JULIE'S LAMINATE FLOORING TIPS
Laying a laminate floor is a 1.5 person job. You need two people at the beginning -- when the boards laid down so far don't have enough mass to give them sufficient inertia to stay where they are while you try to lay the next row -- and at the end, when there are awkward bits to do. Use the wedges in the fittings pack in pairs; slide the ridged surfaces against one another to set the thickness. You need a gap of 0.5 - 1 cm. all around to allow for expansion; this will be covered up by the skirting boards (if you removed them) or else you can add an extra strip of beading all around the skirting.
Do not attempt to cut laminate flooring by hand, if you intend to finish the same day. A power saw is essential. We used a table saw for the straight cuts, and a jigsaw for the fiddly bits. You can use a jigsaw alone, if you clamp the workpiece to one of those split benches that acts as a vice and with a straight piece on top of it to get your line; but bring plenty of spare blades because they will blunt quicker than you think.
Begin in the corner furthest from the window, so you don't block your light with your body, and place a board in the corner, spaced away from the walls, grooves to the wall. Tap each board into place lengthwise against the last one you laid; when the row is complete, use the drawbar to pull the last one into place.
The offcut at the end of the first row will have a tongue, but no groove. Use this to begin the second row. Again, you will have an ofcut with a tongue but no groove.
Once you have three full rows down, your assistant can go and do something else while you lay more rows by yourself; the floor is now heavy enough to tap boards into place without anyone else making sure nothing else has shifted. You don't need any more help until you reach an obstacle such as a doorway or an alcove.
To go lengthwise into a doorway and stop, you can use one of your offcuts, which will have a tongue but no groove, to extend from the existing line to the threshhold. Start the next row with a longer piece, lining up the tongue and groove joint with the one two rows back. This will give you offcuts with a groove and no tongue, which you may be glad of later.
To continue lengthwise through a doorway, start a row with a complete board, leaving the groove in the other room.
To enter a doorway widthwise, you just need to make an awkward cut in the board and either leave the tongue poking through or not, depending whether you are continuing into the next room.
Cut holes for pipes with a jigsaw or Forstner bit, extend to the edge with a jigsaw and glue the offcut into place behind the pipe.
For awkward cuts, make paper templates.
The last row will need the boards cut lengthwise. But in a modern house with 90 degree corners and straight lines, they will all need to be the same width. Set the fence on the table saw appropriately and feed all the boards through lengthwise first.
Also, measure three times, cut once. Especially don't mistake a speck of dirt for your pencil mark. Remember when making a cut, which is the bit you want to keep (usually, the bit with the groove, so it will mate with an existing tongue). And finally, if you know anyone who's going to the Continent, ask them to pick up a tape measure while they're there. The ones they have over there are better than British ones. You'll see why, if you've tried using both kinds.
