How to Lay Laminate Flooring
Solid hardwood flooring can cost a pretty penny, and sometimes you fancy the look and feel of real wood without footing the cost.
Not only does the choice of flooring rack up the costs, but the price of installation can also make the process significantly more expensive. To avoid this, consider learning how to install laminate flooring yourself.
If you’re thinking, ‘Wait for a second; I’m no good at DIY!’ then we understand. But, our simple step-by-step process to installing laminate is made for complete beginners, so you’ll be laying floors like a pro in no time.
Laminate flooring is an inexpensive alternative to other floor styles. Natural stone, wood panels and marble flooring can cost anywhere from £80 per metre. However, prices for laminate flooring at Mersey Flooring start at just £17.95!
Before you begin
If you’ve decided to bid your old cracked tiles or ripped carpet farewell, then you’re making the right choice with laminate flooring!
However, you can’t just rip up your old floors and then get straight into the installation (we wish it were that easy). Instead, we need to do a bit of planning and prep to make sure those floors stay in great condition for years to come.
What does this look like?, You ask. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Measure the space
Start by measuring the length and width of the room at its widest points. Once you’ve got your calculations, multiply these figures to get the total floor area in square metres.
Then, add an extra 10% to the overall calculation to allow for:
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Offcuts
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Wastage around corners or awkward spaces
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Miscalculations (it happens to the best of us)
To make it easier, you can use an online flooring calculator to find out how many boards you’ll need.
2. Clear and clean the area
Once you’ve figured out how many boards you’ll need, it’s time to clear away any obstacles and tripping hazards.
This includes any furniture, old flooring, wires that could get in the way or rugs. Once everything is removed and the old flooring has been lifted, give the room a quick hoover and sweep to clear any dust or grime before you even start laying underlay.
Make sure any old carpet grippers or staples are removed with a pry bar or flathead screwdriver.
3. Check Your Sub‑Floor
Before we proceed, we need to ensure the subfloor is in good condition.
If not, you could end up with laminate flooring that doesn’t last long enough to see its usual lifespan through. Since laminate is a ‘floating floor’, the subfloor will need to be:
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Dry
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Flat
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Clean
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Stable
For concrete… Check for high or low spots with a spirit level and smooth any uneveness with a self-levelling compound.
For floorboards or plywood… Look for loose or squeaky floorboards and secure them in place with extra screws. Then, remove any damaged nails and hammer down nails that are sticking up.
Tip: Use a moisture meter to check if the subfloors are dry enough before proceeding.
4. Leave the boards to acclimatise
When you’ve decided on the perfect laminate flooring for your home, you’ll need to leave the boards to acclimate to the room's temperature.
Lay them unopened in the room they’re being installed in and leave them there for 48 hours. Laminate boards can expand or contract slightly depending on the conditions, so skipping this step could result in the floor lifting or separating once installed.
It is likely that, during this process, your boards may shrink or expand on their own; however, this is perfectly normal!
Essential tools/materials
To lay laminate flooring in your home, you’ll need to gather the following tools and materials before you start:
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Laminate Flooring
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Damp proof membrane (DPM)
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Spirit level or straight edge
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Hand saw/jigsaw/mitre saw
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Pencil
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Underlay
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Measuring Tape
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Knee Pads (or something similar to provide padding)
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Utility Knife
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Spacers
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Rubber Mallet
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Tapping block
A step-by-step installation guide to laying laminate flooring
Once you’ve gathered all of the tools and materials you need (and put on your PPE!), it’s time to get into the process.
We recommend wearing safety glasses to prevent flying debris from entering your eyes, sturdy boots, and gloves.
5. Lay the underlay
Without an underlay, your planks will suffer the effects of mildew, mould and moisture, causing their shape to warp.
Start by rolling out your underlay across the floor. Once installed, it’ll provide cushioning, reduce sound, and protect the laminate from moisture damage (this is especially important for concrete subfloors).
When laying underlay on a concrete floor, we recommend using a damp-proof membrane, as this will help prevent moisture issues.
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Roll it out in the same direction you’ll lay your laminate boards, starting from the top left-hand corner.
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Trim it carefully with a utility knife to make it fit around any corners.
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If your underlay doesn’t include adhesive strips, use duct tape or underlay joining tape to secure the edges.
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Avoid overlapping the edges; instead, place the pieces edge-to-edge.
You can read more about choosing the best underlay for laminate flooring here.
6. Plan your layout
Before saying screw it and just laying your boards out willy-nilly, do a ‘dry-fit’ first to figure out the layout.
Doing so will help you:
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Avoid ending the row with a sliver of a board (anything under 30 cm looks odd and weakens the structure).
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Check how many boards fit across the width of the floor.
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Decide if any trims are necessary.
You can line up patterns until the knots and variations in the boards match and complement one another. Decide on a stagger pattern and mark a straight reference line along the starting wall using a chalk line or laser level to help guide the first row.
7. Install the first row
Now, it’s time for the fun to get started! As you did with the underlay, lay your first laminate board at the top left-hand corner of your room.
Make sure you choose the longest straight wall and place the first plank with the tongue side to the wall, with the groove side facing outwards.
If your wall isn’t perfectly straight, measure out and snap a chalk line a few cm away from the wall to use as your true starting point (it’ll keep the boards aligned even if the wall bows slightly).
