Laminate floors are popular. They used to be in style a few years back! In case you are new to this term, laminate is a type of material used to make floors.
A quick change from laminate is to add carpeting. Nevertheless, should you really attempt to install your carpeting over laminate instead of removing the laminate first?
Can you put carpet over laminate? Installing a carpet directly over a laminate floor is not advisable. Laminate is loosely laid on the floor and may cause the carpet to move over the laminate hence the carpet would need nailing or gluing.
Gluing a carpet over laminate can damage it. It can also cause molding and would restrict the seasonal movement of the laminate.
According to experts at home depot, installing carpet over laminate is not advisable because it is better to install it on sub flooring. If you must use carpet over laminate, ensure the gripper is of high quality. This will prevent the carpet from sliding over the laminate.
If you don’t have the time and capacity to remove laminate first, it is then possible to put carpet on laminate, despite the disadvantages
Some of the advantages of laying carpet over a laminate floor are saving time. Another one is giving you room to switch back to laminate.
The disadvantages include restrictions and cleaning difficulties. There are also shifting and transition issues.
It is always advisable to weigh your options first before making this decision.
If you want to learn more about putting carpet over laminate, continue reading!
How Do You Attach Carpet to Laminate Flooring?
It is best to remove laminate flooring before installing your carpet. If that was not your plan, you can still install the carpet on the laminate flooring.
According to Tarkett, a leading French company in Flooring, states that by using transition strips between the laminate flooring and the carpet you can easily create a perfect finished touch.
Aksi, the transitions protect the edges of the laminate flooring. This also helps to prevent accidental falls.
Always ensure that the floor is clean before working on it. you wouldn’t want to feel tiny bumps or waves once the carpet is installed.
Tools Required
- Carpet stapler
- Tack strip cutter
- Carpet knife
- Hammer
- Tack strips
- Knee kicker
Installation Process
- First, you need to position your carpet in a way that your work will just be to glue it. trim the carpet away from the laminate.
- Glue the transition strips together and leave them for some time to dry. The transition strips should be placed directly under the door. That is if the carpet is installed on the doorway.
- It is good to have an underlay. Do not skip that part just because there is an existing floor. Pick the type and thickness that will work perfectly with your carpet.
- You may or may not glue your carpet down when working with a laminate floor. If you glue it down, you may not be able to use the floor that exists in the future.
- Instead, you can use tack strips and a hammer to secure the carpet and the underlayment on the corners of the room.
- After picking your desired type and thickness, stretch the carpet using a knee kicker. Keep repeating this process until the carpet is stretched and tacked down on all sides. Trim the excess carpet.
- Ensure that you only hammer your tack strips at the edges of the carpet. The strips are meant to secure the carpet to the laminate floor. They do it without touching the floating floor and the subfloor.
- The laminate floor must remain floating. That will help with humidity variations to avoid molding on the floor.
Here is a table that illustrates what homeowners are suggesting when installing carpet on top of laminate flooring. Data was derived from forums that were the DIY type.
| Suggestions on how to install carpet over laminate | Percentage of Responses |
|---|---|
| You need to stretch carpeting to install it correctly. That means that you need to attach to staple flooring. Laminate flooring floats which means that you cannot tac down properly carpeting onto it. Forum users suggest using two-sided tape on carpet squares that will not damage your flooring. I recommend that you purchase self-adhesive carpet tiles, click here to view the pricing on Amazon. | 12% |
| It was suggested in a few forums that you can nail carpeting into thick laminate, but you should only do so in a room that is not damp. If you add the carpeting to laminate in a basement, there is chance of mold developing. | 14% |
| Most forums have users that say that you should just take up the laminate flooring. It is not glued down, and you can remove it within minutes. The possibility of having moisture problems when combining carpet and laminate flooring is huge. | 74% |
| data compiled from users in forums online that are related to do-it-yourself |
If you decide to just remove your laminate flooring before adding the carpet, here is a video that shows how to quickly remove laminate flooring:
Are Transition Strips Necessary in Transitioning from Laminate to Carpet
There is a way you can install your carpet without the use of strips.
You will have to leave an inch or so in excess instead of cutting the carpet proportional to the laminate. It creates enough room to fold under.
After folding the excess carpet, use the knee kicker and stretch your carpet slightly. Use the carpet stapler and staple it well on the floor. If you put a bigger pile, you will be able to hide imperfections.
Temporary Carpet Over Laminate
You can place a temporary carpet over laminate flooring. The carpet is installed with a low tack adhesive. It prevents damage to the flooring underneath since the carpet is just temporary.
There are distinct types of temporary flooring carpets. The carpet tiles are one of them and are a great solution!
They are available in the market in assorted colors and can be installed from wall to wall. It creates an illusion of a fully carpeted space by choosing the desired design.
There is also carpet tape used to hold a temporary carpet on laminate flooring. When you go to buy one, ask for a double-sided carpet tape.
The tape holds down carpet tiles as it helps you update the space. It is good to choose your desired tape depending on the floor type and in this case, the laminate flooring.
There are the cheaper carpet tapes that might be of harm to your flooring. Therefore, choose carefully.
What Can I Cover My Laminate Floor With?
LLDPE film with a water-based adhesive coating can be used to cover laminate flooring temporarily for protection.
The film is transparent, and it has specially designed, water-based adhesive coating. It is for optimum adhesion to surfaces that are hard.
It offers protection to laminate flooring during construction, lamination, and maintenance. Even with the thick materials, the film can be applied for intensive work.
There are sealants that can be used on laminate flooring. For example, polyurethane coating can be applied using a brush to seal the entire surface. It is waterproof and clear.
