Installing wood laminate flooring

[Sunshine2Me]

I'm going to (attempt) to install wood laminate flooring in my house. I've never done it before. I consider myself somewhat "handy." Am I crazy? Will I be able to do this? I have heard of other amateurs doing it, so......

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[PaulaO]

My ex-husband did this in our kitchen. Fortunately I was at Rolex when he did it. Took him the better part of 5 days (including moving the refrigerator into the living room). I don't think it was particularly hard, just time consuming. He didn't have rip up any previous flooring or lay down subflooring. Just the foamy floaty stuff, then interlocking the panels. Lots of cutting and fiddly stuff which I hate.

Good luck and we expect pictures. Just don't let Annie help.

[highoctane]

We did our living room over 10 years ago (needs to be redone). The ONE tip I wish I'd known prior is to rub beeswax on the exposed/cut edge. It helps keep water (or dog barf) from causing it to lift & buckle.

It actually was pretty easy to install. Just LOTS of measuring and cutting. I hate carpet, and it's pretty easy to maintain...just keep water away from it lol. I'm actually considering doing my kitchen in a new type of vinyl laminate that's in "boards". It floats as well, so no need to glue anything down, plus you cut it with a utility knife.

Come to think of it, I might just redo the whole thing so it's all level (there's a lip where the laminate meets the kitchen flooring) and the same color. Hmmm....

[no.stirrups]

I meant to do my own, but was running low on time. I kept hearing how it was so easy, a great DIY project. I'm so glad I hired it out. It took him two days and lots of sweat to do one room about 10 x 14 with three doorways and one floor vent. I would never have had the patience.

[Larbear]

My Dad helped me put in laminate flooring in my first floor and then a year or so later did my upstairs. My helping consisted of helping to rip up the carpet and all that fun stuff and then make sure he had plenty of beer

I don't think it's particularly difficult but there's a lot of cutting & fitting and more cutting. It is time consuming though and a lot of patience is required!

[Tarlo Farm]

Easy peasy, I've done three hardwood floors and they're much more difficult. You want a good miter saw or table saw for odd cuts. I would never install a floor that could be cut with a utility knife. My critters and I are way too hard on floors for one like that.

[Backyarder3]

I did my two small bedrooms ..Till I got to a very crooked closet and the doorways... I got a retired carpenter friend to do those....Door casings had to be cut to slide the flooring underneath it. Without baseboards and door casings it would be easy.

[Saddlebum]

I had never done it before either. Purchased the blue under padding seperate from the laminate flooring and did this all in one 10 hour day.

12' x 11.5' size bedroom with small closet. Took furniture out (two dressers, one queen sized bed - very heavy), ripped up carpeting and padding and removed all staples. Cleaned floor. Cut and installed blue padding as I went along, one room width strip at a time. Cut laminate flooring, when needed, in hallway so not a long walk (very easy!). Installed flooring. Put new rug down, put furniture back in place. Closet and bedroom floor - BEAUTIFUL! All done. Easy. Worst part, feeling the fear factor, grin.

[Sunshine2Me]

I had never done it before either. Purchased the blue under padding seperate from the laminate flooring and did this all in one 10 hour day.

12' x 11.5' size bedroom with small closet. Took furniture out (two dressers, one queen sized bed - very heavy), ripped up carpeting and padding and removed all staples. Cleaned floor. Cut and installed blue padding as I went along, one room width strip at a time. Cut laminate flooring, when needed, in hallway so not a long walk (very easy!). Installed flooring. Put new rug down, put furniture back in place. Closet and bedroom floor - BEAUTIFUL! All done. Easy. Worst part, feeling the fear factor, grin.

Wow! That's good to know you did it in a day! If you have any photos, feel free to post!