Questions About How To Install Laminate Flooring Around Doors

Jenny asks…

How much to charge for installing laminate flooring?

Two rooms of laminate flooring, w/ underlayment needed to be installed also. Theres five doors, one area where floor will meet kit. tile. Sq. ft is around 400. Owner of house will be paying for materials. thnks!

admin answers:

A good rule of thumb is $1-1.50/sq. Ft. Depends on how comfortable you are and how fast you think you will be able to finish. Otherwise, you can charge hourly, if they will go along with that. Hope this helps.

Lisa asks…

How to "click" laminate flooring together under a door jam?

I am installing laminate flooring in a bedroom that transitions into a hallway. I have cut about a half inch from the door jams and have cut a nice slot for the laminate to fit around the door jam on the bottom. The only problem is I can't get the angled leverage need to "click" the floor together as it hits the top of the door jam. How can I lock the long ends of the boards without having to lift it on an angle?

admin answers:

This is tough of you haven t had to do it before. So what I suggest to 1 st timers is to either remove the trim around the door or loosen it a bit to have the room to slip a pc under it. This depends on the size of the pc. If its a 3/4 to a whole pc, you can usually get it under the casing when you do the row normally.. If its a smaller pc , you actually have to start your row there and work from the door way for the row and "reverse " the way you put in one row, it isn t that hard really.
To get your long ends together since you won t get the angle, you have to use the special pull bar that comes w/ the laminate kit. Kit also contains the tapping block. This kit should ve been suggested to you by who ever sold you the laminate..
When done, you can either reline the nails to the nail holes and tap them back in on the trim work. I ve done this carefully many times w/o a sign the trim was removed or disturbed.. Any flooring questions you can e mail me through my avatar GL

David asks…

How to fill gaps between molding and laminate flooring?

I installed laminate flooring in the bedroom and used shoe molding to cover the expansion gaps around the perimeter of the room, but there are still gaps around the door molding and closet moldings. What can I use to cover these gaps?

admin answers:

Should have removed the moldings before putting in the flooring, then cut them to fit. Anything you use now will look odd.

Donald asks…

Need help fixing gaps in laminate flooring.?

I recently installed laminate flooring in my home. This was the first time that I had ever completed a project like this. As a newbie to laying laminate flooring I left some gaps around my door frames that are not covered by quarter round. Any suggestions on how to fix these gaps?

admin answers:

Go to paint store or a local paint supply company take a piece of the floor with you and have them tint or locate a wood filler to macth the floor now make sure its something that it sands easy and after a period of time drys hard. You may want to seal it after it drys with a small art brush with varnish (poly) which takes 24 hours to dry for mopping as wear and tear.*

Ken asks…

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST for this basement renovation?

Im curious to know how much it would cost to get a contractor in to finish my basement, which is 100sq feet that is currently unfinished (no floors, ..etc)

The following will be done:
demolition of existing walls
ripping out carpet
levelling of floor
demolition of drop down ceiling
framing of 100 SQ feet walls and ceiling
ductwork
plastering
sanding
painiting
insulation in walls
installing laminate flooring
installing 3 doors
baseboards (all around)
installation of 4 light fixtures
boxing around i-beam pole
boxing around electricity box
painting walls and flooring of 60 sq feet (back room of basement that is not finished)
Putting up shelves around the back room
redoing the stairs to basement
boxing of windows
HOw much does it cost as a whole project if I were to pay cash and how much would it cost one person to do it by the hour (cash)

admin answers:

First of all, you are not likely to get the same price from 3 different contractors. And you do NOT want to pay someone by the hour to do this. They could drag it out for a year. The same person would probably not do all these projects anyway. It also depends on what region of the country you live in. Construction costs are cheaper in Texas than California for example.
I would definitely call a few remodeling companies in your area and get quotes. Check the better business bureau website to make sure there are no complaints against them.
Also make sure if you need permits that they will do that.
We had similar work done in our attic conversion and it was $11k. But there are so many variables.

