How to Install Interlocking Laminate Floor Tiles
Interlocking laminate floor tiles are a wood composite material topped with a plastic veneer that mimics different kinds of flooring, including ceramic or stone tile, cork, or wood. Unlike all of those materials, the interlocking laminate tiles aren't actually glued or nailed to anything; they just sit on a padded underlayment, locked together by a milled system on the sides of the tiles and held down by the floor trim. It's a quick, easy project for a homeowner, and can be laid over almost any existing flooring except carpeting. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Hammer
- Pry bar
- Plastic wall spacers
- Underlayment padding
- Razor knife
- Duct tape
- Interlocking laminate floor tiles
- Tapping block
- Miter saw
- Trim nailer
Instructions
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1
With your hammer and pry bar, remove all floor trim from the room. Keep it intact as you remove it. Take out the nails and set it aside.
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2
Set your floor spacers every few feet along the walls on all sides.
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3
Roll out your padded underlayment in rows, cutting them to fit at the end with your razor knife. Lay duct tape all along the seams between the rows to hold them together.
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4
Begin laying out your laminated floor tiles from one corner of the room, working your way outward. Clip the tiles together at the edges, using your tapping block and hammer to fit them tightly. Use your miter saw to cut the tiles at the far walls, as necessary. (NOTE: There should be a thin gap all the way around the floor at the walls due to the spacers.)
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5
Pull out the wall spacers. Use your trim nailer to reinstall your floor trim, covering up the gap around the edge of the floor. Make sure to nail the trim into the wall and not through the new floor.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear eye protection when using your miter saw.
