How to Install Wood Laminate on Tongue & Groove Subfloor

Prepare the subfloor to make it ready to install the wood laminate. The subfloor must be clean and completely smooth. Fill in any holes or depressions in the subflooring using self-leveling compound, and sand any high spots using a belt sander.

Determine the starting point and direction in which you will install the wood laminate planks. The planks should be parallel to incoming light sources; however, if the room is narrow, the planks should parallel the longest wall.

Open the packages of laminate flooring and lay them flat in the room where you will install the flooring. Allow 24 to 48 hours for the planks to become accustomed to the environment. The room should be between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove all trim molding from around the edges of the floor using a small pry bar.

Install plastic sheeting on the subfloor to form a moisture barrier. Lay the plastic completely over the subfloor. Install underlayment on the floor before you begin installing the flooring. Many laminate flooring products have the underlayment already attached. If yours has this feature, you do not need to install any other.

Measure an expansion gap 1/4 inch away from the wall on the longest wall using a tape measure. Take the measurement in several different locations and snap a chalk line to mark the space. Place the first row of laminate flooring on the floor with the groove facing the wall but do not lock the pieces together yet.

Place flooring spacers between the wall and the first row of laminate flooring. Check to be sure that the flooring is straight even if the wall is not. Use a scribe to make the laminate flooring fit against the contours of the wall. Lock the pieces of the first row together using a wood block and rubber mallet once you are satisfied that it is straight. Do not strike the planks without a wood block or you will damage them. Measure and cut the last plank in the row when you reach the end using a tape measure and jigsaw. Place a spacer between the last plank and the wall in that row.

Cut a plank 8 to 10 inches long using the jigsaw. Start the second row of laminate flooring with this partial plank. Lock the plank sections together as you go through the row using the wooden block and rubber mallet to tap them together. Always make sure there are no gaps between any of the seams on the planks when you assemble the flooring. Continue installing the wood laminate in this manner until you get to the last row in the room.

Measure the planks for the last row, leaving a 1/4 inch gap between the edge of the last row of planks and the wall. Cut the planks to size using the jigsaw. Install the last row of planks and lock them into place using the wooden block and rubber mallet. Remove the spacers from around the edges of the new laminate flooring.

Install trim molding around the walls where they meet the floor as desired. The floor is ready to use since you do not have to wait a specified period for the floor to set.