High-pressure Laminate Flooring: Installation

INSTALLATION

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Laminate flooring planks are not nailed, stapled or otherwise fastened to the subfloor. Instead, the planks are glued together. These planks "float" on the subfloor. Any underlayment and/or vapor barrier is also "loose". With humidity and temperature changes, the flooring will expand and contract as one unit. To prevent warping or buckling when dimensional movement occurs, a ¼ inch gap should be left between the edge of the flooring and the walls. Shoe molding will hide the gap. (Very long rooms must have an expansion gap every 30 ft to enable movement.)

Each plank has tongue-and-groove edges. There are two ways to join the planks:

Glue is most commonly used. Glue is crucial to laminate flooring and glue between the flooring pieces is the only thing that is keeping the floor together. Most manufacturers make their own glue--don't substitute or you may void your floor's warranty.
Different manufacturers require glue to be applied to different parts of the board. Some may instruct to put the glue only on the flooring tongue (top), in the groove (bottom), or in both places.

ACCLIMATE THE FLOORING

In its original, unopened cartons, lay the flooring flat and leave it in the room where it will be installed for a least forty-eight hours before you install it. This is necessary in order to minimize dimensional changes in the installed floor. The room should have its normal living temperature.

Read the instructions. When you clamp the boards together the glue must squeeze out of the joints. If it does not, then small gaps will develop between the planks as the glue dries. You know you're not putting in enough glue the minute that the job starts looking neat and tidy. You want glue to "sip over". Simply wipe off excess glue with a clean damp cloth. If plain water doesn't work, acetone will.
Glue-less Some manufacturers have a glue-less system where the shape of the tongue and groove allows the pieces to "snap" together. Once installed, there is no way they will separate. It's fast and easy to install as well as to remove!

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SUBFLOOR PREPARATION

It is imperative to have a level, clean, smooth and dry subfloor surface. Even a small spot of dirt/debris can cause the laminate to crack over time. "Level" usually means a slope of less than 3/16 inch over a distance of 10 feet. "Smooth" usually means that grooves or bumps on the subfloor are less than 1/8 inch high or deep.

EXISTING FLOOR/SUBFLOOR	WHAT TO DO?
Concrete subfloors	Clean and smooth concrete Test for moisture* Lay down vapor barrier and underlayment or 2-in-1 foam
Wood flooring over concrete	Remove wood Clean and smooth concrete Test for moisture Lay down vapor barrier and underlayment or 2-in-1 foam
Flooring other than wood over concrete	Test for moisture Lay down vapor barrier and underlayment or 2-in-1 foam
Any floor over wood	Lay down underlayment
Carpet over anything	Remove carpet - check with manufacturer Clean and smooth subfloor Lay down vapor barrier, if needed, and underlayment

Concrete subfloors always give off a little moisture. Do a moisture test* to see if your floor is suitable for laminate. As a rule, always use a vapor barrier on concrete subfloors, even if there's a surface floor such as ceramic tile on top. You should remove any residue glued to concrete and check the manufacturer's specifications for other restrictions.
Wood subfloors usually require only underlayment.
Vinyl/tile/stone finished floors are fine to lay laminates over. Usually require only underlayment.
Carpet should be removed in its entirety. Exception: short fabric carpet without carpet cushion may suit as a "subfloor" to laminate flooring.
Crawl Spaces Moisture can be a problem on floors above crawl spaces. There are certain ratios of required ventilation per square foot of crawl space. The manufacturer often specifies it. Check that your area meets or exceeds it. It is often a good idea to have a vapor barrier laid on the ground of the crawl space.

TYPES OF UNDERLAYMENT

Vapor barrier - A durable foil of plastic (polyethylene usually) with the thickness of 0.2 mm, applied with an overlap of at least 8".
Underlayment foam - is typically a 2-3 mm thick roll of closed-cell plastic. It serves as a sound reducer, a cushion and it reduces the risk of squeaks.
Vapor-and-foam - is the above two in one. Handy on concrete.
Cork and rubber - are even better for sound reduction and increased comfort. They are also more expensive. Comes in pieces or rolls.

* MOISTURE TEST

Cut a few 2-foot-square pieces of plastic (polyethylene) and duct-tape them to various areas of the subfloor. After about 72 hours, look for wetness on the plastic by lifting up a corner of each test square. Beads of condensation on the underside of any of them, or a dark, moist subfloor indicate a moisture problem. Consult a professional for advice.