Q&A /
How to Install Laminate Flooring Video 2 of 3
Tim Carter, founder of https://www.askthebuilder.com, demonstrates how to install a laminate floor in just a few hours.
DIY laminate flooring, How To Laminate Flooring, Laminate Floor Secrets are all discussed in this three-part video series. Be SURE to click through to get the Quick Start Guide at Tim's AsktheBuilder.com website.
How to Install Laminate Flooring Video 1 of 3
How to Install Laminate Flooring Video 3 of 3
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I am not a contractor and have limited experience in DIY which means I have some VERY basic questions:
1. The quarter inch space on the first row of flooring: is that measured in addition to the tongue (i.e., tongue plus one quarter inch) or did you remove the tongue and measure the quarter inch from the walking surface of the flooring? Or something else altogether?
2. why didn't you have quarter inch spacers on the wall end of more than the first row of flooring? I'm thinking that's a function of years of experience and that a true first timer might need to use spacers just to be sure. Right?
Love your site and all the helpful hints and videos. Maybe I'll work up the courage to actually try some of them!!!
Great questions! You want a quarter-inch gap from the edge of the flooring - be it the tongue or the groove. Make sense? You should be able to slide any object that's 1/4-inch thick in between the wall and the flooring. You're correct about the spacers at the end of each row. If you simply measure the distance between the last full piece and the wall and subtract 1/4 inch, then you know you'll have that needed 1/4-inch gap.
My father-in-law had a great saying years ago that took me a while to appreciate: "Nothing builds success like success." Translation: I want you to try to tackle some SMALLER jobs first and finish them well. The confidence you gain will allow you to try more difficult tasks. If you falter, it's no big deal. Just figure out what you did wrong and try again. Good luck and report back on your successes! I hope you're a subscriber to my newsletter.
What's the name of that material under the limited flooring?
My guess is you're talking about the thinset that covers the radiant flooring electric heat mat.