How to Trim Laminate or Hardwood Floors
When you are putting down hardwood floor planks, or the coated composite wood flooring planks known as laminate flooring, it is essential that you stagger the floor's seams during installation to get the sturdiest flooring job. To stagger planks and to fit laminate and hardwood floor planks into spaces where they may not otherwise fit, you must trim the flooring as you install. You can use a number of tools to trim laminate and hardwood, but a few common ones get the job done. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Laminate or hardwood flooring planks
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Circular saw
- Measuring tape
- Jig saw
Instructions
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Lay the first row of laminate or hardwood floor planks side-by-side in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. When you get to the end of the row where you cannot fit another full plank, lay a laminate or hardwood plank on top of the last plank in the row, hold a flooring spacer against the wall and slide the end of the plank over to meet the spacer. Mark the sides of the plank where the plank meets the edge of the plank below.
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Lay a ruler across the top of a hardwood plank or the bottom side of a laminate plank between the marks. Draw a straight line across the plank between the side marks.
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3
Cut through the plank using a circular saw. Move the blade of the saw along the line on the plank to keep the cut straight. Put the plank into place at the end of the row.
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4
Trim the first hardwood or laminate plank for the second row of the flooring job down by approximately 12 inches, though the exact measurements depends upon the manufacturer's recommended "stagger" in the flooring seams. Measure down the plank on each edge with a measuring tape, marking the plank at 12 inches, lay the ruler between marks and draw a line across the plank. Cut the plank with a circular saw.
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Repeat the staggering process for the third row, this time cutting the plank down by 24 inches if you cut the second row plank by 12. Use the same measuring and cutting process to cut the plank to size. Lay the plank at the start of the third row and make this your pattern across the floor, cutting each second and third row down by the recommended amount.
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Cut around obstructions on the floor where necessary using a jig saw. Lay the plank down by the obstruction and draw a rough guide on the plank to help in your trimming. Follow the mark that you made on the plank with a jig saw to cut the shape from the edge of the plank.
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