Laminate Installation Guide
Laminate is such a popular flooring solution because it’s so easy to install. Although it replicates the look of solid wood, it’s a fraction of the price and comes with a handy click system. If you’re planning to install yourself, here are the tools and the know-how you'll need for laying laminate floors without the hassle.
What tools do I need to install laminate flooring?
While there are various methods for laminate flooring installation, depending on whether it’s click or glue, the below advice helps with installing click laminate. So, the tools needed to lay laminate flooring are as follows:
- Measuring tape to measure your boards and the room.
- Laminate underlay to prepare your subfloor.
- Scissors to cut your underlay.
- Adhesive tape to keep your underlay in place.
- A rubber hammer to gently knock your boards into place.
- Flooring spacers to keep an even gap between your floor and skirting.
- A chalk pencil to mark sawing lines.
- A laminate cutter to cut the boards.
- A mitre box to hold skirting or beading place.
- A handsaw to cut your skirting or beading.
- A hammer and nails or wood adhesive, for your skirting or beading.
If you think you’re a little short on the tools you need, check out our flooring accessories for everything you need to install your floor.
How to Install Laminate Flooring
To install laminate, you’ll first need to measure the space available to work out how many boards you need. Then, once your boards and tools arrive, you’ll be able to start the process.
Laying laminate is easy, even for those with limited DIY skills. Take a look at our guide on how to lay a laminate floor:
Work out how much laminate flooring you need
Measure the length and width of the room. Multiply these numbers together to find the surface area, then enter that number into the flooring calculator on each laminate floor page to tell you how many packs you’ll require
Gather your tools and materials
After gathering all of your tools and receiving your laminate, remove the laminate from its packaging. Leave it to acclimatise and adjust to the room’s temperature for at least 48 hours prior to installation. While you wait, ensure your subfloor is clean and dry.
Install your underlay
Use your scissors to cut the sheets to the size of the room and simply tape them together on the floor. We recommend using our special Vapour Tape which not only keeps the underlay in place but also strengthens the joins. Add some more tape around the seams.
Lay out your first row
After the underlay, you can lay your first row of laminate flooring. Start in the left-hand corner of the room. Leave a gap of roughly 8-10mm around the perimeter of the room to allow for beading or skirting. Some flooring spacers might help you at this point.
Measure the last piece of your first row to size
When laying your first row you’ll most likely reach a point where a full board won’t fit anymore. At this point, you need to measure the distance from the end of your penultimate board to the wall. Take off 10mm to allow for spacing and then mark where you need to cut with a chalk pencil.
Cut the last piece of your first row to size
Ensuring all safety precautions have been taken for the laminate cutter – we recommend gloves, a cutting bench and safety goggles – start to cut your board to size. Using your laminate cutter, cut the board along the line you marked in the previous step. Use the remnant of this board to begin the next step.
Lay your second row
Repeat steps 4 – 6 for your second row, taking care to follow safety regulations. As you slot each second board to the first row, gently hammer the board til it clicks into the parallel board in row 1. Remember to start with the offcut from the previous step.
Repeat until your floor is fully laid
Take care to repeat these instructions all the way from row 2 until you are as close to the farthest wall as you can get. Remember to use the offcuts to start each new row and to gently hammer in each board til its click into the previous row.
Add the beading or skirting
After your laminate is down, the last step is to add the beading or skirting. Mark the measurements onto the beading or skirting and trim down using a handsaw. The mitre box comes in handy here to help you hold the beading or skirting in place.
Fix the beading or skirting into place
Finally, fix the beading or skirting down using a strong wood adhesive or a hammer and nail. If you haven't yet found your beading or skirting, check out our best floor edging for some inspiration.
That’s it! Enjoy your new laminate flooring! If you need any more advice please call us on 0330 100 00 15 or check out our laminate advice centre and get the low-down on everything from maintenance to removal.