Hopefully you no longer have this problem, but If you do have an ongoing water issue in the basement, there is no floor covering (vinyl, laminate, carpet) which will seal that off, keeping the water out if you will. Laminates can be laid down on almost all subfloors with minimal preparations, which is why many homeowners tackle its installation as a DIY project. No glue or locking system is required to install loose lay vinyl plank flooring. If the packs are not set level, then they will bend and you won’t be able to use them again. Lay the boards on the floor and seal them together with adhesive tape. You can use either a moisture meter, or a calcium chloride test. Carpet Padding Removal. Glue Down Hardwood Floors On Concrete . Lay laminate flooring on the rest of the concrete floor, in the same manner described above. of height. Make sure you place spacers along all walls. polyethylene film to use as a vapor barrier, overlapping the edges. The builder doesn't think you can lay Pergo on concrete, and is pushing carpet. Also, there is no need to leave expansion gaps or put in an underlayment. The test should be performed at different times of year to ensure that the moisture content is not excessive during any one season. When working on a clean concrete subfloor, the glue-down method is often the go-to choice. We don't want the maintenance burden of carpet next to an outside door. Web. Taking accurate measurements might take some time, but it’s a small effort compared to wasting laminate boards. You can do this easily by applying a semi-paste paint remover (it works for glue as well). This Deck-a-Floor system is so neat; it is like putting a puzzle together. Basement moisture is going to affect any flooring you put down, so the goal is to find the one which will best help you deal with it when or if it happens. Pergo. Therefore, use a large spirit level to see if there are irregularities on the subfloor and pour a thin layer of auto-leveling screed if necessary. Can I glue down Quick-Step Laminate floors to the subfloor? the room has a door to the back yard, and we figure laminate is the most durable, comfortable compromise. You have to unroll 20”/50 cm of adhesive tape and then press it gently with your hand, being attentive to keep it well stretched. Follow manufacturer instructions, but as a general rule the solution is applied to the glue and allowed to soak in for a period of time. Read the directions provided by the manufacturer before gluing glueless laminate flooring. Using glue for laminate flooring ensures your flooring remains durable. The surface can’t be slick, heavily troweled or burnished. Should you use a leveller on the floor if the variation is greater than 2 mm? This project is not time consuming, so you will be able to finish laying the laminate flooring on concrete in just one day. First, you lay the grid pieces down. If you lay laminated boardsperpendicular to the windows, then add extra 7%, if diagonally – add 15%. The temperature should be at least 65°F with a relative humidity of 30-90%. Make sure that all grooves are clean before laying the boards,  otherwise the floor would have irregularities on the surface. Make sure there is no space between the rows by taking a close look. Work with patience and make sure you don’t leave any gaps between the laminate planks. Laying laminate flooring on a concrete subfloor is not difficult if you use the right tools and techniques. Afterwards, we carefully cut the board in a beautiful straight line. How to lay laminate flooring under door jamb. In this project we have used 20”/50 cm wide, 3′ 4”/12 m long, 3 mm thick boards, but the rolls are as good. A floating installation is not secure enough for stairs, and flooring coming loose might lead to falls. If the space is greater than 1/3”, the molding cannot mask the gap and the laminate floor would look unprofessional. Work with great care, otherwise you might scratch the jambs. Lay laminate flooring on the rest of the concrete floor, in the same manner described above. Verify if the gap between the plank and the wall is appropriate. The sub-floor must be perfectly level and damp-proof. Then choose an overlay. For Laminate Flooring, calculate how many packs you’ll need by working out the surface area of the room by multiplying the length and width together. Polyurethane doesn't stick well to laminate floors, which are already covered in resin because of the way laminate is made. Tip: If the 1-1/2 in. What Adhesive To Use on a Concrete Wall? Once you’ve nailed down a floor, it’s not going anywhere, but with a glued floor, you have to wait a few hours to get the same results. Nevertheless, if you have to lay laminate flooring on a large surface (a very large room or several room), you should buy only 5 percent more flooring. We get questions all the time about our claims that we can glue down solid wood over concrete. You should use a cove base adhesive. More Info: Laminate flooring can be installed over concrete as long as certain criteria are met that include level and fully cured concrete, a moisture level below 4.5%, the absence of a floor drain or sump pump, and an added vapor barrier. (If you've already covered the lip-face with laminate, you can glue the nosing to the laminate for extra adherence, and then screwnail the top of the nosing into place.) For calculating the required amount of laminated boards for a particular room, you should multiply its length by its width. This will help to acclimate the flooring to the room temperatures and humidity. Removing tackstrip on wood floors can take a little longer then concrete floors. You can glue laminate flooring to a concrete wall, but you will need a special adhesive to make sure that your planks do not come falling down off of your walls due to the concrete wall having more moisture in it than