Flatness Required for Laminate Floors

Flatness

• The floor that you plan to install laminate over must be flat. When defining flat for laminate installation, it means that the maximum height difference between adjacent areas within a 10 square foot area with high or low spots cannot be anymore than 3/16 inch. If you have high and low spots that are more than 3/16 inch, you will need to use a leveling compound or sand the high spots. The slope of the floor cannot be any greater than 1 inch in any 6 square foot area.

Clean

• Floors must be clean and free of debris and spills. If the floor has paint or drywall mud on it, you need to scrape the spills off the floor or use a soap and water solution to clean the floor and remove all spills. If the floor has any tacks, staples or nails sticking up out of the floor you intend to cover with laminate, you must use a hammer or pliers to pound the nails into the floor or pull the stables out.

Dry

• The subfloor must be dry before you lay down the underlayment and laminate. If the subfloor is wet, allow it to dry. If you are installing laminate over concrete, it is important that you use a moisture barrier or an underlayment that acts as a moisture barrier. If the concrete floor is damp, you will need to have a calcium chloride test done to determine the relative humidity of the floor before going any farther.

Sound

• If you walk across the floor you have in the room now and you hear squeaks or the floor gives a little under foot, you will need to correct the problem to make the floor sound and sturdy before installing the laminate. Check the joists in the basement for weakness and use nails to secure floorboards or sub-flooring that may be loose. When you walk across the floor, it should be sturdy and not make any noises.