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How to Install Laminate Flooring

Tools and Materials to Install Laminate Flooring

While the tools and materials can vary depending on your existing floor as well as your new floor -- not to mention the scope of the project -- there are some general items you will most likely need.

Some basic materials will include:

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  • flooring
  • underlayer
  • barrier sheeting
  • laminate glue
  • adhesive
  • polyethylene tape
  • quarter-round molding, baseboard or wall base
  • end molding, threshold and other transitions
  • stair nose, flush or over-the-top
  • plastic sheeting to cover furniture or close off adjacent room [source: Armstrong, Do It Yourself, Couvreur].

Here are some of the tools you'll need:

  • tapping block
  • pull bar
  • spacers
  • safety goggles
  • gloves
  • utility knife
  • hammer
  • pencil
  • tape measure
  • carpenter's square
  • router
  • drill
  • saws: table, miter, circular, hand, jigsaw
  • dividers
  • chalk line
  • laminate floor cleaner
  • white vinegar
  • pocket plane [source: Armstrong, Do It Yourself, Couvreur].

Laminate flooring installation kits are available for about $20 and include tools like spacers, pull bars and a tapping block to help lock the planks together.

Read on to learn important preparation steps to take before installing laminate flooring.