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Laying Laminate Flooring

Does what it says on the tin
modellingman
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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#117288

Postby modellingman » February 11th, 2018, 11:05 am

JMN2 wrote:I have a T-shaped room, from the bottom up, a corridor is narrow and long, then splits into two wings (each 1 m2), each end having a door to a bedroom. I will do the bedrooms first, then continue from the bedrooms into the T-section, meet in the middle and continue down the T.

To use a floor trim in the bedrooms depends how the planks meet when the corridor starts, it's very close but by using a trim ie expansion gap I may not have to cut any planks lengthwise when the corridor starts. To clarify, looking at the T, for the whole lot the planks will be vertical.

Any flaws in my cunning plan?

Also, if I decide to laminate all the rooms at one go with the same product without using expansion gap trims between the rooms ie a big floating structure, is this OK? So the expansion gaps along the walls would be sufficient? (3 bedrooms, T-corridor, largish living room)


If, in future, you ever have to lift the flooring to get to pipes, cables, etc, under the floor having expansion gaps at doorways will seem to have been the better decision than a continuous floating floor.

I would generally avoid laying planks in the same direction as a corridor because constant walking up and down the corridor can push end joints of the planks apart. It will likely only ever be one joint this happens to but you will forever be pushing it back together and wishing you'd laid the planks across the corridor instead.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#117299

Postby JMN2 » February 11th, 2018, 11:34 am

modellingman wrote:...

I would generally avoid laying planks in the same direction as a corridor because constant walking up and down the corridor can push end joints of the planks apart. It will likely only ever be one joint this happens to but you will forever be pushing it back together and wishing you'd laid the planks across the corridor instead.


OK, thanks, and laying across would mean easier cutting too as nothing is really straight angles so doing vertical would mean varying gap size and thus cutting the edge planks fatter in one end. I will do the 3 easy rooms first while I ponder this. It's not really a symmetrical T which makes it challenging.

Question: would I need a gap in the vapour plastic and underlay too? Some photos I've seen show the underlay folded against the wall but shouldn't there be a gap - an escape route for moisture?

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#117309

Postby modellingman » February 11th, 2018, 12:05 pm

JMN2 wrote:Question: would I need a gap in the vapour plastic and underlay too? Some photos I've seen show the underlay folded against the wall but shouldn't there be a gap - an escape route for moisture?


I wouldn't worry too much about it. The barrier is there to protect the laminate from degrading over the long term. If you need an escape route for moisture coming through the floor then you have a serious issue. The plastic vapor barrier can be surprisingly awkward to lay. Laying it without cutting to size and then trimming round the skirtings with scissors, leaving an inch or so folded up the wall is as good a way as any. Once the planks are laid trim the barrier flush with the floor using a Stanley knife. I tend to overlap the barrier at doorways.

HTH

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#117971

Postby JMN2 » February 13th, 2018, 8:26 pm

HTH, I worry all the time...because I am new to this DIY malarkey I have for instance pondered the best way to laminate a room like this (anything above the bottom squarish area is 90-100cm narrow so unless I cut the top off and do a trim I need to think about a very narrow stagger, 1/1, 2/3 and 1/3 perhaps).

Image

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#118120

Postby JMN2 » February 14th, 2018, 12:21 pm

If only the builders in 1971 would've first laid the concrete subfloor and then installed the door jambs...they didn't have Youtube to show how easily the under cut piece of timber should come out...

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#118921

Postby JMN2 » February 18th, 2018, 1:59 pm

Moving into the master bedroom. Very hard on the thighs, knees are OK but the front of the thighs are singing choral hymns. Should have made my own spacers, I think I've left too wide gaps and will need wider beading. A schoolboy error. Keeping it tighter from now on. Other than that, plain sailing and the flooring I chose looks very smart. New batch arriving tomorrow.

In order to make this angle click planks snap together first the short edge is matched together, then the previous planks in the row lifted to an angle and long side snapped down into place. Well, if you have a radiator in the far end you can't lift the long board. To hear the satisfying click takes some time and effort while the legs are screaming hallelujah.

As someone said, the profit is done on beadings, trims, rosettes, etc, so I'll get those later on online.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#119005

Postby JMN2 » February 19th, 2018, 9:29 am

Pondering about the doorway. Planks need to be in 45 deg angle in order to snap into place but if I have it under the door jamb then that won't happen.Perhaps cut the groove off and glue the last row? I've seen this done on the internet.

Easier and less elegant solution would be to just leave a gap around the jamb and use some flexible oak coloured sealant to hide the gap.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#119011

Postby JMN2 » February 19th, 2018, 10:20 am

I am considering a carpet for the top cross T, there are 4 doors and nothing is really straight and the T's "armpits" are at different height. Then a trim and laminate again coming down the T. This would make it much easier for me, and I like those sisal beige carpets. A cop out but I would otherwise have to invest in a proper saw and vice/bench of some sort. It's a small area and probably easy to fit a carpet on.

That's decided.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#119900

Postby JMN2 » February 23rd, 2018, 12:56 pm

Two bedrooms done, on Monday I am getting a scotia beading delivery, 22mm round quarter profile. I am going to buy appropriate panel pins. I already own a hammer.

When I stepped on a board near the wall the seam split. Took me 2 minutes to undo the planks and I found two spacers had slipped under the floor unnoticed so that's the reason there was some give in the area I stepped on. Took me 10 minutes then to redo half the room.

