How To Install Laminate Flooring 

Wow, you are awesome! I’m glad the video helped!!

Thanks! @pancakesgo7995 Good luck with your project and please let me know if you have any questions!

@@TheCarpentryConsultant Thanks, much appreciated. I have a question already! In my excitement I put down rolled foam underlay in advance of the laminate arriving. I've since read that it should ideally be laid at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the laminate panels. I have laid it parallel - is this likely to cause issues? I still have plenty of time to amend if necessary.

@@pancakesgo7995 Good question, either way you lay the vapor barrier it still does it's job. Some people are adamant about one way or the other but honestly it can go either way.

@@TheCarpentryConsultant Great, thanks for putting my mind at rest 👍

Thanks! @scottsmith4075 I’m glad you enjoyed it and congratulations!!

Thanks @AnjelSnow I really appreciate the kind words!

Thanks @Nusremmus I'm glad the video was helpful!

Thanks! @Brooks.Mechanical.Electric Yes, my hair gets in the way a lot lol

Thanks for the kind words! @timdaly8057

@arielleon7236 Thank you for the kind words! Definitely one of my favorite comments of all time! Comments like these make all the work I put into these videos worth it. Good luck with your project!

Came for the hair stayed for the content

Lol what a great line!@@tcuster55 Thank you

Also clicked for hair. What a good cut can do!

Thank you!!@@lilywhiteman1806

Thanks for the kind words @59markr ! I'm glad the video was helpful!

Glad the video helped. Good luck with your project!

Hi @gailpdevine Thank you very much for the kind words! Good luck with your project!

Thanks @jallen1 I really appreciate the kind words!

@jasont4860 Thank you, I really appreciate the kind words!

Thank you so much for the kind words @thespiritualodyssey I really enjoy teaching and making these videos and comments like yours motivate me to keep going!

Thanks @nathanleigh3486 I'm glad you enjoyed the video and good luck with your project!

Thanks! @johnpasqua9416

@diannewelch5258 Thank you very much for the beautiful words! It really means a lot to me. I'm sure they'll do an excellent job on your project!

@grangermacy Thank you and good luck with your project!

Thanks @joemd7775 I really appreciate the kind words!

Thanks @jonmelkay I'm glad the video helped you!

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Hi @zendobrendo0001 Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks! @ahmedsoliman2204 More videos coming soon!!

Hey @matthewmason9273 thank you! Good luck with your project!

Thanks! @borislavborisov82 I’m glad it was helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions during the installation. Good luck!

Thanks @mikeallenfpv I’m glad you enjoyed it

Thanks @JoseHernandez-gz2um I really appreciate it!!

Thank you! @enzomoya1689 I'm glad you enjoyed the video and good luck with your project!

@@TheCarpentryConsultant I have a question? If my hallway flooring is north and south should the bedroom be the same or can I go east n west in bedroom? Thanks again!

@@enzomoya1689 You can run the flooring either way but I would run it the same as your hallway. Let me know if you have any other questions!

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Thank you!! I'm hoping to make it to 1,000 by midnight. So close!

@@TheCarpentryConsultant that would be freaking awesome!!! I'll share it with some people to try to help 😁

Woohoo your 1 away 😁😁

@@EpiphanyCreations Just made it!!

@@TheCarpentryConsultant congrats, that is freaking awesome!! And you only have like 13 videos 😲 I have over 200 and still haven't hit it haha

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Thanks! @Thebarrioboy2009gma Thanks for watching and good luck with your project!

Haha @SeanInAlaska that's awesome!! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and good luck with your project!

Thanks @JakeStowers I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for the kind words @user-rv8zv7fl2s Yes, it’s true that too much padding under the flooring can create extra stress on the joints but there are a variety of thicknesses of vapor barriers and the built-in vapor barrier on the flooring that I installed paired with the thin vapor barrier I laid is a safe combo. Thanks for watching!

Thanks! @speedyswoodshop

Hi @jimeagle5509 The pieces at the end and beginning of a row technically shouldn't be less than 8 inches (some flooring brands require no less than 12 inches). It's easier to follow this rule when starting a row but sometimes you'll start a row with a larger piece but have to end with a small piece. It's not a big deal if they're are a couple rows with small pieces on the ends but try your best to calculate what pieces you're starting and ending with in a row so you can avoid the small pieces.

