| Installing a Laminate Floor |
| If you have a floor that would look a whole lot better if it were covered up, you might want to consider laying new flooring right over it. |
From "DIY Weekend"
episode DIYW-213 |
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If you have a floor that would look a whole lot better if it were covered up, you might want to consider laying new flooring right over it. Here's how to do it: Materials and Tools: rented floor sander
broom or vacuum
rags
nailer and nails
acrylic laminate flooring, sold in flexible strips
adhesive for the flooring
1/16" notched trowel
heavy-duty shearsSteps: 1. Sand down the existing floor to get it smooth. Be careful with the floor sander, though. It's easy to let it work too long in one place and dig into the wood. 2. Sweep up the dust from the sanding, then wipe down the floor with damp rags. If the floor has any loose boards, nail them down to create a solid base for the new flooring. 3. Lay out the new flooring for a dry fit before you start applying adhesive. Start with the strips running parallel to the longest wall in the room. To make sure the strips are laid square, snap a chalk line to use as a reference point for the first row.4. Apply adhesive with the trowel, spreading it over a small part of the floor in an even, thin layer. To keep the adhesive even, smooth it with the teeth of the trowel in contact with the old flooring, ensuring a thickness of no more than 1/16 inch. Only cover an area that you can work with in a short time — probably just the first few rows of flooring.5. Use the shears to cut the flooring strips to fit any irregularities in doorways or trim, floor registers, etc. Lay the strips one row at a time, staggering the seams to get a more attractive, natural pattern. Press down firmly and evenly on each strip as you lay it. At the end of each row, use the shears to cut the last strip to fit. 6. Once you've finished the first few rows, you can kneel on them to lay subsequent rows. Repeat the process of spreading adhesive, fitting and laying the strips until you've covered the entire floor. As you work, pull strips from different packages. That way, if there's any color variation from one box to the next, it won't be noticeable in the finished floor.
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