Laminate flooring is now a commonly preferred flooring type for household surfaces, such as kitchen floors. It is a sort of floating floor which is installed on a foamy platform and unattached to the subfloor beneath it. Many people install this floor type before filling the room with furniture or appliances or things such as the kitchen cabinets, but according to DS Brothers Ltd, a company of builders in London, it can still be done after the cabinets are in place with some skill.

Laminate flooring is not the same as hardwood flooring, although it is also some type of engineered wood material. In fact, they are very different, both in texture and in installing them. Laminate flooring involves fitting the planks securely into each other before fixing them carefully. It is usually preferred because it comes in a variety of colors that just look very beautiful. It is also easier to install and is not permanently fixed the way hardwood flooring is.

Is Laminate Flooring Difficult to Install?

Installing laminate flooring in your kitchen is actually something you can handle yourself. Many people do this simply by following instructions and get the job done pretty well. Anyone who has the time and the patience can always follow the instructions on the package and get it done. It might require taking some measurements and observing your individual kitchen layout. However, if you’re not so sure, you may get it installed by a professional.

It is usually advisable to install it before the cabinets are in place, which makes the job easier and provides for more room. However, many people still successfully do so by simply cutting the laminate flooring into the right sizes and pieces to fit around the bases of the cabinets. It requires no technical instruments, and you can simply get it done with a screwdriver, nut driver, wood blocks and an adjustable wrench.

Here are some simple steps that illustrate how you can easily install your laminate flooring around kitchen cabinets:

• First, bring out the planks and make an estimate of what you have against the amount of space to be covered. Read the instructions that came with the specific product you bought.
• Lay down one row of your laminate from one end to the other end, ensuring it is placed in a straight and fully flat surface. Continue to lay the subsequent laminate rows, and make sure each tooth is fixed into the right joint in every plank.
• Make sure the pieces are laid firmly, without gaps and bumps, up to the point where it meets the cabinet edge.
• Measure the space you have between the last laminate plank and the cabinet. Then cut exactly that length of flooring so it will fit in. Work through the edges planks against the cabinet sides.
• If you don’t have enough space at the bottom of the cabinets to fit it properly, you can use a circular saw to cut off those teeth parts so the plank sides are flat. Then you fit the space in and make it flattened with the others.
• You may use some wood glue between any gaps to ensure they hold firmly. Ensure you have it done neatly and evenly. There shouldn’t be too many cuttings and re-cuttings as long as you get your measurements right.

Note also that you wouldn’t want you buy your laminate flooring and leave it open for a long time before installing them. You should also look through the planks and be sure you can install them before starting at all. This is because it would be a mistake to detect errors after fixing the planks and taking them apart several times.

Laminate Flooring Is Different from Hardwood Flooring

Laminate flooring is not as hard or strong as hardwood, so you have to be careful about the amount of pressure you exert on it. You should be especially careful when you are around the kitchen cabinets. Avoid cutting all the pieces you think you’ll need at once. Rather, you should ensure you have the accurate measurements first. It is more preferable to trim excesses than to have shortages, which creates little gaps that you simply don’t want.

However, many would claim that it is actually to your advantage to install the laminate flooring after the cabinets have been placed. And this is understandable, because you get a tidier job done when your cabinets don’t come in afterwards. Besides, placing the cabinets on this kind of flooring might not be advisable, as it might buckle over a short time and get damaged easily. Also, having your cabinets installed before the flooring would allow the flooring to naturally contract or expand due to temperature/seasonal changes.

Finally, getting the most suitable color for laminate flooring should also be considered. This would make it look really attractive, and would equally give you that desired aesthetic effect without stress.

To get some specific tools, kits or assistance for installing your laminate flooring, you can order the Guide to Laminate Flooring and a laminate flooring installation kit from Amazon.