Avoid any bumps in the road to your home design project. Use our installation guide for great tips on the transition of your old floors to the new.

Installation Matters

Laminate is called a floating floor because it is not fastened directly to the sub-floor, but rather the planks or squares are attached to each other. Laminate planks and squares use tongue-in-groove connectors or a trademarked locking system that "clicks" the boards together. The floor is held down by shoe molding that is nailed to the baseboards around the perimeter of the room.

Because laminate is a floating floor, sub-floor preparation generally costs less than with other hard surfaces.

There are basically three types of laminate installations:

Glue laminate requires that the glue be manually applied to the tongue and/or groove of each plank during installation.

Glue-less laminates do not require glue, but rather have a trademarked locking system that hooks, snaps or clicks the tongue and groove together to lock the floor into place. The innovation of these "locking systems" has greatly simplified the installation process for laminate floors. These floors can be installed faster with no messy glue clean up, and are able to be used immediately, whereas most glue laminates need to set for 18-36 hours before being walked on.

Pre-glued laminate is a combination of the two methods above and has glue pre-applied by the manufacturer on the tongue and groove that is moistened prior to the planks being clicked together.

Learn about our Points of Difference Guarantee, because how your floor is installed will impact its performance and life. We provide a warranted installation by a trained, professional craftsperson who will finish the job to perfection - guaranteed.

Things To Do Before Installation

We want you to have a clear understanding of the services we provide as well as to be aware of items you will need to handle prior to the installer arriving at your home. After your purchase, items crucial to the smooth installation of your new flooring will be detailed by your sales professional in a pre-installation check list and may include some of the following:

• Verification of the installation date.
• Ensuring the removal of all "breakables" from the room.
• Determining who will remove furniture, appliances and the sub-floor, if needed.
• Arranging for the disconnection of gas appliances and icemakers.
• Determining if any change to the height of the floor require adjustments to doors in order for them to close properly.
• Ensuring the removal of items in storage areas and closets where the floor is to be resurfaced.
• Make certain drapes, wall hangings and pictures are removed from walls.
• Verify that your in-home temperature is appropriate for installation.

Installation

Your local Flooring Canada store offers expert installation for all of the flooring products we carry. You can trust our installers to create a great-looking floor for your home. Whether it's a solid-colour carpet or a detailed, custom tile design, our licensed and insured professionals will get the job done accurately and beautifully.

We are so confident that you will be more than satisfied with our professional installation that we will be happy to correct any installation-related problems for free during the intended life of your floor.

Get started today and bring your colours, swatches, photos and ideas into your local Flooring Canada retailer. Find the store nearest you.