Laminate floor spares unnecessary expenses, protects its surface and offers a slew of benefits. If you’re a DIY guru, and if you’re installing long-lasting floors built to impress, you’ve probably considered noise as a factor. Installing flooring may be easy—and implementing laminate is simple when the proper steps are adhered to. However, creaky boards, unfilled gaps and laminate inconsistency can turn any new addition into a rickety, creaking mess. When implementing your floor laminate, take advantage of the following steps to ensure a quiet, consistent job:

Step 1: Secure Expansion Spaces

When laminating your floor installation, accommodate for a small expansion space, which will, when utilized near vertical surfaces and walls, reduce creaks, moans and buckling. Your floor expands and contracts, and a laminate, floating floor may fold when expansion gaps aren’t implemented. Such expansion spaces should be implemented near “fixed” areas and objects, such as the following:

Cabinets, Pipes, Hearths, Doors, Sliding glass, Vents, Steps

When implementing your expansion space, gage it between one-eighth inches and one-fourth of an inch. Depending upon your product, you may need additional space. When your expansion gaps are efficiently measured, your floor will be secured. Age, humidity, heat and high traffic all affect a floor’s overall size, and keeping expansion spaces are vital to its prolonged use, health and appearance.

Step 2: Install an Underlayment Pad

Laminate flooring can vary in thickness, and it may need additional materials to give it a better feeling underfoot. If you’re installing consistent flooring, you’d be wise to provide extra cushioning. Installing underlayment padding increases your floor’s sound absorption; it makes your home quieter.

Additionally, it increases your laminate floor’s overall “softness.” It transmits energy softly, reducing direct force while boosting your overall comfort. Laminate cushioning also provides the following benefits:

Moisture blockage, Thermal insulation, Gap reduction

Nearly all-modern laminate floor installations utilize underlayment pads, and they’ve become increasingly popular due to their all-around benefits. Again, they offer a wealth of bonuses aside from sound absorption, and they’re necessary for positively impacting your floor’s consistency and durability.

Step 3: Transition Your Flooring Between Rooms

Laminate flooring transitions ensure smooth-running, thick surfaces while drastically reducing emitted noise. Depending upon your laminate floor’s type, transitions will be needed for doorways, entryways, hallways and other areas. Primarily, when installing laminate floor through a threshold, treat such areas as objects, and lay your new flooring beneath the area’s doorjambs. This increases flat laying and consistency in relatively narrow areas. Additionally, installing a T-strip will further reduce noise, sloping pressure away from the mid area. T-strips are widely available, and they’re an excellent transition material. Containing thickness similar to carpeting, they’re incredibly effective for consistent protection and sound reduction. In fact, many consider T-strip a vital laminate floor component.

Conclusion

When installing your floor, remember to be consistent. Regardless of your chosen additions, maintaining relative uniformity greatly reduces a laminate floor’s gaps and noise-inducing areas. When installing pads and creating gaps, utilizing consistent installation methods ensure noise reduction. If you have any questions, contact one of our in-store partners for information relevant to laminate floor installation. Soon, your laminate floor will be ready—and its reduced noise will perfectly complement your household.

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About The Author

D.R.G. is an independent contractor and article writer focusing on information-savvy approaches to various industries. With a well-rounded approach to a wide array of topics.

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