regular drywall. This step is critical for the lifetime of the laminate flooring, so verify carefully the surface more than once. Place the laminate flooring on the concrete slab in the room where it is to be installed. You will need: 1. a pencil fo… The laminate flooring is cheap and comes in a large diversity of colors, thicknesses and finishes, as you can easily find one to fit your needs and tastes perfectly. Note that you should start the first row with a full board. I read in another article the requirement to level the concrete floor. If you are installing flooring with adhesive, clean the subfloor or old flooring of wax, paint, oil, sealers, adhesives and other debris following the adhesive manufacturer's instructions. Moreover, the laminate flooring is easy to maintain and durable, if you clean it regularly with appropriate products. The installation of hardwood floors by the glue down method is used predominately on concrete slabs. Concrete floors-Carpet padding shouldn't be too difficult to remove. Step 2 “Pergo Installation Essentials Guide for Laminate Flooring.” Pergo. The underlay for laminate flooring is available either in rolls or in boards, as well as in different thicknesses. If the manufacturer makes no recommendations, the flooring planks may generally be glued together with standard wood glue. How to lay laminate flooring around corner. 09 Nov. 2010. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-install-laminate-flooring/index.html. One … In order to make a proper cut, you need to take accurate measures. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); *HowToSpecialist is participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Place a piece of underlay on the concrete sub-floor, and a laminate board on top. You should purchase a non-recycled 6-ml. Wait a minimum of 60 days. Don’t forget to Like our articles and to share them with your friends, by using the social media widgets. Some laminates are glued down, while others float over the subflooring without the use of adhesive. What You Should Glue It is however relatively common to glue laminate planks to … The main role of the underlay is to protect the room against losses of heat, to improve the sub-floor irregularities and to reduce sounds transmitted to the below room. Although there are self-adhering and glueless laminate floorings available on the market, it is advisable to use glue in areas where high foot traffic is expected. If you notice any issue, there might be two causes: on one hand you could have installed them wrongly, or the  laminate planks have of poor quality. Laminate flooring is not recommended to be glued down. See more laminate flooring projects HERE. Use a scraper to remove the concrete bumps, or any other irregularities in the floor surface, then clean the surface with a vacuum. How to lay underlay for laminate flooring. In addition, make sure the rows are perfectly straight. If the manufacturer of the laminate flooring recommends a type of adhesive, use that adhesive to glue the flooring planks together. Boards adhere well to the rough surface of the concrete subfloor, and therefore lead to less gaps or planks lifting and buckling. Do not apply too much force, as you risk damaging the grooves, just try to make the procedure progressively. After a section has been glued down, walk carefully until the adhesive sets up, if you walk on it at all. On top of the grids, you place the clip-in accessories according to the instructions. This should be installed in overlapping layers and secured well. Make sure there is no gap between laminate boards. Floating is where the planks aren’t fixed to the subfloor, but instead uses the weight of the floor itself to keep them in place. This aspect is important, as in this way the boards will be properly locked together and you will waste fewer materials. If you are installing your laminate flooring over the concrete in a basement, you must ensure that the moisture present is at acceptable levels. In the past years, we have witnessed many contractors which overlook this procedure, but we can assure you that it’s best to fit the laminate flooring under the jambs and not around them. It is possible, but note that it is not recommended and it will make the warranty void. Electric heating mats can be used with laminate and vinyl plank flooring, carpet, and tile, which are installed directly over the mats as a floating floor or glued down with adhesive. In order to seal the two boards of laminate flooring, we used a quality wood glue. Cork is the best choice, but it’s quite expensive. “How to Install Laminate Flooring : How-To : DIY Network.” DIY Network – Home Improvement How-To & Projects : DIY Network. You have no mention of this otherr than to remove any high points in the concrete floor. Most probably it will be necessary to use a levelling compound and an appropriate damp proof layer. The concrete subfloor upon which you are installing your laminate flooring must be level. Leave the flooring in the room for three days before installation. Use a concrete grinder to remove any oil, adhesive or paint from the floor before gluing down laminate, then sweep and vacuum up any debris. To acclimate you flooring, remove it from the carton and lay it a minimum of two feet from the wall in the room in which it will be installed. Then nail the flooring planks with a standard flooring nailer (see photo for details). if you follow the directions for the new flooring, the answer would be yes, to scrape it all up. Web. If you have to lay laminate boards on a small surface or a room with a complex shape,  buy 10% more flooring, as you will get significant waste due to cutting. You can't sand down laminate in order to get the polyurethane to stick, so there's no way to improve the cohesion between the two. Also, use glue in