tar command with and without --absolute-names option, Embedded hyperlinks in a thesis or research paper. References. Take one section of cardboard and draw a line on your tread that goes through both spindle holes. Mitchell Newman is the Principal at Habitar Design and its sister company Stratagem Construction in Chicago, Illinois. Meanwhile, if there are tack strips, use a pry bar and a hammer to remove them. We are going to be getting a new stair carpet and new laminate flooring at the bottom of stairs. Laminate flooring planks are increasingly becoming the go-to type of flooring for staircases. Measuring the riser length is simple. How to Install Laminate Flooring on Stairs: Complete Guide Install the tread first, followed by the nosing, and finally the riser, in that order. Installing Laminate Flooring Around Doors and Next to Tiles - How to Overcome Height Difference? Its cheap, durable, and it looks good if installed properly. Install Laminate Nosing as per Manufacturer Recommendations, Advanced Tips for Installing Laminate on Stairs, How to Install Laminate Flooring on Stairs with a Railing, Best Glue for Laminate Flooring on Stairs. There are three parts that you will need to cut from your laminate, and it is best if you prepare them ahead of time before you begin installing the flooring: Riser parts are pieces that support a structure (the front piece on the vertical side of the step), Nosing for the stairwell (the corner piece which will create an overhang). Unlike hardwood flooring that comes in a wide variety of lengths, laminate is one uniform length. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. The rough surface of wood, whether plywood or lumber, will ensure your laminate adheres properly. Laminate flooring edges can be finished using a variety of transition strip styles. Use endcap for flooring in front of an exterior door, stair nose for the edge of staircase steps, reducer for floors of differing height, or T-moulding for floors of equal height. Finish all other edges with baseboard. After installing underlay material, you can now start measuring and cutting out the laminate planks that youll use on your stairs. On the other hand, you could use the laminate for that same flight of steps. Alternatively, you might use construction adhesive to attach the boards to the risers and then install corner molding on the open sides of the risers, and then nail the molding to the stair stringer to hold the riser coverings in place while the glue cures. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. This means that where you would normally put beading (scotia) around the outside of the room to cover the expansion gap, in the case of the bottom step of carpet the carpet is trucked into this gap. No definitive studies have proven this to be the case; although you are cutting laminate, you should wear a face mask and goggles if your cutting tool is spitting lots of dust. While this might not sound appealing, I suggest measuring each tread and riser separately dont assume they are all of the uniform length. Will my floating laminate flooring contract in winter enough to show the edges? Already I can see two areas which are not as straightforward as the rest of the area. Thicknesses range from 7mm to 12mm and this should be on your radar when purchasing laminate for stairs. ", How to Install Laminate Flooring on Stairs, Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, https://www.theflooringlady.com/how-to-install-laminate-flooring-on-stairs/#tab-con-2, https://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/how-to-install-flooring-on-stairs, https://www.bestlaminate.com/help/installing-laminate-flooring-on-stairs/, https://swisskronousa.com/installation/installing-laminate-flooring-on-stairs/, https://www.quickstepstyle.com/diy-home-projects/easier-laminate-stair-installation/, Installare una Pavimentazione in Laminato sugli Scalini. When installing laminate on steps, youll need to focus on securing them to the subfloor beneath. This trim piece will provide an attractive transition, as well as a safe edge for the stairs. Starting near the top of the stairs, use pliers to pull up the carpet from a corner, freeing it from the tack strip or staples that hold it in place. If the laminate flooring youre removing was glued to a concrete subfloor, there will likely be a lot of adhesive residue However, it is significantly less expensive than hardwood. Thickness is also an option for buyers. The formaldehyde included in the laminate has raised concerns that it may have long-term health consequences. Drill a countersink hole for each of the screws, using a combination bit. Stair nosings are usually installed at the front edge of stair treads, mainly to increase the slip resistance of the staircase. Flooring Laminate flooring is a versatile option to other forms of flooring since it can resemble their appearance while also providing significant strength and durability. Take note too, that some brands sell prefabricated laminate stair treads with inbuilt stair nosings. Laminate Flooring If you want to install laminate flooring on stairs, youll need to glue a few pieces of your floor together first. Construction adhesive should be used to secure everything to the flooring. You can rent one, which is a cost, or you can simply use a miter saw, which most people do have. