One of the great things about laminate flooring is the added insulation it can bring to your home. This can be one of the reasons people choose to lay laminate flooring over floorboards. Another advantage is the cost difference; it is much cheaper to lay laminate flooring than to restore and refinish existing hardwood flooring. If you’ve decided this option is a temporary solution, you also have the option to revert back to your old flooring, which will look exactly the same as before the installation.

So if you’re wondering how you will undertake this DIY, we have a guide to make it easy for you. Keep reading to learn how to lay laminate flooring on floorboards. We’ll also provide you with a guide on how to fit your laminate flooring around radiator pipes.

What To Consider:

• Your flooring will need to be acclimatised for 48 hours before installation. Leave the flooring in the room it will be fitted in with the boxes open - this allows the wood to get used to the humidity of the room and avoids warping or buckling later on.

• Secure the floorboards by driving nails to make sure they are all tight. Any movement in the floorboards could dislodge the laminate flooring, significantly reducing the life of your flooring.

• Ensure the floorboards are completely flat, any bowed floorboards should be sanded down. If there are significant height variations, consider laying a thin sheet of plywood to level it out.

• Check doors or cupboards that may be impacted by the raised flooring. These doors will need to be removed and shaved down to ensure they do not snag or damage the flooring.

• It’s essential the subfloor is dry, clean, solid and level for a successful installation.

• Installations must use the correct underlay to support your new flooring. Take into consideration the floor you are laying your laminate, if you’ve got underfloor heating, noise cancellation, etc. See all of our laminate flooring underlay options here.

• You must leave a 10mm gap around everything including walls, pipes, door frames, kitchen units etc. You can purchase spacers to make this easier.

What You’ll Need

• Box cutter
• Pencil or Dry Erase marker
• Spacers
• Rubber mallet
• Block
• Corner Block
• Table Saw
• Miter Saw
• Hand Saw
• Fine Tooth Saw
• Ear Plugs
• Safety Goggles
• Tape Measure
• Knee pads
• Drill
• Radiator Rings (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place the first board finish side up, ridge side facing the wall. You should lay the boards parallel to the longest wall in the room.
2. Wedge a spacer between the end of the board and the wall.
3. Lay the next boards end to end parallel to the wall.
4. Move on to the second row. You will now need to shorten the first board so that as you lay the boards, they are staggered in relation to the first row. Click the boards into place and use the wooden block and hammer to close the gap.
5. Continue until all rows are done. Start each row with the other half of the board from the previous row as it wastes fewer planks, and helps make the floor stronger when the boards do not start and end in a line.
6. Remember to keep adding the spacers around the perimeter of the wall. Keep checking to ensure the boards remain parallel to the wall.
7. Boards that don’t fit will need to be trimmed down. Use a mitre saw to make the boards shorter and a table saw to make them narrower.
8. You can now add skirting or beading.

Fitting Laminate Flooring Around Radiator Pipes

1. Lay the edge of the board against the pipe. Measure and mark the position of the pipe.
2. Use a drill to create a clearance hole.
3. Measure and mark a 15 degree wedge from the hole to the edge of the board.
4. Use a fine tooth saw to cut neatly down the lines. This wedge will go behind the pipe to create a clean finish.
5. Fit radiator rings to conceal the hole.