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Question:

Laminate flooring and doorways?

Another laminate flooring question.I am laying this floor in a family room which has a total of 7 doorways. What is the best method of installing this kind of floor along(not through) doorways?

Answer:

I agree with laying the board flat and tapping it together. Use a scrap piece of flooring to tap on that is laid against the board being tapped together. This way you will not damage the board.
If I understand you are stopping at the doors? There are products from the flooring suppliers that allow you to stop and put in a parting strip.
just keep in mind that laminate floats, so it needs to be able to move underneath the door jamb. when you say doorways, are there doors or just openings? if its an opening, then you can cover it with a baseboard. if its a door, then use a dremel cut off wheel to notch out a little of the jamb, and tuck the laminate just barely under the jamb, so there is a little hollow there but you cant see it. cover the ends with a transition or a reducing moulding (sold at hardware stores, depends on if the laminate is taller, shorter or the same as whats on the other side of the door)
If there is a door in the doorway, close the door and see where the transition would be the least visible. That is, if the door opens into the family room, the transition would be on the side of the doorway toward the family room. If the door opens out of the family room, the transition would be on the other side of the doorway (so you don't see the other flooring when the door is closed). If the doorway doesn't have a door, you can put the transition on either side of the doorway. If there is a height difference between the two flooring surfaces, you can get a reducer that is basically a threshold in the same pattern as the laminate that transitions from the higher level floor to the lower level floor. In between two flooring surfaces at the same height, you can get a T-shaped transition piece (looking at it from the edge on, the top flat part has the laminate pattern and the leg of the T sticks down about a half inch) that does not change heights. It just fits into the slot between the two flooring surfaces to give it a smooth transition. Also, you should put down a layer of foam sheeting (about 1/16-inch thick) that is specifically designed for laminate floors before putting down the laminate. Use packing tape to join pieces together. This forms a moisture barrier under the laminate, helps to reduce noise when walking across the floor, and provides a cushioning effect that reduces fatigue when standing on the floor.

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