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Stairs start at 36 wide. For some, thats enough cause for concern about tripping hazards. Nose size depends on the manufacturer. First, stairs are one of the highest impact areas of your home. Therefore youll be placing at least more than one plank of laminate on each tread and riser. Remove it first before proceeding with the installation of your laminate and custom nosing (well get to that later). You can either cut off the overhang using a reciprocating or jigsaw, then use a chisel to ensure the surface is flush with the riser. Laminate installation on staircases is a relatively simple process that you can undertake as a DIY project. 1) I am experiencing rising mould on my internal walls by the back door and spots of mould are 2008-2023 MyBuilder Limited You do need to plan ahead, as you need a larger than typical gap, so that there's space for expansion, and the track to hold the cover. Well go through how to install laminate flooring on stairs in the following section so that you can match your stairs to the rest of your flooring. If you want to install laminate flooring on stairs, youll need to glue a few pieces of your floor together first. Once the piece has dried, you can cut it to size to fit your tread and riser. Pull the carpet After cutting each tread number it and set it If you do it the other way round by fitting the wood up to the carpet, you won't be sure of the gap as you will in effect knock the wood down till you get a clean finished edge. Looking to install beautiful and durable laminate on your staircase floor? Last, youll need to cut out the spindle holes on both tread sections. Meanwhile, professional installation costs range from $15-$25 per square foot. With the average cost of installation costing $3 to $8 per square foot total, labor costs make up anywhere from 20% to 50% of your final cost. What are the advantages of running a power tool on 240 V vs 120 V? The following are some straightforward instructions for placing laminate on stairwells. How to Install Laminate Flooring on Stairs: 13 Steps On the other hand, if your nosing is designed to fit over your tread, then you dont have to worry about leaving the tongue end of your laminate on and you can cut your treads to width however you want. Prepare the stairs. The tread will sit flush up against your riser, so subtract the thickness of the riser from the width of the tread. Cutting risers is just the same as cutting the treads cut them to width first and then to length. Lets break down the cost between a hardwood tread and riser vs. using laminate for the same purpose. Glue them together, tongue to groove, to ensure that they are secure during the fitting process. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! Do the same on the vertical part of the step using the riser pieces. The answer is yes! 2). If you choose to nail, drill pilot holes first to help you drive the nails easily. This will avoid future warping, expansion, and contraction of your laminate by allowing it to acclimatize. Laminate flooring- cut to bottom of stairs? Laminate Flooring on Stairs, Pros and Cons (Installation without There are concerns that the formaldehyde in the laminate could cause long term health effects. Also, unless you are at the very top of your ability level or a professional installer, you should avoid attempting to lay laminate flooring on stairs. You can easily and effectively install laminate floorboards on stairs, with or without nose stripping. There are so many things to like about laminate flooring. You can cover up the nails or screws with wood filler later to match the color of your laminate. Apply the adhesive in the same fashion, and fit it snug up against the riser. When you take into consideration the installation method, you will find that it is also simple to set up. This item is ideal for living rooms, foyers, and corridors. You dont have to saturate the laminate but apply enough so that all parts of the riser will adhere to the stair subfloor. This can be a cause of discomfort for people sleeping upstairs as they walk up the stairs at night. Order your laminate flooring. As a result, you should go for a rougher, more textured laminate to reduce the likelihood of slipping. Use a jigsaw and cut slowly. Some people clear silicone the gap under the transition to laminate but I don't. When installing the tread, the two tread sections should fit snugly around the spindles. Stairs are often a very high traffic area in a house. Typically the solution at the bottom of the stairs is to use a quarter-round (Usually 3/4" thick) to cover the flooring and the bottom of the carpe Starting from the top of the staircase, lay down your first tread piece. Help with transition between rooms using hardwood and laminate flooring. Allow the vinyl planks and stair nosing to acclimate to the space for at least 3 days. If you live in an old house or you think your stairs might not be uniform, then youll want to measure each tread individually to get an