- 1). Remove carpeting if the laminate floor is to replace it. This is one surface laminate flooring cannot cover (Reference 2). Cover bare concrete with a 6mm plastic sheet vapor barrier, running wall-to-wall and secured with masking tape (Reference 2). Make sure the floor is flat, gluing down loose wood or tiles to avoid squeaking when the laminate floor is installed. Any loose surfaces or depressions in the subfloor will cause movement in the joined laminate planks, resulting in a noisy floor when walked upon (Reference 1).
- 2). Prepare the laminate by letting it sit inside the room to be floored 48 hours before installation. Laminate flooring expands and contracts and needs to become accustomed to the room temperature where it will be located. This step minimizes expansion so the floor doesn't buckle in some places while developing gaps in others from contraction (Reference 1). The flooring does not need to be removed from its packaging during this step.
- 3). Measure the width of the room. This will determine how wide the first and last row of planking needs to be. Divide the room width by one plank, then trim half the remainder from the first and last row of planks (Reference 2). For example, in a room that is 12 feet, 6 inches wide, divide 150 inches by 12 inches for the width of a piece of laminate. For the 6-inch remainder, trim the first and last row of laminate down to 3 inches apiece while the remaining rows are left their original dimension to completely cover the width of the floor. Install expansion spacers along the walls, and begin covering the subfloor with laminate planks, the trimmed side against the wall (Reference 2). Be sure to consult any special instructions that come with the flooring kit before beginning the project.
- 4). Install laminate by placing the tongue of one plank at an angle into the groove of the second plank, and press down to snap them together (Reference 2). Begin installing in the left corner of the room and continue laying laminate planks until reaching the wall. Measure the last board from the wall spacer to the end of the last installed plank, and cut with the decorative side down using a power saw (Reference 2). Install the last board and proceed to the next row.
- 5). Stop when reaching a floor pipe to prepare a custom fitted piece of laminate. Drill a hole in the plank that is one-quarter to one-half inch larger than the pipe, then cut the plank in half along the drilled hole. Fit the laminate around the pipe and glue the pieces back together and clamp. Do not glue the laminate to the subfloor (Reference 2).
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