Installing & Hammering Angled Snap-On Laminate Flooring

Acclimate the flooring for at least 48 hours by letting it sit inside at room temperature.

Roll out the underlayment for the floor if your flooring doesn't come with attached underlayment. Start by placing the underlayment out in the first section you are working on, then rolling out additional sections as you come to them.

Lay out your first row of planks or first section. Some manufacturers recommend placing the floor row-by-row, while others insist on arranging sections of a few planks and a few rows at once. This varies greatly between manufacturers, so make sure you are using the correct method.

Angle the boards with the tongue into the boards with the groove and "snap" down. The "snap" may be more of a gentle push, depending on the manufacturer.

Cut the planks as needed with a laminate cutter or a table, miter or circular saw equipped with a special blade for laminate.

Stagger the joints according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Sometimes the stagger should be one-half or one-third the length of the row before; it is more or less specific at other times.

Tap the planks that won't fit properly with the angle method using the tapping block and a rubber mallet that came with your installation kit. A tapping block has a small ledge that fits over the plank to help prevent damage to the tongues and grooves. If you don't have an installation kit, purchase one at flooring dealers.

Use a pry bar and the mallet to tap in planks near the wall where you can't fit the tapping block. Take care to tap gently and not chip the laminate with the edge of the pry bar.