Laminate & Tile Floor

Laminate

A good laminate flooring installation is where we make the floor looks seamless. You won’t see big gaps between the planks, and the cuts along the wall or under door frames are tight and clean. The boards line up just like they should—no odd angles or out-of-place pieces. The underlayment, if you peek beneath the trim, is smooth and unwrinkled, which helps prevent squeaks when you walk.

Another sign of a job well done: the transitions between rooms or floor types (like where the laminate meets tile or carpet) are smooth and professionally finished. There aren’t awkward height changes or rough edges to trip over. The baseboards are reinstalled neatly and caulked, hiding any small expansion gaps but still leaving the right space for the floor to breathe with temperature changes.

Prepare the Space
We start by clearing out the room—moving furniture, removing baseboards, and making sure the old flooring (like carpet or tile) is pulled up. The subfloor underneath has to be clean, dry, and level. If there are bumps or dips, we usually patch or sand those out.

Acclimate the Laminate
Laminate planks need to adjust to the room’s temperature and humidity so they don’t warp after installation. We leave the new flooring in its boxes in the room for at least 48 hours.

Lay Underlayment
Most laminate floors need a thin foam underlayment to cushion the planks, reduce noise, and act as a moisture barrier. If the laminate already has underlayment attached, we just roll it out and tape the seams.

Plan the Layout
Before cutting anything, we’ll measure to see how the planks will fit across the room to avoid awkwardly narrow pieces along the walls. Sometimes, we’ll “dry lay” a row or two to figure out the best starting point.

Cut and Install the Planks
Installation usually starts in one corner of the room, with the groove side of the plank facing out. We put spacers along the walls to leave an expansion gap (usually about 1/4 inch) for humidity changes. Each plank snaps or clicks into the last—the system is often called a “floating floor” because it isn’t glued or nailed down.

Stagger the Joints
End joints should be staggered by at least a third of a plank’s length, both for strength and looks. We cut planks as needed, use a tapping block to ensure snug joints, and keep the pattern random.

Work Around Obstacles
Doorways, vents, and odd angles get measured and planks cut with a jigsaw for a close fit.

Finish Up
Once the floor is in, we remove the spacers and reattach or replace the baseboards and trim to cover the expansion gap. Sometimes we’ll add quarter-round molding for a clean finish.

Clean and Inspect
We sweep or vacuum up debris, check for gaps or poorly joined planks, and touch up where necessary.

Tile

A good tile installation completed by us means flatness and level. If you were to place a level across the floor the surface should feel even with no noticeable dips. There are consistent grout lines. We make sure that grout lines are uniform, straight, and clean. You can test our work – you won’t find loose or hollow tiles. lightly tap on random tiles with your knuckle or something hard. They should sound solid, not hollow. Hollow noises often mean the tile didn’t bond with the surface properly. We have clean edges and corners. With our work, edges are neatly finished against walls, thresholds or cabinets. We match the trim or caulk without big gaps. Patterns look intentional and line up the way you would expect.

1. Preparation

• Clear the Area: We remove baseboards or trim if necessary.
• Inspect and Prepare the Subfloor: The floor underneath needs to be clean, dry, flat, and sturdy. We’ll often patch holes, scrape away old adhesive, and sometimes lay down a cement backer board for strength and to help the tiles stick.
• Plan the Layout: We measure the space and snap chalk lines on the floor to find the center. Starting in the middle means any cut tiles around the edges look balanced, not awkward.

2. Dry-Fit Tiles

• Set Out Tiles Without Adhesive: Just to see how things will look and to figure out the best placement, making sure any cut pieces aren’t too tiny along the walls.

3. Mix and Apply Thin-Set Mortar

• Mix the Mortar: This is the glue-like substance that holds the tiles in place. We mix it according to the package directions – not too watery, not too stiff.
• Spread Mortar: Working in small sections, we use a notched trowel to spread the mortar, making ridges that help hold the tile.

4. Lay the Tiles

• Press and Twist: Each tile goes down with a gentle press and a slight twist to set it into the mortar.
• Use Spacers: These little plastic crosses go between tiles to keep the grout lines even.
• Check for Level: We constantly check that the tiles are level using a spirit level.

5. Cut Tiles as Needed

• Use a Wet Saw or Tile Cutter: For tiles around the edges or odd shapes, we measure and cut so everything fits tightly, especially along walls, around toilets, etc.

6. Let Everything Set

• The mortar needs to dry, usually overnight.

7. Grout the Tiles

• Mix and Spread Grout: With a rubber float, grout is smooshed into the gaps between the tiles.
• Wipe Away Excess: A damp sponge is used to clean grout off the tile surfaces (not letting it dry on the surface).

8. Final Steps

• Let the Grout Cure: Usually takes a day or two.
• Seal the Grout (Optional): To protect against staining and moisture.
• Reinstall Baseboards/Trim: Once everything’s cured, any trim that came off gets nailed back in place.
• Final Cleaning: We wipe the floor clean to remove haze or dust.