DIY Tips for Laying Laminate Flooring and How to Fit Laminate Flooring Around Doorways
Transforming a living space often begins from the ground up, and for many homeowners, the floor is the canvas. Three years ago, when we first moved into our house, replacing the carpet in the master bedroom with durable, stylish laminate wood flooring was high on my renovation wish list. It was just one of many home improvement projects we envisioned for updating our new abode. However, with the existing carpet being a neutral shade and in reasonable condition, it lingered at the bottom of our extensive to-do list, patiently awaiting its turn.
There was a fleeting thought of simply removing the carpet and painting the plywood subfloor, a creative solution I’d successfully employed in my previous home. But ultimately, the desire for new, long-lasting flooring prevailed, and we decided to hold out for a more permanent upgrade.
As the early summer months arrived, the once-tolerable stains on the carpet began to assert their dominance, becoming impossible to hide or remove. It was the undeniable signal that the time had come to finally check off “new flooring for the master bedroom” from my project list. Just a few weeks prior, I had shared my decorating plans for the room, envisioning a fresh, updated aesthetic that laminate flooring would perfectly complement.
So, we bid farewell to the tired, wall-to-wall beige carpet…
Looking for another DIY project? Learn how to make a headboard using old doors.
…and enthusiastically welcomed the elegant wide plank laminate wood flooring from Select Surfaces, in the sophisticated Urbanwood color. This stunning new floor laid the foundation for the entire room’s transformation. While the flooring was the main event, we also introduced a beautiful new area rug, which I’ll delve into in more detail in a future post, showcasing how these elements harmonized to create our dream bedroom.
Our flooring selection process was thorough, exploring various options from luxury vinyl plank, which I deeply admire for its resilience, to classic hardwood. After careful consideration of aesthetics, durability, and budget, Select Surfaces Laminate Elite emerged as the clear winner. This premium laminate flooring is conveniently available at Sam’s Club, making it accessible for fellow DIY enthusiasts.
Why We Chose Select Surfaces Elite Laminate Flooring for Our Master Bedroom
Several key factors influenced our decision to opt for Select Surfaces Elite Laminate flooring. One of the primary considerations was a subtle yet significant difference in floor levels: the master bedroom floor sat noticeably lower than the adjacent foyer. Thin-profile options like luxury vinyl plank would have resulted in an uncomfortable inch-deep drop when stepping into the bedroom, creating an undesirable transition.
While hardwood offers timeless appeal, its installation tends to be more complex and costly compared to wood laminate, especially for those embarking on a DIY project on a budget. For us, laminate presented the ideal balance of aesthetics, practicality, and affordability, making it the best option for our master bedroom upgrade.
During my research, I discovered that Select Surfaces Laminate Elite boasts extra-thick 14 mm planks, a feature that immediately caught my attention. Each plank comes with a pre-attached foam backer, which is a game-changer. This integrated underlayment provides a wonderfully solid feel underfoot, eliminating the hollow echo or clicking sounds often associated with thinner laminate floors. It significantly enhances the acoustic comfort of the room by reducing sound transmission, contributing to a more serene environment.
Crucially, the substantial thickness of these planks also proved to be the perfect solution for our floor leveling issue. It allowed the new laminate to match the height of the brick floor in the foyer, creating a seamless and virtually imperceptible transition between the two spaces, a detail that greatly contributes to the room’s polished finish.
Another pivotal factor in our decision was the manufacturing origin of the flooring. I specifically sought laminate that was not made in China, prioritizing quality and ethical sourcing. Select Surfaces Laminate Elite proudly carries the “Made in Germany” label, which offered an added layer of assurance regarding its craftsmanship and durability.
Discover the beauty of Select Surfaces Laminate Elite in the captivating color Urbanwood.
Aesthetically, I have always gravitated towards darker floors juxtaposed with crisp white walls, a style that creates a striking yet balanced look. I explored a wide array of dark wood floor options, but my ultimate preference was for a shade completely devoid of red tones. I found this perfect match in the wide, wood-grained textured planks of the Urbanwood color. Its subtle sheen and realistic appearance convincingly mimic natural hardwood, adding a touch of sophisticated charm to our master bedroom without the higher cost and maintenance of solid wood.
I owe a tremendous thank you to Ed, who undertook the most physically demanding aspect of the new floor installation, including the daunting task of removing what seemed like an endless number of staples from the subfloor. After successfully installing new flooring in four other rooms throughout the house, he has truly honed his skills, making this project remarkably efficient.
