How to lay laminate flooring

• Mitre saw
• Small crowbar
• Hammer
• Square
• Drill with flat wood bit
• Flooring kit (including spacers and pull bar)
• Stanley knife
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Safety goggles and face mask
• Masking tape
• Vacuum cleaner

• If your room includes recesses or chimney breasts, it helps to draw a diagram of the room complete with any alcoves, fireplaces, nooks and crannies.
• Measure each individual area and write the measurement in the relevant space on the diagram.
• Break the room down into smaller rectangles that you can add together to get the total area of the room. Then add an all-important 5% for waste.
• Measure your lengths more than once to make sure they’re right.
• Remember to measure to the back of any door frames or room trims that you want the laminate to go under when it is fitted.
• When it comes to stairs or steps, the process is similar. Measure the height and depth and of each stair to give you then length before multiplying by the width. This will give you the area of each step. Again, don’t forget to allow 10% for waste and to allow for any margin of error as staircases can be tricky.
• Laminate flooring is usually sold in packs that are labelled by their size in metres squared. For example, for your 10m² room, you’d need 2 packs of 5m² laminate.
• Watch our step-by-step video guides to measuring different room shapes from a simple room to a room with a join or extra space.

• Always wear safety goggles and a face mask when cutting wood.
• Wear kneepads to protect your knees and try not to stay on your knees for long periods. Take regular breaks to avoid being injured.
• Measuring a room and fitting new flooring is always easier when you have a second pair of hands. A measuring buddy will ensure you get accurate measurements, which will mean you get the best price and fit.
• Be extra careful when using solvents and fillers. They can be flammable and toxic. Keep them out of reach of children at all times.

1. Make sure the entire area is smooth, even and dry. If it is a newly concreted floor, make sure it is fully dried out. Fix any screws and nails firmly below the surface, so that they don’t puncture the underlay or laminate.
2. Make sure all your packs of laminate boards have been resting horizontally in the area they are to be fitted for 48 hours so they are flat and have acclimatised to the room.
3. Clean up any dust and debris with a vacuum cleaner and scrape or sand off any existing adhesives from previous flooring.
4. If laying on concrete, you will need to put down a damp-proof membrane. We’d recommend using an underlay with a built-in damp-proof membrane to make this step easier.

• Remember to check that your chosen underlay is suitable for the area it’s going in. Specific types of underlay are needed for wet areas like the kitchen and bathroom.
• Lay the underlay over the entire floor and trim to fit, cutting a 16mm gap around any pipes. Lay lengths parallel and stick together with masking tape.

Unsure about what kind of underlay to fit under your laminate flooring? Why not read through our guide to buying underlay or pop into a local store for more expert advice?

1. Start in a corner and lay the first row of boards tongue side facing the nearest wall.
2. The boards will click together using the click system.
3. Place spacers from your flooring kit between the board and the wall with an 8-10mm expansion gap.
4. NOTE: The last row of boards will need to be at least 100mm wide, so measure ahead and adjust your first row by cutting the boards if necessary.
5. You will probably need to adjust the length of the last board in the row to make it fit the length of your room. Use the square to mark the back of a board so you know where to cut. You can use the off cut to start the next row if it is at least 300mm.
6. Lay the rows side by side, ensuring the joints are staggered from row to row. Continue to use the spacers to maintain a consistent gap between the planks and the wall.
7. Calculate the width of the last board by laying a plank over the previous row. Place a third plank with its tongue against the wall and mark a line on the plan beneath. This will give you the desired width. Then use the hammer and pull bar to fit it tightly into space.
8. As laminate is a 'floating floor' it must not touch any wall, door frames or pipes to save the laminate moving or becoming damaged.

• If you are cutting the board around a door frame, lock it in place before making and cutting using the mitre saw.
• A simpler way to get a neat finish is to undercut the door frame with a handsaw. Measure the depth of your boards to make sure you don't cut too much off your door frames.
• It is unlikely that you will be able to lift the board to click it into the next board, so sand off the tongue and use a wood adhesive to keep it locked in place.
• You can cut holes for radiator pipes by drilling with a flat wood bit and then using the mitre saw to make a keyhole shape in the board to fit around the pipe. A hole of around 30mm is usually sufficient. Make sure the laminate board does not touch any of the radiator pipes.

• Measure the lengths required, cut 45 degree angles at the corners and apply a thin line of wood glue to the back of the trim. Do not apply to the bottom of the trim - the glue should stick to the skirting board, and not the floor.
• Hold the trim in place with some tacks or heavy objects such as books while the adhesive dries.
• If you are using a transitional trim to separate laminate from another type of flooring in another room, make sure you choose an option that is suitable for us on both surfaces.