It can be difficult to know where to start when laying laminate flooring on concrete, from how to lay laminate flooring on uneven concrete to what underlay should be used for laying laminate flooring on concrete.

To help you with all of the important considerations you’ll need to know, we’ve created this simple guide on how to laminate flooring on concrete so that you can be confident that your flooring will last for many years to come.

What To Consider

• Your flooring will need to be acclimatised for 48 hours. 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.

• It’s essential the subfloor is dry, clean, solid and level for a successful installation. Checking the moisture levels on a concrete floor is extremely important because failure to lay your laminate on adequately dry flooring could lead to separation or creaky flooring. If the concrete does not seem to be drying completely, you should use a moisture barrier underlay. Find all of our 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:

• Moisture Meter
• 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)

What You’ll Do:

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 because it wastes fewer planks, and because it makes 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.

We hope this guide on how to lay laminate flooring on concrete has been beneficial and that you’re now able to enjoy your brand new flooring. If you’re looking for beading or skirting boards head to our accessories section to find the perfect fit for your newly laid laminate. Don’t forget to check out our ultimate guide on how to lay laminate flooring for more information..