Laminate is a click-lock floating floor, which is exactly why it is the most common first DIY flooring project — and why most of the mistakes people make with it are avoidable. Almost every laminate failure traces back to one of three things: skipping acclimation, installing over a subfloor that is not flat, or leaving too tight an expansion gap. Get those three right and the rest is straightforward carpentry. Still deciding between laminate and something else? See our flooring comparison guide first.
What's in this guide
- Before you start
- Tools and materials
- Step 1: Check and prep the subfloor
- Step 2: Roll out the underlayment
- Step 3: Plan the layout
- Step 4: Install the first row
- Step 5: Lay the field
- Step 6: Cut around obstacles
- Step 7: Fit the last row
- Step 8: Trim and transitions
- Mistakes to avoid
- Frequently asked questions
Before You Start
Acclimate the boxes for 48 to 72 hours before installing — leave them flat and unopened in the room where the floor will actually go, not in a garage or a different part of the house. Laminate moves with the room's humidity, and installing it cold or dry from a truck guarantees gaps in winter and buckling in summer.
If you are installing over a concrete slab, run a moisture check before you buy underlayment. A simple DIY indicator: tape a 2 ft square of plastic sheeting to the slab, seal the edges, and check after 24 to 48 hours for condensation underneath. This is a rough go/no-go test, not a substitute for the calcium chloride or RH-probe test many manufacturers specify for a warrantied install over a slab that has any history of moisture.
Work out boxes, underlayment and cost first
Open the Laminate Flooring Calculator →Tools and Materials
- Laminate flooring (plus your calculated waste allowance)
- Underlayment — unless the planks have a pre-attached pad
- 6-mil poly vapour barrier, if installing over concrete
- Tapping block and pull bar
- Spacers, 1/4 to 3/8 inch, for the expansion gap
- Rubber mallet
- Laminate/vinyl cutter, or a jigsaw with a fine-tooth blade
- Jamb saw, for undercutting door casings
- Tape measure, chalk line, and a straightedge
- Utility knife, pencil, and a speed square
Step 1: Check and Prep the Subfloor
Laminate needs a subfloor flat within about 3/16 inch over 10 feet — check with a long straightedge, working the whole room in a grid. Grind or sand down high spots and fill low spots with a levelling compound; this tolerance varies by manufacturer, so check the specific install instructions for your product. Confirm the subfloor is clean, dry, and structurally sound — squeaky or springy spots should be fixed now, not covered up.
Step 2: Roll Out the Underlayment
Skip this step if your planks have a pre-attached pad on the back — check the manufacturer's instructions before adding a separate layer on top of one, since doubling up can void the warranty and make the floor feel spongy. Otherwise roll out foam underlayment with seams butted, not overlapped, taping them if the product calls for it. Over concrete, lay a 6-mil poly vapour barrier first, unless the underlayment product already has one bonded in. See our underlayment guide if you are unsure which type you need.
Step 3: Plan the Layout
Run planks along the longest wall or parallel to the main light source — both make the room read longer and hide seams better. On an upper floor over joists, running planks perpendicular to the joists adds stiffness; if that conflicts with the light-source rule, stiffness wins. Measure the width of the room and divide by the plank width to check how wide your last row will be — if it comes out under 2 inches, plan to rip the first row narrower so both edges of the room are balanced.
Step 4: Install the First Row
Set spacers against the starting wall to hold a 1/4 to 3/8 inch expansion gap — this needs to run around the entire perimeter and every fixed vertical surface, including pipes and door casings, since laminate is a floating floor that has to be free to move. Lay the first row with the groove side toward the wall if your product specifies it, and check it stays straight with a chalk line as you go — an out-of-square first row compounds across the whole room.
Step 5: Lay the Field
Work row by row, tapping joints together with a tapping block rather than the mallet directly against the plank edge. Stagger end joints by at least 6 inches, and 8 to 12 inches is better — repeating joints in a stair-step pattern is the most common amateur giveaway. Mix planks from several boxes as you work, since colour and grain vary box to box and blending prevents visible patches later.