areas where spills and the presence of liquid are a high possibility, like the kitchen or near the sink. Because your laminate is glued directly to the subfloor, it makes it less likely for the planks to rise from moisture damage. More Info: Laminate flooring can be installed over concrete as long as certain criteria are met that include level and fully cured concrete, a moisture level below 4.5%, the absence of a floor drain or sump pump, and an added vapor barrier. Nevertheless, if the dimensions of the room allow you, you could start the second row with the cut waste from the last board installed in the first row. How Are They Installed? There's a family room with a concrete floor in the lowest level of the house, and we'd like to have Pergo on the floor. Lay the 1x4s perpendicular to the direction you intend to install the floor planks. Continue the process of laying the laminate flooring by installing the plank into the position. The Truth About Gluing Solid Wood Flooring to Concrete. Wires from the mats connect to a wall thermostat that controls the heat. If in … No vapor barrier or padding should be used. The main rule – take the overlay 3-5 mm thick. When you’re looking for flooring options to cover concrete slabs, trust the professionals at 50 Floor to guide you to the perfect product. The technique is to cut the groove of the laminate plank using a cutter. You do not need to remove oil, adhesive or paint for floating laminate, though you should sweep the floor. After laying the laminate flooring into position, you should draw the cut line on the laminate plank, by using a pencil and using a l-square. Before making the cut, ensure that the whole set up is firmly locked either by clamps or with the help of a friend. Pay attention to the fact that when drawing the cut line, you should also place the spacers along the wall. Once you've fitted your underlay you can start laying laminate on concrete. medianet_width='300'; medianet_height= '250'; medianet_crid='392434188'; (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Level, tape measure, chisel, Rubber hammer, hammer, How to lay laminate flooring around door jambs, HowToSpecialist – How to Build, Step by Step DIY Plans, Laminate flooring packs, Underlay for laminate flooring, Use a smart setup for precision cutting of the laminate boards, Install the laminate under the door jamb, not around it. It will add less than 3/4 in. If this step is overlooked, the laminate flooring may deteriorate in time or creek every time someone walks on that specific area. Prior to installation, it is important that you acclimate your flooring to the surrounding conditions for 2-4 days. From our experience, we can assert that the preparation stage is maybe more important then the actual installation. How to Install Laminate Flooring Over Concrete. However if you’re not a professional it can be a messy process and you must also plan your timing wisely, ensuring you have allowed enough time for the glue to dry before walking on the floor. Any areas that are either higher or lower than 3/16” of an inch within a 10’ radius must be leveled by either filling in or grinding down. I believe you can remove the vapor barrier in this area as wide as the bottom of the T without any effect to the floor using a straight edge along with a razor, cut a slot perhaps 3/4" wide. Because basements tend to retain moisture, you need to use a vapor barrier along with the foam underlayment. Read More >> The quality of laying the laminated flooring much depends on the tools. 2010. http://na.pergo.com/Images/how_to/Install_Essentials_Guide.pdf. Marion Taylor is an experienced writer who has combined skills and resources with her husband--a flooring retail owner and operator--to create a series of how-to flooring videos. Thank you for reading our article on how to lay laminate flooring on concrete and we recommend you to check out the rest of our projects. We repeated the process for all laminate boards, and then we connected them with the rest of the flooring. On the wood floors you have to pry each nail up. Since it is a floating floor, it is meant to support itself via locking systems and have no connection to the subfloor. Last but not least, you have to cut the door jamb, as to lay the laminate boards under it. Installing Laminate Flooring on Concrete Steps If you’ve got concrete stairs to cover, the laminate must be glued down using high-quality construction glue. Before this procedure, we had cut the laminate plank at the right dimensions, as to fit into place. In this picture you can see how to connect the boards together. ANSWER: Laminate flooring CAN be installed over concrete. Some carpet installers will glue the padding down. Follow the instructions and use proper tools. In addition, use a large scraper to remove the bumps and other residues, which can create gaps in the laminate flooring over time. This is the proper technique to connect the board under the door jamb, as there is no space for the usual method. Work with patience and make sure you don’t leave any gaps between the laminate planks. