A big step in completing this room- installing the floors! The original floors in here were in rough shape- random holes throughout and needing to be stripped. Instead of doing a bunch of patching, we decided to cover them with laminate flooring. This room will get a lot of abuse so I needed something to hold up to that!
If you’ve missed any of the playroom posts, you can catch up here-
tiger wallpaper installation / how to create a mood board / how to paint walls super quick
how to lay laminate flooring
Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:
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- Laminate flooring in Quiet Oak (I used 8 boxes)
- Underlayment (I used 2 rolls)
- Laminate flooring installation kit
- Rubber mallet
- Miter saw
- Staple gun and compressor
- Table Saw
step 1
Start by cleaning the floors well. I used a shop vac, but a broom and dust pan will work too. Next, lay down the underlayment and trim with scissors as needed. I like to have the underlayment go onto the wall by about 2-3″ to maximize the sound barrier. This will be covered by baseboards later. Use a few staples on the floor and wall to secure the underlayment.
step 2
Begin laying the laminate flooring by putting down the first piece with the tongue next to the wall. Lay a second piece down and snap the piece together and secure with a mallet. When you get to the corner, mark where the flooring needs to be cut and then cut with a miter saw. Install that piece and keep snapping in pieces.
step 3
When you get to the end of the laminate, lay a second piece flush with the first one. Reveal the adhesive and stick the two pieces together.
step 4
And now let’s talk about the harder to install laminate pieces. For a skinny piece, mark the width and then use a table saw to cut. If you don’t have a table saw, a circular or jig saw works as well.
For an L shaped piece, mark the size of the piece you need to cut out. Again, use a table saw (or circular or jig saw) to remove. Put that piece in place using the installation kit if needed.
Continue with the installation until the floor is complete.
after
Yay for finished floors! It already feels so much more finished! And I’m obsessed with the color of the floor!
Now you can see the floors from most of the angles of the room. You can see that I also started painting the balcony- this will really be a whole new room in here! Side note, you can see before photos here.
This room still needs a lot of work! Baseboards, shiplap ceiling, crown molding, putting all the furniture in place, and a few fun DIY details. Keep checking back! This room should be done by next Monday!
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