How to Install Square Laminate Floor Tiles
A number of designs of laminate floor tiles are available for do-it-yourselfers. Commonly available in a square design, laminate tiles are also available in longer plank patterns in some designs. The square pattern is easier to install. Attractive to do-it-yourselfers because you simply need to clip or snap the tiles together, rather than applying them with glue, installing a new laminate tile floor makes a good weekend project. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Laminate floor tile
- Coping saw
- Pry bar
- Underlayment
- Trim track
- Caulking
Instructions
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1
Clear the room of all furniture or other items. Remove any loose or uneven floor covering. The laminate flooring will only lie smooth if the surface below the tiles is smooth.
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2
Remove the mopboard from around the room. Use a coping saw to cut the bottom 1/2 inch off any door trim that extends to the floor level of the existing floor.
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3
Install a trim track, a metal piece that will divide the new installation of the laminated floor tiles and other floor coverings.
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4
Place an underlayment, a plastic sheeting that acts as a cushion between the tile and floor, across the floor. Use packing tape to connect seams of the underlayment.
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5
Place the first row of tile along one wall of the room being tiled. Interlock the tiles together by holding one tile at an angle above the other and inserting the edge into the tile on the floor. Place a plastic spacer between the tiles and the wall to maintain a straight and uniform position for the first row of tiles.
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Add a second row of tile by interlocking the tiles with the first row. Continue adding tiles across the room until the entire floor is covered.
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Replace the mopboard and any other trim removed prior to installation. Because no glue is involved, furniture can be placed on the laminate floor tiles immediately after the completion of the tile placement. Apply a bead of caulking between the floor tile and the mopboard to complete the project.
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Tips & Warnings
If any gaps exist after the tiles are interlocked, use a hammer and a waste piece of tile to gently tap on the tile to move it into place.
