Questions About How To Install Laminate Flooring

Chris asks…

How do you install laminate flooring under sliding closet doors?

We have closet doors that aren't on tracks, but just has a middle piece screwed to the ground to keep the doors in place. We plan on pulling up the carpet, which goes into the closet. So, I'm wondering what is the proper way to install the laminate flooring there? Should we stop the flooring just outside the closet door and leave the carpet in place inside the closet? Or are we supposed to screw the middle piece to the top of the laminate? Or what?

admin answers:

Do take up the carpet and the center guide, and run your flooring into the closet. I've always left the guide off when installing in a closet with no bottom track. I think the little plastic guide looks really tacky on my beautiful new floor, and I haven't had any problems leaving it off.

Stash the guide piece for now, and if you find that you need it, you can always put it in later (use a dab of construction adhesive (liquid nails) to adhere it to the flooring).

A tip in installing the flooring into the closet-- If the flooring runs parallel to the closet, try to plan the layout so you've got a joint somwhere in the width of the door opening. It's a b*tch to cut and fit it in if you end up with a plank that sits the width of the door opening. If your flooring is running perpindicular to the closet, I like to change direction at the closet so the planks in the closet and across the closet threshold run parallel to the closet. It takes some planning in the layout, but it looks super professional.

Another tip- It's a bit more work, but I always take up the baseboards before installing the flooring and run the flooring right to the edge of the drywall (the drywall *should* be raised up off the floor - if it's not, I trim it up 3/4" from the bare floor). This allows you to trim out the floor with just the baseboard, and looks like a true custom install. To my eye, putting a fat piece of quarter-round tacked to the baseboard looks tacky and screams DIY. Yes, it adds some time to the job. But once you see it done that way, you won't even consider doing the quarter-round solution.

Donna asks…

How to install Quarter Round when installing laminate flooring?

I'm installing laminate flooring in my room,
and I don't know how to install the Quarter round...

The problem is:
I don't want to ruin the floor when taking out the spacers..

Help!

admin answers:

Cut your piece(s) to length, miter ends if necessary
paint them (it's easier to do before you emplace them)
place it in
nail it with a finishing nail into the baseboard, NOT the flooring. Use a nailset when finishing the final few taps so you don't mar the paint.
Drive the nail in slightly past the wood
fill the hole with putty, let it dry, sand it down
touch it up with paint.

If you have to join two pieces to make a long one, cut each end at a 45 degree angle (opposing angles so one will overlap the other) just follow all steps and mask the seem with putty, sand it, then touch it up with paint.

John asks…

How do I install laminate flooring in a room with tiled walls?

I would like to install laminated flooring in my kitchen. Two of the wall are tiled. Is it possible to undercut these tiles or is there an easier method to do a neat installation?

admin answers:

DO NOT cut the tile.

You will crack, chip and split, and potentially ruin much of the tile work. Then you are stuck with a much larger issue.

The solution is simple.

Lay the laminate right up to the tile. Use quarter round molding (small). If you use wood, paint it to match the tile, floor, or simply paint it an accent color. The molding can be glued into place, thus relieving you of further issues and making the transition beautiful between floor and wall.

Tile may also be glued, or use mastic, to place. Then grout. This is, however, a much more expensive option. But, to prevent a potential disaster, it is worth it.

The other, simpler resolution, is to lay the tile right up to the tile and seal between floor and wall with a washable silicon.

Write to me if you have any questions.

Linda asks…

How much to charge for laminate flooring install (labor only)?

I installed laminate floors in my house, and an acquaintance of mine saw my work, and is willing to pay me to install it in his house. It's 300 sq ft, and I don't know what to charge him. He's kind of a friend, and I obviously won't charge professional rates, but what should I charge? $1/sq ft? or $1.50? Any suggestions?

admin answers:

Pro rates will go from 2.50/3.00$ a s/f. So your 1.50 would be just about right for an acquaintance. You may need to discuss extras that may come up that is charged extra for. Rip up and disposal, additional floor prep, removing and reinstalling base or shoe molding. Discuss all possibilities .
Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar. I ve attended several installation seminars as well as installed a couple 100,000 s/f GL

Sandra asks…

Can I install laminate flooring on uneven floor myself?

Just leased a commercial property, about 3100 sq ft, and the carpet looks horrible. We want to install laminate hardwood, but the labor charges are outrageous! We want to do it ourselves, but wondering if we can do so because there is one part of the property (very small section close to front door) that has a pretty uneven floor - about a couple inches off. How do we go about doing this? Do we need a filler or something? Thanks so much!

admin answers:

You need to level the surface with self-leveling concrete, see this link:

http://www.quikrete.com/pdfs/projects/preparingsurfacesforcarpetetc.pdf

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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 On Stairs

Carol asks…

How do you install stair runners over steps finished with laminate flooring without ruining the...?

...laminate?
We bought Turkish carpet runners from overseas and plan to install them on our stairs ourselves. We're not sure what the best way is to secure the carpeting to the stairs without marring the flooring. Any suggestions?

admin answers:

If the runner is not secure, there will definitely be an accident.

