How To Lay Down Laminate Hardwood Floor

Here s how to install flooring using the nail down method.

How to lay down laminate hardwood floor.

If you are installing the flooring below grade or in a room like a basement with high humidity or moisture lay down a vapor barrier before you install the flooring. You ll also want to tear up any carpet in the room and remove the leftover tack strips. Fill any low spots in the underlayment greater than 3 8 inch with floor leveling compound. Next cut strips of underlayment to size and lay the strips down across the exposed floor.

To lay laminate flooring first clear out any furniture in the room you ll be laying the floor in. Doing so enables you to slide the new planks underneath the casing. After the first few rows have been installed drill pilot holes down into the tongue of each board and hand nail the rolls until there is enough clearance for the pneumatic nail gun. You will see a gap on the long side joints when the plank is rotated down.

The planks glue together to create a floor that floats moves freely as a unit. Engineered flooring goes down over a thin foam sheet which provides cushioning and sound dampening. Hardwood floors can go anywhere you need them to and can follow a wide array of patterns based on your preference for an area. Lay out the unopened boxes of laminate planks in the room.

When laying out the boards keep in mind. Raise the outside edge of the plank upward approximately 1. For the next plank join the short end of the plank first image 2. How to lay out a hardwood floor in an l shaped room.

Align the first board with the layout line with the tongue facing into the room. Used when installing solid hardwood nail down installation is chosen due to how quickly and cost effectively it can be done. Lay out a box of hardwood boards ahead of the installation to visualize lengths wood grain and colors of the boards. Keep this angle as you push the plank in until the laminate edges meet.

If you have l. Next rotate down until the joints lock image 1. They should acclimate for at least 48 hours.