@@TheCarpentryConsultant Mine says 16 minimum length and at least 8 stagger. In your experience; how strict are those recommendations. It’s the Select Surfaces from Sam’s Club. Appreciate the videos and responses.

@@jimeagle5509 I recommend following the suggested spacing the best that you can but if you run into a certain section or two where you have to create a smaller piece that's less than the suggested spacing/size, it won't be a big deal. If you didn't follow the spacing at all throughout the entire process and every single cut and stagger joint was less than the suggested numbers, then over time your flooring has the potential to start pulling apart in high traffic areas.

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@davidlis6709 Awesome, good luck!! Let me know if you have any questions.

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Hi @romanmorris6901. Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I mention what to do about 3 or 4 rows in about what to do when pulling the rows away from the wall and shimming the space between the wall and the first row with shims. It's difficult to do while working just with the first row which is why I wait until 3 or 4 rows in when the group of flooring is more stable. If the wall that you're starting on is too wavy, then you're more than welcome to use the shims a little earlier than I did. As for the direction of the floor joists, I was installing over concrete so that didn't apply to my installation and it's difficult to address everyone's specific situation but to answer your question, no, the direction of the flooring joists below does not stipulate the direction of the direction of the floating floor. That rule applied back when they laid flooring directly on floor joists without a plywood subfloor. Now that we use subfloors, the flooring can be laid in any direction but usually running the length of the room is more common due to the fact that it makes the room look larger which I mention in the beginning of the video. I will look through my paperwork and find the exact name/brand of the flooring I used in the video. Thanks

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Thanks! @patgreen360

Hi @johnpasqua9416 Very good question! It's difficult to tell you exactly what section to start in without seeing the exact layout of your house but hopefully this helps... When I lay floors throughout the entire house, I like to start in the largest room first, working from left to right. By starting in the largest area, there are a lot more sections to measure off of to ensure that the flooring lines up with the layout of the house and lands correctly when you get to the other bedrooms. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks! @kellyjohnson5667

Good question! @Othmnmo You should always have an expansion gap no matter what season you’re installing the flooring.

Hi @monishajackson5019 Good question! Generally speaking, you can use a 3/8" spacer which would be ok with the majority of floating floors. Inside each box of flooring, there should be a paper with directions that will give you the recommend range of spacing needed for that specific flooring. Good luck with your project!

Some times it's in the pot nine days old

You're welcome!

Hi @eyes2see438 I am using a Diablo finish blade but you can use any brand blade you want. I recommend getting a finish blade with more teeth. The more teeth a blade has the smoother cut it will give. Let me know if you have any other questions!

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Thanks! @SidemenFishing Her name is Nikki from Working Class Art in Branchburg, NJ. She’s very talented!

Hi @Othmnmo Good question. Yes, it's a good idea to cut off the factory end of a piece when you start a row. I explain this further at the 4:48 mark in the video. Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Hi @emoryholmes4563 I would cut at least 12 inches off the first board so you have a larger piece when you get to the end. Let me know if you have any other questions and thanks for watching!

@luisasipple9315 As of right now, I only have one flooring installation video but seeing how well it's doing has made me consider doing more. As far as different materials go, there are quite a lot to choose from. It's difficult to compare different flooring options without being in person but it may be a little easier for me in this capacity to talk about price ranges. You can tell a lot about the quality of the flooring by how much it costs because even the cheap flooring looks great online. The flooring that costs around $1 a square foot, as you can imagine, is made from MDF and the top laminate layer is very brittle so it should only be used, in my opinion, in storage closets and other low traffic areas. The quality becomes more suitable for high traffic areas when the price hits the $4 to $5 range. I always pick a water resistant/waterproof flooring no matter where it's being installed. I've found that it holds up well in a various amount of conditions (especially if you have dogs). I hope this helps!

Hi @TheJamsherSingh That's not a dumb question at all. A lot of tool names can be confusing and there are a lot of slang names for tools, for example, "saw zaw" is slang for reciprocating saw but either one would work when referring to them. Chop saw and miter saw can mean the same thing but technically a chop saw can not cut angles. Chop saw: Chop saws are usually used when cutting metal studs with an abrasive metal cutting blade. They are restricted by only being able to make straight cuts and theoperation of the arm can only move up and down. Miter saw: Miter saws have a wood cutting blade and are able to cut angles on materials. This is the basic tool that you would need to cut and install trim. Radial Arm saw: Lumber yards, Home Depot, and Lowes still use this type of saw but very uncommon to own in your home unless you have a workshop. It cuts wood by sliding forward and backward and can cut through thicker and wider pieces of wood but it's restriction is that it cannot move up and down like a chop saw or miter saw. Compound Miter saw: This is the most common saw and it combines the abilities of a miter saw and radial arm saw allowing it to move up and down, slide forward and backward, and can cut miters. This is the saw I recommend getting. I hope this information helps and please don't hesitate on asking about tools or projects. There's no such thing as a dumb question. Thanks!

