Laying laminate flooring

[deuce22]

Hi.

I would like to know the best way to lay laminate flooring.

I have laid it a few times in the past, but it has been the ones where they butt up to each other flush and you don't see the joints.

I have now bought a product which has a bevel at the joint and so you can see where each piece joins together.

I know that with natural wood floor the lengths are random and so you get that random finish on the joints, but with the stuff I have it states to lay it like all other laminate, where you would stagger the joints in a brick fashion.

Is it possible to cut the lengths randomly, to get a similar finish as a natural wood floor or will this not work.

Thanks.

 

[foxhole]

You can't cut as you will loose the joints, lay as directed.

 

[big-all]

a properly laid floor will not look like a brick wall but more random
the joins will overlap by at least 300mm this is crucial for strength but can be waved at the edges
if the second or third row starts to look too even or the joins will be too close then cut another board to start in a better place and alternate the offcuts

 

[deuce22]

Hi foxhole.

I don't mean that I will cut each length. If a length is 1m long I will cut the first piece of the second row at say 600mm, the third at 300mm and then maybe 700mm.

I just want it to look more random than the way it states.

It tells you to cut the first piece of the second row in half. Doing it this way will create a brick effect.

I've seen it on a display in the store and the joints do stand out quite a bit.

If I have to do it this way then thats fine.

Thanks.

 

[foxhole]

Unless you room happens to be the exact same dimension to take floor with no cutting then you cannot achieve a brick pattern, random spacing will be produced during normal laying method.Since the minimum overlap is usually 300mm then the stagger is always going to be limited to the lengths of the boards less 300mm.
The second row starts with the offcut from the first row, the only reason to cut a new board down would be if the room dimension match the board full lengths.

 

[deuce22]

Brilliant.

Thanks very much for the advice.