My contribution primarily involved assisting with the significant undertaking of moving all the furnishings out of the room, or at least strategically out of the way. Additionally, I took on the role of installing and painting the shoe molding around the perimeter of the room after the laminate was expertly laid, adding those crucial finishing touches that truly elevate the space.
While the prospect of DIY floor installation might seem daunting, it is remarkably achievable for those with an electric saw and fundamental home improvement skills. The process, while requiring a commitment of time and effort, is greatly simplified by careful preparation and the right tools. One of the most significant initial hurdles is clearing the room entirely, or at minimum, ensuring all furniture is moved out of the working area. Using convenient plastic disc furniture sliders makes this task considerably easier, allowing heavy items to be repositioned with minimal strain.
Our preparatory work also extended to dismantling and emptying the contents of two walk-in closets, including their semi-built-in organizing systems. This meticulous approach ensures that every inch of the subfloor is accessible and properly prepared for the new laminate, preventing future issues and ensuring a professional finish throughout the entire room.
How to Fit Laminate Flooring Around Doorways So It is Seamless
Achieving a seamless transition of the new flooring into our ‘his and hers’ closets was a high priority for me. A smooth, professional finish around doorways significantly enhances the overall aesthetic of the room, making the laminate appear custom-fitted rather than an obvious DIY project.
There are two primary methods to seamlessly fit laminate flooring around doorways. The first involves creating a precise template, a technique I will elaborate on in this guide, demonstrating how we approached this intricate task. The second, and arguably more efficient, method involves using an inexpensive contour gauge. This handy tool simplifies detailed cuts, allowing you to accurately trace the profile of doorframes and other irregular shapes quickly and professionally. While we didn’t own one at the time, I highly recommend acquiring one; it’s a small investment that will save you considerable time and frustration, especially when dealing with complex cuts.
The template method involves carefully transferring the exact contours of the doorway onto a piece of paper or scrap material. This template then guides the cutting of the laminate planks, ensuring they fit precisely around the door frames and jambs. This meticulous approach eliminates the need for unsightly transition strips at the thresholds, creating a truly custom and high-end look. A simple trick to facilitate this seamless fit is to undercut your door jambs. Using a scrap piece of laminate and an oscillating multi-tool, you can trim the bottom of the jambs, allowing the new flooring to slide neatly underneath. This technique hides the cut edges of the laminate, making the transition virtually invisible.
By employing these techniques, we achieved a smooth and continuous flow of flooring right up to and under the door frames. This attention to detail meant there was no need for a piece of matching molding at the thresholds, which often breaks the continuity of the floor and can be a tripping hazard. The result is a far more professional and aesthetically pleasing finish.
The only exception was where our newly installed laminate met the brick floor in the foyer. In this specific instance, we opted to use a T-Molding strip, which is designed to bridge the gap between two different flooring types of similar height, ensuring a clean and protected edge for both surfaces.
How Easy Is It To Install Select Surfaces Laminate Elite?
To ensure a correct and efficient installation, we meticulously reviewed the online installation guide and watched several helpful videos on the Select Surfaces website. Prior to installation, there’s a practical consideration: acquiring the flooring itself. Given our small cars, we had to rent a truck for an afternoon to transport the 36 boxes of flooring home from Sam’s Club. I humorously considered the heavy lifting and loading as my “functional fitness” workout for the day – certainly no need for a gym trip after that!
Once the initial setup was complete – determining the ideal plank direction and mastering the intricate cuts around the closet doors – the actual process of laying the floor moved along surprisingly quickly. Select Surfaces Laminate Elite features a proprietary Speedloc™ installation system, designed for both ease and speed. This innovative system allows planks to slide effortlessly into the grooves of adjacent boards, clicking securely into place. This is especially advantageous in larger, open areas of the room where minimal or no cuts are required, allowing for rapid progress and reducing installation time significantly.
What We Needed To Do Before Installing the Floor over Concrete
For those who followed my previous post detailing my plans for the room, you might recall a unique challenge: the lakeside portion of our master bedroom was once a screened porch, meaning its subfloor was concrete. This resulted in approximately a 1/2-inch level difference and a noticeable rise, even through the old wall-to-wall carpet. Addressing this unevenness was crucial for a successful laminate installation.