You're welcome @sobhan7593 I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

Hi @evanofain Yes, I mention that in the beginning of the video to the viewers. That is a very important step.

Hi @chasewatson1505 I’ll look through my paperwork and see if I can find the exact model number for you.

Hi @cashvancarson9018 Thanks! The biggest thing to keep in mind with the size of the cut pieces when you're starting a new row is #1 - To make sure the cut piece isn't less than 8in. and #2 -Is to stagger the seams so they're more than 12in. apart from the previous row. You can use the scrap piece from the row you just laid if it works in conjunction with those two rules. If the scrap piece doesn't work with those two rules, you can either start with a full piece or cut a random size that does. I wouldn't overthink the exact size of the cut because there are a lot of sizes that would work for the row you're starting. I hope this helps and good luck with your project!

Sean! Thank you again! Do I have to remove the baseboard?

Not a problem!@@cashvancarson9018 You can either remove the existing baseboard and replace it with new baseboard when you're finished with the flooring or you can install a shoe moulding at the bottom of the baseboard when you're finished with the flooring so it covers the gap between the flooring the the baseboard.

Thanks @jimeagle5509 Unfortunately, I don't have a flooring video for diagonal cuts but the process will be the same except for the 45 degree cuts at the end of each row. You need to start in a corner of the room and cut a 45 degree angle on each end of your first board with the groove side facing you. The long points of the 45 degree cuts will be on the groove side so when you lay your first piece in the corner it will look like a triangle. The long points of the first piece you cut will determine the short points of the second piece. For example, if the long points of the first piece are 12in., then the short points of the second piece will be 12in. Once you start that pattern, you keep building from there. I hope that helps!

@@TheCarpentryConsultant I have an angle in 1 corner. Should I start on the angle side of the room? This is what it sort of looks like on the one side: ______________ / / /

Hi@@jimeagle5509 It's difficult to tell without seeing it in person but if there's a weird angle in the room, I always start on the easier side first so when you get to the angled portion you can take your measurements off of the flooring you already laid which makes it much easier. I hope this helps.

Hi @afterstars Since it’s a click and lock flooring, if your sections get separated in one part and come back together in another, they should line up as long as all your joints are tight. I hope this helps!

Thanks! @lisagutziet8861

Yes, I’ll go through my emails and see if I can find a link for the flooring I used. @cafeconconcha2004

Good luck with your project @hal6198

Hi @kevinkaminski5748 Thank you for your question. No, that's not a mistake. You can lay the underlayment anyway you want because it's sole purpose is to exist as a vapor barrier underneath the flooring. It holds no structural value to the stability of the flooring so the direction you run it is irrelevant. It's easier to roll out the material the length of the room which is usually the direction the flooring is installed. I've never seen anyone roll it perpendicular to the direction of the flooring but it would still fulfill it's purpose.

@@TheCarpentryConsultant ok cool! I didn’t think it should matter. Thanks for confirming! I tried a long run of the underlayment the length of the room and it’s so difficult to connect the second run to the first run when they are long runs with the underlayment I’m using as there are so many ripples and I can’t get it to lay flat. Maybe I have to use some weights to hold it down as I go or something.

You can try to use underlayment tape to get the underlayment to lay flat. Sometimes I stack the full boxes of flooring on the ends to keep it down as well. The most important thing is that you get all the wrinkles out because you don't want to lay the flooring over a fold in the underlayment because it could create a hump in the flooring after it's completed. @@kevinkaminski5748

Lol

Thanks for the feedback @joekind1 In my opinion, if you’re willing to take the time to go on RU-vid to watch a video that teaches you how to do a project that, if done correctly, will last you for years to come as well as save you a good amount of money by not hiring someone else to do the work, it’s worth spending an extra 10 or 15 minutes listening to a few important tips to ensure that you’re doing everything correctly. If you disagree, you can always jump ahead to the part that you’re interested in watching.

Thanks! @TheNewYorkTony

Thanks @Meli0710 I'm glad the video was helpful!