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Questions About How To Install Laminate Flooring In Kitchen

Lisa asks…

How high a quality of underlay should I use for installing laminate flooring in the kitchen and living rooms?

I will also be installing it to the rear entrance to my house.

I want to do a good job, something we will be happy with, but ive heard 2 different stories on underlay, basically, go cheap, it wont matter, or go expensive, you'll be sorry if you dont.

admin answers:

You will need a decent subfloor. I work in home remodeling in buffalo ny and when ever a lam. Floor is going in we make sure the underlayment is 1/4 louan. When u install it use staples no more than 6" appart with a pneumatic stapler. Then go over all seams and holes with a floor leveler just like u would with drywall. The light layer of foam thats installed between the underlay and the flooring will make up for any further impurfections. Its not so much the grade of the underlay as so much as the way its installed

Susan asks…

I just installed a laminate floor in my kitchen,my dishwasher leaked and buckled a few pieces of flooring?

How do i replace these or do I have to rip up the whole floor?the damage is in the middle of the floor.

admin answers:

That's why they don't recommend laminate for kitchens or bathrooms.
Here are some videos to show you how th replace the damaged part.
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdoeas13oEI
http://www.floorexpert.com/Armstrong/fpoxpert.nsf/23b149bfeaa0022285256eba00710745/33141eb5922314d285256cde00748e9e?OpenDocument

Mary asks…

How do you install interlocking laminate flooring across tile and bare concrete?

The kitchen in our new home has tile and the breakfast nook attached to it has carpet. The carpet continues into the livingroom and dining room. ----- I will remove the carpet from the nook to reveal concrete but I'd rather not remove the tile b/c it would be so difficult. ----- How do I get the laminate to cover the tile and the concrete which will be almost an inch lower??? How will the laminate butt up against the carpet???

admin answers:

The only practical solution is a floor molding. A Pergo 4-in-1 reducer strip will make the needed transition. Sloping the floor down with cement will cause the joints of the laminate to open and peak, and is a bad idea.
The same Pergo 4-in-1 is used to finish to carpet. Install the carpet reducer following the enclosed instructions and then drop a tack strip beside it. Trim the carpet and tuck it between the tackless and the reducer.
Feel free to E-mail with any other installation questions.

Maria asks…

How do I clean my new laminate flooring?

We just purchased and installed a laminate hardwood floor in my kitchen and I am trying to find a good product to keep it clean. The instuctions said not to have any standing water/liquid on the floor. Does anyone know of a good product? One I can use with a damp mop that won't leave streaks.

admin answers:

Loc, is very good product, distributed by quixtar, it doesn't have wax in it. Anytime you mop dry your flours with a dry towel, if you want it to have a nice sine vinegar deluded with water works very nice. :) congrats on your new floors.

Nancy asks…

What would be better on a kitchen floor, wood laminate or wood-patterned linoleum?

My husband wants to install wood laminate flooring in our kitchen, but I think I'd be happier with wood-patterned linoleum instead. We live in a small Cape-Cod house in the midwest, and in the wintertime our kitchen floor takes a beating. Lots of mud and water gets tracked in our back door, and I'm afraid wood laminate would be ruined. Do you know anything about how wood laminate flooring would hold up?
Our house doesn't have a mudroom or entryway area. The kitchen door is the main door from outside that we use to go in and out every day. So, what would happen if this laminate flooring gets wet???

admin answers:

Laminate flooring is basically cheap wood with a picture of wood ontop and then it is laminated with plastic. Of course, there are all different quality grades of laminate but may I make another suggestion?

Since your floor takes a beating and you and your husband both seem to like the idea of wood on the floor, consider an even better solution: Ceramic tiles that look like wood and stand up to basically anything... Winter, snow, slush, mud, dog claws... It's ceramic tile. And I swear, you really have to touch it to know it's not wood. And ceramic is sooooo easy to keep clean... Here's a link or two so you can see what I mean:
http://www.luxuryhousingtrends.com/archives/2007/07/ceramic_tile_th.php
http://www.tileexport.com/product.asp?me=a2&smalltypeid=77
http://www.tileexport.com/product.asp?me=a2&smalltypeid=78

Oh... And you can even consider putting in radiant heat under the tile, which is fantastic!
Http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12590

Whatever you and hubby decide, you should know that ceramic tile is way better than laminate, linoleum or wood as far as durabilty goes... Enjoy your new floor!

