Whlst not the answer to all forms of installation, this comprehensive set of instructions does answer most questions that arise during the installation of laminate flooring.

Preparation is the key and as important is having the correct tools to carry out the installation and achieve a professional finish.

You will need as a minimum the following as well as your flooring:

• Underlay, and vapour barrier foil if you have not bought a combined vapourstop underlay
• Pencil
• Tape
• Measure
• Hand Saw
• Knocking block
• Pull-iron
• Spacer wedges
• A straight edge
• Plane
• Carpenters square
• You may also need a drill and holesaw

1. Please store the boards unopened in the room of installation for at least 48 hours prior to installation.

2. Please ensure that the surface on which your new floor is to be installed is clean and level. Note all nails heads should be hammered home, carpet gripper bars removed as well as carpet underlay.

3. Using a piece of underlay and your chosen laminate flooring mark the bottom of any doors that may need to be planed, and remove the door, and plane to this mark. Set the door aside for re-hanging later. If there is more than one door remember to identify which door goes in which doorway.

4. If laying on existing timber floor boards it is recommended that laminate flooring is laid at right angles to the direction of the floor boards to re-inforce the joints.

5. Lay the underlay out, ensuring that all the edges are flush to each other. If using a vapour stop underlay ensure that the edges are taped to each other to create a full seal.

6. Lay the first board with the tongue pointing towards the wall, set the spacers in to create the 10-15mm expansion gap.

7. Continue to join the short edges until you have finsihed the first row, ensuring that you have fitted spacers along the long edge of every board.

8. If you need to cut the last board, rotate the panel 180 degrees and place alongside the existing row, In other words groove to groove, allow your 10/15mm expansion and mark the panel ready for cutting. The panel should be decorative side up. If cutting with a hand saw then cut with the decorative side up, if using a jigsaw or other hand held circular saw then the decorative side should be down to prevent excessive splintering of the laminate Set the offcut aside for use at a later stage.

9. Use the pull iron to get the last board on each row set tight, for all other boards use the knocking block and a hammer to gently tap the joint home.

10. If the wall is not straight then use a pencil and spacer. The first row panels need to be cut to the pencil line to ensure a straight line across the room, this is best done using a jigsaw, and prior to the installation of any subsequent rows.

11. Cut the first board of row two 2/3 of the length of the board. Install the piece that is 1/3 of the length. ( in other words if the board is 1200mm long, measure 800mm from the corner along the tongue and mark a line across the board. The 400mm long piece is then used to start the row.)

12. Install the boards, by offering the tongue into the groove of the existing floorboard at an angel approximating 45degrees. Ease the panel flat to the floor, do not force the board down, it is better to gently apply pressure as it may be that there is debris in the joint and the joint will not lock correctly. If the joint does not lock correctly, remove the panel and check to see that there is no debris in place, remove this and re-install. Ensure that the ends of the panels are as close together as possible and then use the hammer and knocking block to close the short edge joint.

13. Start row three with a piece that is cut 1/3 from the end of the panel, and continue in the same manner as preceeding rows.

14. Heating pipes – first cut the flooring to the full length as normal Then lay the panel beside the pipes and mark the positions of the pipes Drill the panels at the marked points using a hole saw. Remember that the hole needs to be 10-15mm bigger than the pipe diameter Saw the panel across the drilled holes and install the panels using the pull iron to tighten the joint behind the pipes Use radiatore pipe rosettes/collars to hide the expansion gaps left arounf the pipe.

15. To fit the last row when the row needs to be trimmed, lay a panel on top of the previous row aligned exactly with the panel Then using a second panel with the tongue hard against the wall mark a line on top of the panel below, cut the panel below to this line and then install as normal, you may need to use the pull iron to help with this installation Do not forget that you will need a 10 – 15mm space here as well.

16. Architraves, turn a piece of flooring upside down and lay it on top of the underlay, then using a hand saw laid on top of the flooring cut the bottom off the architrave. Thus when you fit the flooring in this area you can set it under the architrave and will get a neater finish than using a filler compound.

17. Install door trims before rehanging your doors.

18. Finally remove the spacer wedges before you fit new skirtings or install scotia profiles to hide the expansion gaps.

19. Clean the floor regularly using an appropriate dry floor cleaning mop.

20. Wipe up all spillages immediately, remove marks using laminate floor cleaner.

21. Protect the laminate flooring from furniture damage by fitting felt pads to the feet of all furniture.

22. Never wash or wet mop your laminate flooring. Never bleach, wax, scour or use aggressive chemicals on your laminate flooring as this will be detrimental to the floor itself.