DIY Flooring by CheapFloors.com
If you're looking to install a DIY-friendly floor covering that combines the rich look of hardwood with the easy care of a laminate counter top then you may want to consider laminate flooring. Laminate floors that have been steadily gaining popularity since their introduction a few years ago. Plywood, concrete slab, sheet vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring, or virtually any other flat hard surface is suitable for a laminate installation.
Relative to other types of floor covering, even glued laminate flooring is easy to DIY install. When we say glued laminate floors, we do not mean the flooring is glued to the subfloor, rather, the floating installation method is employed whereby only the tongue and groove are glued together and the floor is resting on top of an underlayment, nonattached to the subfloor. With glueless flooring, the panels are joined together without glue. Glueless flooring is the fastest growing segment within laminates. For all intents and purposes, the installation process for both glued and glueless laminate flooring is the same except for the fact that the unique "locking" tongue and groove system used in glueless laminates does not require glue. The result is a substantial reduction in the length of time required for installation. Another reason why glueless laminates are gaining popularity is the lack of glue cleanup. With glued brands, the bead of adhesive squeezes out between the tongue and groove during the installation process. Depending on the brand, this bead is either wiped with a wet cloth, allowed to dry and scraped off, or some combination thereof. Another major advantage of glueless floors is the fact that no waiting time is required immediately after installation. Finally, a often over looked advantage of glueless products is portability. The floor can be taken apart and moved into another room or another location.
The installation of laminate flooring is a project that is within the scope of most experienced do-it-yourselfers, and the manufacturers have actually designed the material and the accessories with that in mind. One of the primary factors in a good installation is proper preparation and layout. While you can install laminate flooring over just about any type of subfloor, the subfloor needs to be clean, level, and solid.
But there's no need to worry too much. Most manufacturers offer installation videos with detailed explanations and instructions.
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