Step 6: Cut Around Obstacles
Undercut door casings with a jamb saw so the plank slides underneath rather than being scribed around them — it looks far better and is faster. For pipes, drill a hole roughly 1/2 inch larger than the pipe diameter to preserve the expansion gap, then cut a relief slot from the hole to the plank edge so it can still be fitted around the pipe and hidden later by the pipe's escutcheon or a pipe collar.
Step 7: Fit the Last Row
Measure the remaining gap at the final wall at both ends of the row — rooms are rarely perfectly square. Rip the last row to width with a table saw or laminate cutter, keeping the same expansion gap, and use a pull bar to seat planks tight against the wall where a tapping block cannot reach.
Step 8: Trim and Transitions
Remove the spacers once the field is laid. Cover the expansion gap with baseboard or quarter round, pinned to the baseboard or the wall — never nailed down through the floor itself, since that pins the floating floor in place and defeats the point of the gap. Use a T-moulding at doorways between two floors of the same height, a reducer strip where laminate meets a lower floor, and a threshold at exterior doors.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping acclimation. The single most common cause of gaps and buckling, and the easiest to prevent.
- Installing over an unflat subfloor. A floating floor over high and low spots flexes at the joints, and the locking mechanism eventually fails.
- Leaving too tight an expansion gap — or none at all. Laminate that is jammed against the wall will buckle the first humid season.
- Nailing or gluing the floor down at thresholds, transitions, or under cabinets. It has to stay free to move.
- Skipping the vapour barrier over concrete. A slab that looks and feels dry can still wick enough moisture upward to swell the planks.
- Buying exactly what the math says and no more. One damaged plank later means another box, and dye lots drift — buy the full order at once.
For a full breakdown of what the material and the install itself typically run, see our flooring cost guide.
Confirm your box count before you buy
Open the Laminate Flooring Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
How long does laminate need to acclimate before installing?
48 to 72 hours, with the boxes left flat and unopened in the actual room where the floor will go. Skipping this causes gaps in winter and buckling in summer as the planks equalize with the room after the fact instead of before.
Do I need to remove baseboards to install laminate?
Not necessarily. If the baseboard is already in place, you can install laminate up to it and cover the expansion gap with quarter round pinned to the baseboard instead. Removing the baseboard first gives a cleaner result and is easier if you are replacing it anyway.
Can I install laminate over concrete?
Yes, but add a 6-mil poly vapour barrier under the underlayment first unless the underlayment already has one built in. Run a moisture check before you start — concrete slabs wick moisture upward even when they feel dry.
What direction should laminate planks run?
Along the longest wall, or parallel to the main light source from a window — both make the room read longer and hide seams. On an upper floor, running perpendicular to the joists adds stiffness, and that takes priority if the two rules conflict.
How big should the expansion gap be for laminate flooring?
1/4 to 3/8 inch at every wall and every fixed vertical surface, including pipes and door casings. It gets covered later by baseboard or quarter round, and it exists because laminate moves with humidity — a floor jammed tight to the wall will buckle.
Can I install laminate flooring myself, or do I need a professional?
Most people can install click-lock laminate themselves — it is the most common first flooring DIY project for exactly that reason. The parts that trip people up are subfloor flatness and the expansion gap, not the plank-laying itself.
What tools do I need to install laminate flooring?
A tapping block, pull bar, spacers, a rubber mallet, and a laminate cutter or jigsaw for straight cuts, plus a jamb saw for undercutting door casings. Most of these come bundled in an inexpensive flooring installation kit.
How do I cut laminate around a door casing?
Undercut the casing with a jamb saw laid flat on a scrap piece of the new flooring, so the cut sits at the right height and the plank slides underneath. It looks far cleaner than scribing the plank around the casing and is faster.
Can I install laminate over existing flooring?
Often yes, provided the existing surface is flat, sound and dry — laminate floats over old vinyl, tile, or well-adhered sheet flooring without trouble. Do not float it over carpet, over anything loose or cupped, or where the added height would foul a door or appliance opening.
Why does my new laminate floor sound hollow or squeak?
Usually a subfloor that was not flat before installation, leaving small gaps under the floating floor that flex underfoot. It can also mean the expansion gap is too tight, forcing the floor to press against a wall or fixture. Both trace back to Step 1 and Step 4 of the install.