Laminate flooring is made of 80% wood. That means that much of it can be recycled. Before you start filling your dumpster, there are a few things to consider.

What type of waste do you have?

Basic flooring installation supplies can be safely thrown away in your dumpster when you are finished. No extra measures for clean up required! Laminate planks can also be burned due to the percentage of wood it is comprised of.

Flooring debris is another story.

Did you rip up old flooring to make room for the new?

If so, you probably have a large pile of debris ready to be thrown away, such as carpet. We suggest taking this to the landfill instead of filling your dumpster with it. This is especially true if the flooring you tore up was any type of hardwood or laminate, which can be recycled.

The landfill is able to recycle the flooring, which is better for the environment. As much as 85% of laminate flooring can be put back into production. This often comes out in the form of wood chips or fibers.

Are you keeping enough leftover planks?

The good thing about laminate flooring is that it’s so easy to replace damaged planks. Keeping 5% – 10% of your laminate flooring on hand will help you switch out any planks that might become damaged due to unexpected flooding, scratches, or chips.

Many times, manufacturers stop making certain styles of laminate flooring. If that’s the case with you, you might not be able to buy your exact style of laminate when you need it. Having your extra supply on hand will help you avoid the need to replace all of your floors.

Via Best Laminate

As much of an eyesore as the varied colors might be, it’s completely natural to have your hardwood flooring change colors over time. The portion of it that’s exposed to the light will fade as the UV rays do their damage. The portion that’s hidden safely under your area rugs will stay the bright, shiny, darker version of the hardwood floor as you remember it when you first had it installed.

It’s a cruel trick of nature. At this point, you might not be able to do too much to hide the large discoloration. However, rest assured that over time, it’ll fade too, evening out the color in your room.

What You Can Do Going Forward

Going forward, we suggest rotating your rugs and furniture from time to time. This will eliminate the risk of your flooring changing color in certain areas. Over time, the floors will get an equal amount of sunlight exposure in each area. Also, invest in some blinds or curtains to help dim the harsh rays. This will even out the fading and keep your hardwood flooring looking consistent.

We also suggest using a regular cleaning program to maintain your floor’s appearance in the areas exposed to the light. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Use doormats to collect fine sand and dust. This can scrape your floors making them look worn out faster.
• Regularly sweep or dust mop your floors to get the scratch-causing debris out of your room.
• Avoid all harsh chemicals. This can strip your hardwood floor of its shine and appeal.
• Never move your furniture by dragging it on the ground. Ask someone to help, or use felt sliding pads.
• Avoid walking on your floor in any type of shoes, especially those with a high heel.
• Do not leave your flooring in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time.

Having a noticeable area where part of your floor is more weathered than the rest is frustrating. By regularly updating your room’s furniture and area rug arrangements, you can avoid this doing longer term damage while keeping your floors looking their best for years to come.

Underlayment is an essential part of any flooring project. Not only does it add a barrier of protection between your sub-floor and the planks of laminate, but it also reduces noise. Some types of underlayment even help to keep moisture out of your room

.

In rooms where noise is a concern, such as yours with a basement below and a ceiling without insulation above, it makes sense that you’d like to take extra steps to reduce sound. However, adding a double layer of laminate flooring underlayment isn’t the ideal solution.

Manufacturers of underlayment say that adding two layers of this essential product can actually do more harm than good. The underlayment can shift while you’re walking on it. Over time, this can also cause the planks of laminate flooring to shift. As they do, you’ll start to hear squeaking sounds from the flooring rubbing against each other. Over the lifetime of your flooring, this can cause further damage, reducing the quality of your laminate.

Since noise is a concern, we suggest getting a three-in-one underlayment. This is the thickest style of underlayment, so it provides the maximum level of sound absorption.

Three-in-one underlayment products also block moisture. This could prove extremely helpful to you because there is a basement below without added protection against leaks or spills.

Your moldings are the last step in your flooring project. These are the finishing pieces that make your floors look complete. They’re also vital to the comfort and safety of your floors.

There are many types of moldings you can choose from. Each serves a distinct purpose.

• Base Shoe Molding. This molding covers the space between the wall and your floors. If you have mere millimeters left to cover your flooring, you don’t want to have to cut a normal sized plank down to a tiny sliver. With a base shoe molding, you don’t have to.

• End Molding. This is used in the doorways that lead to the exterior of the house.

• T Molding. This molding is used to join rooms where the flooring is at the same level.

• Reducer Molding. This type of molding makes it easy to join rooms where the floors are just slightly uneven. This is not the same type of molding as you’ll use on your stairways.

• Stair Nose Molding. Are you installing laminate on your stairs? You’ll want to use stair nose molding at the edge of the steps gluing or nailing for best performance.

Before you begin your project, it’s a good idea to determine where you’ll need to “finish” your floors. Then, choose the right type of molding that will help you naturally and easily blend your laminate with the other rooms inside and outside of your house. These are the best way to give your flooring a more polished look.