You’ll need to leave a 10–12mm expansion gap between the boards and the wall to account for the boards' expansion and contraction. Then, insert spacers along the wall (every 30–50 cm) and at each board end.
Once your first board is in place, add the next board to the right-hand side of the first one by inserting the short tongue of the new board into the groove of the one already laid. Angle it around 30 degrees, push it in, and lower it until you hear it lock into place.
Use a tapping block and a rubber mallet to gently tap the joint, if needed, to remove any small gaps.
8. Cut the end board
In almost every room, you’ll need to cut the last board of each row to fit neatly up to the wall. This is completely normal, as very few rooms are the exact width of full boards only.
Since this includes quite a few fiddly steps, we’ve broken each one down:
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Measure the distance from the end of the last full board to the wall with your tape measure.
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Then, subtract 10–12 mm from this measurement to allow for the expansion gap.
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Flip the board upside down (180° so that the decorative side faces the floor) and lay it next to the previous board.
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Use a pencil and a straight edge to mark where it needs to be cut.
Then, cut the board to size with your chosen tool. We suggest clamping your board in place on your workbench for a clean and safe cut.
A handsaw…
Ideal for straight and simple cuts, you’ll need to cut slowly with this along the mark line to reduce chipping.
A jigsaw…
Suitable for both straight and curved cuts, we recommend using a fine-toothed blade to minimise splintering. Make sure you cut with the decorative side down to minimise chipping.
A mitre saw…
For fast and clean cuts, this works best for large products, such as a full home renovation. Use a sharp, high-tooth blade (60+ teeth) for a smooth, clean finish.
Always wear safety goggles, a dust mask, and gloves when using sharp tools and equipment!
9. Fit the end board into place
Once the end board has been cut, make sure the tongue (thinner edge) is facing the wall, and the groove is facing out toward you before placing it down.
Then, slot the short edge of your cut board into the previous board in the same row, using the same method as before (angling it at 30 degrees and guiding the tongue into the groove).
Since there won’t be enough space to tap it into place with a rubber mallet, use a pull bar instead. To do this, hook the flat end of the pull bar over the edge of the board and gently tap the opposite end with a rubber mallet to pull the board tightly into the rest of the row.
10. Start the next row
Take the offcut from your last board (if it’s at least 30 cm long) and use it to start the next row; this will prevent unnecessary waste.
Sure, keeping joints offset is essential, but avoid falling into a repetitive pattern (such as always starting with a half-length board). Instead, mix it up a little by choosing different starting points on each row for a staggered look.
Make sure the joins between boards are staggered by at least 300 mm from the row before; it will help your floor look balanced.
Aim for a mix of:
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Full boards
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Half boards
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Two-thirds or one-third length (but always over 30cm long)
Repeat the laying process the same as before, clicking the tongue into the groove at a 30-degree angle and tapping it into place.
After you’ve placed two or three boards, lay a straight edge or long level across multiple boards to make sure everything is staying flat and even.
11. Cutting around tricky edges
When installing laminate flooring, you’ll most likely have to work around radiators and doors.
To make sure you’re not left in the dark, we’ve provided a quick guideline for working around each of these obstacles (don’t say we don’t spoil you!)
Door frames
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Stack a small offcut of your laminate board and a piece of the underlay you're using next to the door frame.
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Rest your saw or multi-tool on top of the laminate and underlay stack for the perfect height.
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Saw horizontally into the bottom of the door frame until you’ve cut through the full width of the architrave.
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Remove the offcut piece of wood with a small chisel or flathead screwdriver.
Radiator pipes
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Measure the exact centre of the pipe and mark it on the board.
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Drill a hole that is somewhat bigger than the pipe's diameter into the centre of the pipe (typically 16–22 mm).
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Make two diagonal cuts to form a wedge from the board's edge to the drilled hole with a jigsaw.
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After fitting the board around the pipe, reattach the wedge behind it with glue.
12. Lay the final row
Now you’re onto the last row. Congratulations on making it this far! Trust us, you’re doing great.
You’re nearly there, but there are just one or two more things to do. First, you’ll need to trim the final boards to make sure they fit in place (since full boards will most likely be too big).
To do this, complete the following:
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Because walls are rarely completely straight, measure the distance from the last full row to the wall at both ends.
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Then, subtract 10–12 mm for the expansion gap.
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Transfer those measurements to the board and mark your cut line.
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Depending on your tool, cut the board lengthwise with a laminate guillotine, jigsaw, or circular saw.
When laying the few final boards after cutting, you’ll need to use a pull bar to fit them into place, following the instructions from earlier. This will make it easier to install the boards right next to the wall.
Once the floor is complete, go around the room and remove all spacers.
For our guide on fitting Scotia trim, click here.
If you want to install skirting boards, you can read our how-to guide here.
Youtube video
Choose Mersey Flooring for your Laminate Boards!
We hope that our step-by-step instructions have inspired you to give your home a makeover and have a go at installing your own laminate floor!
If so, you can transform any room on a budget with our stunning range of laminate flooring and feel satisfied knowing you've done the job yourself. We’ve got something for everyone, from Kronoswiss boards to Lifestyles Chelsea boards in grey, walnut, oak, and more!
For more information about our products, email sales@merseyflooring.co.uk or call us at 0151 525 4271. We look forward to hearing from you!