Cost to Install Laminate Flooring
Installing click-together laminate means laying planks over foam underlayment as a floating floor, using the locking edges in place of glue or nails. It is a DIY-friendly option for replacing worn flooring or updating a room, but a clean, dry, flat subfloor and an expansion gap at the walls are essential. Planning the rows and cutting around door casings take care.
Common reasons homeowners do this job
- Replacing worn or damaged flooring
- Updating the appearance of a room
- Finishing a room with a bare subfloor
- Choosing a click-together floor that installs with locking edges instead of glue or nails
DIY or call a pro?
Consider a professional if you are unsure whether the subfloor is flat enough or are uncomfortable planning rows and cutting around door casings. Professional help also makes sense if you are uncertain about leaving the floating floor free to move. Wear eye protection when cutting planks, and keep the floating floor free of glue and nails.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I install click-together laminate myself?
- Yes, this is a DIY-friendly flooring job if you are comfortable measuring, cutting planks, and fitting joints. The tools include a tape measure, utility knife, spacers, tapping block, pull bar, and a circular saw or laminate cutter. Check the subfloor before committing: high spots and debris can show through the laminate and stress its joints. Hire help if you are unsure about preparation or any installation step.
- What makes a laminate flooring installation more expensive?
- The price scales with the area being covered, the labor involved, and the materials selected. Materials include laminate planks, foam underlayment, transition strips, and quarter-round trim. Removal and disposal of old flooring can also raise the total when that work is part of the job.
- Should I caulk the gap between laminate and the wall?
- Leave the expansion gap open so the floating floor can expand and contract. Plan for an approximately 3/8-inch gap at the walls, covered by reinstalled baseboard or quarter-round rather than filled with caulk. Gluing or nailing the floor down also restricts the movement it needs.
- What should I check before laying the first row?
- Measure the room and plan both the plank direction and the first-row width so the final row is a healthy width instead of a thin sliver. Also confirm that the subfloor is clean, dry, and flat; laying underlayment is a separate step from those checks. High spots and debris can telegraph through the laminate and put stress on the joints.
Have a different situation?
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