I want to DIY laminate floor in my kitchen, is it as easy as cut and glue?

Question

Lowes and Home Depot (no offence, love them!) want just about as much for labor as they do the laminate.They don't remove the old, just glue and lay the new on top. They do come out to measure, for a small fee, and will cut to size, so is this something I can do just as good as them? Any tips if so?

Answer 1

A single sheet of laminate is hard to lay. It's easy to bend, rip or crack it when you're trying to cut it to size and fit corners. If you don't have any experience go with self-adhesive tiles. Just make sure you lay down some chalk lines before you start. It's also a good idea to just lay the tiles out before you reveal the adhesive so you can adjust the tiles as needed and avoid small slivers at either end.

One last tip: make sure you butt the tiles together snugly so there's no gap. Otherwise it might move over time and leave gaps.

Answer 2

Most laminates aren't glued down, they are what we call a "floating floor". The newer laminate flooring is a "click and lock" tongue and groove system that is very easy to install yourself, with a minimal amount of tools. It is pretty basic - #1 - Carefully remove baseboards. #2 - sweep and clean floor - #3 - lay down and tape paper (various kinds- paper, foam etc,) sheets on existing floor
#4 - lay-out new laminate- click and lock it into place (remember to leave 1/4 inch space all around the room to allow for expansion and contraction)
# 5 - re-install old baseboards ---

Tips - #1- Remember to buy 2 to 5 % extra material to allow for waste
#2 - You can leave the old baseboards intact and lay floor to them , and install 1/4 round trim after, chances are, thats all the Home Depot was going to do. But if you don't like cutting mitered corners, using the old trim is the most cost effective and easiest way to do the job because they are already cut to size, just be sure to take care when removing them, you don't want them to break or crack.
# 3 When you get to a door jamb - don't try and cut your tile around it - instead buy an in-expensive pull-saw and hand cut the trim on the bottom the thickness of the tile. Then the tile will slide right under and look like a pro did the job!

You will need
- tape measure
- straight edge
- utility knife
- table or skill saw
- hammer
- small wonder bar or pry bar to remove baseboard (remember to use a scrap piece of wood or even a magazine to pry against to protect your walls)

Also if your baseboard has been painted - score the seam where the baseboard and the wall meet. that way when you remove it the will be no paint cracking or chipping. Good Luck.

Answer 3

buy a decent floor, opt for an engineered floor over the laminate. Some laminated don't always go down well if the floor underlaying it is not level.

If you have the tools do it. Laminate you do not glue down. Most laminates are known as floating floor, you leave about a 1/4 gap at the edges, and the floor can expand and contract.. Nailing or glue will likely cause it to buckle.

Answer 4

you can lay laminate flooring withouth glue. Home Depot(and i'm sure Lowes) has a laminate flooring that's click/lock together. you can cut,click and lock the flooring on top of a thin pad with no glue so if you choose to take up the flooring for any reason or need to replace a piece,it's easily done...

Answer 5

Laminate is one if the easiest DIY projects. You have to make sure the floor is reasonably level, within 3/8". Put down the underlayment/moisture barrier, then install the floor. You dont have to remove the existing flooring, just go right over it. Good luck.

Answer 6

Not hard if you take your time, Pergo sells a video a beginner can watch for tips. Go with the snap together as opposed to the glue - just as good and less cost and material ( No glue needed )

Answer 7

Do not glue it down. get a floating floor. It's eay enough to do yourself, and all you have to measure is square footage. Most laminates you can cut with a carbide blade on a saw, so you should be able to do it no problem.

Answer 8

yes you can. the floor palnks is glued to each other not the ground. it "floats" so leave a bit of a gap on the two edges. don't forget your moisture barrier! I would take up the old if I were you. Just my opinion. Don't cover a problem, fix it.