Laminate flooring installation in Los Angeles
Laminate gives you the look of wood for less. We pick the underlayment for your home or building and install it to last.
- Floating installation
- Condo underlayment
- Clean transitions
When laminate is the right floor
A tough, good-looking floor for dry rooms at a lower cost.
Laminate is a photographic image of wood under a hard, clear wear layer, on a dense fiberboard core. Good laminate resists scratches and dents better than most hardwood, which makes it a sensible floor for bedrooms, living rooms, hallways and rentals with pets and children.
Its weakness is water. Standing water can swell the core at the joints, and swollen laminate does not go back. So we keep it out of bathrooms and laundry rooms and suggest vinyl plank there instead. If you want the real thing and can refinish it later, real hardwood is the step up.
What is inside laminate, and the label on the box
California sets a standard for the core.
The core of most laminate, and of many engineered floors, is a composite wood panel such as high-density fiberboard. Those panels are made with resins, and California's Air Resources Board limits how much formaldehyde composite wood products can emit.
Since 2014, only flooring made with cores that meet the CARB Phase 2 standard can be sold in California, and the boxes carry a compliance label. When you choose a laminate with us, we show you that label. If you are buying the material yourself, check the box for it before it comes into the house.
Underlayment, sound and moisture
The layer under laminate does more work than it looks like.
- 01
On a concrete slab
A slab needs a moisture barrier under laminate, either as a separate sheet or built into the underlayment. Many Los Angeles homes sit on a slab, so this is standard on our jobs.
- 02
In a condo
The building code sets a minimum impact sound rating between units, and associations usually ask to see the underlayment's rating before a hard floor replaces carpet. We choose an underlayment that meets it and give you the product sheet to send to the board.
- 03
Over an old floor
Laminate can float over a flat, firm tile or sheet vinyl floor. Grout lines and dips are filled first so they do not show through. Carpet always comes up.
How we install laminate
A floating floor, laid so it can move.
Check and prepare the subfloor
Flatness checked with a straightedge, low spots filled, moisture tested on slabs.
Plan the layout
We set the direction of the planks and plan the rows so the last row along the wall is not a thin sliver.
Lay the underlayment and planks
Underlayment goes down with the seams taped, then planks click together row by row with staggered joints.
Leave room to expand
Spacers keep a small gap at every wall. Laminate moves with the seasons and needs that space.
Fit transitions and trim
Thresholds, transitions and baseboards cover the gaps and meet the next floor neatly.
Walk the finished floor
We clean up and go over the floor with you, including how to keep water off it.
What drives the price of laminate
Product, preparation and the room.
Laminate thickness, wear rating and the look you choose set the material cost. Then the underlayment your home or building needs, removal of the old floor, leveling, the number of rooms and doorways, and baseboards. We list each part in the quote.
Questions about laminate
What is laminate flooring made of?
Laminate has four layers: a clear wear layer on top, a printed image of wood or stone, a dense fiberboard core, and a backing layer. The core gives it strength and the wear layer protects against scratches.
Is laminate as good as hardwood?
It is different. Good laminate resists scratches and dents better than many hardwoods and costs less. Hardwood lasts far longer, can be sanded and refinished, and adds more value to a home. For a rental or a busy family room, laminate is often the practical choice.
Can laminate go over tile?
Yes, if the tile is flat and firmly bonded. We fill deep grout lines and level any lippage so it does not show through, then lay the underlayment and floating floor on top.
What does laminate installation cost?
It depends on the product, the underlayment, removal of the old floor, how much leveling the subfloor needs and the number of rooms and doorways. After we measure, we give you a written quote with each part listed.
Want the look of wood for less?
Tell us the rooms and whether you are in a house or a condo. We will suggest a laminate and an underlayment that fit.