To learn more from our Contractor co-author, like how to let your boards acclimate in your home, keep reading the article! So far, weve laid laminate flooring in a completely gutted house with a concrete subfloor that had no toilets, doors, baseboard, or pretty much any obstacles. ), cheap laminate floor installation kit at Amazon, How Long To Let Stain Dry Before Wiping Off (+ Pictures! Some rooms, mostly in modern buildings are easier to laminate than others. This tool allows you to see what different types of flooring look like in your very own dojo, dance studio, gym, basement, living room, etc. The easy-to-use online tool allows you to select from over 30 room settings and 150+ floor products. Additionally, with areas like the kitchen and living room in plain sight, it's easier to feel more connected to your family while preparing . And our MagicPlan tool makes for measuring a snap, literally. Retain the cut-offend. To start, I would first remove the furniture, toilets, rugs, and anything else sitting on top of the current flooring. You can also explore our library of room images to see how your choices will look. For example you will be able to look at this sheet and see how many inches it is when 10 planks are put together, or 15 planks, or 20 planks and so on. But with a stable, flat subfloor, the cut lengths can go as short as 1 foot. Insulated glass will limit heat loss. Though a slight variation from an offset pattern, a diagonal layout adds dimension and a unique perspective to a space. View in My Room 3D now allows users to test various floor design choices from Houzz's marketplace. Some underlayments come with peel-and-stickadhesive edges that are used to join the pieces. In general, laminate flooring should run perpendicular to the largest window in a room. Certain types of underlayments are also moisture/vapor barriers. Our catalog has a large selection of materials that can be used. Let us now talk about a question that most of us have thought about. You now have everything you need to know to install laminate flooring like a pro (and save lots of money!!). The online tool also lets you select the grade whether it is prime, natural, rustic, or heavy rustic depending on the product type. In some of our projects, we left the tongue on because the baseboard easily covered the distance. Choose a product from our vast collection of flooring options, including hardwood, tile, carpet, and more. You can also explore our library of room images to see how your choices will look. The end joints should be tight with no gaps. This can be a little tricky with the last row of planksbecause you are working tight against the wall. If you are working on the bedroom, living room, or anywhere, you can choose the area on the right side of the screen. Then, move onto the next row, starting with the end of the plank you cut off earlier. Mark planks in this last row for ripping, making sure to allow for the 1/4-inch expansion gap between the flooring and the wall. Number of unused planks - and that's the number of unused planks from the last package, Everyone who receives the link will be able to view this calculation, Copyright PlanetCalc Version:
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can rotate floors or change room. Close. Vinyl plank flooring is easy to install and can be used in various locations, including living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and even recreational vehicles (RVs). Vinyl Plank Flooring Calculator. Copyright 2022 Measure Square Corp.All rights reserved. For my living room, the new laminate planks were slightly thicker than the old planks. Vinyl. However, if you lay your laminate flooring parallel to the largest window then the light will showcase the seams more. If you you do not have central air and live in an environment that is humid in the summer than I would suggest not doing that. Hold the block securely with your left hand and hit the block with a hammer in you right hand. However, you will need several of them and you need the other tools in the kit, so its usually just easier to use the spacers that come with it. Use a circular saw, miter saw, table saw, and a jigsaw to get the job done. I mean this stuff is the easiest flooring on Gods green earth to install. The MagicPlan App makes measuring your floor easy by creating a virtual map of your indoor space. Lay down a full-size plank against the wall, spacing it about 1/4 to 3/8 inch (as directed by the manufacturer) away from the wall and making sure the groove edge faces out. 3.0.4208.0. An open living/dining room with a "path" of tile on one side of the room. *Actual flooring may vary from on-screen representation. For help on removing a specific item to get the room prepared for laminate flooring, check out my other tutorials: Once all of your obstacles are out of the way, you can move on to the next step! Rotate the flooring to see how it will look running in different . Don't stack the packs more than three high, and preferably wedge something between each pack so the air can circulate fully around them. Besides self-leveling materials for uneven floors, you'll also need extra materials depending on the type you buy: A unique feature of this tool is that it lets you evaluate two designs of the floors. The calculation of the number of planks Room length, meters Room width, meters Plank length, millimeters Plank width, millimeters Number of planks per package Laying by Calculation precision Digits after the decimal point: 3 Room area, square meters Number of planks used entirely Length of the last plank, millimeters The next step to installing laminate flooring on concrete is to level the subfloor & roll out the underlayment. This is why it is said that you should look at the direction of light before deciding which orientation to lay the laminate flooring. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It features clean sightlines and a brighter and airier feel. WRONG!! wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. The MagicPlan App makes measuring your floor easy by creating a virtual map of your indoor space. This will help you avoid having all the light pieces in one corner and all the dark pieces in another, and nothing is more randomized than literally pulling pieces out in random order from multiple boxes. If you do steps 1-4 properly, then you will cruise through the actual installation of the floorboards. