by Allen Teal

Created on: July 06, 2009

A wood floor is beautiful and expensive. Today, many people are opting for a durable laminate floor that looks like wood, but can be installed by amateurs. The cost savings for laying your own flooring can be a considerable amount. Some flooring stores offer a video that you can borrow to watch for tips about installing laminate flooring. Especially at the beginning, laminate flooring can be a little tricky to get on track. A hint or two before starting can help.

Measure the floor so that you know how much flooring to buy.

While some stores will send someone to your house to measure your floor, most places now that cater to do-it-yourself people will not offer this service without an additional charge. Getting the right amount is a little difficult because of special cuts and waste.

The simplest way to get close is to measure your floor and add on 20%. You can always return extra full boxes for a refund. You do not want to run out and not be able to buy more of the same type. If you are not skilled at using a saw and measuring before cutting, you may want to add on an extra box or two more for good measure.

The tools that you will need for this job are relatively few and simple.

You should have access to a table saw for making faster cuts and ripping the planks that will fit against the opposite side of the room. A saber saw will help if you need to cut out for floor vents or around doorways and cabinets. You will need a hammer, small square, pencil, and tape measure.

Consider purchasing the tools made for using when laying laminate flooring.

There are two tools that are made especially for laminate flooring. One is a device that allows you to tap on it with your hammer to snap the planks together. The other one is a bar that fits over the edge of the laminate plank. It extends back away from the edge and is turned up so that you can tap on it and pull the planks into place that are too near to the wall for the other tool to be effective. It is really recommended that you buy the spacers to keep your planks the right distance from the wall to allow for expansion and still keep the gap small enough that your baseboards will cover it. Some find the spacers to more trouble than benefit.

Repair your floor or underlayment before laying the laminate flooring in place.

Floors that are uneven or in poor condition will require you to make any necessary repairs to the sub floor first. Using 1/4 inch plywood will make the best underlayment. Use

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>