How to install laminate flooring: a step-by-step guide

Temperature and humidity

Before, during and after installation the environment must meet the requirements: average air temperature no lower than +18 °C, subfloor temperature no lower than +15 °C, relative humidity in the room no higher than 75%.

Acclimatise the laminate in the same room for at least one day before installation — so the plank temperature equals the room temperature.

Subfloor requirements

The surface to be floored must suit the technical conditions for laminate:

• perfectly dry;
• smooth and even — deviation no more than 2 mm per metre;
• hard and rigid, with adequate bearing capacity;
• perfectly clean (free of dust and dirt).

Besides a cement screed, laminate can go over previously coated surfaces (PVC, linoleum, wooden decking) — provided all the above conditions are met.

Underfloor heating

Water-based. Installation is possible — follow the special instructions from your flooring supplier.

Electric in screed. Allowed if the system is embedded in the cement screed (not above it) and the surface temperature does not exceed +28 °C. Common electric systems on standard plates heat the surface beyond +28 °C and are unsuitable for laminate. If the manufacturer can't guarantee the +28 °C limit, use an adjustable-plate heating system.

Installation rules

• Lay a 0.2 mm PE sheet across the full area with a 20 cm edge overlap for moisture isolation; on top, an underlay for sound and humidity isolation, parallel to the long edges of the panels.
• Laminate is laid as a floating floor — no screws, nails or glue.
• Stagger the short-edge joints of adjacent rows by at least 300 mm.
• Leave a 15 mm expansion gap between the laminate and all walls (and other fixed elements).
• The maximum continuous field is 10 × 8 m; use transition profiles beyond these dimensions.
• Don't use defective or non-standard panels.