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Office DIY Makeover: How To Install Laminate Flooring

If you're ready for an office makeover, pay close attention to flooring. Floors are one of the most misunderstood renovation items in general.


Your office, home office, or retail space, is where you’ll spend a lot of your days. If you’re ready for an office makeover, pay close attention to flooring. Office flooring should be tough and durable – ideally compatible with the rest of your décor.

Floors are one of the most misunderstood renovation items in general. We walk on them, put stylish office furniture on them, and of course, they are vital to an office’s daily function. Not to mention, flooring is one of the first things clients notice when they stop by for a visit.

While there are many flooring options to choose from, consider which ones suit the function for your space. As you plan for renovations, here are a few tips about choosing the right kind of laminate flooring for your workspace and beyond.

 

Installing laminate flooring – the basics

Laminate flooring remains one of the most popular choices renovations and new builds thanks to it’s simple but pleasing aesthetic, robust durability, and easy to clean nature.

Even better, you don’t necessarily need tho hire expensive contractors to install it. This is good news if you’re on a startup budget.

Photo: Kaboompics.com, Pexels
Photo: Kaboompics, YFS Magazine

With the right tools, the proper preparation and a good understanding of the installation process, you can save money and install laminate flooring. Here’s how you do it – DIY style.

 

Get the right tools for the job

Fitting laminate flooring might be a relatively simple job if you know what you’re doing, but you need the right tools to carry the job out effectively.

As per B&Q’s advice, a UK-based home improvement retailer, you’ll need almost 40 different pieces of equipment,including underlay, fitting floor wedges, chisels, various forms of saws, a tape measure (which you can find at places like RS Components) and the laminate flooring itself.

Make sure not to skimp on safety gear, either. Fitting your office flooring might not sound too dangerous but spending all day on your knees can take it’s toll, while cutting boards comes with obvious risks. Thus, make sure you’ve got equipment like kneepads and eye and ear defenders on your list.

 

Make flooring install preparations

This might sound strange, but the first thing you should do with your laminate flooring is let it sit in the room you are fitting it in, which will allow it to properly acclimatise to the room’s temperature, which should be kept consistent for 48 hours before the fitting and 72 hours afterwards. Since laminate flooring can contract and expand in varying temperature, any inconsistency could cause gaps in the fitting.

Before you begin the installation, you’ll want to check that your subfloor is in good condition and even; then look to fit your underlay. Depending on the surface material of your subfloor, you’ll require a certain type of underlay (e.g., an underlay with a damp-proof membrane for concrete, or a heat distributing underlay for underfloor heating).

 

Installing laminate flooring

Most laminate boards are designed as a click-system, which makes the fitting process a fairly simple one. Essentially, each of the laminate planks is milled with tongues and grooves, which click easily into place. This allows the laminate to ‘float’ over the subfloor without the need for glue or nails.

But there are some golden rules to remember:

  • Full, two-thirds, one-third: Start laying your laminate from the perimeter of the room, following a set pattern of starting boards. Your first row should start with a full board, your second a two-thirds length board, and your third a one-third length, before returning to full boards for the fourth and so on. Keep repeating this pattern until you have your entire floor covered.
  • Leave a gap: You’ll want to leave a 10mm gap between the laminate and the edge of your room. This is because the laminate will still be prone to some expansion, even after acclimatization. You can use spacers to maintain this gap to maintain a consistent gap around the edge.
  • Don’t use too much glue: Many brands of click flooring don’t require glue. The simplicity of the click system for laminate flooring is effective enough that you should only need a little glue to secure the flooring – if any. Use too much, and you could find excess forming a buffer between the edges of your boards.

 

B&Q provides an extensive step-by-step on how to install your laminate flooring, but these tips cover the core principles of DIY flooring installation.

Thanks to click-together laminate flooring, it’s easier and more affordable than ever to put new floors underfoot. As with so many other do-it-yourself jobs, careful planning is the key to pro-quality results.

 

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