Advertisement
Many people decide to install the laminate in their homes. It is cheap, both installation and the paneling material, it is durable and comes in many different colors and patterns. One of the best features of laminate boards is they can look almost the same as real wood.
This wood look brings up the home decor and gives it a special kind of warmth and coziness. Some people thought: if it looks that good on the floors, why wouldn’t we give it a try on the walls? They did and the results were amazing. This was a very creative and effective solution. Also, it is affordable and you can install it all by yourself.
Whether you prefer a DIY approach or a professional’s touch, full-wall in the laminate can look perfect. Wallpaper on the wall is not the only option anymore.
It is not the first time interior designers use some types of flooring for the walls covering. So it is not that surprising they also started using the laminate boards. This is a bit unusual use of the laminate floor, but if you take into account all the good traits of the laminate, you’ll see this is not a bad idea at all. It is a long-lasting material and can also be a great choice for rooms both in modern or rustic style.
Laminate flooring is easy to clean and maintain. It has all the qualities and traits you need. It also allows you to be creative. You can lay the laminate planks in some unusual and irregular ways and create a unique decorative element in your home. For example, elevate the look of your living room or playroom with laminate walls behind the TV. And not just the living room, flooring for walls is great in your bedroom, kitchen, inside wardrobes etc.
In this article, we will explain how to install laminate flooring on the walls. If you read carefully and follow all the steps, you will be able to install the laminate floor without the assistance of some kind of professional.
Wall laminate is no longer only for your floors. Now you are able to complement the style of your home with inexpensive laminate flooring that looks almost as good as hardwood. Adding laminate flooring to walls can be a one-weekend DIY project. It is simple, stylish, and good for the budget. You have a built-in chance to do be creative and create something unique – like adding laminate flooring! With the below information and instructions, you will have a creative new look in no time.
So, let’s see how to install laminate flooring on walls.
Determine how much flooring you need
Ok, so we figured that you want to know how to install laminate flooring on walls.
Now, to ensure your project is a success, you need to start with the right preparation. Firstly, you will need to measure out the room dimensions. This is crucial because you need this information to know how many laminate planks you need. Always buy some extra boards. They can be useful later if you maybe need to replace a damaged board.
When you determine the length and width of the room, multiply those and add 10 percent more for wastage.
Laminate planks consist of fine wood fibers and pulp stuck to a plastic surface: The laminate comes in many different colors and patterns. Therefore you will be able to find the perfect type for your room – whether it is modern or rustic style. We suggest you choose hardwood for rustic decor or exotic finishes to create a fine, posh, and more classical look. You will also be able to choose among different textures and plank size. To install on a wall, look for something with no attached underlayment since this makes the plank thicker.
When making these choices, mind the use of a room where you intend to install the laminate flooring. Check the type of subfloor, traffic level, sound isolation, and the style of a house or apartment in general.
Be aware install methods on how to install laminate flooring on walls can be a bit different depending on the product type. But, no matter what method you choose, laminate flooring is easy to install.
How to install laminate flooring on walls: First, prepare the room
Before you start the installation, the room has to be cleaned out completely. You will have to remove all the moldings, wall base, and shoe trim. You may now choose another molding, more suitable for the new flooring. Also, if there is any, remove wallpaper or paneling off the walls. The surface has to be clean before placing the installing laminate on the wall.
Sometimes, new flooring gives some extra height to the floor. Therefore, you need to undercut casings and jambs everywhere needed. If you want to be precise when doing this, set a scrap piece of laminate flooring on some foam underlayments. Then place it next to the casing or jamb and draw a line to mark the height for the new flooring. This is important so the new flooring would fit under the jamb or casing. After you create an undercut with the blade flat, clean and vacuum all the dust and all the rubble and scraps.
Check the materials
Always check the material before you start the installation. Unbox the flooring and see if there is any damage to the planks. Look for any chips, splinters, or dust in the tongue and the grooves. Even the smallest damage can disenable the locking edges from creating a solid seam.
