We are being highly unsuccessful at laying our new laminate wood flooring. We can get one row, but then adding the next row (either by row or by plank) we can't get them to 'click' or 'lock' together. We've tried the brute force method, no good. We've tried the block and tap, tap, tap method, no good. We've tried the angle method, not consistently good.

The starter row is next to a block panel wall, and it is not perfectly straight (what wall is?) and when we try to put a staggered plank in, one of the previous row planks becomes out of alignment.

We are completely frustrated. About to take it all back and put replace with carpet --- again.

Any hints would be terrific!!

Linda

It sounds to me like you have some bad made planks ,check to see if the grove on the edge is to small for the tongue on the other side of pieces . I!ve laid many a sq. ft. and not had this trouble. I think it is a bad made lot. BY the way you are susposed to stay off walls 1/4 " YOu will have to take it back top the store. When I do a floor and the room is out of square I use 3-4-5- or 6-8-10- FT. to get it square, then I pop a chalk line to get my first row stright , put some small nails in first run pull out after you get done.::""

How does the mfr recommend. The one I put down used glue, not the lock in place method. The glu method had this funky tool for banging the planks together. It's probably similar to how ram is installed. Push hard at an angle, then lock into place. Only guessing.

Remember that the floor should "float", meaning not rigidly attached anywhere.

Inspect the edges carefully. If the laminate is damaged, don't use the board.

Laminate is usually cut with the blade on backwards.

So you expected tha walls to be square. Shame. Shame. You need to create a reference that's aesthetically pleasing with a chalk line. You nned to do that with shingles too, otherwise it looks like a couple of drunks put them up.

I have installed a lot of laminate in fact I did most of my house in it not huge but about 1600sqft. I found when I first started doing this type of flooring that the runs must be perfectly straight and even or the next run will be stubborn as heck to get in. I agree with previous get that first row right then if its still not working inspect material for damage if the tongue and groove locks don't line up right it will not lock. Also leave about 1/2 in. gap all around the perimeter so the floor can float it will expand and contract with changes in heat and humidity. After its down then trim the walls with baseboard or shoe mold or both. When you do your trim around the edges be sure to nail into the wall or the gap between wall and laminate to keep the floor floating like it should. If I missed anything please let me know.

The first row will keep its self fairly straight once its locked in, after you get the first row together measure at a few different spots from the opposite wall to make sure your running straight, forget square, because the walls may not be square with each other, so its pointless, the important thing is that it look square, and the way to do this is measure to the opposite wall your running your floor to. Now you need to keep a 1/4 gap from the baseboard for expansion. I'm going to guess you floor isn't bad, but will bet you didn't pay much a ft for it. Did you pay more than $2 a ft? The cheaper stuff will not snap together like the more expensive stuff will, not even close. Your floor has a certain angel before it snaps in place. Have you looked at the instructions? My best advise is to take a few pieces and set them on your table or floor and just figure out how they lock together,
Most of the floors we install you have to lift them up 4 or 5" on a angel until they lock then press them down into place. Some can be laid flat on the floor and taping into place. Also after you had tapped and tapped you need to check that piece for debris in the grooves, this will keep them from locking in place.

I'm sure your frustated but you haven't made it to your first door jamb yet so save your patience for that, lol. Good luck

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Originally Posted by LHobbs

we are being highly unsuccessful at laying our new laminate wood flooring. We can get one row, but then adding the next row (either by row or by plank) we can't get them to 'click' or 'lock' together. We've tried the brute force method, no good. We've tried the block and tap, tap, tap method, no good. We've tried the angle method, not consistently good.

The starter row is next to a block panel wall, and it is not perfectly straight (what wall is?) and when we try to put a staggered plank in, one of the previous row planks becomes out of alignment.

We are completely frustrated. About to take it all back and put replace with carpet --- again.

Any hints would be terrific!!!

Linda

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I believe your floor board is the T-G system. Rough installation will worsen the situation and might spil your floor board T-G system if you push in the floor board together.
U must ensure that the floor board can be "click" together instead of just pushing in forcefully. It just like the door and key system, you know? When you got tat, you may take a rubber block and hit slighty at the edge and make it tight together.
To make d floor stable and not out of alignment, make sure you apply a piece of "PE foam" which act as stablizer between your laminate floor and your existing surface.
8" in fact is a standard thickness yet you have to be careful wit the entrance of door as they might need to be trim to fix the laminate flooring. Attached is the procedure to install the floorboard. Thanks.