How to Install Interlocking Prefinished Masonite Flooring

Preparing the Floor

• 1

  Measure the length and width of the room, and multiply the two measurements to find the square footage. Buy 10 percent to 15 percent extra laminate flooring to allow for cutting and mistakes.

• 2

  Number the baseboards with a pencil. Mark the wall above each baseboard with the matching number. Then gently pry the baseboard off the wall with a pry bar. Remove any nails and set the baseboards to the side.

• 3

  Remove the existing floor covering. Pull up any carpet and padding, cutting it into manageable sections with a utility knife. Remove the tack strips with a pry bar or claw hammer.

• 4

  Sweep and vacuum the floor to remove all dust, dirt and debris.

• 5

  Check the surface of the floor. Repair any uneven areas, cracks or loose boards.

• 6

  Install a vapor barrier over concrete floors. Tape 6-millimeter plastic over the entire surface, overlapping the plastic and taping the sheets together with duct tape. The plastic should extend 2 inches up the walls.

Install the Flooring

• 7

  Roll the underlayment over the floor. Butt the sides of the underlayment together and tape the edges.

• 8

  Lay the first full board in the corner of the room. Depending on the manufacturer, the end of the second board either interlocks with the first or is tapped into place with a block and rubber mallet from the installation kit. To lock the boards in place, insert the tongue into the groove at a 45-degree angle. Press the boards together as you lower the second board into place. Continue across the room until you reach the last board in the row.

• 9

  Turn the last board over and slide it to within 1/2 inch of the wall. Mark the spot where it overlaps previous board. Mark a straight cutting line across the back side of the board. On the right side of the board, align painter's tape with the cutting line. Cut the board using a jigsaw or table saw. Turn the board over and install at the end of the row.

• 10

  Install the other half of the board as the first board in the second row. Continue installing boards in the row, interlocking the tongue-and-groove sides according to the manufacturer's directions.

• 11

  Pull the floating floor 1/4-inch out from the walls after installing the third or fourth row of boards. Insert spacers from the installation kit around the perimeter of the floor. Continue installing the laminate boards.

• 12

  Measure the space between the next-to-last row and the wall. Subtract 1/4 inch from the measurement. Mark and draw a cutting line along the long side of the boards. Protect the right side of the boards with painter's tape. Cut with the jigsaw or table saw, remove the tape and install the last row of boards.

• 13

  Glue or nail the baseboards to the wall, matching each baseboard with its number. Do not attach the baseboards to the flooring; the floor will expand and contract with humidity and temperature changes, sliding under the edges of the baseboards.

• 14

  Install transitional pieces where the laminate flooring meets tile, carpet or in doorways.