Step 5: Flooring Realistically, these cuts don't need to be perfect, since they will be covered up by quarter round trim anyway. After cutting the short tongue off the first board and cutting the last board to length, I ripped the tongue off of all three of the boards from the first row.
Grab your first plank board and gently trim off its tongue using your utility knife. Then, set the plank down, making sure the side without a tongue is facing the room's wall. As a rule, when laying the first row of planks, ensure you leave a tiny space (about a quarter of an inch) between the planks and the wall.
STEP 1: The usual convention for building tongue-and-groove joints is to cut the groove (or dado) first, then mill the tongue to fit it. Although the proportions of the joint parts can vary, usually the width of the groove is 1/3 the thickness of the mating part.
Do you cut the tongue off the first row of laminate? You will need to leave an expansion gap all the way around a room when laying laminate flooring. So when you are placing a plank end against a skirting board you need to cut off the tongue to make sure you get the right expansion gap.
Start from one corner in the widest part of the room and work to the opposite/smallest end (could be a hallway or kitchen with cabinets or something). If the area to be covered is rectangle, lay the planks parallel to the long axis of the room OR, match any existing plank flooring direction.
We recommend starting in the left corner of the longest wall in the room and to install the planks in the same direction as the main light source (e.g. the main window). Planks are always installed from left to right.
Lay the first row of vinyl plank flooring along the wall, leaving the manufacturer-recommended amount of expansion space between the plank's edge and the wall (usually about 1/4-inch). If the planks are cut, make sure the cut edge is facing the wall.
Which side is the tongue, which the groove, and which goes first during installation? The tongue is the side that you will want to place against the wall as you start your laminate-flooring installation.
Tongue and groove laminate is a type of flooring that allows for each plank to easily interlock with one another. On each individual laminate plank, one side has a small flat edge, or the tongue, while the other side has a larger grooved edge that will hold the tongue in place, so your floors fit snuggly.
If using a panel saw, clamp the board in a workbench, ensuring that the board is face up and saw. Only use pressure and/or cut on the downward strokes.
Start at the corner of the room and place the first board with the tongue facing toward the wall. Be sure to leave a gap of about a ½-inch so the floor has room to expand and contract.
Treat your whole as a single room and just begin. Start from one corner of the house, and go from there. A bonus tip is to undercut the doorjambs so that the flooring can fit underneath the door easily.
Begin with the tongue facing the wall to make subsequent plank installation a breeze. Cutting off the tongue against the wall allows for an expansion gap and a clean installation.
Stagger the seams at least 6-8 inches from the first row's end joints to avoid creating H-joints or step patterns, which can weaken the floor's structure.
Score and cut the tongue off the first row of vinyl plank flooring using a utility knife.
The tongue of the board should be facing up towards the ceiling while the groove faces down towards the floor. Use your nail gun to tack your board in place trying to hit any studs you may cross along the way.
Start at a straight wall and lay your first row joining all the edge boards. The first board should be a 1/2 board then continue along the row. Use spacers to ensure you maintain a 10mm gap against the wall. If you don't have spacers some cut-offs from your laminate floor will work.
Description: The straight lay is the most common and straightforward layout for laminate flooring. In this pattern, planks are laid side by side, parallel to the walls, creating a clean and simple look.
Which side of the vinyl plank goes against the wall? When installing vinyl plank flooring, the side with the tongue should go against the wall. This positioning allows the groove side to be exposed for easy snapping of the next plank into place, ensuring a tight fit and smooth installation process.
Lay your first plank in the left corner of the room, with the "tongue" side facing the wall. This is the edge where the plank overhangs, and allows the next row to simply click into place. Once in place, move it slightly away from the wall and use your flooring spacers to create the expansion gap.
If the flooring in the adjoining room is carpet, it doesn't matter which direction you lay the vinyl flooring in, so other factors can help you decide. If the flooring in the room is another type of hard flooring and you want distinct transitions between the rooms, have the vinyl flooring put in the opposite direction.