For many Americans, the influx of home improvement shows has created an intensified focus on improving your house with your own hands. From landscaping to electrical upgrades, there are numerous approaches for home remodelers looking to get the most enjoyment and value out of their home. One key upgrade many choose to undertake is new flooring, which can come with its own myriad of challenges and checklists. When it comes time to install a new floor system, you’ll need to plan and put in the proper efforts to ensure an optimal outcome. Failing to do so can lead to losses in enjoyment, longevity, and even the usefulness of your floors!
Eco Cork Foam was made as a quality laminate underlayment to assist homeowners in equipping their floors with the best materials possible. Our polyethylene foam and cork flooring underlayment are made to be the best on every front, from moisture protection to sound reduction. While we feel we have the best underlayment for laminate flooring, it is important to remember that our product can only do so much to support your new floors if proper preparations are not made. Today, we’ll look at a few floor tips to help you make quick work of your flooring project. If you’re interested in learning more about Eco Cork Foam, don’t hesitate to contact us today!
Clear the Area
Preparing your walls and subfloor for laminate flooring will be the first step in this process. Be sure to remove the baseboards left behind from the previous floor. Even if this molding is still in good condition, many homeowners elect to upgrade the trim since now is a perfect time. The best way to approach this task is to score the caulking that holds your baseboard to the wall with a utility knife. Once done, remove the trim with a putty knife or any tool that will help to prevent any damages done by the material separation.
Cleaning your floor is one of the most useful tasks that can be done when installing laminate flooring. Minor imperfections may not look too serious when your laminate underlayment isn’t present, but the textural differences once the flooring is installed can be enough to drive you crazy! Work through your flooring system, checking and double-checking to ensure that the subfloor is perfectly level. Much of your time may be spent here scraping up glue, paint, or any other imperfections that may prove disruptive for your new flooring. Once everything is cleaned up effectively, go through once more to ensure that your concrete is as flat and clean as possible.
Checking the Level
Flooring can all be for naught if the surface it is placed upon is not level enough. Once everything is cleaned, it’s important to ensure that your floor is as level as possible. Many experts suggest using a larger level for this purpose, to deliver an accurate reading on a larger scale. Small gaps and high points can create serious problems for your floating floor, making it vitally important to be vigilant during this quality check. Issues in the subfloor can cause your laminate to swell, curl, and feel spongy underfoot. If any discrepancies are found, a leveling compound can be used for fast results. Our Eco Cork Foam works to minimize subfloor discrepancies, delivering a flooring solution that is both flat and secure.
Acclimating Your Materials
One step that individuals may fail to follow is the placing of your new flooring into its new room before installation is scheduled to begin. This process allows your new flooring to breathe and equalize the moisture content and air pressure in the room, which can vary based on location, room design, and altitude. Allowing for the expansion of your laminate material, while not as dramatically necessary as with hardwood, will prove very helpful in avoiding buckling or cupping. Be sure to allow between two and four days for the material to acclimate properly. Remember, though, that your flooring can expand and contract even after this task is done. Floor experts will often place a small gap between their laminate and the wall to allow for this movement.
Planning the Placement
While your laminate flooring is acclimating to its new home, you can get to work determining the layout of your room. Remember that installing your flooring parallel to the entrance of the room will help to make the area appear larger, so be sure to consider the result before starting. Also, work on the measurements of your room to ensure that you’ll have the right layout and correct amount of inventory to get the job done.
Placing Your Laminate Underlayment
Once the prep work has been done and all of your doors and walls are ready for flooring, it’s time to install the underlayment. Be sure to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer for the best results. Our installation instructions are available on every roll of ECF and our website, www.ecfunderlayment.com.
Properly installing your new flooring is paramount for long-term enjoyment and product longevity. Every component must be done or installed correctly for this to happen, which is why it’s important to take your time and do the job right. Those seeking a quality laminate underlayment for their new floors can benefit from our polyethylene foam. Eco Cork Foam is designed as a comprehensive product for protecting your flooring while increasing the enjoyability of your floors. Contact us today to learn more or stop by your local Home Depot® to try our product for yourself!
