Anyone Installed Laminate Floor Themselves?

[TX23]

Just put in 750' of it in my house after the removal of old ceramic tile (took longer to remove the tile and thinset than to lay the new floor). As others have said, use your miter saw for cuts to pieces, but also having a table saw is not a bad idea in the event that your walls aren't square (been there, done that). Take your time, and realize this is not a one day project. It will take some time and effort, but when the prep work is done correctly, the moisture is kept out, and you don't do anything in haste, you have a beautiful floor which will last the 10 years you want to get out of it. Last piece of advice is to wear some sort of glasses when cutting this stuff. The plastic on the back of the laminate panels really hurts when it hits the old eyeballs. We only have one set you know...

P.S. put the beer cooler at the end of the room where you plan on finishing...if you put it at the beginning, you might have something that ends up looking like an Andy Warhol painting...:alc:

 

[SIKDMAX]

TX23, you had to run a thinset layering course do to the old tile or what? Thats what Im up against and REALLY not llooking forward to it. Labor costs have been $5k+

 

[SIKDMAX]

Heres what Im dealing with....

The whole room was that blue crap floor tile, and I got half off no problem due to shitty mud or something - it came right up just by pulling practically. The last half left - is ON THERE. No idea how Im gonan get it up/level.

 

[TX23]

I went to RSC here in San Angelo and rented a HILTI (Roto hammer is what they called it.) It had a 4" blade on the end of it, was electric, and did some serious busting of the thin set. My tile came off completely clean, and the thin set was stuck to the floor. If you take your time with it, you can get it out pretty easily. It won't gouge the floor if you can keep it level, and it will cut it down to the slab foundation. Worth the $50, and I heard Home Depot has the same thing with a longer length stem on the blade which would allow you to stand up straight.

It is the only way the tile contractors around here are able to get old tile and thinset out.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

 

[SIKDMAX]

Off to Home Depot to see whats up!

 

[slowlmm]

Heres what Im dealing with....

The whole room was that blue crap floor tile, and I got half off no problem due to shitty mud or something - it came right up just by pulling practically. The last half left - is ON THERE. No idea how Im gonan get it up/level.

it looks like half the floor was glue down tiles the other was thin set as mentioned the nematic hammer or min jack hammer with spade blade will help but from the looks of it it will be a paine. theres othere options if its to hard to take off

 

[SIKDMAX]

It wasnt glue there was some thin set left but I beleive the half that is remaining was an addition, therefore put down more recent and the thinset is still good or something - but its stuck good. As it is a thin leveling course is gonna be needed, but I really dont want to have to build up the old floor on top of that crap.

 

[TX23]

SIK, how'd you come out?

 

[SIKDMAX]

Havent yet - that project has been sitting for 6 months LOL. After the race this weekend Ill work on it - maybe sunday.