Flooring Installation Checklist (Laminate and Vinyl Plank)

1. Before you buy

• Measure every room, closet and hallway you will cover (try the flooring calculator).
• Add waste. Plan on about 10% extra for straight layouts. Read how much extra to order.
• Check the coverage per box and round the number of boxes up.
• Buy all boxes from the same lot or batch so colour and shade match.
• Plan transitions (reducers, T-moldings, end caps) and baseboards or quarter round.
• Decide on underlayment. Some products have it attached, some do not. Do you need underlayment for SPC vinyl flooring?

2. Tools

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Utility knife (vinyl plank can be scored and snapped)
• Saw or laminate cutter (jigsaw, circular saw, table saw or miter saw)
• Tapping block
• Pull bar
• Rubber mallet
• Spacers for the expansion gap
• Square
• Chalk line
• Level or long straightedge
• Moisture meter (needed for concrete)
• Knee pads
• Safety glasses

3. Acclimation

• Laminate usually needs about 48 hours in the room where it will be installed. Many SPC products need less, or none. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Keep the room at normal living temperature before, during and after the install.
• Store boxes flat, off the ground, in the room. Do not open them early unless the instructions say to.

4. Subfloor prep

• Remove old carpet, pad and staples or tack strips.
• Clean the subfloor. Sweep and vacuum. Scrape off bumps and debris.
• Check that it is dry. On concrete, test moisture with a meter or the method the manufacturer requires.
• Check that it is flat. A typical tolerance is about 3/16 in over 10 ft, but check the manufacturer. Grind high spots and fill low spots.
• On concrete, lay a vapour barrier if the product does not have one attached.
• Basement? See the basement flooring guide. Condo? See the soundproofing guide and check your building's rules.

5. Layout

• Start along the longest straight wall. Snap a chalk line if the wall is not straight.
• Stagger end joints between rows. Check the minimum offset in the manufacturer's instructions.
• Measure the room width and plan the first and last rows. Neither should be a thin sliver. If it would be, cut the first row narrower.
• Undercut door casings and jambs with a scrap piece of flooring as a height guide, so planks slide under.

6. Install

• Leave an expansion gap of about 1/4 in to 3/8 in at walls and fixed objects (pipes, columns, stairs), or as the manufacturer says. Use spacers.
• Do not fasten a floating floor to the subfloor. No nails, screws or glue through the planks.
• Do not build heavy fixed cabinets or kitchen islands on top of a floating floor. Install them first, or cut the floor around them.
• Lock each plank fully. Use the tapping block and pull bar. Do not hammer the planks directly.
• Add transitions at doorways and in large rooms or long runs when required. Check the maximum run length in the instructions.

7. Finish

• Remove all spacers.
• Install baseboards or quarter round to cover the expansion gap.
• Nail trim to the wall, not to the floor.
• Clean the floor as the manufacturer recommends.
• Put felt pads on furniture legs.