See the following Q & A:
Question
Is there a double sided tape I can use to secure the self padded stair runner to the part of the stair where you walk? The laminate is too hard for nails or staples. We screwed the carpet to the underneath edge of the stair where the bare wood was exposed. But, we did not install those brass bars where the rise and run meets, due to expense. Now the carpet sticks out beyond the edge of the stair. Any solutions cheaper than the brass bars, but still safe?

Answer
Hi Denise
Double face tape will not hold safely on your stairs. I'm assuming your not worried about the finish of the laminate since you tried to staple and nail through it. That being said, I would recommend a glue called Durabond D-815. It is a carpet seam sealer and multi-purpose adhesive and will hold very well on your steps. It costs about $12-$13 dollars a quart and one quart will be plenty for your steps.
I would take the carpet off the steps and re-do them using the glue. I would do 1 or 2 steps at a time. Run 2-3 1/8 inch beads of the glue at the top and bottom of each riser and 2-3 1/8 inch beads at the front and back of each step. Rub the carpet into the glue until it starts to tack up. D-815 sets up very quickly, usually within 3-5 minutes. Just keep rubbing it down until it grabs and holds securely. Repeat with the rest of the steps.
You will need an applicator bottle to apply the glue with. The store you buy it from should have them. As far as I know, only flooring supply companies carry the glue. But, a call or two to local flooring stores should help you find someone who carries it.
I hope this helps you out. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!

James asks…

Install the laminate on stairs?

I was preparing to install laminate floor on our previously carpeted stairs. After removing the carpet, I have found that the stairs underneath have a rounded nose on the tread that extends out about 1 inch and is about 1 inch thick. The stair nose does not completley cover this. I am trying to figure out how to make this work. I can't figure out any way to cut this off without having to do major renovations. Anyone have any ideas?

admin answers:

I don t advise a laminate on the stairs because of the tripping hazard of the stair nose and the possible slipperiness of the laminate if shoes are damp or you have stocking feet. But when I have had to do it, I rip a pc laminate down to 1 1/2" ( the depth of most stair treads ) and glue and carefully tack the pc in place.I try to use colored finishing nails as to match the coloring in laminate in use.Set the stair nosing over as usual.
Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar. GL

David asks…

Any ideas on how to install laminate flooring on steps when the stair nose isn't thick enough?

We just installed laminate flooring in our family room and want to continue it up a few steps. We bought the matching stair nose but when we lay it out the steps, it isn't thick enough to cover the whole lip. So if you are looking at the steps from the bottom of the stair case, the stair nose doesn't extend far enough vertically to cover the whole lip of the step, so you can see part of the wood that is the stair base. The wood on the step base is just unfinished wood from when they built the house.

Any suggestions for how to make the stair nose work or other solutions for putting laminate on steps?

admin answers:

You must rip a piece of laminate 1 1/2 " and tack on the facing of the tread. I use glue also and a few less nails .. Then put the stair nosing over it all as normal. Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar.. GL

Mark asks…

Laminate flooring question- How to place around rail posts and on ledges?

I've changed plans for my upstairs flooring. I've decided to do laminate wood flooring in the upstairs living room, dining room and kitchen, and carpet on the stairs and the three bedrooms. In the living room, there is a ledge (it's a bi-level) that has a hand rail going around it that leads down the stairs. How would I install the laminate flooring around the rail posts and how would I finish off the ledges so that they look clean? Thanks in advance!

admin answers:

Make paper patterns, once you get the pattern looking good transfer the shape to the flooring to cut out. And use a mould like this http://www.fastfloors.com/article.asp?a=1

Jenny asks…

Does anyone have tips on how to install laminate floor on an open-ended stair (e.g. not closed on one side)?

admin answers:

Laminate flooring may be used on stairs in some circumstances. I personally don't recommend it. It's labor intensive to install laminate on stairs. The boards must be glued down to the stair, not floated. You will also need a flush or overmount stairnose. This will prevent the tripping hazard. Wilsonart also makes full size stair treads.

The labor to install laminate on stairs is high because it's difficult. Hire a professional, independent family owned flooring store to do this install for you. Highly experienced flooring installers find these jobs to be a challenge. A careful, loving, patient homeowner/carpenter or equivilant could install these products on a staircase if absolutely necessary. Please contact the manufacturer for glue specifications and installation instructions. They are available free of charge. Some manufacturers will have them available on their websites.

Take care.

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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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Questions About How To Install Laminate Flooring In Bathroom

Mandy asks…

How do I install a laminate floor over an existing tile floor in a bathroom?

I do not want to break up and remove the tiles. Do I need to glue a subfloor of thin wood to the tiles and then put the laminate on top of that subfloor?

admin answers:

I don't know that I would be putting a laminate floor in a bathroom. Laminate is not really a water friendly product in my opinion

George asks…

How much does laminate floor installtion cost?

I currently own my home. I would like to install laminate flooring, I found a great deal and got my whole house for .49 cents a sq/ft and the boxes are just sitting here. I need to know how much per sq/ft it will cost to install. My house minus the bathrooms and the kitchen is 1120 sq/ft. I live in NJ. Thank-You

admin answers:

Hi Ahmed!

