Planning laminate flooring project?

[Mopar_Ray]

I am planning to install laminate flooring throughout my entire house. The house is 1 level, approximately 33’x53’ (1750 square feet).

Here is my plan so far.

I think I need to make a detailed floor plan to start so I can plan transitions etc.

I figured out the walls are 4-3/4 thick.

We have nice stained oak baseboards that I would rather not remove, planning on just adding quarter round trim to allow for expansion.

Hoping someone has anything I haven’t thought about yet.

 

[Ernesto]

Yes, if your planning on NOT using breaks in the doorways (T-molds) taking off the base will give you more expansion, then add matching shoe. Industry standard is no runs more than 40 ft without a break. You can always undercut the sheetrock as well.
The problem I always see is if you do use some sort of transition strip it does limit the expansion gap as they have maybe a half inch overlap. Then the door casings have to be deeply undercut as well.

 

[Mopar_Ray]

Okay, so I started making a floor plan. I’m looking at Quick Step QS 700 3-strip planks. They say these are 47 1/4” long and 7 1/2” wide. Are these these the final dimensions after they are locked together?

 

[highup]

Okay, so I started making a floor plan. I’m looking at Quick Step QS 700 3-strip planks. They say these are 47 1/4” long and 7 1/2” wide. Are these these the final dimensions after they are locked together?

One thing I have often done in the past, is to take a plank and cut it into 4 inch wide strips.
Once done, lock all of those small strips together and keep them together using duct tape. You might get 6 feet or more of material in real time width.
Now you know the exact dimensions of the flooring material in accurate dimensions.
It's called a story board. Measuring that way excludes a few tenths here and there if the dimensions are in metric equivalents.
Snap a chalk line in the center of the main room and use that as a starting point.
Now, drag that taped together chain of pieces to the center of the chalk line and make a mark. Now slide it north and south, to every wall or doorway you will encounter. Mark wherever a board width ends, mainly at important locations............ doorways and walls.
You will see exactly where every plank ends up. If it ends up with you cutting a 1/2 inch strip along a 14 foot wall, you need to relocate the starting point to eliminate that situation.
This story board gives you a quicker visualization of the layout than by using a tape measure and math computations..
Never....never ever, simply start the installation with a full board at a convenient starting location because it's easy. You want to know all of your beginning and ending points before you begin the installation.

 

[highup]

Okay, so I started making a floor plan. I’m looking at Quick Step QS 700 3-strip planks. They say these are 47 1/4” long and 7 1/2” wide. Are these these the final dimensions after they are locked together?

They say................ is important depending on the size of the install.
You need to make that story board I mentioned in my last post if you ave a lot of ending points............ door openings and walls.
Always know where you will end up on the other walls and door casings before the project gets started.

If you have any questions, PM me.

 

[Mopar_Ray]

The story board sounds like an excellent idea. I don’t have any flooring yet. I am making a detailed floor plan to use as visual to help work my way around doorways etc. I’m looking at Quick Step flooring simply because I have seen a few people recommend it, I’ve ordered some samples to see if I like it.

 

[highup]

The story board sounds like an excellent idea. I don’t have any flooring yet. I am making a detailed floor plan to use as visual to help work my way around doorways etc. I’m looking at Quick Step flooring simply because I have seen a few people recommend it, I’ve ordered some samples to see if I like it.

Neat I just find that a story board make computations a lot easier.

If the home is ranch style with a center hallway, it's easy or relatively easy to determine your starting point.
... or at least the point where you will want to have planks be centered ot to end up or begin.
Just sayin' it's best to know where you will end up at important locations prior to starting your project.
Laminate installation isn't always rocket science to people with good hand skills. That said, there is a lot more to installing that fitting the boards, or planks.
The floor should be flat within 3/16" in 6 to 10 feet. Yes, very flat. Most people don see that as important. It's actually #1 on the list of importance.
High spots or depressions in the sub flooring will cause joint flexing and movement over time. That flexing will loosen jointing locks and cause the end joints to come apart. Warranty's won't cover that.
......... just sayin that you need to check the floor's flatness and correct any highs and lows before beginning the installation. Yes, it's really important.

 

[Ernesto]

Okay, so I started making a floor plan. I’m looking at Quick Step QS 700 3-strip planks. They say these are 47 1/4” long and 7 1/2” wide. Are these these the final dimensions after they are locked together?

Quickstep is not made in metric and it is very exact in dimension. It is my favorite laminate manufacturer in that the parent company designed the locking mechanism which no one to date has been designed better than UNICLIC. That locking mechanism allows you to go forward and backward very easily and you don't really need to scrape of the lip to get under doorways and lock in the last rows.

 

[Mopar_Ray]

I got my Quick Step QS 700 3-strip planks samples today. These are only 7mm thick. Is there an advantage to look at thicker planks?