Tips for laying the perfect laminate flooring

There’s something wonderful about laminated flooring in the home, but it’s one of those items that needs to be fitted properly in order to look its best. If you’ve decided to install this in your home, be sure to take a great deal of care when doing so, and of course listen to the advice of those in the know. Our experienced flooring specialists have been fitting laminate flooring for many years, and here are a few nuggets of advice from them.

Always remember the room may not be a perfect square or rectangle

Many rooms in the home may look like perfect geometrical shapes, but turn out to be anything but. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start laying laminate after you’ve taken a few measurements. If you have to taper one side of the flooring to match the shape of the room, it will look aesthetically better if you do so on both sides, leaving the middle of the room with perfectly straight sections. This is a particularly good idea if the centre of the room tends to be the main focal point.

A smooth sub-floor is key to the whole project

Before starting any flooring work ensure the sub-floor is as flat as possible. Look for bumps or valleys that are higher than 1/8 inch. If there are any, sand them out with a belt sander. You should also check the seams between boards. These need to be smoothed out before putting down the floor. If the seams are very rough, try using a commercial floor sander. It’s a good idea to use a trowel to fill the gap with hardwood flooring glue. Let the glue dry overnight before installing the floor.

Where should the installation process begin?

Every flooring specialist will tell you that areas around doors can be the most complex, and will often be the most time-consuming. Beginning with the most difficult part may seem a little irritating, but as a general rule you will find it easier to start here than end here. And if one wall has more than one door, that would be the best place to begin. There are plenty of helpful DIY videos to be found on the internet that will explain how to fit laminate flooring around a door jamb.

Plan ahead to make things simpler

If you’re planning to install your own flooring, there’s a lot more to consider than just what type of material you’re going to be using. For example, you’ll need to figure out how many boards you need to cover the area you’ve got planned for them. Flooring comes in standard widths, and often in thicknesses between 6 mm and 12 mm. If you’re working with narrower strips, you’ll need to buy longer lengths, and vice versa. And you’ll also need to account for any irregularities in the dimensions of the space you’re covering.

Using a spare piece to help with fitting

Sometimes you need to tap a board into place. You might even need to do this while someone else holds the board down. If you’re worried about damaging your brand new floor you can use a sacrificial scrap to protect your flooring while you tap away. When you’re done, simply remove the scrap and keep it should it need to be re-used at some point in the future.

Or simply call in the experts!

Laying laminate flooring is a complex process that requires patience and a great deal of precision. Unless you happen to be an experienced DIY enthusiast, it may be that this is one of those projects that is best left to the experts, and that’s where Tayside Construction comes in. We’ve fitted new flooring in flats and houses throughout the region over many years, so give the team a call on 01738 505 888 and have a chat with us about your needs. We hope to hear from you soon.