Laminate flooring install

eh?

[ade_uk]

the wife has been begging for months for me to install laminate flooring in the bathroom...i've bought all the bits now and tomorrow is the install day...

Being a complete ape at anything like DIY (my hands are only capable of using keyboards - not saws and such things) it looks to be a messy affair..

Has anyone completely useless at DIY survived this operation? or should i give up be4 i start and go back to trying to get my multi boot linux/win machine working?

[Birdman]

It's not too bad. The main thing to remember is to leave 1/4" gap around all walls for expansion. If you don't, the floor will buckle.

I have done lots of them, so feel free to sticky me if you get stuck.

[ncw164x]

In a bathroom or kitchen you should use flooring which is waterproof other wise it will buckle if it gets too wet, Tip 1:- If this is your first time you could lay the floor out dry without any glue uncluding all you cuts and then fit all the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle
Tip 2:- You may find it easier to connect the first two rows together and then carry on with the rest either later on the same day or the following day, this way the glue has had time to set and your joints will not be opening up when you knock the remaining pieces together other wise you will be pulling your hair out with frustration trying to get all of your joints up tight which is important were any water could seep through
Tip 3:- Buy the straps to tighten all of the joints together, you may think that you don't need them but this will ensure that the boards stay tight until the glue has set
Tip 4:- If the boards you have purchased are the glueless type put a tiny bead of glue to the ends, the length will clip in OK but the ends can open up over a period of time.

This might seem complex but it is not, laying a floor is just using you common sense

Good Luck

PS have a damp cloth to wipe off any surplus glue

[Jeffry]

Glueing?

Why didn't you bought a laminate which you can click together?

Jeffry

[aspdaddy]

Yes the click stuf is great - I have been doing the attick for a few months now, I'm in no rush.

My tip - Take off all the skirting boards first ;)

[tigger]

It’s very easy, just make sure you get a good quality snap system, it pays to spend a little more otherwise the joints do pull together well

[ncw164x]

<snip>Why didn't you bought a laminate which you can click together? </snip>
I did not mean the length of the boards it's the ends which open up over a period of time, that why it's better to add a little bit of glue. I do this for a living and you might say it all depends on what quality of finish you are prepared to put up with. Least if all this fails you can alway buy a large rug to cover it up

[Birdman]

>Take off all the skirting boards first

Actually, the way I've done it is leave the base trim in place and after floor installation, install quarter-round trim around. All the varieties come with matching quarter-round trim.

However, you will need to cut the bottoms of the door jambs with a jamb saw [tile-stonetools.com].

<Lightbulb goes off!>Home Improvement World! ;)

[Craig_F]

I'm about to do this myself. Anyone know thick the final floor is? I'm wondering if it will fit under the dishwasher.

[Birdman]

It's about 1/4" thick. I personally never recommend laminated wood flooring for wet areas. I suggest ceramic(costly) or vinyl(reasonable) for bathrooms and kitchens.

[ade_uk]

thanks everyone for your replies :) the tips have been useful and ideas such as taking the skirting board off will definately be used when i have another attempt in an easier room!

I bought the glue less click in stuff - waterproof as well since it was the bathroom..

laying a floor is just using you common sense

lol - seems im not too good :)

Started at 10ish am, needed a pencil - had to go shops to buy one - got home - pencil needed sharpening - back to shops to get a sharpener - started measuring - lost pencil - back to shops for a new pencil :) ... it went further downhill from here!

the rest was a cataclism (word!?) of failed events, bought a jigsaw today too to aid cutting but since found out blade was on wrong way around (that would explain why i found it hard to direct the jigsaw - causing my rubbish cuts).

9 hours later - I had one piece down (this included a cut for a radiator pipe) and 7 boards ruined trying to do an elaborate cut to take into account another radiator pipe + doorway and an inch of wall... so

£35 of wood ruined
1 panel layed
earache from the wife
--- Priceless

:) :)

I gave up and went to the pub, took some digi photos to show the regulars my incabability do a job 'anyone can do'(floormaster video)...
My dad is coming round tomorrow to take over :)

(and my linux multiboot machine is still knackered - wish i'd stayed in bed this weekend!)

[hurlimann]

And now for the downer. Laminate flooring is being pulled up at a greater rate than it was laid. ( So todays UK papers report).

As you appear committed I can only say that two freinds of mine who sell the stuff say the borders/trim are naff and the only way to get a decent non naff finish is to lift the skirt.

[mivox]

We put in glue-together laminate in the living room... I wish we'd paid the extra $1/sq.ft. for the snap-together stuff. The glue caused all the seams to swell slightly, and they never shrank back down. :(

When we re-do the kitchen floor, I'm going with tile. At least with tile, the seams are supposed to be visible. ;)

[edit_g]

You're all going to hate me for this but I have one sage piece of advice regarding anything diy/handywork stuff:
Pay someone who knows! ;)

I have learnt this the hard way.

[ade_uk]

my dad and grandad came around tonite - managed to lay half of it :) and that included going around the toilet...

we did lift the toilet up originally but didnt sit well, then had a big leakage later on when put it back - nice :)

i'm not going to give up my day job so to speak!

[Craig_F]

can you expand on the toilet issue? I'm about to do this and need to know exactly what I'm getting into.

are you saying that you first placed the laminate nicely under the toilet, but now you've had to go around it?

I'd assume under would be the way to go, if not why? Did the laminate lift up from the weight or something?

[ade_uk]

Yes, at first we lifted the toilet up and lay the laminate underneath... but because of the extra height it was sitting it angled incorrectly and put stress on the back pipe (hence the later flood)... if you can lift the toilet up i'd recommend it as its a cleaner finish...