Installing Laminate Flooring Step-By-Step

Installing laminate flooring is a popular way for homeowners to add an attractive feature to their home that is easy to put in and maintain. With a wide array of colors and styles available, options can be found that fit in with the décor of every room in the house, and is relatively simple to install. To get the project rolling, you'll need to pick out a color and style and gather a few tools to get your new flooring installation off the ground.

 What You Will Need:

•    Pull bar for laminate flooring
•    Rubber mallet
•    Tape measure
•    Utility knife
•    Hammer
•    Saw
•    Pad
•    Laminate flooring
•    Nails

Step 1 - Prepare the Existing Floor

Before you can install your laminate floor, you will have to get rid of the flooring that already exists. Carpet and the pads underneath should be stripped off of the floor. Remove all tacks and adhesive and vacuum the floor carefully to remove any loose debris. Even out the floor as much as possible and remove the baseboards from the perimeter of the room. Use care when you are removing the baseboards, however, so you can reuse them when the new flooring is installed.  

Step 2 - Measure Carefully

Next, measure the floor to figure out the exact amount of flooring and padding you'll need. You should plan to buy five percent more than this amount in the event that you need to replace some of the pieces.

Step 3 - Pad and Planks

Once you have the proper amount of material, the first step is to install the pad the flooring will lay on. Roll out the pad and connect it together at the seams with tape. The installation of the flooring planks is relatively simple.  The pieces join together in a simple pattern, but make sure you stagger the connections.

While you are connecting the planks together, you will have to use the pull bar and rubber mallet to make sure that everything fits tightly together.  

Step 4 - Reinstall the Baseboards

Once you have all of the flooring planks in place, you can reinstall your baseboards. You should be able to use the baseboards you removed if you were careful when you took them off.  Do not nail the baseboards into the flooring. The floor is not actually attached to the house, but instead is a floating floor.

With simple installation techniques like these, laminate floors have become very popular in the last few years. You, too, can join the growing number of homeowners taking advantage of this home improvement option.