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vapor barriers are required over any concrete subfloor even if the concrete is currently covered with another type of flooring such as vinyl or tile. In order to make accurate measurements, install a spacer along the wall and turn the the laminate boards with the tongue towards the wall. Next, use a back-saw to cut the wooden door jamb, by holding it perfectly level. Just make sure you have at least 10” between the laminate joints on consecutive rows. Use an L-square and a pencil to draw the cut line on the laminate boards. Next, connect them and lay the row on the floor. In this project we have used double click laminate flooring, but on the market you may also find other types of locking systems. Use a scraper to remove the bumps on the concrete floor and clean the dust and other residues by using a vacuum. Last but not least, in order to secure the joints, tap them with a mallet and another piece of laminate. Estimating the laminate flooring quantity is an essential aspect you should take into consideration before starting your project. In order to install laminate flooring, you need the following: Usually, the sealed packs must be stored flat on the floor, for at least 48 hours in the room they are to be installed. This article is about how to lay laminate flooring on concrete. Laminate flooring is a popular flooring option because of its attractiveness, durability, scratch resistance and, most importantly, its ease of installation. I always check that all the joints are tight and that there’s no glue squeeze-out. It should fit … Simply apply the remover shown above over the residue areas, let sit for 20 minutes, and scrape up with a solvent-free scraper, all the time while wearing chemical-resistant gloves. When connecting the rows together, you should lift them at about 45º. Applications are more prominent with residential construction in sunbelt areas, commercial locations and high-rise dwellings. Monday, June 22, 2009. Then, we connected the boards by using a mallet (hit the laminate board with a rubber hammer). This essentially makes the laminate flooring water-resistant. The next step is to use the cutting setup, as to obtain a proper, straight cut. Laminate floors aren’t attached to the subfloor, but subfloor preparation is as critical as it is when installing a nail- or glue-down floor. Make sure all of the glue residue is off the concrete first before putting down any new floor. In this example we use a jigsaw, but the operation can be done also with a sharp hand saw. Smart tip: After you have completed the project, you have to remove the spacers and clean the floor with a vacuum. This foam layer will provide cushion against the hard concrete. Next, use a pencil to make marks at both ends of the board. Put the Best Flooring Over Concrete Slabs With 50 Floor. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Install spacers along all walls, when measuring and installing the laminate flooring. The glue can help strengthen the installation of the floor, preventing it from being removed accidentally with use. New concrete can take several months to fully dry and cease to release moisture. Before making the cut with the jigsaw, we made sure that the whole setup was firmly locked into position. You could start laying laminate flooring with a full boards, the next row with 2/3 of a laminate board, the third row with 1/3 laminate board and then again with a full board. Put a bead of "liquid nails" on the floor high enough to engage the bottom of the T without any excess that might adhere to the new flooring. The planks then to change their size over time, so you need the expansion gaps. The underlay is available either in rolls or in boards. height change is too much, consider laying a laminated wood floor instead. through your floor, keeping you toasty during the cold months of the year. The underlay is used for its excellent thermal insulation properties (it protects the room against losses of heat), because it improves the sub-floor irregularities and reduces sounds transmitted to the below room. Work with attention and with great care, until you close the gaps and you lock the plank tightly. Laminate flooring CAN be installed over concrete. According to Pergo, an acceptable moisture level for installing their laminate flooring is a moisture reading no higher than 4.5%. Do not install new laminate flooring over new concrete. You should pay attention to all this steps, as a little error of measurement or of judgment could compromise the whole process. Laying laminate flooring on concrete. Remember that the blade of the saw must have the teeth downward oriented, to avoid chipping the planks. Consequently, you should use two C-clamps and another straight laminate board and lock them together, as in the image. From the Floor Up, a Blog for the Flooring Professional. now that being said, as long as there are no big ridges in the glue and its all smooth, you should be able to get away without removing it. The links provided in the Shopping Lists and Tools sections are affiliate links. If you overlook this aspect, you the laminate board won’t fit into location. Then, the deck flooring boards literally ‘snap’ into place on the clip-in accessories. In order to make straight cuts, you have to use two clamps and another laminate plank on top of the the one you want to cut. In addition, the temperature should be at least 18º C / 64º F and the distance between the walls and the packs greater than 20”/50 cm. The first step is to turn the laminate board 180º, with the tongue towards the wall. You should not install laminate flooring if your concrete subfloor has a floor drain or a sump pump. Make sure the blade of the jigsaw is exactly over the drawn line, at both ends. here's the thing, when doing floating flooring, the floor underneath needs to be smooth, or you could feel imperfections through the floor as you walk. “You are not saying we can glue 3⁄4” solid wood over concrete, are you?” Well the answer is yes and no. Blue painter’s tape can be used to keep joints from spreading. In order to complete the project in a professional manner, all you have to do is to install the missing pieces of laminate, under the door jambs. The glue down method of engineered wood flooring installation is typically the most common and creates a highly-stable floor. Installing a new floor can open up a space and turn it into an inviting area your family can enjoy. While you can add a layer of polyurethane to laminate flooring, it's really not the best material to use.