Your best and most logical action to take would be to get free estimates from local flooring contractors in your area who could provide you information on the labor costs of such a lamination floor project.

To help you out, here is a handyman site that I've used, which has a section dedicated to flooring, where you'll find a text-link ad that offers up to four (4) Free Estimates from such local flooring contractors in your area (scroll down a bit and it's the text-link towards the middle of the page):

http://yourhandymanzone.com/Your_Handyman_Zone_How_To_Pages_Home_Improvement_Zone_Flooring.htm

Click on the "Find Flooring Contractors...Get Up to 4 Quotes Free" text link. Guessing on here is not as productive as getting a quote upon which you can rely; this is especially true, as the cost of labor greatly varies by location. Trust me, from general experience, you'll be glad that you got concrete, free estimates--get three at least and choose the best one from the three.

Paul asks…

Install laminate tiles over ceramic tiles?

We have a very rough looking tile floor in our bathroom, it's cracked in several places. We'd like to lay laminate tiles over the tile. 1) is this possible (we're not worried about taking it up to get to the tile) 2) how should we best prepare the ceramic tile to lay the laminate?

thank you!

admin answers:

That might not be such a good idea. First you have to consider the thickness of the tile then laminate? Would make the cabinetry seem short! It's best to prepare the floor for the product you want to use. If you prefer laminate to tile, you need to take up the tile. You wouldn't have a very professsional look if you put laninate on top. HAJ

James asks…

How difficult is it to install replacement windows doing it yourself?

I have no experience installing replacement windows and will be replacing 23 windows on a house we just purchased. Looking for some advice on (1) what windows to buy, and (2) how difficult it is to remove and install. I am fairly handy, remodeled a bathroom tearing everything down to the studs, installed a new door frame, laid new laminate flooring. I am not afraid to try this on my own, want to know if I would be getting in over my head.

admin answers:

If you've successfully remodeled a bathroom, you shouldn't have any trouble with windows.

There are two approaches to replacing windows -- make the window fit the opening, or make the opening fit the window. This is an important distinction when dealing with non-standard size window openings. I'm a good woodworker, and would be quite comfortable re-working the opening to fit a standard size window - but I prefer to make the windows fit the openings, even if it means spending a bit more on the windows.

A few things to remember when replacing windows -- get rid of any rotten wood while you're at it... Don't forget your insulation/caulk, and be sure to install them square, plumb, and level, hehe.

As to brands - Pella and Anderson windows are both excellent brands, and easy to find at most building supply stores.

For the insulation - I prefer to use batten fiberglass insulation to fill large cavities, followed up with DapTex insulating foam. DapTex does most of its expansion immediately - an important factor. It also cleans up with soap and water. Great Stuff is another popular brand of insulating foam - BUT - it can continue to expand up to an hour later - which means you can actually put your window frames in a bind... And as anyone who has ever gotten it into their clothes, or on their hands can tell you - its a royal pain to get out, lol.
Before installing the new window, I would add a wind barrier around the opening, to at least a foot beyond (simply a layer of plastic).

I like to 'dry-fit' my windows, before caulking, just to make sure there will be no problem getting it in - takes a little extra time, but can save a big mess if there happens to be any problem, hehehe.

It takes me about an hour to replace a standard window, start to finish, but I've had a lot of practice, and have all the necessary tools.

By the way - if you choose vinyl windows, do NOT use an oil base lubricant on them (even most 'silicone' lubricants are oil base). The oil will 'attack' the vinyl, causing it to become brittle, and prematurely age. Vinyl window manufacturers recommend that a wax product be used to lubricate the windows. Johnson's furniture WAX (not 'polish') works very well, as does the Gulf brand wax 'cakes' (found anywhere canning supplies are sold, and at hobby stores).

After installation, you may find it necessary to adjust the spring mechanism in the windows. Some brands make a special tool to make it easy to do this... If the brand you choose, has such a tool, go ahead and buy it, you'll appreciate it later, hehe.

Good Luck

William asks…

How to install a new bathroom floor?

I'd like to replace the old linolium flooring in my cottage bathroom up north. It's got some peeling and cracks so it's very old. I'd like to use either sheet vinyl (wood imitation) or laminate (wood imitation). Not sure which would be more water resistant or better for a bathroom. I know some sheet vinyls are water proof even.
What do I need to do with the old linolium flooring to prepare it for laying a new floor over top?
This is a small bathroom, maybe 3 to 4 feet wide and 8 or so feet long. There is a tub and toilet, no issue with a sink in the way.

admin answers:

I lay floor for a living and carpet and wood flooring is a NO... And the laminite will bow as soon as it gets wet ... Tile or linolium is what to use... As far as prep on the floor is almost non existant just sweep and the floor so that there are no particles that get in your glue if you are skeptic that, that is not enough you can mop it but laying right over the old flor is all you need to do .. Pull the toilet so you can cut the hole ..... When pulling the toilet you will need a new wax ring to replace the toilet also turn off water and flush making sure there is as little water left to move toilet then place toilet in tub while you replace floor

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