The first step is to prepare the floor. A laminate floor needs a level concrete base beneath it, so you should carefully brush the floor to remove dust, dirt and debris. Use a spirit level to check that you have a flat surface; any bumps or dips will affect the laminate laid on it, potentially causing bowing or damage. You may want to consider using a layer of self-levelling concrete to remedy any unevenness. Laminate floors should also have a layer of underlay to protect it and ensure spring. This should be measured to the necessary size and be firmly secured before you begin to lay the laminate.

You should begin from the longest clear wall and work outwards. The lengths of laminate should be applied in rows and cut to fit as necessary. Each new row should be started with an off cut to ensure that end seams do not match up and create a weak point. Use a wood block and mallet to gently tap each new length into place, ensuring that it correctly fits into the slot on the edge of the previous row. Depending on the type of laminate being laid, it may be necessary to glue the sections together, using an appropriate wood adhesive. Check the instructions on the packs for further information.

When it comes to awkward areas, such as pipes and doorways, plan ahead. It is a good idea to make templates from card and cut the planks to shape, as required.

Make Sure the Floor is Even
Before laying your laminate flooring you will need to prepare the surface you are working on, it must be clean, dry and flat before any laminate flooring is laid.

Laying laminate flooring over Concrete Floors
When installing laminate flooring over concrete floors you must always use a polyethylene film as a vapour barrier, lay the film with at least 200mm overlaps at the seams.

The next stage is to layout the underlay foam, this makes the floor more comfortable to walk on and substantially reduce impact noise. it can be laid in the same direction as the boards or at right angles if you prefer with the edges butted together with no overlap and make sure to leave a 5 – 10mm gap around the edge of the room.

The foam underlay can be trimmed easily with a sharp craft or ‘Stanley’ knife

Before You Lay your Laminate Flooring
Purchase your laminate flooring at least 48 hours prior to laying and place the packs in the middle of the room in which you intend to lay it so that the planks can acclimatise to humidity and temperature of the room and allow at least 5% extra on the total room area for cutting shaping and any waste

Lay the boards out on the floor without gluing them to get an idea of the layout and fit. The longest dimension of the planks should run parallel with the longest dimension of the room. Starting from the longest, straightest wall in the room helps you to get a good straight line to carry across the whole room.

Each row of planks should be staggered by at least eight inches to the row preceding it. The installation can be finished off with skirting boards or quadrant molding to hide the gaps and allow the flooring to move if necessary.

Cutting your laminate flooring
Make sure all cutting tools are sharp before commencing any work, cut the laminate flooring face up if using a Hand Saw or Circular Saw and face down if using a Jig Saw. Use a cardboard templates to mark out awkward shapes or around pipes.

Tools Required
Installation kits are available from the laminate flooring suppliers and these vary in their content but tend to contain a Tapping Block, spacers and Pull-bar, you will also need:-

Stanley knife or craft knife
A tape measure
Hammer
Cross-cut Hand-Saw or Jigsaw
Drill and Hole-cutter (for fitting round pipes)
T-square
Pencil
Mitre block (for cutting skirting boards or beading)
Glue
Panel pins

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