and equipment needed to lay a laminate floor:

  • Laminate floor packs
  • Underlay
  • Adhesive
  • Craft knife
  • Drill
  • 20mm (7/8in) wood bit
  • Panel saw
  • Tape measure
  • Spacer blocks
  • Fitting tool
  • Edge block
  • Hammer
  • Try square
  • Panel pins
  • Timber edge moulding

First Steps

If you’re laying a laminate floor in a kitchen or bathroom suite check if the laminate floor is water tight before you buy it, most laminate floors are hard wearing but only certain types are suitable for bathrooms and kitchens.

Look for lock-together laminate boards that doesn’t need gluing, they’re easier and quicker to install.

Step 1: Preparing the floor

Take off the skirting boards. You can replace them later on top of the laminate or add timber mouldings to hide the edges of the new floor.

Remove any grit from the floor with a vacuum.

Roll out the first two strips of underlay along the longest straight wall, starting in one corner.

Cut the underlay with a craft knife.

Tip: Take off any inward-opening doors to make the job easier.

Step 2: Laying the first row

To allow the laminate to expand as the room is heated, place plastic spacers every 60cm (24in) along the longest straight wall and lay the first row of boards with the groove side facing the wall, starting from a corner.

Squeeze a bead of glue along the tongue and groove joints at the ends of the boards.

You will probably need to cut the last board of the row to fit. Mark a line across the piece with a try square and saw with the finished surface facing up.

Step 3: Laying and fitting

Continue laying the laminate across the room. Begin the second row with the off-cut of the board used at the end of the first row.

Stagger all the end joints by at least 30cm (12in) and use a fitting tool to pull the ends of the boards together.

Make sure the edges of the boards are forced together by gently tapping the edge block against the grooved side of each board.

Step 4: Working around fixtures

Cutting boards around doorways can be fiddly. Instead, saw a piece from the bottom of the door architrave to the thickness of the laminate - the board can then be fitted under door frame.

Drill holes in the laminate boards to fit around any pipework - make sure the hole is at least 5mm (0.2in) larger than the diameter of the pipe. Make two saw cuts from the edge of the board to the hole. Fit the board in place and glue the small off-cut wedge behind the pipe.

Step 5: Finishing

The last row of boards may need to be cut to fit. Measure the gap between the boards and the wall, deduct 10mm (0.4in) to allow for the expansion gap and saw the boards lengthways to the width required.

Glue the joints and fit.

Replace the skirting boards or fix a timber moulding over the expansion gap around the edge of the floor.

Fix the moulding to the skirting board with 30mm (1.2in) panel pins and paint or varnish.

Finally, fit a metal or wooden threshold across the door openings.

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Category: Building & DIY
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