How to Laminate Flooring in Hallway to Living Room

Preparation

• Careful preparation goes a long way to create an even and stable laminate floor. Remove any carpeting from the hallway and living room floor. Scrape away any adhesive from the floor and scrub it thoroughly to remove dirt, debris and residual material. Wipe the surface and leave it to dry. Scrape high spots on the floor with sandpaper until level with the surrounding surface. Conversely, fill low spots with floor-leveling compound. You want to provide an even surface for the underlayment and laminate planks.

First Row Installation

• Install the planks in the hallway first before extending them to the living room. Locate the straightest wall in the hallway, or one with the least number of doors and windows so it serves as the starting wall. Lay the first row of laminate planks flush against this wall, with the grooved side facing the wall. Leave a 1/4-inch gap between the grooved edge of the planks and the wall to allow for expansion. Tap the joints between planks in this row to form tight seams. If required, cut the last plank in this row to size so it fits the space.

Subsequent Row Installation

• Join the grooved edges of the planks for the second row into the tongue edges of the first row. Offset the first or last plank in this row, and the subsequent rows by several inches to form an aesthetically pleasing pattern without connecting seams. Continue the process of installing rows of planks until you cover the floor. For the last row, cut the planks 1/4-inch smaller than the available space before fitting them over the space.

Transition

• To extend the flooring from the hallway to the living room, you want a smooth transition that appears continual and attractive. Cut the lower edges along the door jambs to a height that measures the height of a plank and underlayment. Measure the width of the door and cut as many laminate planks as needed to cover the space. Trim the planks 1/4-inch shorter than the width to allow for expansion. Lay these planks over the floor along the doorway. Repeat the process of installing rows of full planks in the living room. Similar to the previous installation, lay the first row against the longest wall.