Ask Mr. Fix it

If you are shopping for a house, then you surely know that quite often, the contractor will choose flooring not because of its aesthetic value, but because of its cheap price. However, it is very easy to install replacement laminate flooring. Therefore as you search for a house, you should never say “This is a great house, but I’m not going to buy it because of the flooring!” Instead, you should take it upon yourself to (eventually) replace the flooring with something you like a little bit more. It is easy, and benefits your house a bunch.

Before you even think about to go about how to install laminate flooring, you need to run through a checklist of preparations. Examine the subfloor to ensure that it is perfectly ready for new flooring. Make sure it is dry and smooth, without any odd bumps. If you want to install insulation or underlayment, you should put it down now. Get the laminate flooring that you want to install, and read thoroughly through the instructions that they include with it. Leave it in the room for at least 2 days so that it can get used to the climate (you would be surprised at how many cracks this will avoid). Before you lay down each piece, examine all sides. The top, the bottom, and the edges are all very important, so look for any defects.

The first row is the most important one. Lay it down flush against the wall, and get it perfectly straight. If you get it even slightly off, the rest of the floor will follow suit and your room will look absolutely horrible. So even if you have to rip it up and start over, make sure that you do your best to get the first row straight. You also need to consider the seams between the planks. You need to be strategic with the placement of all of the planks, and do your best to keep them a good distance away from each other. 2 feet between seams is perfect, and will give your floor a more finished and well-thought-out look.

Though it is fairly easy to install laminate flooring, some people are simply not cut out for home improvement projects. If you are one of these people, then you may consider hiring workers, or getting a home-improvement-inclined friend to help you out. It should be worth it as long as it saves you from ruining your flooring.

If you do a good job, you will end up with a floor that you can be proud of. It will look just like authentic wood flooring, but you won’t have to worry about any maintenance or careful treatment. Once you learn know how to install laminate flooring, it allows for easy cleanup of spills and dirt, which will be quite a change if you have been dealing with carpet or hardwood flooring in the past. So if you would welcome this convenience and ease, look into buying laminate flooring from your local home improvement store. You will be glad that you made the switch.

Tags: home improvement, landscaping, house additions, electrical, diy

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