exact cut. 99% positive This is the best image I could find. Typically this would be two pieces unless youve purchased a narrow product in which case youll glue three or more. Youll then fit them together on the tread and hope they fit snugly enough around the spindles to look like its still one tread. If you do the carpet first then a solution needs to be found to cover the gap, normally wooden edge beading which is not as neat as the first option. In addition, there is another advantage to utilizing a pretty liberal amount of construction glue while mounting the stair nose that you may not have considered: durability. By design, laminate flooring will survive for many years with little maintenance and upkeep. Within this area of our site have literally hundreds of how-to guides and tutorials that cover a huge range of home improvement tasks. Web1st Choice: switch the floor to solid hardwood ORjust find a bilevel reducerartistic finishes makes one to bridge 3/4 to 3/8you may just have to stain and poly it yourself if they dont make one to match the laminate you havealso youll need to find a dealer who sells their stuffI dont think they sell straight to consumer. Then, leave the new laminate staircase unused overnight. DIY how to tutorial projects and guides - Did you know we have a DIY Projects section? How to Install Laminate Flooring on Stairs. Once youve chosen the appropriate style and feel, the next step is to allow your flooring to become acclimated to its new surroundings. Best of luck with your next laminate stair project! It has a lower moisture content than typical wood glue, which will ensure that the bond is stronger and wont seep into the laminate. FloorTechie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you dont think adhesive is adequate for the job, you might consider nailing the laminate flooring to the step (subfloor). Due to the fact that most laminate boards will not cover the entire step, you may need to cut from a second board. If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, MIP Model with relaxed integer constraints takes longer to solve than normal model, why? Thank you very much. You want a flat top edge for your nosing to fit either on top of or over. Cut them to the same length as your treads and risers. That photo is protected by a clear aluminum oxide finish, which maintains the look of the laminate while providing additional protection. Ive been working with floors for over 12 years. How can I level this concrete floor so I can install laminate? Once your laminate planks suffer severe damage due to years of wear or water damage, youll have to replace them, as they cant be refinished. Create a replica tread using cardboard. White flooring will blend in seamlessly with existing house furnishings in any room. Now you need to measure the exact tread and riser length of your steps. Carpet stairs before fitting laminate at bottom of stairs? These transparent, plastic covers provide additional grip on the staircase without concealing the beauty of the laminate planks underneath them. Ensure proper installation with the tapered end of the nosings forming the overhangs that protrude over the edge of the tread pieces. Whats more, stair nosings typically overlap the edges of the stair treads, thus providing extra foot space. 158 While you will more than likely find that they are, take the extra 5 minutes to measure each separately. Before you cut your treads, take a look at your nosing. Despite these functionalities, some homeowners remain skeptical of the safety of stair noses. That photo is covered with a clear aluminum oxide finish that protects the look of the laminate. Mark out where each of the screws should be placed with a pencil - they should be spaced about 9 inches (22.9cm) apart, and should be centered in the middle of the nosing. Also, hardwood nosing that is around 80 are upwards of $80, while laminate nose pieces are closer to $40 for the same length. To cut the nose stripping, you should measure the length of the exposed thread, as well as the length of the riser and cut laminate pieces to fit, trimming the edges to fit the angle of the stairs, if necessary. Laminate floor Would it be Okay to Lay Laminate Flooring on Top of This Type of Flooring. You will also need to make sure each of the steps is level, so the laminate boards will sit properly. On the other hand, understand that when you buy laminate flooring, you are buying a product that is essentially a stew of chemicals hardened into a plank that you can walk on. Check the manufacturers recommendations or call an installer for their thoughts. After that, glue your riser piece of laminate to the vertical front of the step and hold it in place while the glue dries completely. In this article, we will go over exactly how to measure, cut, and You have your expansion gap built in, you have multiple prongs hitting the floor to secure it, and you have nice curves on both sides. Glue with high water content tends to seep into the pores of the material it is adhering to, minimizing the effectiveness of the bond. Despite the fact that there are no hard and fast rules for doing so, if you understand the fundamental concepts behind why