While you could pay somebody to install it for you, a new laminate floor is definitely within the reach of the average do-it-yourself homeowner. Laminate floors are a great choice for the kitchen, due to their good looks, easy care, and reasonable price.

Getting Ready
One of the first steps when installing a laminate floor is to first remove the baseboards, and measure the room carefully so that you know how much flooring you need to purchase. Calculate the square footage of the room, and then compare that to how many boxes of flooring you will need. Most people prefer to buy one extra box of flooring, just to insure that they have enough, in case there were miscalculations, or flooring waste due to the way the boards need to be cut. After you purchase the flooring, bring it into the room that you plan to install it in, and let it rest for a day or two, so that it gets acclimated to the humidity and temperature levels.

Cleaning the Surface
Sweep the floor so that debris doesn’t get trapped under the floor. Put down the underlayment, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, starting along the longest wall in the room, lay the first row of flooring, with the tongue facing out, making sure to use spacers to keep a space between the board and all sides of the wall, so that the board has room for expansion. When laying the second row of boards, make sure to stagger the boards. If the final piece of board you trimmed off of the first row is longer than 8 inches, you can actually just start the row with that piece. Again, make sure to use spacers between the ends of the boards and the wall.

A Word about Glue
Some floating floors need to be glued, while others just notch and snap together. If your floor requires gluing, put the glue in the groove of the board, and then slide it into place against the previous row. You can protect the board with a wooden block, and then tap with a hammer to so that the rows fit snugly together. Wipe any glue that oozes out with a damp cloth, and then continue laying each row of flooring in the same fashion.

Doorway Considerations
If you have any doorways that lead into the room, you will have to fit the flooring inside the doorways by notching it. Install all of the rows of flooring except the final row. For the final row, you will need to measure the width of the space you have left, and then cut the board lengthwise so that it will fit. You may need to use a pry bar and block and hammer to get this last row into position.

When you are finished laying all the boards, you will need to let the floor dry for at least 12 hours if it was glued. This will insure that all the boards set and dry properly. Once the floor is completely dry, you can put the floor molding and door threshholds back in place, and admire your new laminate floor.

Author Bio: Jessica Ackerman from WallDecorandHomeAccents.com generously shares everything she knows about bedroom wall decor and outdoor wall art.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: home, decor, design, wall art, improvement, remodel, budget, repair, organize, feng shui, clean