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Post by bonserella on Apr 5, 2016 11:47:01 GMT
I am in the process of buying a home, and the one thing I don't like about the house is all of the carpet. It is in so/so condition and I want to replace it. Of course, I will need 1000 & 1 things when I move in, and I am on a budget!!! There are great deals on laminate flooring out there but installation is $$$. I am trying to determine if I can tackle this job myself... so if you have installed laminate floors DYI, please share you experience!!!
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Kerri W
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,788 
Location: Kentucky
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Post by Kerri W on Apr 5, 2016 12:01:08 GMT
DH did part of our basement in laminate. He's handy and has experience doing construction/DIY. His opinion was it wasn't hard but it's not as simple as they make it out to be unless you have perfectly square/rectangular rooms and have no doors etc to work around. He said the cutting intricate areas was a bitch.
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blue tulip
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by blue tulip on Apr 5, 2016 12:01:56 GMT
if you're talking about laminate wood planks/engineered wood floor, we installed our own. we are experienced DIYers, but even if you're not I think you could do it. if you can operate a miter or chop saw and measure accurately, you're good. 
get the special block that fits the edge of the laminate planks and allows you to knock them with a hammer into place. you can't hit the planks directly, you'll damage the tongue that needs to fit into the groove. buy extra to account for mistakes/spacing issues. watch some youtube videos.. you can probably do it!
ETA we found door jambs were the hardest to deal with. you either will have to notch the flooring out to fit the molding, or notch the molding out with a small angle grinder or dremel tool so the flooring can fit underneath. |
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Deleted
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Oct 1, 2024 15:29:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2016 12:07:29 GMT
I did laminate tile in my husbands "man cave" It is a square room that leads to the garage so I only had around five tiles that had to be specially cut for the door frames. I also did the family room, hallway and living room. That was a HUGE be-otch because of the corners, fireplace, stairs, etc. It's hard work if you are an office worker going to the floor. My body ached for days afterward. Also, be prepared for A LOT of clean-up when you pull the carpet up. That was just as much work as putting the new floor down.
Was it worth it? Yes, but I won't DIY it myself again.
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Deleted
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Oct 1, 2024 15:29:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2016 12:31:18 GMT
We tore out all of the carpet and replaced it with laminate that looks like varied hardwood. We got one that has a locking system. Once dh got the hang of it, it was pretty easy. You just need to be careful with trimming for corners, etc. We have a couple spots that we either want to re do or find a way to hide the gap thanks to my dad helping and rushing.
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Post by leannec on Apr 5, 2016 12:52:55 GMT
Dh has installed a number of laminate floors now and is very good at it ... the most recent was dd#2's bedroom and it looks awesome ... practice really does make perfect Would I do it myself? No. Just no. But I'm not that handy ... the measuring and cutting would make me crazy  If you are handy then go for it  |
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raindancer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,095
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Post by raindancer on Apr 5, 2016 13:12:22 GMT
You can do it! I have put it in 3 houses for family. Measure twice, cut once. Watch a few videos and you should be fine!
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Deleted
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Oct 1, 2024 15:29:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2016 14:00:37 GMT
We're in the process of doing this very task this week. We just brought home 60 boxes of wood yesterday and are determined to tackle this job on our own. My husband is relatively handy, so I'm hoping it goes well.
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Post by shaniam on Apr 5, 2016 14:07:28 GMT
We (and by we, I mean mostly my husband) have installed laminate flooring in this house and the house we had before this one. You have to have the right tools. If you don't already have them or can't borrow them, it might be just as cheap to pay to have it installed. We bought the tools because my husband will use them and we knew we will likely use them to install more of the flooring in the future. It is a lot of hard manual labor. We are pretty much do it ourself kinda people and try to do it or learn how to do it to keep costs down. We are getting a little older so I don't know how much longer my husband will feel like doing my projects.
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scrapbug
Full Member
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Jun 26, 2014 0:11:46 GMT
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Post by scrapbug on Apr 5, 2016 14:23:32 GMT
I have installed it. I did it in my craft room, my game room and master bedroom. Easy peasy. I did most of it myself, hubby helped a tiny little bit in the master and game room. I didn't find it to be hard manual labor at all. As far as the tools, the only tools we bought was a laminate flooring kit. You will need a saw, we used our table saw to cut the ends and edges, but you can use a circular saw that will run you about $40-$50.
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Post by mtscrapper on Apr 5, 2016 14:25:44 GMT
Two years ago we did our kitchen, living room and down the hall and into the laundry room. We had never done it before. We definitely learned as we went and the next project will be even better (if we ever need to do it again). It actually went quicker than I thought it would. My husband does have the right tools, too (chop saw is a must, I think, especially in the kitchen when we had to go around all the cupboards and had to cut quite a few). We are pleased with the results and we would do it again. I actually would like to do my bedroom someday.
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Post by rst on Apr 5, 2016 14:35:45 GMT
My sister and I have done it. It helps to have a partner. It helps to have plenty of time and not be in a rush. If you have a lot of unusual corners and nooks to work around, it helps to have a pro at least tell you how to approach it. But it is very doable.
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paigepea
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Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Apr 5, 2016 14:40:13 GMT
My DH did when he was in his medical residency. We'd bought a condo and wanted the floors changed out. He hated doing it. Because he was inexperienced it took him forever and he didn't enjoy it. He did the main floor spaces but hired someone to do a corner and the baseboards.
Paige.
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Post by chaosisapony on Apr 5, 2016 14:40:29 GMT
I did with the help of my parents. I did my entire 800 sq foot house except the bathroom. It was quite simple but it definitely helped that my step-dad is a whiz with the saw and didn't make a single wrong cut.
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Post by miominmio on Apr 5, 2016 14:58:21 GMT
You can do it! I have put it in 3 houses for family. Measure twice, cut once. Watch a few videos and you should be fine!  When DH installed laminate flooring for the first time, he hadn't done anything remotely carpenter-y since junior high. As long as you measure carefully and take your time, it is actually really easy. |
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naby64
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Post by naby64 on Apr 5, 2016 15:43:31 GMT
We put down some vinyl planks that look like wood flooring. They had a strong glue strip on one edge and on the side. You just really slapped it down and it was good to go. My DH, who is NOT a DIYer, and youngest DS put it down in our living room. We got enough to do the den also. They were able to pull up the carpet and get the room done in a weekend. Easy Peasey. ETA: I think this is what we used. Allure flooring from Home Depot |
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When DH installed laminate flooring for the first time, he hadn't done anything remotely carpenter-y since junior high. As long as you measure carefully and take your time, it is actually really easy. 