Install Finish Flooring
Install your chosen flooring material using proper techniques for layout, cutting, and installation. This final flooring step transforms your basement into beautiful, functional living space.
Why Proper Installation Matters
Even the best flooring materials will fail if installed incorrectly. Improper layout creates narrow strips that look unprofessional. Insufficient expansion gaps cause buckling in humid conditions. Poor underlayment leads to squeaky, uncomfortable floors. Rushed work results in lippage (uneven edges), gaps, and visible mistakes. Taking time to install flooring properly ensures it looks beautiful, performs reliably, and lasts decades. The techniques covered here apply to most DIY-friendly floating floor systems including LVP and engineered wood.
Tools & Materials Needed
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
Install Underlayment
Proper underlayment provides cushioning, sound dampening, and moisture protection:
- •Choose underlayment appropriate for your flooring type (foam, cork, or combo)
- •Some LVP has attached underlayment and needs no additional layer
- •Roll out underlayment perpendicular to flooring direction
- •Butt seams together without overlapping
- •Tape seams with provided tape or painter's tape
- •Run underlayment up walls about 2 inches to prevent shifting
Plan Layout and Acclimate Flooring
Preparation prevents problems:
- •Acclimate flooring in the room for 48 hours before installation
- •Measure room and calculate layout to avoid narrow strips at walls
- •Plan to run planks parallel to longest wall or room's main light source
- •If final row will be less than 2 inches wide, rip first row to balance
- •Inspect all planks for defects before installation
- •Mix planks from multiple boxes to blend color variations
Install First Rows
Start strong with perfectly straight first rows:
- •Begin along straightest, longest wall in the room
- •Place spacers (1/4 to 1/2 inch) along starting wall
- •Install first plank with groove side toward wall
- •Connect end joints by angling and snapping together
- •Cut last piece in row to fit, leaving expansion gap
- •Use cutoff to start second row if it's at least 12 inches long
- •Check first three rows for straightness before proceeding
Critical: The first row determines the straightness of your entire floor. Use a chalk line and check frequently. A crooked first row cannot be fixed later.
Continue Installation Row by Row
Build out the floor with proper technique:
- •Stagger end joints by at least 6-8 inches (some say 12 inches)
- •Insert long edge at 20-30° angle into previous row's groove
- •Lower plank flat until it clicks - you'll hear and feel it lock
- •Use tapping block and rubber mallet to close gaps if needed
- •Never force planks - they should lock easily when properly aligned
- •Work left to right across each row before starting next row
- •Maintain spacers at all walls throughout installation
Finish Edges, Cuts, and Transitions
Complete the installation with precision finishing:
- •Measure final row carefully - may need to rip planks lengthwise
- •Use pull bar to lock final row into place when too tight for tapping block
- •Cut notches for door jambs, pipes, and other obstacles with jigsaw
- •Install transition strips at doorways and where flooring changes
- •Remove all spacers around perimeter
- •Install baseboards to cover expansion gap and complete the look
- •Walk entire floor checking for loose planks or squeaks
- •Clean floor thoroughly according to manufacturer instructions
Pro Tips
- ✓Undercut door jambs with oscillating tool so flooring slides underneath for a clean look
- ✓Save all cutoffs longer than 12 inches - they'll start future rows and reduce waste
- ✓For tight spots, apply blue painter's tape to keep planks from shifting while you lock them
- ✓If installing in multiple rooms, run flooring in same direction throughout for visual continuity
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I install flooring before or after baseboards?▼
Always install flooring before baseboards for floating floors (LVP, engineered wood). The baseboards will cover the expansion gap around the perimeter and hold the flooring in place. For glue-down or nail-down installations, you can install baseboards first if you prefer, but floating floors require the gap to remain uncovered until baseboards are installed.
How much expansion gap do I need around the room?▼
Leave 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch expansion gap around the entire perimeter of the room, including doorways and around fixed objects like pipes or posts. This allows the flooring to expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes. The gap will be covered by baseboards, so it won't be visible in the finished room.
Which direction should I run flooring planks?▼
Run planks parallel to the longest wall of the room for the most visually appealing look and to minimize cuts. In basements with multiple connected rooms, run flooring in the same direction throughout for continuity. Perpendicular to floor joists is traditional for structural reasons, but with subfloor installed, you have more flexibility to choose based on aesthetics.
Can I install flooring in multiple rooms without transitions?▼
You can run floating floors continuously through doorways and across multiple rooms up to about 40 feet in any direction, depending on the manufacturer. However, use transition strips between different flooring types, at doorways to exterior, or when changing direction. Large open areas may require expansion joints or T-moldings to prevent buckling.