How To Install Laminate Flooring Over Wood Floor

We all want to be proud of our home so from the floor to the ceiling, we desire everything to be just right. Surprisingly, one of the biggest changes you can brand to a home that actually makes a difference, both in value and beauty is upgrading the floors.

Perhaps you live in a home with hardwood floors and most people would consider you to be fortunate that you have such beautiful flooring under your feet. There are numerous reasons, withal, why you might be thinking of making a switch to laminate floor. This leads many people to wonder if you lot can put laminate direct over hardwood floor and even if y'all should do it.

Tin can You lot/Should You Put Laminate Over Hardwood/Wood Subfloor?

Hand giving thumbs up to laminate flooring installation

Not only is information technology possible to put laminate direct over hardwood or a wood subfloor, but it is also a preferred method of installing laminate flooring. Hardwood floor makes an fantabulous subfloor for laminate and many other types of flooring. Very little grooming is needed and you lot tin can accept your new floor downward in no time.

Of course, there is a difference between knowing if you tin can put laminate over hardwood and if you should practice it. We will examine both of those factors, helping yous to brand a decision that volition be right for you and your family.

It is too important to hash out some of the benefits and potential problems associated with installing laminate over hardwood or a wood subfloor. There are very few downfalls, although in that location are some things to consider that will assist you to make the all-time option.

More than likely, y'all have already made the decision to use laminate. It is a beautiful, durable, and affordable type of floor that can last for many years nether difficult circumstances. There is no reason for yous to avoid moving forward with your plans but knowing more than near what is under the laminate helps you to know how to install your new flooring and live on it once it is down.

Tin You lot Put Laminate Over Hardwood?

Laminate floor planks stacked on top of each other

Hardwood flooring makes an excellent subfloor for laminate. In most cases, a hardwood floor is nailed downwardly and provides a solid surface so the laminate can be installed without any further problems. In some cases, the backing for the laminate is attached, making the process even easier.

When you install laminate flooring, having some type of subflooring down is of import. Of course, subflooring is important for whatsoever blazon of floor simply for laminate, having a practiced subfloor makes a better finished product.

That existence said, if there are any issues with the hardwood flooring, these need to be corrected prior to the time that the laminate floor is installed. Here are a few things to consider when information technology comes to inspecting the hardwood prior to the new installation.

Exposed nails

A hardwood flooring is nailed downwardly solid but over fourth dimension, the nails can begin to loosen and perhaps fifty-fifty elevator. An exposed nail would damage the laminate floor from underneath then they need to exist secured ahead of time.

Squeaky areas

Nearly hardwood floors develop a squeak over fourth dimension. This could be associated with the hardwood flooring itself or possibly the subfloor that is under it. If y'all don't repair the squeaky area prior to installing the laminate, you volition end upwardly with a squeaky laminate flooring and perchance even other problems.

Is it nailed down?

About hardwood floors are nailed directly to the subfloor and are solidly in identify. If information technology is an engineered hardwood flooring, yet, it might likewise be floating. You should not install a floating laminate floor over a floating engineered hardwood floor equally they could piece of work against each other and lead to problems.

Loose boards

If in that location are whatsoever loose boards in the existing hardwood floor it could cause the laminate floor to separate over fourth dimension. Information technology may as well pb to other problems.

Top differences

Make sure that the existing hardwood flooring is level without any changes in tiptop. These could be minor changes from one board to some other or a modify in peak from one room to some other.

Should You lot Put Laminate Over Hardwood?

There are many reasons why laminate can be put over hardwood, whether it is a hardwood floor or subfloor. Since laminate is a floating floor, it can fifty-fifty protect the hardwood for futurity apply while giving y'all a make clean, durable, and beautiful surface to live on.

The choice every bit to whether to put laminate over hardwood is a personal one. Some people may even effort to talk you out of information technology, maxim the best pick is to refinish the hardwood. Although hardwood is cute, at that place are also benefits to using laminate.

A laminate floor provides a durable surface for an active family unit to live on. If you have pets or modest children that like to use the floor as a play area, a laminate floor will maintain its dazzler but a hardwood floor could scratch and become damaged over fourth dimension.

Can Y'all Put Laminate Over Forest Subfloor?

A forest subfloor is one of the best options for installing laminate flooring. As long as the subfloor is sound and in skilful condition, the laminate tin can be put directly over it with the proper pad installed betwixt for audio protection, to soften footfall, and to act as a wet barrier.

If you're installing laminate floor every bit the first floor in the dwelling or if you have removed the old flooring and are now using an existing subfloor, information technology tin can provide the platonic surface for the new floor installation. Physical is besides some other option, simply you can install the laminate direct over existing hardwood floor, ceramic, terrazzo, and many other flooring surfaces.

One of the about important factors to consider is the condition of the subfloor. Any type of outside course plywood, OSB or other suitable subfloor will do well. If at that place are whatsoever changes in summit, popped nails, or harm to the subfloor, it could cause problems with the laminate over fourth dimension. Y'all should also ensure that there are no squeaks in the subfloor, as they will merely transfer to the laminate flooring.

Should You Put Laminate Over Wood Subfloor?

Since laminate can be installed direct over a wood subfloor, it can make the task very easy to do. Equally long equally the floor is structurally sound and does not have any serious issues, such as height changes or loose edges, information technology is the simply subfloor that is necessary.

If you accept existing floor, such as hardwood floor, tile, or vinyl, you can put the laminate direct over the existing floor without removing it and getting down to the subfloor. Some people do remove the existing floor because of the potential for adding likewise much acme to the existing flooring and possible tripping hazards when going from one room to another.

Brand sure that you inspect the wood subfloor carefully and correct any problems that you detect before installing the laminate. Laminate floor will float over the existing subfloor but whatever problems are probable to transfer and could even damage the laminate over time.

How to Put Laminate Over Hardwood/Wood Subfloor

No special preparation is necessary before you install laminate over hardwood or a woods subfloor. The primary consideration is to inspect the existing flooring or subfloor and right whatever problems earlier you continue with the installation process. You can and then install the laminate floor according to manufacturer's direction.

The offset step in the process is to acclimatize the laminate to the existing room. If you lot bring laminate floor in from outside or a storage surface area and immediately put it downwards, it could carve up and damage equally it adjusts to the humidity in the existing room. Check the manufacturer's instructions to see how long the floor must acclimate earlier it is installed.

If you lot are not using a laminate floor that has padding fastened, you will need to choose the padding that is right for the installation. This may be different, depending upon what is under the laminate, for the potential of moisture and how much of a sound barrier yous are trying to create. For the well-nigh part, choose a padding that is as skillful every bit you tin can afford.

Measure carefully to determine how wide the kickoff row of laminate flooring should be. Yous want to avoid having a row on the border that is very thin, equally it would hands separate from the residuum of the flooring and will not be visually appealing. If necessary, trim some off of the first row to make the entire process shine.

Laminate flooring is installed in 1 direction, as you lot attach the lead slice to the existing laminate floor that has already been installed, snap it into identify and then push downwardly to lock it tightly. It may be necessary to gently tap the edge of the atomic number 82 piece to ensure that gaps are kept to a minimum.

At that place are express numbers of unique boards inside any pack of laminate flooring. Pay attending to the pattern on the board y'all are putting down and make sure that you don't have two identical pieces ane afterward another. Continue to cut the pieces so that the ends are randomized.

Most homeowners can put down a laminate flooring over the weekend. As long as you plan things out carefully and follow the instructions included with the floor, you should accept a job that you lot are proud of.

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