it matters, you will more than likely create a floor that is aesthetically beautiful, will, Read More How to Stagger Laminate Flooring? Measure the tread size exactly as outlined above. Most types of laminate flooring planks are designed to snap together in place, making installation a breeze. Existing flooring, paint, or glue should be removed. Using the cardboard on top of the laminate tread piece youve cut, mark out the spindle holes on the tread. Take one section of cardboard and draw a line on your tread that goes through both spindle holes. Cut your laminate piece along that line using a miter saw a fine toothed blade works wonders here. Sometimes they can be wiggled enough to dislodge them but be careful because they can break off in their hole and then you are out of luck. Ideally, the adhesive should be Liquid Nails or a construction-type glue that can be applied with a glue gun. You are also going to nail or screw your treads and risers to your subfloor. Arguably the best part of Titebond is that it is water-resistant. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 616,245 times. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. A laminate stair nose piece may be your greatest cost during your stair install. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Labor costs about $568 to install laminate in a 330 square foot living room. He has 20 years of experience in construction, interior design and real estate development. The tread piece should not extend all the way to the edge of the step, as you will need to leave room for the top nosing. Well, if no, then we certainly do! WebFit the laminate first as the carpet will then cover the gap between the laminate and bottom step, which will create a nice neat finish. Using stairs that are 36 wide, youll need 3 nose pieces per a 10 step flight of stairs. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. In addition, laminate flooring can be high-gloss and very slippery - which may be a concern if you have young children in the house. Glue alone is not sufficient; once the glue is in place, we recommend drilling pilot holes and inserting screws, followed by the application of filler to conceal the screws. The planks are easier Finish off the job by applying filler putty into the screw holes in each stair nose. Are you a trade or supplier? Don't push it tight to the floor, there may be tack strip there holding the carpet. % of people told us that this article helped them. I'm not really sure what that picture is of, as it's too dark for me to make out what you're trying to show. They have ones for joining two floors at similar levels (eg, at doorways to mate with other flooring), to step down to a different flooring, or to mate up against walls. You should measure and cut out the stair noses to the length of the laminate treads and risers. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The problem is that the bottom step of the stairs is curved at the corner. Installing laminate on your stairs is not quite as simple as installing it on your floors. 1. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Next you will need to cut the riser pieces to length. The length of your tread pieces will be determined by the length of your laminate plank, which should be as snug as possible on either side of the step when laid across the top of the step. When it comes to laminate flooring, you can do most of the work yourself, but if you arent confident in your carpentry abilities, you may want to consider hiring a professional to perform the job. Regards, Phil, Harlow Member since 26 Apr 2010 Engineered Floor Joists vs 2X10 Lumber: Which is Better? If you already have flooring on your stairs, you should remove it as well as any underlayment. Make sure every laminate plank has a few nails or screws in it, on either side. For starters, the stairwell is one of the most high-traffic areas in your home. You then glue the nosing and also screw it in. Do the tread, riser, and nosing all at the same time. Laminate flooring is a versatile alternative to other floor types since it can mimic their look while also offering significant strength. Would the fitting above be the best option also? How to lay laminate flooring on stairs Prep the Stairway Install Underlayment Cut the Laminate Planks to Size Install the Laminate Tread and Riser Wood or plastic shims work well beneath laminate to level it. A laminate cutter works well, but that requires you to have a laminate cutter which most people dont own. Install Treads and Risers with Construction Adhesive and Nails/Screws, 6. You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local. Its best to glue the nosing edge in place with the tapered end over the thread unless youre using a self-adhesive nosing edge. You will need to glue and screw (or nail) the laminate to the stair treads in order for it to be secure. (Best Answer), White Laminate Flooring (Detailed Answer), How To Make Plywood Smooth and Shiny? Therefore, if your tread measures 11 and the thickness of your laminate is , then your tread will be 11 . Then, I switched careers into accounting, so my wife and I began buying, renovating, and re-selling homes on the side.