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Questions About How To Install Laminate Flooring On Concrete

George asks…

how to install laminate wood flooring on a concrete slab?

admin answers:

If you install the correct substrate layer a laminate floor can quite easily be laid onto a concrete floor, just make sure as a previous poster said that there are flat surfaces to fit to.

Presumably the concrete floor is dpcm protected and moisture cannot penetrate from ground and warp your laminate pieces.

Donna asks…

Installing laminate floor over concrete.?

I will be using prepaded laminate flooring on top of a concrete slab. Do I need to use an adhesive ? How does the floor stay down ?

admin answers:

No do not use adhesive.Your laminate is a floating floor and will expand and contract with heating and cooling of the floor.You will need a moisture barrier(plastic sheeting)because all the prepadded laminate ive ever seen requires a moisture barrier over concrete slab.The weight of the floor keeps it down but if you attach it to anything it will cause the floor to buckle or seperate when it expands or contracts.Depending on where your installing it and what brand you may need to fill expansion gap with silicone and/or to glue the pieces together to keep moisture from getting down between the boards.

Ken asks…

Laminate flooring?

I'm installing laminate flooring and am planning on using my existing carpet padding (it's really thin). I'm installing the flooring on a concrete foundation. How important is it for me to use an underlayment/vapor barrier such as Visqueen? What are the consequences, both short and long-term if I choose not to use a vapor barrier?

admin answers:

Visqueen is plastic sheeting
you can pick that up for $5 a roll from walmart.
You can also use felt paper rolls, the kind used for roofing but not tarred.

Moisture will be the big culprit. It may smell musty and damp.

If your going to spend money on flooring then spend a little extra and get the right stuff or pay more when you have to replace everything later on.

Helen asks…

How to install laminate click-floor floating reducer in doorway?

I am installing Torlys Steps uni-click flooring. How do you install the floating reducer as shown in the below website, on a concrete basement floor? The flooring is installed vertically, and the doorway is horizontal. Do I just glue down the plastic track to the cement floor, cut the boards so it is close to the track leaving a slight gap for expansion, then click in the floating reducer?

http://www.torlys.com/uniclicaccess.asp

admin answers:

Liquid nails might do the trick, but if it were mine, I would drill into the concrete 1-1/2" every 6" and put in small pieces of wooden dowels about 1/4" thick with some glue. And put some nails in it. No muss no fuss, never will break loose. Good Luck

Richard asks…

I want to install laminate flooring in my house. Help?

How do I go about measuring the rooms (I'm not used to the English system..my whole life I've used the metric one but now I moved to the US).

Here are a few issues with my house:
-there's carpet everywhere, with concrete underneath (ground floor, lol) -WOULD ANY OF THIS BE A PROBLEM for installation?
-there's carpet on the stairwell..which is a mess and I'd love to be able to replace with laminate too. Is it worth it or it's just too expensive? Do you think it would be better to just replace the carpet with a new one, on the straiwell, would that be cheaper?

-I want to go for a cheap laminate...I've read everything on Home Depot's site. I'm wondering..will I regret going for the cheapest one? Are they very bad compared to the more expensive?

-I have a cat who from time to time throws up:(((( Would that affect the laminate flooring/stain it??? Or is it very impermeable?

Thank you sooo much. Any help is greatly appreciated.

admin answers:

Laminate floorin is ok to place over concrete just insure you lay the plastic and foam down first.
To measure, get a 30 foot tape measure and measure one wall left to right and the next wall left to right. Total both numbers (example 24' x 24' = 576') you will have to buy enough flooring to cover 576 square feet for that room.
The stairs should not be a problem as long as you get the end caps.
I would got to Lowes or Home depot and tell them youre plans they should work with you.
Good luck

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