Top Tips for Laying a Laminate Floor
Guest post by James Harper
Laminate flooring can look absolutely beautiful within the right setting. Many people choose to use this type of flooring within their own homes. Not only is laminate flooring beautiful it can make a room look warm and it is also practical and easy to clean.
Should you get the professionals in?
In order for this type of flooring to be beautiful and practical it needs to be laid correctly. This can either be done by professionals or in many cases, homeowners themselves take on the challenge of laying down laminate flooring in their homes. If this is the case then this DIY task needs to be done correctly. Here are some top tips on how to do this correctly and easily.
Where to use laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is ideal for areas of the home that are used regularly such as entranceways, kitchens and living rooms. The boards are coated with a special protective resin however that can easily be scratched and damaged by grit and other dirt that may enter the home. Thus it is vital to lay down doormats that people can brush their footwear on upon entering the home. This will prolong the life of any laminate flooring near entranceways.
Preparation
It is important to first prepare the sub-floor before laying down the underlay for laminate. This may be concrete or wooden floorboards. Whichever, it is important to have as flat a surface as possible on which to work.
Underlay
Next it is important to choose the type of underlay that will be used. Some are very thin and are inexpensive whilst others are thicker and ideally suited to uneven flooring and will provide excellent sound and heat insulation.
Laying your floor
It is best to lay laminate flooring in the direction of the longest straight wall or in the direction of incoming light. However, if there is an adjacent room with laminate flooring it would be wise to lay boards the same direction as in the adjacent room so as to have a continuous flow within the home. Before starting, the room should be fully vacuumed so that any grit or dirt is removed and the skirting boards should be removed so they can be replaced over the top of the laminate once laid.
Karndean floors
There are many other types of flooring available for use within the home that are equally as easy to lay down. These include carpets and Karndean flooring as well as tiling which may be used within kitchen and bathroom environments.
It is important whatever flooring is chosen for a room to choose the right type of flooring that will match the purpose of the room in question. For example, many people choose to lay down deep pile carpets within the bedroom environment as such carpets can be lovely and cozy.
However, Karndean flooring which is durable, hardwearing and practical may be a more sensible alternative for a kitchen environment where liquids and food may be spilled or within a living room in a home where pets or small children are likely to make a mess.
This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Stewart Groom Flooring who supply and fit carpets in the Leicester area and can supply and fit laminate and Karndean flooring.