Silicon caulking is another sealant. It is used to seal the edges that contain moisture issues or leaks. The areas where the floor planks meet the walls and planks touch fixtures are prone to moisture.
Can You Lay Laminate Over Laminate?
Laying laminate over laminate is possible but it is not recommended. The preexisting laminate flooring should be removed first. proper prep should then be applied where there is a need.
There is a product required to be spread on the old flooring when placing a new laminate flooring over the old one. It is to ensure that the old floor pattern does not wear out under the new one.
Use a specific glue or adhesive recommended in gluing laminate tiles.
When laying laminate over laminate, ensure that the existing surface is even and smooth. Also, ensure that the loose edges and gouges are repaired. That is to make glue stick firmly.
You will also have to remove the trim before placing the new laminate flooring.
If the laminate flooring is divided into planks or tiles, they are not glued together. Check how the expand and contract during varying temperatures.
Once you re-laminate, another layer creates tension. That is because there are two plank layers expanding on each other.
Check the openings like the door and resize them. Adding a new layer increases the height difference between the door and the floor.
Laminate on laminate increases the probability of molding and stresses the joints. That disrupts the locking pattern causing cracks.
It is best to remove laminate flooring before adding the new laminate flooring to reduce the moisture level. I recommend that you purchase a laminate flooring cutter to help with your installation. The Bullet Tools Laminate Cutter is available on Amazon, click here for details.
Rug On Laminate Floor
We go for laminate flooring because it is affordable and durable. However, it can easily get stained or damaged.
Any rough-textured mats like plastic, natural fiber, among others may damage laminate by scratching it.
According to Traxx, an engineered flooring company based in Pomona, California, you should use quality gripper when installing carpet or rug over laminate. This will prevent the carpet from shifting over the laminate. The movement may cause wrinkles on the carpet.
The safest rugs to use are those with a thin coat of plastic or one side that is meant to lay on the floor is smooth. The ones without dark-colored dyes are also safe on laminate floors.
Rugs are essential in floorings in some areas. Examples include hallways and high-traffic areas. Also, in most pivotal areas in our homes.
The use of rugs on laminate flooring helps to keep dyes from the rug leaching through the laminate floor.
It’s hard to know the process of setting up a rug on a large surface area. A rug that can flow under the edge of furniture creates a seamless flow.
A rug placed in the center of a room with edges showing offers a delineation. The delineation is between the dining room and the living room area.
There should be a 2 feet space left by a rug on all sides, placed under a table. The space prevents tripping and allows chairs to have an easy movement when sliding in and out.
A rug that leaves 12 to 18 inches’ space from the wall or any barrier fills up the living space. It gives the area a dramatic and bold effect.
How To Keep Rugs from Sliding on Laminate Floors.
- Use Rugs with Non-Slip Backing
- Use A Non-Slip Rug Pad
- Use silicone caulk
- Use Velcro strips
- Use double-sided rug tape
- Anchor your rug with furniture
- Use rug gripping spray
Can You Lay Carpet on Wooden Flooring?
Wooden floors are beautiful! However, they fail to provide warmth and noise cancellation as carpets do. They also need more maintenance.
According to Lee Wallender, a remodeler that has 20 plus years of architectural and home remodeling experience, the installation of a carpet on wooden floors is not as complicated as installing it over a subfloor if you use tack strips..
The wooden floor produces a strong base and therefore, there is no need for underlayment. That saves you time and money.
Carpets are not hard to install. Since they are heavy, they need enough strength to lift and a steady cutting hand.
To install carpet on a wooden floor, the following steps have to be followed.
Steps Followed in Installing Carpet on Wooden Flooring
1. Remove any door that could be hideous. That is by inserting a screwdriver at the bottom of the hinge pins.
2. Set the baseboard aside by gently prying the baseboards away from the wall and pulling the nails out.
3. Clean up the floor to avoid dust or debris damaging the floor.
4. Put the tack strips ¼ inches away from the walls. The tacks should be pointing towards the wall. The strips should also be nailed all around apart from the area across the doorway.
5. Using a staple gun, staple the carpet padding and insert a new staple after 18 inches along the perimeter. The same should be done on the seams in the padding.
6. Using duct tape, tape those seams that are between pieces of padding.
7. While the backing of the carpet faces you, roll the carpet out on the floor.
8. Add 6 inches to each stretch after measuring the length and width of your carpet. Transfer the markings to the back of the carpet.
9. Using a utility knife, cut along the lines marked. That is after folding your carpet along those lines for easier and more accurate cuts. Set the unnecessary pieces aside after cutting.
10. Turn your carpet now and center it then flatten it out onto the floor. 3 inches of excess carpet are expected along each wall. At the corners, cut a V shape to make it fit completely.
11. Set the carpet in the tack strips. place the head of the knee knickers about 6 inches from the wall. It is located opposite the door of the room you are working in.
12. Install various extensions for the stretcher to get to all ends of the room.
13. Press down the lever. That is at the stretcher’s head. Pull excess carpet towards the wall while still holding the lever down.
14. Identify where the carpet touches the wall and cut ½ inch off it. put a carpet cutter over the edge and line up the cutting blade with the cut. Place the carpet cutter along the wall.
15. Trim the carpet edges that are along the door to fit the doorframe. Use a transition to cover it.
16. Find the wall studs and put a mark using a low-tuck masking tape. Place back the baseboards using 8D finish nails and sink them at the studs.
Final Thoughts
Instead of laying the laminate on top of the laminate, why not pull up the entire laminate first? Then install a new one thereafter.
That will help you avoid issues of molding. other issues include uniformity, and cracking due to temperature variations.
Installing carpet over laminate has more disadvantages than advantages. You will have to keep adjusting your carpet every one to three years.
