Laminate figgin flooring *** Help ***

[Bainie]

I have started laying some laminate flooring today, and all was going well until I had to put a board in where there is on at the side and one at the end. How the ferk can you tilt the board 60 degrees length ways and side ways at the same time ?? I have tried to put in the side (the longest bit) and tap it home with a piece of wood and hammer, won`t go as there is a ridge, bl00dy annoying !!! Is there a secret to it or am I missing something ?? I can see that all the boards I lay are going to be the same now


Any hints or tips appreciated before I have a boonfire .....

[payney]

u r supposed 2 lay the floor like a brickwork pattern so as everytime you cut the end board this will be the start of the next row until you have a silly little peice the stagger with a fresh board.
with me so far
then when you get to the other side you should have a grab tool and a hammer comes in the laminate floor fixing kit and all you do is put the board in at an angle and the drop it down to the floor which should snap it into place the withe grab tool just hook it over the edge of the wood and hammer the other end of the tool and this will pull the boards together.
heres 2 pics of my lounge with the laminate i did .

[Bainie]

Ahhh, I need a tool, right B&Q here I come,

Cheers Nick, bonfire on hold ...

[R-man]

Yes mate the "tool" makes it all happen. And as Nick says do a brickwork pattern so you don't have all the joins together. With a bit of luck you have a gap under the skirting boards... always handy. Good luck

[Bainie]

Righty ho, got the tool, doesn`t do me any good though, it is a clicklock glueless system and the boards have to be lifted and click together at an angle, it looks impossible to me as if you lock the long side you cant get the shortside in, and vice versa .... the first row is easy. after that i can`t suss it out . It is slate tile effect as well so all the lines have to match up as well ....

[ion]

You work along a full length before starting the next row, it gets a bit tricky if you are doing a really long section, you may need another pair of hands to help but should not be a major problem.

Are you sure you are working the correct way? If you try to install them backwards, you would find it impossible I think.

Check the instructions with the floor from scratch & watch which way they say the boards should face.

I've done a few floors & they are not really too difficult when you get going.

If you don't have a large gap under the skirting, leave a gap all the way round & cover it with matching beading - piece of pi55 & makes it look perfect.

[GARY3306]

Just had a count up, and I have laid 23 wood floors now, in both my house and my mates houses (he buys them, I do them up, new kitchens, bathrooms etc, then he rents them out). Nick is bang on with the advice on cutting one board to length for one end then using that offcut to start the next run, it will make the flooring joints stronger as well if every run is staggered. If possible and practical, i always take off the skirting, lay the floor and then fit UPVC skirting (you don't want to be trying to paint it in future and get paint all over your nice floor where the skirting meets it). good luck.
Some piccies of my hoose.

[ion]

Forgot to mention - an expansion gap must be left all round anyway, either under the skirting or the beading, or the floor will distort.

[The Doc]

I assume you have underlay too? Don't forget the gap as it will expand and you don't want it doing your walls!

As above do it in strips. Get a complete row all ready to go and click in all at once. Confused the hell out of me for a while.

I like the laminate in the kitchen, but in the sitting room pulled back the carpet to display some gorgeous floorboards. Sanded, varnished and looking good

[bruceybonus]

aww.. gonna have to rip mine up...cheap b&Q rubbish!