How To Lay Out A Floating Wood Floor

Laminate planks that are designed to float have a locking system similar to the tongues and grooves on hardwood boards.

How to lay out a floating wood floor.

Lay out the first piece of square edge flooring with the groove side against the wall so it fits snugly against the spacer. See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe. A laminate floor is a floating floor meaning it is not fastened directly to the subfloor. The floating wood floor will expand and contract as a unit with temperature fluctuations.

Place the next piece end to end. I like to start by finding the longest straight run in the room or work off the center of the room if it s relatively square. Align the first board with the layout line with the tongue facing into the room. This old house general contractor tom silva shares tips and techniques for installing a floating floor.

Separate them by length so you can grab different lengths each time. The correct direction for laying hardwood floors. Lay out your wood planks by size. Overlap the flooring on either side but leave a 5 16 inch gap against the floating floor.

Drill three pilot holes along its center to keep the transition molding from splitting then fasten it to the subfloor not the flooring with 4d finish nails. Now measure the walls for shoe molding. Hardwood flooring installation doesn t have to be a difficult task. Installing laminate flooring is a snap literally.

Why do you need spacers around the walls. Set the transition on the subfloor. Next you want to determine the layout of the flooring in the space. Hardwood flooring installation doesn t have to be a difficult task.

It can be installed over any other tightly bonded flooring making it ideal for retrofits. Working my way off that point i lay out some pieces or measure the width of my finish boards to determine where they ll line up. Some wood flooring comes with several lengths in the same package to help you stagger the seams. While personal preference is a factor the direction in which you run hardwood flooring boards is governed by visual and structural guidelines.