6 Tips When Trimming Laminate

Laminate.

Trimming laminate is the final step in installing wood laminate. There are several ways professionals trim laminate, depending on their experience. For beginners, trimming laminate is one of the most difficult tasks in wood laminate installation. Below are some tips that can help you trim wood laminate successfully.

1. Put Quarter Round/Shoe Molding

Most homes already have existing baseboards on their walls, so adding trims can be quite difficult. There are generally two ways you can add wall moldings. One way is to remove the existing baseboards first and put them back on after the installation is complete.

Another method, which is often used by professionals, is to add wall moldings instead. This method will save you time in putting back the baseboards.

Use quarter-round trims or shoe molding for this job. This can hide the gap between the planks and the wall and provides extra design on your wood laminate flooring. You can also stain or paint these moldings to match your existing baseboard for a more fluid look.

2. Cut More than the Measurement

To save you time and money, always cut the trim a bit longer than what you have measured so that you can make adjustments on the length and shape a lot easier, rather than cutting the trim as measured only to find that it is too short.

3. Start at the Corner

When trimming laminate, it always helps to start at the corners first. Starting at the corner can help you identify any mistakes you make at the start of the trimming process. It is also easier to measure out the amount of trim you will need from the end, going around the room, rather than starting at the middle. From the corners, work your way around the room.

4. Test Angles

Trimming angles can be a little tricky because measurements may not always be correct. When trimming angles of wood laminate flooring, always test the angles first with small pieces of the trim. This will help you determine how square the corner really is. Once you are content that the fit and measurement are right, then you can start cutting the trim.

5. Find the Wall Studs

It is advisable to know where the wall studs are located so you can determine when to use longer nails for the trim. You can use a stud locator for this job or just find where the old trim nails are located. Once you have located where the studs are, make sure you use longer trim nails on these areas so the nails can go through the trim and hold it securely.

6. Use the Right Type of Trim

There are different types of trims you can use for wood laminate. When trimming on stairs, it is best to use stair nosing and it should be installed on each step of the stairs. An end mold is more appropriate for areas where any existing doors will touch the wood laminate flooring, including back doors, garage doors, balcony doors, or sliding doors.