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Planning the laminate flooring layout is by far the hardest part of laminate flooring. For instance, in the kitchen, you can edit the counter to design it with a natural stone slab, natural stone, or tile. Your email address will not be published. Especially if you want it to look like it was professionally done. It's about five times thicker than vinyl sheets, and - as you'd expect from the name - it comes in planks. ), Read more about me and my past home renovation projects here, 1 day for a small room (6 ft x 6 ft) up to several days for a large room/whole house, Transition strips (dependent upon your room needs T-Moulding, Reducer, Stair Nose, Endcap), Put the tongue (shorter side) against the wall with the groove (longer side) on the bottom working towards the right, Put the tongue (shorter side) against the wall with the tongue (shorter side) on the bottom working towards the left, Re-install items we originally removed (toilets, furniture, etc. Our flooring visualizer tool, My Floor Style, allows you to select a floor and get a virtual look at how itll work in your home. Measure your rooms and draw your floor plan just by taking pictures. Considering the layout of the room Use proper eye and ear protection while using a table saw. Which Direction to Lay Laminate Flooring: The Top 3 Home Renovation Blunders To Avoid, The General Contractors GuideTo Landscaping WithStones, Nine Uncommon Pieces of Home Furniture to Consider Buying. Don't worry too much about your technique for cutting or ripping laminate planks. In the first tab, you will select the room style and specify whether it is the living room, kitchen, hallway, or bedroom. Thank you for supporting my website! `Number of scraps - number of blue planks You may see ads that are less relevant to you. 7 Fun Flooring Patterns. When it comes to carpeting, do you go neutral or something with a bit of color? MagicPlan automates the capture of room measurement, shape and documentation - creating a comprehensive floor plan - a map of your indoor space. So if there are bumps and unevenness, it will bridge across that gap. Plus, youre saving lots of money by using less waste. Before laying your first row - be sure to measure the width of the room in planks. Floor Visualizer will help ensure that you find the best fit for any room you're renovating. Photograph your Room. If there are any doorways or staircases in the room you are installing laminate flooring, then its time to install part of the transition strips. You simply peel away a protective film before pressing the tiles into position. Just think about it wood floors always look more luxurious and expensive than carpet. Now I dont know about you, but my husband and I STRUGGLED with this at first. The bedroom design room planner tools are simple and straightforward. In the next tab, you will see the flooring options, which is what this tool is best for. Be careful not to lock the planks together. When you are ready to start laying the first row of laminate flooring, its time to break out some spacers. The easy-to-use online tool allows you to select from over 30 room settings and 150+ floor products. The next step to installing laminate flooring on concrete is to install the metal part of any transition strips in the room. ft. /carton) Make sure to maintain the recommended gap, and also check that the re-installed base will cover the gap. And weve laid laminate flooring in a tiny 6- x 6 bathroom with a wood subfloor that needed a toilet, old pipes, rugs, and baseboard removed. Most of the light from the room will come from the largest window, so you want the seams to be hidden a little better based on that window. How to cut laminate flooring might seem intimidating for beginners, but it's relatively easy. Ive seen some people install it without transitions between the rooms so that they have a smooth flow through the doorways. Unlike ceramic tile, laminate flooring installation is dryno grout, no mortar, no adhesives that set up while you're working. Therefore, it is important to find the perfect direction when laying your laminate flooring. However, if your baseboard is thick enough to cover both the expansion gap and the tongue being left on against the wall then its not necessary to cut it off the first row. There are many advantages to an open-concept floor plan. Finally, remove the spacers and install quarter-round molding along the bottom edge of each wall to cover the gaps. If you want to remove the changes, all it takes is one click with the Clear All Areas option. ), Dont forget to install a new wax ring before re-installing the toilet, If you are in a kitchen or bathroom, caulk along the, Base of the toilet (if it needed shimmed to be level), Only caulk the front of the toilet base so water can come out the back and notify you if there is ever a leak. 6. Its important to leave a gap between the flooring and the wall so the planks have room to expand and contract. In addition to her journalism experience, she has been educating on health and wellness topics for over 15 years in and outside of the classroom. Make sure to check from the edges of the floor boards to the edge of the wall to make sure that the row is even with the walls. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 470,955 times. After selecting a product online, visit one of our retail locations near you. Approved. Just open your browser and design! The planks are very thin, with a core of fiberboard that cuts easily. Laminate flooring is durable. Users can upload their own photo but registering an account is required. Simply upload a picture of the room in which you'd like to install new flooring and choose the flooring options and colors that have caught your attention. You can lock the side joints together or simply butt the planks against one another; just be careful not to walk on the flooring if the joints are not locked together. Depending on how you want to show your room, you can choose the orientation of the laminate flooring panels. