Laying Laminate Flooring On Top Of Vinyl Flooring
If you are not sure whether you can lay laminate flooring on top of vinyl flooring or not, then you don't need to worry as
You Can Easily Lay Laminate Flooring On Top Of Vinyl Flooring. Laminate is a kind of floor consisting of engineered wooden planks that are protected in a laminate finish with a wood-grain pattern. It is called a floating floor, due to the reason that rather than having the individual planks nailed to the subfloor, they are locked together with the help of a tongue-and-groove system. Installing a floating laminate floor is a great option when it comes to covering your old vinyl flooring.
- Remove Molding Using A Pry Bar: First of all, pull out the molding or quarter-round through the edge of the baseboard with the help of a pry bar. Keep the quarter-round to one side if you are going to reinstall it after the laminate flooring is complete. Vacuum the surface of the vinyl floor in order to get rid of any debris. Wash the vinyl flooring with the help of a mild detergent, before allowing it to dry.
- Lay A Foam Underlayment & A Panel Of Laminate Flooring Against Door Jambs: Place a piece of foam underlayment as well as a panel of laminate flooring in opposition to the door jambs inside the room. If necessary, trim the underside edges of the jambs in order to make sure that you can slide the foam and laminate underneath it. Make the cuts by placing a flush-cut dovetail saw on top of the laminate as well as sawing the jamb.
- Cover Vinyl Flooring With Foam Underlayment: Now, protect the vinyl flooring with foam underlayment. This will help provide a barrier betwixt the laminate and the vinyl, and also offers some cushioning to the laminate floor. Trim the foam with the help of a utility knife, and join separate pieces by laying duct tape over the seams. Position 1/4-inch spacers in opposition to the baseboard every two feet around the perimeter of the room. The spacers keep a gap betwixt the flooring and the walls in order to permit the laminate to expand as well as contract with changes in temperature.
- Lay The First Board In Place: Next, put down the first board in place in opposition to one of the long walls of the room. Place the board in such a way that the tongue on the long edge is facing you, and the groove on the side edge is in opposition to the spacer. Spread a bead of glue to the tongue on the side edge of the board. Attach or fix the groove on the side of the second board onto the tongue before pressing the board into place. Wipe away any glue seeping through the joint. Only use a glue approved by the manufacturer for the laminate flooring that you are going to install.
- Cut The Board To Fit Using A Circular Saw: Keep laying the first course of boards as long as you reach the other side of the room. If a full-sized board won't fit on the end, then calculate or compute the distance betwixt the edge of the last board and the spacer in opposition to the wall, and trim a board to fit using a circular saw, but make sure to wear safety goggles. Install the board and lock it into place by moving the edge of a pry bar smoothly betwixt the spacer and the board, then forcing the boards together.
- Cut A Board In Half Using A Circular Saw: Trim a board in half with the help of a circular saw. One half of this board is the first board placed or fixed in the second course. This will help you to stagger the boards in the second course, which in turn strengthens the flooring and makes it look better. Install the second course of boards, by applying the same process, but this time, you need to add the glue not only to the tongues on the side edges, however, the tongues on the rear ends of the boards in the first course.
- Place A Tapping Block Against The Tongues Of The Boards In The Second Course: Place a tapping block in opposition to the tongues of the boards in the second course, and firmly tap the block using a hammer. This will help tighten together the boards in the two courses. Keep laying laminate floor boards as long as you reach the other side of the room. Stagger the boards in each course as you are laying them. Apply painter's tape over the joints every sixth course in order to help keep them tight while the glue cures.
- Measure The Distance Between The End Of The Floorboards And The Spacers: Calculate or compute the distance betwixt the end of the floorboards and the spacers on the back wall, and trim floor boards to fit. Calculate and cut notches for the doorways into the boards with the help of a jigsaw. Pull out the spacers through the back wall before applying glue to the tongues of the last course of boards.
- Install The Last Course Of Boards: Place or fix the last course of boards by installing the grooves over the tongues of the previous course. Tighten the joints by moving the pry bar smoothly betwixt the wall and the last course and pushing the boards together. Replace the tile spacers before allowing the glue to cure for at least 12 hours. Pull out the glue and painter's tape from the floor. Nail the quarter-round back into place through the baseboard in order to conceal the gap between the floor and the wall.