Laminate flooring is not hard to install yourself, even for beginners. In fact, after you’re done installing your floors, you’ll wonder why anyone ever pays professional installers for it.
Unlike ceramic tile, laminate flooring installation is dry—no grout, no mortar, no adhesives that set up while you’re working. And unlike solid hardwood flooring that needs to be nailed down, laminate snaps together and lies in place. Laminate flooring is a floating floor material that isn’t attached to the subfloor or underlayment. Laminate installation is much like putting together a large puzzle and should take no more than one day for almost any room.
Here’s what you need to know about how to install laminate flooring.
The best way to lay laminate flooring is to start with a subfloor or old flooring that’s flat, smooth, and clean. You will need an underlay of foam sheeting for laminate flooring.
Before beginning your laminate flooring installation, remove all baseboards and trim around the perimeter of the room as well as any heating resistors or air return duct covers mounted on the floor. Thoroughly sweep and/or vacuum the entire floor.