Floating Floors

All laminate hardwood flooring is installed as a “floating” floor. That means the laminate is laid on top of your existing surface without a fixed attachment to the subfloor. When you arrange and fit your laminate pieces together, there will not be a complete wall-to-wall fitment. A small gap should be left along each wall to allow for expansion of the flooring caused by humidity and heat. That gap will be covered with edge or t-moulding.

Tongue-And-Groove Design

Laminate flooring planks or tiles have a locking tongue-and-groove design so they fit each other perfectly. Planks or tiles should not creep or have any lateral movement from normal use.

Don’t Forget the Underlayment!

Beveled edge flooring from Lexi Floors is installed with a substantial 3.5mm underlayment. This is a piece of foam material that is laid down first, and person installing the floor should not try to skip this important step. The underlayment provides a slight cushion underneath the floor, as well as it reduces noise levels within adjacent rooms.

• Traditional Flooring – Traditional planks are glued together according to the manufacturer’s specifications. This forms an incredibly secure bond, but can be time-consuming and require extra time for cleanup.
• Pre-Glued Planks- This type of flooring has the adhesive already on the bottom. They must be wiped with water from a sponge or cloth to activate the glue, prior to being set in place on the floor.
• Glueless – Glueless flooring is held in place by a variety of locking mechanisms or joints attached to the underside of the planks. Today’s glueless brands are the most secure type of laminate flooring but can be more costly.

Which One is Right for Me?

Your choice will depend on your budget, time available, and personal preference. Some do-it-yourselfers like the challenge of installing flooring with glue. On the other hand, a glueless variety of flooring will require fewer cleanup measures, and you can walk on the floor the second the final board snaps into place!

Installing laminate flooring is one of the easiest home remodeling projects. The average homeowner may be able to complete the flooring themselves in as little as 2 days per room. But it mostly depends on the type of laminate you are installing.

Move all Furniture Out

This seems self-explanatory, but some will try to skip this step. If it is due to a lack of storage space, that is understandable. But if you can move furniture into other rooms, the laminate install will go much faster.

Underlayment First

Before laying the floor, you will need to put down an underlayment of cork, foam or similar product to cushion the floor and absorb sound. Some laminate flooring brands come with the underlayment already attached, eliminating this installation step.

Follow Manufacturers Instructions

All manufacturers provide detailed instructions to make the job go smoothly. Make sure to follow those instructions closely, or you may void your product warranty.