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Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 11:09 am
by Gav
I'm about to lay some imitation parquet flooring at home. Anyone got any tips that may help me avoid newb errors.

Cheers

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:27 pm
by beefheart
6 rooms over the last 18 years...

Buy kneepads.

The little spacers are your friends go tighter to the wall than they tell you, the stuff does not expand or contract that much.

Get a rubber hammer to use along w/ the block or by itself where necessary.

Cut the back of each plank if your using a power saw; use a power saw.

They don't sell the glueable kind around here anymore, I assume it's the same in Europe. Be thankful.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:07 pm
by TerryB
Gav wrote:I'm about to lay some imitation parquet flooring at home.
Remember, no means no.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:52 pm
by Turdacious
Grease yourself adequately to avoid chafing.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:55 pm
by tough old man
.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:37 pm
by Gav
Turdacious wrote:Grease yourself adequately to avoid chafing.
I was wondering whether you or Pinky would get there first.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 4:41 pm
by Gav
beefheart wrote:6 rooms over the last 18 years...

Buy kneepads.

The little spacers are your friends go tighter to the wall than they tell you, the stuff does not expand or contract that much.

Get a rubber hammer to use along w/ the block or by itself where necessary.

Cut the back of each plank if your using a power saw; use a power saw.

They don't sell the glueable kind around here anymore, I assume it's the same in Europe. Be thankful.
Cheers Beefy. I already thought about the knees. I have some pads I used to use for MAs.

Got the power saw but never thought about a rubber hammer. Good idea.
They are the snap together type so glue isn't an issue.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:08 pm
by Freki
Get some Mexicans off the corner to help.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:13 pm
by Bobby
Freki has the answer!

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:13 pm
by Turdacious
Freki wrote:Get some Mexicans off the corner to help.
He used some to paint his car-- claims he didn't like the result.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:57 pm
by dingleberry
You don't have to have perfect cuts at the walls. That is what shoe moulding is for. The hardest cut will the be the piece you have to rip to finish the room. Stagger the ends.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:01 pm
by tough old man
And no rolling chairs on it ever. All warranties are void if you have rolling furniture. Also no steam cleaners, they break down the factory sealers in the locking joints.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:12 pm
by Pinky
Gav wrote:
beefheart wrote: Buy kneepads.
Cheers Beefy. I already thought about the knees.
If there's one person who knows how to avoid sore knees, it's Gav.

On a more helpful note, think about how you want the tiles lined up when the room is finished and start from there. Simply starting on one wall and working toward the other increases the risk of a shitty looking floor.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:29 am
by bigpeach
Get the sub-floor perfectly level and a floating floor will go in very easily.

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:42 pm
by Holland Oates
I'll second staggering all the joints. Two joints lined up in two immediate rows is a recipe for chipped edges.

I loved my laminate until my hot water heater busted

Re: Installing laminate flooring

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 7:01 pm
by bigpeach
Get a cold water heater.