This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shares tips and techniques for installing a floating floor. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)SUBSCRIBE t. When installing a floating laminate floor, you don’t need to use any adhesive, nails or staples. Slide the first two rows into their final position, and repeat steps 5 and 6 above, using the same alternating plank technique to complete the process. Install the Remaining Rows Use the remainder of the laminate flooring planks you cut at the end of row one to start the next row, as long as it’s longer than 1 foot. If it’s not, start the row with a plank cut to a length greater than 1 foot. Start the second row where you started off the first. In this video, I am showing how to install laminate flooring for the first time. Check out to learn more about becoming.

How To Install Laminate Flooring Planks
Free Floating Laminate Flooring
How To Install Free Floating Laminate Flooring At Home Depot
How To Install Free Floating Laminate Flooring Without
Youtube How To Install Laminate Flooring

You’re finally doing that new bathroom renovation! Awesome! You’ve decided on the laminate flooring, the perfect pedestal sink, and a brand new toilet. But you know that laminate flooring isn’t waterproof… so, do you install the flooring under the bathroom toilet and sink, or do you cut around it?

Start With The Flooring

How To Install Laminate Flooring Planks

If you’re installing a new floor, pedestal sink, and toilet, you should install the laminate flooring first so it’s under the sink and toilet. Because laminate flooring floats above the sub-floor on top of underlayment, it will expand and contract slightly with the temperature and humidity of the room. This makes it impossible for any caulking around the base of the sink and toilet to hold.

If you were to install the toilet and sink first, the caulking could crack due to the expansion and contraction, making the installation look sloppy. By installing the flooring first, you will also be able to more easily switch up cabinetry or fixtures, without having gaps in the flooring.

For Cabinets and Vanities

If you’re installing cabinets or a vanity that is fixed to the flooring, you will install these first. A laminate will not be able to float under a cabinet. Install the cabinets and then use a finishing molding around the edges to cover the expansion gap.

How Do I Install The Flooring Properly?

Free Floating Laminate Flooring

Precision cutting is key in this type of installation. Cut the flooring around the drains fairly close to the hole. When you install the toilet, screw it down snugly, but not overly tight. If you’re installing a pedestal sink, while it’s heavy, the floor should still be able to expand and contract properly.

The most important thing is not to push the baseboard too tight to the floor, and to leave the proper expansion gap, when you install the flooring and molding. This is what allows the floor to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. If you’re worried about water spilling, you can add a waterproof glue to the locking system joints while installing. This will help create a more water-tight seal between planks, which is where the floor will be the most prone to water damage.

If you have additional questions on how to properly install laminate flooring in a bathroom, feel free to ask them in the comment section below! We would love to help you!

More Bathroom Installation Help:

Since laminate flooring looks so much like hardwood flooring, you may wonder if the installation process is to nail laminate flooring down to the subfloor. Since laminate flooring is a floating floor, it is not meant to be attached to the subfloor by nails or glue. The floor needs to be able to expand and contract with temperature changes and therefore must freely lay on the underlayment or subfloor. Nailing the laminate flooring down would also leave marks on the flooring that would be very unappealing to the eyes.

Why You Shouldn’t Nail

Nailing laminate planks down will cause damage that will not only make the floor useless, but also void your warranty. The proper way to install laminate flooring is to use the tongue and groove locking system to click planks together, creating a smooth and seamless floating surface.

How To Install Free Floating Laminate Flooring At Home Depot

How To Float Laminate Flooring

Remember to decide what underlayment is right for your project – the underlayment is what will allow your flooring to float. The right underlayment is key to a successful installation. Laminate flooring is meant to float, and the right underlayment will give it stability and strength.

How To Install Free Floating Laminate Flooring Without

Do you have any questions we can answer? Please post them in a comments area below this article. We will be happy to help.