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Laminate flooring is a popular choice among homeowners due to its durability, affordability, and aesthetic appeal. However, installing laminate flooring requires precision and attention to detail. One crucial aspect of this process involves the use of spacers. This article will delve into the importance of spacers in laminate flooring installation, how to use them effectively, and tips to ensure a successful installation process.
Understanding Spacers and Their Importance
Spacers play an integral role in laminate flooring installation. They are essentially small devices that help maintain an expansion gap between the flooring and the walls of your room. As laminate materials expand and contract due to changes in humidity, this gap is crucial to prevent buckling of the floor.
Typically, a gap of 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch is recommended for laminate flooring. Spacers are often included with the flooring materials, but they can also be purchased separately. Alternatively, you can create your own spacers by cutting pieces of 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch plywood.
Placement of Spacers: Step-by-Step Guide
The effective use of spacers during installation can ensure that your laminate flooring remains secure and aesthetically pleasing. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to place spacers correctly:
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Identify the Parallel Wall: First, identify the wall that runs parallel to the long direction of your laminate flooring planks. This is the wall that runs in the same direction as your flooring.
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Place the Spacers: Place at least two spacers along the parallel wall. If you have enough spacers on hand, you can run them all along the parallel wall, allowing at least two spacers for each plank.
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Place Spacer on Adjacent Wall: Drop one spacer on the adjacent wall where the end of the first laminate plank will meet that wall.
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Keep the Spacers in Place: Keep the spacers in place along the walls as you lay down planks. This will prevent the flooring from shifting as you install, and as you walk over the freshly installed floor.
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Place Spacers on the Opposite Wall: Lay spacers along the wall that runs parallel to the long direction of the flooring, and opposite of the first wall. At this point, you can remove the spacers you used earlier since the floor is nearly complete and not likely to shift as you finish the installation.
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Remove All Spacers: Remove all the spacers before adding any base or shoe molding.
Tools You Will Need
In addition to spacers, you will need several other tools to install your laminate flooring effectively. These include:
- Laminate floor planks
- Molding (to cover the expansion gap)
- Base molding (to hide the gap between the flooring and the wall)
- Shoe molding (if you left the base molding in place while installing the floor, to hide the expansion gap)
Tips for Successful Installation
To ensure a successful installation, keep the following tips in mind:
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Molding covers the expansion gap, so it’s not visible after completing installation. Base molding hides the gap between the flooring and the wall. If you left the base molding in place while installing the floor, shoe molding added in front of base molding hides the expansion gap.
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Remember to remove all the spacers before adding any base or shoe molding. This is crucial as leaving the spacers in can lead to unnecessary pressure on the laminate, causing it to buckle or warp over time.
DIY Community Insights
One common question among DIY enthusiasts is whether they need to place spacers on all four sides of the room. The answer is yes. To ensure that the laminate flooring expands and contracts evenly, it’s necessary to maintain an expansion gap on all sides of the room. Therefore, spacers should be placed on all four sides during installation.
Final Thoughts
Installing laminate flooring can be a rewarding DIY project. Proper use of spacers plays a crucial role in achieving a professional-looking finish and ensuring the longevity of your flooring. So, take time to understand the process, gather the necessary tools, and follow the recommended steps to make your laminate flooring installation a success.
Remember, the brand voice of The Home Spot is friendly, informative, and passionate. We aim to be a reliable go-to source for all your homeownership needs. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to us. Happy DIY-ing!
References
- This Old House: How to Install a Floating Floor
- The Family Handyman: How to Install a Snap-Together Wood Floor
- Popular Mechanics: How to Build a Hardwood Floor This Weekend
This article was last updated on December 10, 2018, 11:18 p.m. by Robert Korpella, a certified Master Naturalist, who regularly monitors stream water quality and is the editor of freshare.net, a site exploring the Ozarks outdoors. Korpella’s work has appeared in a variety of publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas.
