Installing laminate flooring on your own is a budget friendly way to get this job done. It is a DIY project that anyone can do and will save you quite a bit of money at the same time.

This post is sponsored by Select Surfaces and we loved working with them. We also use affiliate links in our posts.

Select Surfaces is a great budget friendly laminate flooring brand that is sold at Sams Club and Walmart. We installed our new floors one year ago and are still loving them. This post is all about how to install laminate flooring on a budget, we hope this helps you!

Check out this quick video of the process:

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Why did we want to replace our floor anyway and why laminate? We suffer from severe allergies and knew the carpet was the adding to the issue. We also did not love the way the carpet cut into the look of the living room.

In our last home we had used real wood for the floor and understood the cost and upkeep. Laminate was a better choice for us for these reasons. You can read further into this here and here.

After asking a few friends who also had replaced their floors recently, we settled on Select Surfaces for the budget price point, warranty, and easy installation.

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We needed about 1000 square feet and this cost us around $1500, whereas hiring someone was 3 times the cost. I am not gonna lie, this project is very time-consuming. It isn’t super difficult, but will take a few days to complete depending on the help you have.

We chose NUTMEG and it has turned out to be a beautiful color during all four seasons. You can grab it here.

Supplies

Here are the products we used during our installation process:

• Dust Masks
• Pencil/Marker
• Utility Knife
• Carpenter’s Square
• Measuring Tape
• Safety Glasses
• Chalk Line
• Power Saw (Table saw, Miter saw, Circular saw)
• Oscillating Multi-Tool
• Nail Puller
• Trim Puller
• Moldings

Installation of Laminate Flooring

Select Surfaces has installation videos and guides that are so helpful if you have not installed laminate flooring before. You will want to watch these professional videos before you start to get a good grasp of what to expect.

Select Surfaces Laminate Installation Videos

Baseboard and Carpet Removal

You will need to remove the current flooring and baseboards before you bring in the new product. We had carpet and old laminate flooring. If it is in good condition, you can sell this on your local facebook garage sale to make some extra cash.

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You will use the trim puller and nail puller to help remove your baseboards.

Acclimation

Once the flooring is delivered, you will need to let it acclimate. This means adapt to the new temperature. Start by cross-stacking the unopened cartons in the area where they will be installed, away from outside walls, heat, and air conditioning vents for 48 hours.

Subfloor Preparation

Depending on the type of subfloor you have, you will need to do some preparation. We swept our floor and secured some boards better. Our underlay material was attached to our floor boards so we did not have to lay that down first.

Select Surfaces will walk you through subfloor preparation depending on you flooring here.

Initial Laminate Installation

Here is the basic steps from the Select Surfaces Install Guide:

• You will start at the top left corner of the room and work to the right.
• Lay the first plank with the long-edge tongue facing the wall.
• Lift the right side of the second plank to a 30-degree angle and place its short end tongue into the groove of the first plank.
• Lower the plank to lock the two together.
• Continue in this manner until the first row is complete.
• Use the remainder of the last plank of the first row to start the second row, provided that it is a minimum of 16 in (40 cm) long.
• To avoid ending the row with a plank of less than 16 in (40 cm) in length, it may be necessary to cut the first plank. Always remove the groove on the last plank.

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Continued Installation

This is the process that takes time and creativity. Because you will be coming up against walls, corners, and doorways, you will need to take time to make special cuts to fit these areas. You will sometimes use your oscillating tool to help create space for the flooring. This is all done in a unique way because each home is different. Continue on your pattern and do your best.

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You will also have to move out the appliances, install the flooring and then move them back into place. We also decided to add wood to our island while we were at it.

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Finish Work

Now you add your finish trim that comes with the flooring as well as your baseboards. We used a 7 inch straight edge MDF board for our baseboards and loved the modern look.

Replacing your laminate flooring is a big job and doing it on your own will save you a lot of money. It takes time and patience, but any beginning DIYer can do it! We are so glad we did.

This is what the floor looked like in compared to the old flooring:

You can pin this image and save it for later on your Pinterest Boards as well.

Check out some more fun DIY projects here!