Laying flooring checklist
Most flooring problems show up months later as gaps or a floor that won't sit flat — both usually trace back to a step skipped on the first afternoon.
19 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Flooring left in the room to acclimatiseAt least 48 hours in its packaging, in the room it'll be laid in — laid straight from a cold van, it can move enough afterwards to open gaps.
- Old flooring removedCarpet comes up easily; check what's underneath before deciding whether it needs levelling.
- Subfloor checked for flat and dryA dip under laminate becomes a click that never stops.
- Skirting boards removed or beading planned to cover the expansion gap
- Underlay, matched to the flooring typeSome laminate comes with underlay attached — check before buying a second layer that isn't needed.
- Damp-proof membrane, if laying over a solid concrete floor
- Spacers for the expansion gap×10Removed once the floor is fully laid and the skirting or beading is back on.
- Tape measure and a pencil
- Set square, for keeping the first row straight against the wall
- Fine-tooth saw or a jigsaw for cuts
- Tapping block and a pull barProtects the edge of the plank while it's knocked into place — a hammer straight onto the board chips it.
- Layout planned from the longest, most visible wall
- First row cut to allow for the expansion gap
- Board joints staggered between rows so they don't line up
- Cuts around doorways and pipes marked and test-fitted before cutting
- Underfloor heating checked and left off during and after fittingSome flooring needs a set number of days with the heating off before it's turned back on — check the manufacturer's instructions rather than assume.
- Beading or skirting refitted once flooring is downCovers the expansion gap — don't fill it with sealant, which stops the floor moving as it needs to.
- Door bottoms checked for clearance once the new floor is inA door that cleared old carpet can catch on a thicker laminate.
- Offcuts kept for future repairs
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- Why does flooring need to acclimatise before it's laid?
- It expands and contracts with the room's temperature and humidity. Laid straight from a cold van, it can move enough afterwards to open gaps or buckle at the edges.
- Why leave a gap around the edge of the room?
- Flooring expands with heat and humidity, and a floor laid edge-to-edge with no gap has nowhere to go — it buckles instead. Skirting or beading covers the gap once it's fitted.
- Can flooring go straight over old carpet or tiles?
- Carpet, no — it's too soft to give a stable base. Old tiles can sometimes work if they're flat and sound, but check the manufacturer's instructions for that specific floor.