How to lay laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is popular in rentals as it is hard-wearing and easy to keep clean. Here experts from NRLA partner Tradepoint (B&Q) give you a step-by-step guide on how to install it yourself.
Remember, you can benefit from a 10% discount on most items at Tradepoint (B&Q) using your exclusive NRLA discount card.
Getting started
You will first need to measure how much flooring you’ll need, and remember to purchase enough underlay, to sit under the wood.
After working how much wood you need – length x width, add 10% for wastage.
Once you have purchased your flooring, leave it in the room where it will lie for around 24 hours, allowing it to acclimatise.
During that time, clean the surface where you are going to put your flooring and underlay.
Fitting the floor
The first thing to fit is the underlay – this comes in squares which slot together. Use a knife if you need to trim a piece to fit and make sure to use foil underlay tape to secure your squares.
It’s good to think about the direction in which you want to lay your wood tiles – either along the longest wall or towards a big window.
Using spacers, make sure to leave a 7mm gape between the wood and all walls. Then lay your boards in a staggered pattern and try to leave half a board gap at the width edge.
The boards should slot into each other but don’t be afraid to use a tapping block and a mallet to make sure they connect.
In the event you need to cut a piece to size, remember to flip the block around before marking where you want to cut. Then used a mitre saw for a clean cut. Keep hold of the offcuts, which will come in handy, when cutting pieces to wrap around radiators.
Now for the tricky part
When laying the boards, you will have to cut around things like radiator pipes. Mark the location of the pipe on your board, then clamp it down with an offcut underneath. You should now drill a hole where you have marked, then cut along the marked line toward the hole. You should now be able to slot the board towards the radiator pipe.
Doorways can also be difficult – use an offcut as a height measure and grab a multi-tool. Carefully cut the door frame by using the offcut as a height guide. Measure into the door jamb and mark it on your plank and then measure along the width. This shows you how much you need to remove, so it fits like a glove.
Finishing touches
Grab a threshold bar for a clean finish and make sure to use the appropriate bar type if you have carpet on the other side. If you fitted the planks after removing the skirting boards, now is the time to reattach them. You can also fit pipe coverings around the radiator legs for a professional look.
Check out the video below for a visual guide:
