Steps on Preparation of Subfloor for Laminate Flooring Installation

Posted by tanyahushe47 on September 15th, 2015

Laminate floors are essentially some floating floor systems. This means that the floor is meant to be a cover of a subfloor surface without having to be fixed on to it. This makes it possible for such flooring systems to be able to cover virtually anysubfloor system ranging from ceramic to hardwood, from vinyl to linoleum, not forgetting the plywood and concrete subfloors. There are some specified requirements that must however be intact before a laminate flooring system is used.

The subfloor has to be clean: Always remember to sweep, swipe and wipe the surface where you want to place the laminate material since these materials do not always tolerate dirt and the likes. In case you had a carpet on your floor before deciding to put the laminate material, ensure that the carpet is removed together with the carpet padding. Such paddingis not very conducive for installation of the laminate materials. However, if you want to install the laminate material in a room that has vinyl floors that are in perfect conditions, you can go ahead to install the laminate flooring material right on top of the vinyl floor.

Subfloor has to be free of any defects: There should be no defect on the subflooring system for the laminate flooring to be perfectly done. Loose nails, squeaks and boards should not be found in such floors. If the plywood was improperly done, then you need to ensure that it is repaired and well done before introducing the laminate flooring material. Without fixing such problems before the installation of the laminate material, you will come up with a final floor that is not long lasting and is also not very appealing in terms of aesthetics.

The subfloor has to be level: The variations of the subfloor levels need not to exceed 1/8” in 8’. The use of a straight edge or a spirit level will be important during the installation of these flooring materials. The above mentioned tools will help you know the variations of the leveling. In case of any unevenness, be sure to fix them before you proceed to install your laminate material. You must sand all the high spots and those that can be grounded have to be done so. On the other hand, ensure that you have filled all those low spots as well as the cracks before you can proceed with lamination.

The subfloor has to be dry: Any subfloor system that has got moisture and drainage issues must never be laminated before such conditions are first dealt with. Ensure that the concrete you want to work on is fully settled and fully cured before you proceed with your work of installing a laminate floor. You therefore need to check the moisture content of such concrete slabs before any work can begin. On mineral subfloors such as terrazzo, plaster and concrete among others, vapor underlayment has to be used with infusion so as to inhibit PE sheeting with minimum thicknesses of 0.2mm which overlaps 20cm at its edges.