I suspect to do it properly, the final row near the door where the doorway plank has been shaped a bit and the row is cut narrower lengthwise would have to be glued.

But I am nailing the beading in place so if the floor gaps I can redo the final row properly later - although I am already learning how do a long step over the threshold.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#120761

Postby JMN2 » February 27th, 2018, 1:48 pm

While I'm waiting for the snow to melt so I can drive to buy panel pins and possibly glue I am going to cut the beading pieces, starting with the corners and then doing the bits in the middle. Seems like I have to cut them quite short in order to make a tight fit against the skirting boards. The returns I'll glue in from off-pieces, then a bit of wood filler or similar, sanding and white paint. What could go wrong...

The mitre box I bought is a joke and my saw is already dull from the laminate. Nevertheless, I will persevere and one day look back all this and laugh by a relaxing pint (unless the beading splits).

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#121229

Postby JMN2 » March 1st, 2018, 9:34 am

An actual question before I hit Google. So I undercut the door jambs but couldn't use them because the laminate needs an angle to be clicked together so I had to leave a gap. Part of it the beading will cover, part the threshold trim. But if there is a gap left between laminate and the jamb, is there a product that can cover it? Something brownish and flexible.

In best case scenario I can find a very flat threshold trim I can slide under the door jamb, and in any case I won't be sawing the jambs any further so I would have to cover any gaps or make them unnoticeable.

Any ideas?

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#121236

Postby redsturgeon » March 1st, 2018, 9:46 am

JMN2 wrote:An actual question before I hit Google. So I undercut the door jambs but couldn't use them because the laminate needs an angle to be clicked together so I had to leave a gap. Part of it the beading will cover, part the threshold trim. But if there is a gap left between laminate and the jamb, is there a product that can cover it? Something brownish and flexible.

In best case scenario I can find a very flat threshold trim I can slide under the door jamb, and in any case I won't be sawing the jambs any further so I would have to cover any gaps or make them unnoticeable.

Any ideas?


I usually find that silicone of the appropriate colour covers a multitude of sins and being flexible is a great advantage.

John

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#121244

Postby JMN2 » March 1st, 2018, 9:54 am

Thanks John, I found this video in which a bloke uses "oak flexible sealant"

https://youtu.be/IuhsfmjciKI

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#121378

Postby jfgw » March 1st, 2018, 3:32 pm

redsturgeon wrote:I usually find that silicone of the appropriate colour covers a multitude of sins...


Will it cover all of mine? :twisted:


Julian F. G. W.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#121390

Postby redsturgeon » March 1st, 2018, 4:12 pm

jfgw wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:I usually find that silicone of the appropriate colour covers a multitude of sins...


Will it cover all of mine? :twisted:


Julian F. G. W.


It's good but possibly not that good!

John

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#125021

Postby JMN2 » March 15th, 2018, 9:38 am

Three debrooms + beadings done, moving into the lower section of the T-shaped hallway, picture above.

After that I will do the T-cross bar which has 2 bedroom doors and 2 old airing cupboard doors besides not being symmetrical. So I gather a nightmare for a novice to lay laminate with cheapo dull hand tools, hence the carpet idea.

The existing carpet would act as a handy template. New underlay but I could use the grip bars which look to be in good shape. The area is about 3+ m2 small - would I still need to invest in a carpet stretcher/knee kicker?

Another question, carpet tiles? Would these work for a small area with some shaping due to door jambs? Carpet tiles might be easier to work with but I don't like the seams showing and am not convinced they would stay in place in a small area..

Thoughts? Thanks.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#125044

Postby JMN2 » March 15th, 2018, 10:32 am

Also, should there be some kind of an underlay between concrete subfloor and carpet tiles? 30 minutes of googling resulted in nothing concrete.

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#125093

Postby redsturgeon » March 15th, 2018, 12:24 pm

JMN2 wrote:Also, should there be some kind of an underlay between concrete subfloor and carpet tiles? 30 minutes of googling resulted in nothing concrete.


I assume your concrete floor is finished with some sort of screed and is dry and level...if so then no underlay is needed.

John

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#125100

Postby JMN2 » March 15th, 2018, 12:43 pm

redsturgeon wrote:
JMN2 wrote:Also, should there be some kind of an underlay between concrete subfloor and carpet tiles? 30 minutes of googling resulted in nothing concrete.


I assume your concrete floor is finished with some sort of screed and is dry and level...if so then no underlay is needed.

John


Thanks, I'll assume it is, it is very smooth and flat, and the tiles have bitumen on the underside, so I ordered some beige tiles, not a huge investment if it all goes t1ts up after a couple of years.

I have become paranoid about having nailed some beadings to the floor and not the skirting...but with any luck, the need for an expansion gap in this climate is a myth... :roll:

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Re: Laying Laminate Flooring

#125102

Postby redsturgeon » March 15th, 2018, 12:47 pm

JMN2 wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:
JMN2 wrote:Also, should there be some kind of an underlay between concrete subfloor and carpet tiles? 30 minutes of googling resulted in nothing concrete.


I assume your concrete floor is finished with some sort of screed and is dry and level...if so then no underlay is needed.

John



I have become paranoid about having nailed some beadings to the floor and not the skirting...but with any luck, the need for an expansion gap in this climate is a myth... :roll:


It's not a myth! Whether you get away with it is probably dependent on the temperature at which you laid the floor vs the max temperature it will reach, together with the span of the floor.

John


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