The carpet in this home in Sydney’s inner west had been in place for about two decades and was overdue for an upgrade.
Carpet has become less popular for high-traffic areas and living spaces. It is mostly used in bedrooms, as it can cause issues for people who suffer from allergies and have pets, as it ages.
Underneath the old carpet in this three-bedroom top-floor duplex was a particleboard substrate floor, which is a good base for laminate boards, also called a floating floor.
Laminate boards usually come prefinished and are easy to lay DIY, as they have a tongue-and-groove system, or can be installed by the supplier.
How to install
Floating floorboards click into each other, which eliminates the need for fasteners or adhesives.
Put the first row to the sidewall, then in a stunned outline with overlays of at least 250mm, inspecting for square every five-six rows.
Place each board to be used at an angle of 20-30° to the boards that are already there.
Place the tongue into the groove, and then move the board gently up and down while pushing forward and it will click into place.
To tighten the joint, gently tap the board along the side and ends.
Minimize gaps at the end joints by positioning end-to-end boards as close together as possible.
1. Prepare the doorjambs
To trim the base of the doorjambs to allow the new floor to fit underneath, position an offcut of the flooring and underlay next to the jamb to determine the height. Carefully trim the base of the doorjamb using a handsaw.
2. Scribe the first row
Trim the first row of boards to align with the wall. To scribe the boards, tape a permanent marker to a narrow timber block, sliding it along the wall above the flooring so the pen marks a corresponding line on the boards.
3. Position the boards
Use spacers to keep the boards away from the wall for an expansion gap of up to 15mm. Lay the floorboards in sequence, keeping the tongue against the wall, joining the long sides first and leaving a small gap at the end.
4. Tighten the joints
Tap the long sides of the boards together using a tapping block and hammer. Reposition the block at the open end of the board, tapping until the end join butts tightly and working across to complete one row at a time.
5. Position the end boards
To install the last board, hook a pulling bar over the end of the board, then tap the upturned edge with a hammer to pull the board into position. When all the boards are laid in position, replace the skirting boards.
Laminate Composition
One of the most cost effective of all timber-look options, laminate flooring does not use any solid timber in its construction.
It consists of a base layer of moisture-resistant resins topped by a woodchip composite layer then a high-definition image of timber, ceramic or stone that’s covered in tough melamine resin.
This type of flooring is installed floating on top of an existing floor without adhering to the substrate.
Laminate boards feature designs that resemble popular timber species or other textures such as stone.
The boards are made of MDF and have a melamine resin layer on either side, which covers and protects a photographic layer.
Design Tip
Lay floorboards lengthways using the longest wall, as laying them crossways can make a room appear much narrower.
Carpet has become less popular for high-traffic areas and living spaces. It is mostly used in bedrooms, as it can cause issues for people who suffer from allergies and have pets, as it ages.
Underneath the old carpet in this three-bedroom top-floor duplex was a particleboard substrate floor, which is a good base for laminate boards, also called a floating floor.
Laminate boards usually come prefinished and are easy to lay DIY, as they have a tongue-and-groove system, or can be installed by the supplier.
How to install
Floating floorboards click into each other, which eliminates the need for fasteners or adhesives.
Put the first row to the sidewall, then in a stunned outline with overlays of at least 250mm, inspecting for square every five-six rows.
Place each board to be used at an angle of 20-30° to the boards that are already there.
Place the tongue into the groove, and then move the board gently up and down while pushing forward and it will click into place.
To tighten the joint, gently tap the board along the side and ends.
Minimize gaps at the end joints by positioning end-to-end boards as close together as possible.
1. Prepare the doorjambs
To trim the base of the doorjambs to allow the new floor to fit underneath, position an offcut of the flooring and underlay next to the jamb to determine the height. Carefully trim the base of the doorjamb using a handsaw.
2. Scribe the first row
Trim the first row of boards to align with the wall. To scribe the boards, tape a permanent marker to a narrow timber block, sliding it along the wall above the flooring so the pen marks a corresponding line on the boards.
3. Position the boards
Use spacers to keep the boards away from the wall for an expansion gap of up to 15mm. Lay the floorboards in sequence, keeping the tongue against the wall, joining the long sides first and leaving a small gap at the end.
4. Tighten the joints
Tap the long sides of the boards together using a tapping block and hammer. Reposition the block at the open end of the board, tapping until the end join butts tightly and working across to complete one row at a time.
5. Position the end boards
To install the last board, hook a pulling bar over the end of the board, then tap the upturned edge with a hammer to pull the board into position. When all the boards are laid in position, replace the skirting boards.
Laminate Composition
One of the most cost effective of all timber-look options, laminate flooring does not use any solid timber in its construction.
It consists of a base layer of moisture-resistant resins topped by a woodchip composite layer then a high-definition image of timber, ceramic or stone that’s covered in tough melamine resin.
This type of flooring is installed floating on top of an existing floor without adhering to the substrate.
Laminate boards feature designs that resemble popular timber species or other textures such as stone.
The boards are made of MDF and have a melamine resin layer on either side, which covers and protects a photographic layer.
Design Tip
Lay floorboards lengthways using the longest wall, as laying them crossways can make a room appear much narrower.
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