To achieve a perfectly level surface, we first had to chip away some of the existing concrete in certain areas. Following this, we applied a floor leveling compound to smooth out and level the joint where the concrete floor met the traditional plywood sub-flooring. This painstaking preparation is vital, as laminate flooring requires a flat and stable base to prevent bowing, gapping, or damage over time.
When installing laminate flooring directly over a concrete subfloor, it is absolutely essential to lay down a moisture block. We used vinyl sheeting, an inexpensive and readily available material found in the flooring department of most home improvement stores. This barrier protects the laminate from any moisture vapor that might emanate from the concrete, preventing warping or damage. Once the sheeting was laid down smoothly and securely, the laminate planks could be installed directly over it. After the flooring was completely installed, I carefully trimmed away the excess sheeting around the perimeter of the room, followed by the installation of the baseboard shoe molding to complete the look and seal the edges.
What Direction Should Laminate Flooring Run in A Room?
Deciding on the optimal direction to lay laminate planks in a room involves considering several crucial factors that impact both the aesthetic appeal and the structural integrity of your new floor.
The first factor, often challenging to discern without specific knowledge of your home’s construction, is related to the floor joists. Most flooring manufacturers recommend installing laminate flooring perpendicular to the floor joists. The reason for this is that subfloors can sometimes have slight irregularities, with higher points running along the joists and subtle dips between them. If your laminate runs parallel to the joists, it’s more likely to mirror these dips and peaks. However, if installed perpendicular, the planks are better able to span across any minor unevenness, creating a more visually level surface and distributing weight more effectively.
The second consideration focuses on natural light. If the room features a prominent window or door that serves as a significant light source, the flooring often looks best when the planks run vertically, parallel to the direction of the incoming light. This orientation allows the light to follow the seams of the wood, making them less noticeable and creating a continuous flow. Conversely, if the planks run perpendicular to the light source, the light can “stop” at each joint, causing the seams along the planks to become more pronounced and potentially detracting from the floor’s seamless appearance.
The third, and often the most influential for many DIYers, is the visual impact from the main entry point, combined with the room’s shape. This is the approach we ultimately chose for our master bedroom. Since our bedroom is visible from the foyer, we wanted the planks to appear vertical from that initial viewpoint, creating an inviting visual pathway. As you enter the room, there’s a somewhat narrow space where our closets are situated. Had we laid the planks horizontally to the room’s entrance, they would have been quite short in this area, resulting in an aesthetically unappealing, choppy look. Running them vertically not only enhanced the visual appeal by creating a sense of depth but also significantly reduced the amount of cutting required, streamlining the installation process.
How to Clean Laminate Wood Flooring for Lasting Beauty
Maintaining the pristine condition of your laminate wood flooring is surprisingly simple, requiring only a few routine steps to keep it looking its best. The easiest and most fundamental way to clean laminate is by dry mopping regularly to remove dust, dirt, and pet hair from the surface. A microfiber dry mop is excellent for this, effectively trapping particles without scratching the floor.
For a deeper clean, or to tackle more stubborn marks, use a mop equipped with an absorbent pad. I personally favor a Bona Mop with their original cleaner, as it’s specifically formulated for laminate and hardwood floors, leaving no streaks or residue. However, any reputable brand of spray mop designed for hard floors will work just as effectively. The key is to use minimal moisture; laminate floors do not tolerate excessive water, which can cause swelling and damage. Always avoid using heavy-duty cleaners, abrasive pads, or steam mops, as these can strip the protective finish, leave unsightly streaks, or even void your flooring’s warranty. For spills, blot them immediately with a clean cloth to prevent liquid from penetrating the seams.
Completing the flooring project has undeniably been the most transformative change we’ve made in the master bedroom. I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out. Even with years of DIY and decorating experience, you never truly know the full impact of a project until it’s finished. I couldn’t be happier with the rich, inviting atmosphere the new laminate has created. And while it demanded significant time and effort, the immense satisfaction of having accomplished this ourselves not only resulted in substantial cost savings but also instilled a profound sense of pride every time I step into the room.
Our master bedroom journey isn’t quite finished yet. I still have a few more exciting changes planned, including creating a stunning accent wall behind the bed. I’ve already ordered the wallpaper I previewed two weeks ago, and once it arrives, installing it will become my top priority before I fully transition into holiday decorating mode. I promise to keep you updated on all the progress!
