How to install laminate flooring

Find out everything you need to know to install your laminate floor!

00:06 Materials and tools required

00:11 Preparing the surface

00:16 Installing the membrane

00:27 Preparing the spacers

00:35 Preparing and installing the planks

01:09 Different laminate locking systems - Välinge 2G

01:21 Different laminate locking systems - Välinge 5G

01: 35 Different laminate locking systems - Unifit Unilin

01:50 Different laminate locking systems - Drop Lock02:04 Finalizing board installation

02:11 Installing the last row

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Materials and tools required

Materials

• Self-adhesive tape
• Membrane up to 3, 2 mm (18 in)
• Vapour barrier(for installations on concrete or cement-type bases)
• Laminate flooring

Tools

• Measuring tape
• Square
• Retractable utility knife
• Hand-held or table-mounted circular saw with narrow carbide blade with a minimum of 60 teeth
• Laminate flooring notch Plastic or wood spacers 10 mm (⅜ in)
• Blade puller
• Hammer and tapping block
• Hammer
• Nail bar/mouldings

Surface preparation

The subfloor surface must be free of all residues (glue, paint, plaster, etc.). ). Rectify slight surface irregularities with a sander or scraper.

Installing the membrane

Unroll the membrane on the floor, starting at one corner of the room.

Be sure to place the membrane strips side by side to avoid gaps.

Use construction tape to fasten the membrane edges together, ensuring a continuous moisture barrier. Make sure the membrane is flat and wrinkle-free.

Preparing spacers

Prepare your spacers by taking a laminate board and cutting it into several pieces about 3” long.

They will maintain an expansion space along the walls to allow the floor to expand and contract.

Start laying the boards, tongue side up against the wall.

Place your spacers along the wall, allowing the necessary expansion space to be maintained.

Board preparation and installation

Prepare your starting boards by cutting several boards of different sizes (if your full board measures 4', cut 3 boards at 1', 2' and 3').

Once you begin installation, to avoid a staircase effect, start with a 4' plank, then move on to a 2' plank, followed by a 3' plank, and finish with a 1' plank.

For your finishing cuts close to the wall, use the plank to be installed and mark in pencil where it should be cut, remembering the necessary expansion space.

For your finishing cuts close to the wall, use the board to be installed and mark in pencil where it is to be cut, remembering the necessary expansion space.

Different laminate locking systems

Välinge 2G

Place the board at a 25° angle and tilt it inwards.

Snap the board onto the short side of the first board, then gently push down to engage the profile.

Pay attention to the positioning of the short sides to ensure that the joint parts are perfectly aligned.

Once the board is flat, use a tapping block and hammer to align the tongue and groove without damaging them.

Välinge 5G

Incline the board against that of the previous row, press forward and lower simultaneously.Take a new board, push its side into the groove of the boards already in place and press down to interlock.Continue in this way until the ends of the boards meet.

Unifit Unilin

Interlock the long sides of the new plank with those of the previous row, tilting the plank at 30° to the short end of the previous plank.

Lower the plank and tap gently with a rubber mallet or hammer and wedge (to protect the point of impact on your floor) to secure it. Make sure the planks are properly aligned.

Drop Lock

Place the plank at an angle of around 25° before folding it gently towards the floor.

Make sure the joint pieces are properly aligned for a perfect fit.

Once the plank is flat, gently push it so that the tongue fits correctly into the groove.

Finalizing plank installation

Continue installing your laminate floor as you started it, using the planks cut during your first cuts.

Installing the last row

To install the last row, lay a plank, decorative side up, parallel to the last row.

Then take a new full-width plank and measure where the cut will be made (the male tongue of your plank will act as an expansion gap).

Cut the plank with the sawbench and install it afterwards.

Once installation is complete, reinstall your finishing mouldings.=