You will need a lot of tools for this project. Here is the list of all the tool needed to install the laminate flooring on walls:
- caulk gun
- silicone adhesive caulk
- utility knife
- electronic stud finder
- gauge brad nail gun
- carpenter’s level or a laser level
- tape measure
- pencil
- step ladder
- hammer
- unclick suitable tapping block
- pull bar
- saw ( to cut the planks)
- pry bar
- brad nails
- drywall screws
- painter’s tape
- moldings
Also, don’t forget about the safety equipment. Get yourself a pair of protective gloves and safety glasses. Only when you gather all the necessary tools, we can focus on how to install laminate flooring on walls.
Planning and Cutting
Now if you have everything needed, you may start. But, there are certain rules when installing the first row of the flooring you have to learn.
You should start off with the most visible wall. The first row should follow the length and be parallel to the longest wall in the room.
Be sure to leave some space, about 1/4-inch, between the flooring edges and walls, or any regular floorspaces (for example, the base of cabinets). This is crucial because laminate planks are affected by the room’s humidity and always expand and contract to some extent. Some manufacturers may even deliver you a special plastic spacer to help you with this.
You will maybe have to cut some planks as you will need smaller pieces for the end pieces. But if you maybe need more pieces to be shortened, don’t worry, because the laminate is easily cut. Be sure to mark the cutting line first with a pencil. Before you start cutting, make sure your safety gear is set. The best tool to do the cutting is a saber saw.
Cutting laminate planks can be very dusty, so you might want to have adust collected or vacuum cleaner prepared. If you can, do the cutting outside that room. Try to keep the dust away from the installation area.
Install the underlayment
The next step is setting the underlayment. This is a sort of thin foam padding. It helps in eliminating any slight imperfections in the subfloor. It is generally recommended to use an underlayment with a moisture barrier because excessive humidity and moisture can seriously damage the laminate wood.
Start unrolling from one corner of the room, but be sure the underlayment follows the direction of the new floor. It is easy to cut (use a.because
Tape down the underlayment
You will need a special kind of tape – polyethylene tape. It is similar to ducktape and it serves as a moisture blockade. Tape the laminate seams with this tape. This is essential if you’re installing the laminate flooring over the concrete subfloor.
Installing on walls
You will get the laminate installation guide about how to install laminate flooring on walls with the illustration with the laminate planks. This will make installing laminate the planks against the wall even easier.
To apply the board, you will need to use silicone adhesive caulk. Spread it over the back of each plank.
Place every next board by angling the tongue into the groove. Move it slightly left and right until it falls into place. Remember to leave a ¼ inch gap at the top.
Get rid of the short end tongue to create a squared end. For a more natural look, use the joint “stagger” 8 to 12 inches.
You should try to dodge the plank ends aligning. In the end, install the baseboard you like the best.
Cutting around door jambs and obstructions
Installing laminate boards is not so difficult. It can be somewhat complicated when you get to the door jamb for example. In this case, you will need to make some cuts. To make the process faster and easier, use a template made of a piece of the stiff board. Simply trace the template outline into a plank and cut it along the line.
It may happen you just can’t get it right and fit all the pieces perfectly. If this happens, shave away the bottom of the groove with the chisel or utility knife. Install this plank using white glue. It will take about half of an hour for the glue to set.
Install the last row
It may happen the last row is more narrow than the width of a full plank. Use a sharp chisel or utility knife again to remove the tongue of the plank we are setting against. Stitch together the flat ends of the planks with white glue. Tighten or hammer down the pieces. Leave the glue to set for about 30 minutes.
We hope this article about how to install laminate flooring on walls is useful. As you can see, with good preparation installing the laminate wood floor is an easy, fun, and creative project. Laminate wall installation turned out to be a lot easier than you thought.
If you enjoyed reading this article about how to install laminate flooring on walls, we also wrote on how to remove glued down laminate flooring, how to end laminate flooring at doorways, how to install laminate flooring on a concrete basement floor, how to dry laminate flooring with water under it, how to seal laminate flooring seams, how to install laminate flooring without transitions, how to repair swollen laminate flooring, how to repair laminate flooring, how to install laminate flooring on stairs, and how to stagger laminate flooring.