Laying Laminate Wood Floor Over Tiles

Preparation

• It is important to make sure the existing tile floor is smooth and level. If too many tiles are missing, loose or broken, it can cause the new floor to be uneven. A utility knife or chisel can be used to pry up any tiles that need to be removed, and a leveling compound can smooth out uneven areas. Before purchasing laminate wood flooring, determine how much is needed. Multiply the width and length of the rooms where flooring is to be installed. Take this number and add 10 to 20 percent for any overages encountered during installation. Other pre-installation steps include removing base molding and opening flooring boxes. Leave the opened flooring inside the house for two to three days. This acclimates the laminate wood flooring to temperature and humidity inside the house to prevent bowing, cupping or other changes in the shape of floor planks or squares.

Supplies

• Floor planks or squares and polyurethane underlay are needed for all laminate flooring projects. Most laminate flooring fits together without adhesives, but some products require special flooring glue. Flooring may have pre-applied glue inside the tongue-and-grove area that is activated by rubbing it with a damp sponge. Polyurethane underlay may be pre-attached to the laminate flooring. Other useful supplies include a tapping block or pulling bar to pull two pieces of flooring together and straps to pull entire rows of flooring together. V-shaped wedges can be placed between floor planks and walls to make sure there is a small gap between the two. A saw will be useful for flooring planks that need to be cut to fit.

Installation

• Laminate wood is designed to float, meaning it fits together over a subfloor but is not attached to the floor beneath. After putting down the underlay, start laying flooring. For laminate flooring that requires glue, follow the manufacturer's directions on the product packaging. Many laminate products have tongue-and-groove features that allow them to snap together. This self-locking feature eliminates the need for laminate flooring glue. Simply place the tongue of one floor plank into the grove of another floor plank and push them together for a secure fit. There should be a 1/4-inch gap between flooring and walls, which gives laminate wood room to expand. After laying laminate wood flooring over tile, it can be walked on immediately.

Considerations

• When putting two flooring planks together, don’t force edges into each other. This could damage planks and make it more difficult to connect them. It is best to follow instructions on the packaging of laminate flooring and polyurethane underlay. While installing laminate wood flooring over tile generally is very easy, it will require time and energy.