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Product Disclosures | FA Management Enterprises, Inc. We're sorry, but we can't find a Flooring America location in the zip code you entered. One of the unique features of the site is it lets you find a store for a certain item. At the end of the day, you really cant go wrong! The tool will take you to the design page where you can specify the product category, item, and paint color. For maximum effect, it is important to position the individual panels along the line of the incoming light. Sales/licensing We use state-of-the-art tech with an easy-to-use interface, allowing you to measure and sketch interior plans in 2D & 3D. Use a scrap piece of flooring to hammer the board into place and it should just click in. Laminate. You can also share it if you wish and even order samples for free. MeasureSquare Laminate Calculator estimates wood laminate accurately with exact room measurement sizes, and it generates professional floor layout directions and patterns. Installing Laminate Wood Flooring It's tempting to find the longest, straightest wall and start slapping down planks. Here's what you need to know about how to install laminate flooring. Complaints/suggestions There are a few things that you will need to do before you just jump right into laying the laminate floor. Place the first plank next to one of the walls in the corner, then snap the end of it into the next plank in the row using the built-in tongues and grooves. All you have to do at this point is cut the transition strip to length with a miter saw and snap it into the metal strip youve already secured into the concrete. Yes, its that simple! Users are allowed to upload their own photo of a certain room but it is required to create a free account first. Lowe's Visualizer. Finally, tap the piece into its neighbor in the same row with the hammer and tapping block or pull bar (on all but the first piece in each row). Select the laying pattern 6. There are provided images that you can readily redesign yourself. The first step to making a staggered pattern for laying laminate flooring is to measure the room. As you work, lock each piece to its neighbor using a hammer and a tapping block or pull bar to snug up the joints. Step One: Measure The Room. Flooring Ideas Fabulous Floors 5 Videos Flooring Trends 4 Videos Flooring Guide Home Elements 6 Videos (Its very possible you could start with a full piece if the rest of the math worked out alright. DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT WITH US TODAY They are excited to get going and want to see progress right now. If you plan to install laminate flooring on concrete or another moisture-prone surface, the flooring manufacturer might recommend a moisture or vapor barrier to protect the flooring. (feet+inches) enter the exposed face of the plank. 3 Actual laminate flooring planks or tiles size (width x length) in inches. To install laminate flooring you must, remove obstacles, level the subfloor, install the transition strips, plan the stagger pattern, install the boards, and snap the transition strip covers into place. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Click Here For Measure Estimate Software Try It For Free. Remodeling Floor Plan for a Sunroom. Even Beginners Can Lay Floors Like the Pros. Also, the manufacturing process naturally results in a little variation in color. Its best practice to cut the tongue off against the wall in the starting row anyway even if you are starting with a full piece.). To make this cheat sheet lock together ten planks side by side and measure to see how many inches it will equal. If the old floor surface has damage or unevenness, you likely will need to remove it. Laminate flooring needs to acclimatise to the room it's going to be laid in. 5Tips to Create the Ultimate Outdoor Living Space. Even though the floor might look like a big single piece of wood, it is actually made up of smaller individual segments that join together. There are individual tools to design everything from wardrobe, storage, living room and kitchen. Inches values should be entered as real number means 3 inches = 0.25 feet; 6" = 0.5'; 9" = 0.75' and so on. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This measurement is dependent upon the specific brand of laminate flooring you are installing. This vinyl flooring pattern is also ideal for two- or three-color variations. The calculation of the number of planks requiered. Corner blocks, also called pull bars, slightly resemble crowbars. Outside of that, you just need to keep chugging along and installing piece after piece! Table saws always produce the best cuts, but you can also use a circular saw, a jigsaw, or even a handsaw. 2. Also, this makes it more difficult for your eye to locate the board joints when you are done. 'Laminate is made up of a number of layers: A base layer that provides stability and . Now Im inspired to help others create their dream home as well. Add 10% for waste and overage. Then, prior to installing the underlay and laminate flooring, lay down a thin, rigid layer of plywood to serve as a flat, firm base. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Walls are not always straight, and it might be necessary to adjust the row in (toward the wall) or out (away from the wall). Put aside any planks that are unfit for installation. He has been a construction professional since 1987. Also, if you arent using the proper tools (such as the block and pull bar that comes in a laminate installation kit), then the tongues break easily. The next step to installing laminate flooring over concrete is to install the transition strips. Wondering the best way to plan your laminate flooring layout? The Calculation. But its also the most crucial. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. And we use a large number of techniques to to build and decorate our house. Herringbone You can use 2 pieces of laminate flooring panels and lay one lengthways and the other widthways to find the best orientation to your floor. The last step to installing laminate flooring over concrete is to add the finishing touches! enter length A of the room. To add your own finishing . JavaScript seem to be disabled in your browser. Only this time, its 10x prettier with your new laminate floors! A picture is worth a thousand words, so I've made one on the left. Additionally, TheHandyNest.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Deciding which way to start based on your dominant hand will help you be able to install the boards easier and faster. TheHandyNest.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com . This will tell you what the width of the final row of planks should be. Next, its time to cut the first piece! When modifying how a certain room looks like, you can also identify which specific part you would like to design. Right? You can also use it on covered porches as long as you don't live in a place with extremely cold temperatures. Measure the length needed and transfer that measurement to a full-size plank, measuring from the right to the left side so that the tongue end of the plank is preserved to attach to the last full plank. To calculate your vinyl plank flooring: Enter the length and width of your flooring project in the calculator above. There are several good ones, all online and all available for free. Secure the seams with tape, as recommended by the manufacturer. It is really important to build a solid foundation to work off of. Uploading photos is easy and even non-members can add an image from their gallery.