Installing Laminate Wood Flooring Over Carpet

How to install laminate flooring.

Installing laminate wood flooring over carpet.

One of the very first issues that you need to realize when considering the installation of laminate flooring over an existing carpet is the warping of the material. When placing plywood sheets over plush carpet lay them in the opposite direction the floor will go. Use the tongue and groove edges to connect one plank to another. Install the first row of planks with the tongue side facing the wall.

You absolutely cannot use carpet underlayment underneath laminate flooring. We have done this twice now because we moved and it has never shifted or caused any problem. Installing laminate flooring over carpet underlayment will do more harm than good in the long run. Allow a 1 4 inch expansion joint between the track central portion of the end cap and the laminate floor.

What happens with carpet is it tend to push down as people walk on it. If you are using more than one sheet of plywood tape the sheets together at the seam. Bored with the dark bland low pile carpet in my living room i decided to install a wood laminate floor to cover part of my living space. Remove any carpet padding from the area where the end cap will be installed.

Plywood is highly recommended when installing over high pile carpet. As much as you want to cut down costs on a new floor this is not the way to do it. I hope that helps. Since carpet is usually plush and soft your laminate flooring would not have the support it needs to keep the locking system sturdy.

Install your laminate flooring one row at a time. The same thing happens even when the carpet is underneath the laminate. To learn more about how to install plywood check out our helpful video. We just lay it right on top of the carpet and then put the hardwood on top of that.

This gap allows the laminate floor to expand and contract while hidden beneath the end cap. When you tear up carpet you must remove everything down to the subfloor. A carpet adds a soft surface underneath the laminate. Installing laminate flooring over carpet is not recommended in most installation situations.