Page 341 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 274

Laminate Wood Flooring
Laminate flooring strips are made from layers of wood and finished with a hard synthetic surface.
Pergo® is one popular name. Most laminate flooring is loose lay; neither nails nor adhesive are used.
Instead, the flooring floats on a cushioning material designed to reduce noise from foot traffic. Laminate
flooring can be installed over nearly any firm, flat flooring material. Install strips parallel to the longest
wall in the room. Keep the strips about 1/4" away from the side wall and end wall so the floor can
expand with changes in temperature and moisture. Cut laminate flooring with the finish side down, using
a carbide-tip blade.

Lay the tongue side of the first strip against the wall. Continue laying boards along that wall, fitting ends
snug against the previous board. Use spacers to maintain a 1/4" gap between the flooring and the wall.
Avoid short lengths of flooring at the end of a course. If the last board in any course is less than 8”, trim
that amount off the first board in the course and move the entire course down by that distance. Second
and later courses lock into the previous course. Stagger end joints in adjacent courses. Finish the job
with base molding that covers the 1/4” gap at side and end walls.

Resilient Flooring
Sheet vinyl with resilient backing smoothes out minor surface imperfections. Some sheet vinyl is
designated loose lay and doesn’t require adhesive. But use double-faced tape at joints and around
edges to keep the covering in place. Manufacturers recommend spreading adhesive under all parts of
the sheet for most products. Others can be bonded at the perimeter and seams only. Minimize the
number of joints needed by using wider sheets – some sheet vinyl comes in widths up to 15’.