FAQ On Laminate Flooring & Installation – Part 2

Can Laminate Flooring Be Installed In Basements Or Underground Rooms?

Yes, because is a moisture-resistant flooring option you can install it in wet rooms such as a basement or an underground room. Only make sure that you are using the right underlayment that prevents vapour from coming through the cement subflooring. Do not install laminate flooring on a subflooring with a drain and make sure sub-flooring is even.

Can Laminate Flooring Be Installed Over Radiant Heating Or Cooling?

Absolutely, just make sure that the temperature of the heated or cooled flooring matches those of your laminate flooring. You can ask the flooring reseller for the recommended temperate. For the heated flooring, it’s usually suggested that you have a temperature below 80oF at all times. Turn the temperature down to 60oF one week after the flooring installation, so that the flooring material can properly adapt to the room temperature.

Can Laminate Flooring Be Installed Over Carpet Underlayment?

Not at all, you have to remove carpet underlayment before installation. If you install laminate underlayment your flooring will become bouncy and it may damage the locking system. The reason is that most carpets are too thick when compared to the laminate flooring which is most of the time only 3(1/8”) mm thick.

How Much Space Should Be Left For Expansion?

You should leave a gap between laminate flooring and fixed objects in the room such as walls, cabinets, tubs, cabinets, etc. this ensure that the flooring can freely expand and contract and the locking system is not damaged by the temperature and humidity fluctuations. For a standard room, you need to leave at least a ¼” gap in the flooring premier, for bigger rooms you should consider a bigger gap. Ignoring this may cause the flooring to buckle.

How Do Laminate Flooring Planks Lock Together?

In most cases, laminate flooring comes in the form of planks with tongues and grooves on the edges. Usually, you only need to match tongues and grooves and snap them by hand. Some types of flooring may require a light tap with a mallet and a tapping block to be locked.

Can I Use Laminate In My Kitchen?

Sure, because laminate flooring is moisture-proof you can use it in a kitchen. But remember if the laminate flooring is not sealed properly, it’s not 100% waterproof. In addition, laminate flooring can become slippery when wet. So, you need to make sure you and your children remain safe in the kitchen.

Can I Use Laminate In My Bathroom?

Yes, but you may need to consider special measures to make sure that seems between interlocking system is properly sealed. One way is gluing tongues and grooves using wood glue. Before installing, ask your flooring manufacturer whether it can be installed in a bathroom and how you can seal floorboards.

Can I Install Laminate In A Room With A Curved Wall?

Yes, it’s possible to install laminate flooring in a room with a curved wall but you need to cut the planks alongside the wall. For that, you need to place and lock floorboards one by one and mark them carefully with a pencil. Then cut them with a jigsaw to follow the shape of the arched wall.

Can I Install Laminate Around Radiator Tubes?

Yes, you can install laminate around radiator tubes but you need to saw the floorboard around the tubes. First, draw the saw lines around the half tube diameter then remove excess using a jigsaw or butterfly drill.

Can I Install Laminate In A Room With Slanted Walls?

Yes, you can install laminate flooring in a room with an angled wall but need a bevel tool, a pencil, a hammer, a measuring tape and a jigsaw. First, get your bevel tool and measure the angle of your slanted wall. Then cut the board with the jigsaw at the angle.

In this post, we’ve tried to answer frequently asked questions about laminar flooring installation. Do you have additional questions not answered here? Don’t hesitate to send it to us and we will be happy to help you.