How to lay laminate flooring

Before you start laying the laminate, make sure they floor is clean and free from any dirt or debris. The smallest piece of debris can lift your floor up.

Measure the width of your laminate board. Add 10mm, to take into account the gap between the wall and the first board. Measure and mark this distance, then hammer in a nail on the spot. Measure out the same distance where you're going to start laying your boards and hammer in a nail. Run a string line between the two nails and tie it off tightly.

It's important that the laminate flooring and the floor covering in the adjoining room meet under the middle of the door. To do this, nail a piece of wood across the doorway to create a straight border.

Lay the first board down. Place a packer between it and the wall to ensure there is a 10mm gap. Click the next board into place and place a packer between it and the wall. Repeat this until the first row is complete. Remove the string line.

You'll need to cut a board in half to start laying the second row, to make sure the joins in the boards aren't aligned. Measure and mark the halfway point on the board. Run a straight line across the board with the set square. Place the on the saw horse and cut it with the circular saw.

Start the second row of boards with the cut board. To make it easier to lay the second row, join several boards together before laying them in place and clicking them into the side of the first row of boards. 

As you lay the boards, you might notice a gap between one row and another. Use a hammer and the tapping block to gently knock them into place. The tapping block evenly distributes the force of the hammer and helps prevent damage to the floor boards.

Continue laying underlay and more rows of laminated boards. Make sure the boards are clicked into each other and that the boards at the end of the rows aren't the same length.

To cut a board to fit a corner, put the board up against the corner. Mark where the board meets the wall and add 10mm for the gap. This is the width of the cut. Move the board along the side of the wall and mark the length of the cut. Use the set square to mark the area to be cut out.

Put on the safety gear. Clamp the board to the saw horse. Use the jigsaw to cut the board to shape. Lay the board in place on the floor.

Ripping is is when you cut laminate flooring lengthwise instead of width-wise, to fit in a small gap between a board and the wall. Measure the distance between the board and the wall and deduct 10mm to allow for the gap. Measure the length the board needs to be, taking into account the 10mm gap at the end. Mark these measurements on the board. Use a spirit level to mark that area that needs cutting.

Put on the safety gear. Secure the board to the saw horses with clamps. Use the circular saw to cut the board. Lay the cut board in place.

When there is a gap between the boards and the skirting board, install a quad. Use the set square to mark a 45 degree angle at the end of the length of quad. Cut it with the circular saw.

With the 45 degree cut in the corner, place the quad against the skirting board. Measure the length it needs to be. Cut the quad to size.

Repeat steps 14 and 15 to cut the second quad. Use the nail gun to attach the quads to the skirting board.