Suggestions for anyone watching this to make your install a bit easier. 1. After your first row is done and you have cut the last piece to fit, use some or all of the remainder to cut small strips and use them as spacer between the flooring and the wall. 2. Secure your underlayment using duct or packing tape on all outside edges. 3. Remove any baseboard trim before installing. It is very easy to reinstall, will look much better, will hide any uneven cuts, and as long as you are careful, you can remove it without breaking it. It is also relatively inexpensive to purchase new. 4. Use a rubber mallet to tap boards into place. 5. Use Moisture Proof laminate on any concrete surface. 6. When finished with a row, be sure to examine all the seams of all the previous rows to be sure nothing has moved....otherwise you may end up pulling up the entire floor again to fix any gaps. 7. If your board is straight tongue and groove, consider using glue on the seams. If they are channel lock boards, be absolutely sure no gaps appear as this can happen easily with this type of board. 8. If you chip a board, just keep it for use on an end piece where you can cut the board length and use the end without the chip. 9. Like Dad always says: Measure twice, cut once. Seriously!
There are a lot of experts online who say plastic moisture barriers create mold issues over the years. Now that you have had yours in place for 4 years, can you give an update regarding any issues with mold or water pooling up? Thank you for a great video!
I haven't had any issues, but my slab wasn't super wet either. The carpet would just smell dank. The floor is holding up great and there have been no moldy smells coming from it.
My house was built in 1954 on a slab. The original flooring was that asbestos tile. It was completely removed in the kitchen and dining area at some point before I bought the place, but it exists in most of the living room and down the hall--where I want to put the laminate. I have some stick on lino tiles to put where there are asbestos tiles missing. I was told that stuff to feather out differences in the slab and the tile isn't all that hard to do. My question is this: Should I put moisture barrier over the asbestos tile? I cannot remove the tile, as it would be too expensive to dispose of it, and there is a lot of it. The laminate I bought has a 2mm underlayment pad attached to it. Do I need another layer of underlayment? I am concerned about how cold the floor may feel, since it's on a slab. Please advise.
This is a good example as to WHY you NEVER start your first row along the wall. You'll be able to see the bow in the wall even more so by cutting in splintered (triangle shaped) pieces to fill the caps. You should make a straight line on the floor to work off of. Except in this case, he has all that plastic underlayment which will move on you and therefore will move your chalk line as well. So in this case, you can lay your first row down and drill a tiny hole into the board and through to the concrete using a finish nail to keep it from moving, then use a color matched putty or finish crayon to hide the nail holes. Use a compass and pencil to mark your cut along the wall, then cut your boards to the curve of the wall you just made, make sure you start at the widest part of the board or you can start in the middle by splitting the difference of the board. You'll want to make it wide enough so that your eyes won't notice it, like it would when using small pieces to just fill the gap. You'll see the curve in correlation to the straight lines of the tongue and grooves. This principal also applies to tile setting (which I've done a lot of). Fixing the bow or curve in the wall would be the best option... obviously, but that could be REALLY expensive... blame the stupid framers! (I used to be a framer and finish carpenter btw). The baseboards should've been pulled as well, it's a very simple process and 90% of the time you can reuse them, depending on the quality of the wood. Just make sure you're careful to pull them off using a nice thin strong flat bar in combination with an old stiff drywall 4" - 6" taping knife. I always number the wall and the back of the boards so as to correlate where they go with one another. No cutting, or measuring is necessary and if they used finish nails, they pull right through. However, if the boards pull the nails with it, pull them out from the back side using a pair of side cutters (dikes), just don't squeeze too tightly or you'll cut the nail through. Also, don't beat them through and then pull them out from the front, they could splinter or bull chunks of wood out "really, really badly"! A pneumatic finish gun from Home D. or Harbor F. is about $30 - $99 and the end results are worth the extra effort! Seeing people use 3/4" round molding along existing baseboards to hide the caps in the flooring just looks cheap and lazy in my humble opinion. These subtle details can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the end!
Tyler, Thanks. That is some great advice . I did screw up starting at the wall. I normally measure to make sure I don;t have small gaps on either side. In my haste to video I started to close to the wall. The only thing I disagree with is removing the base boards. I removed them on my upstairs and the damage to the drywall was substantial. These base boards were attached via regular nail and paint, so I guess it depends on the situation. I personally like the look of quarter round lol. But either way you have given some great advice. Thank you. Ken
Hi Tyler. Please help me out by clarifying some things if you can. If you check that you have a fairly straight wall, is it fine to start your first row at the wall? If the wall is wonky, how far away do you chalk a line for the starting point? Im floating over concrete by the way. I'm screenshotting your advice to read and re-read. Thanks! When I watch how-to videos, I always look at subscribers, likes and dislikes ratios and look in the comments for expert criticism when deciding what advice to take or ignore. Thank you for commenting!
Yes, it appears the the wood misses going underneath the baseboards by up to 1/8" of an inch on the right-hand wall, watching the video. I think that as long as you have to repaint the baseboards anyway, and also it appears they are not nailed tight against the wall early in video (I can see gaps between the curved baseboard and the wall), you should remove them, and sand them smooth off the wall THEN paint them, and lay the floor, then reinstall them to kill 2 birds with one stone. In other words, start by fixing the crappy workmanship from the previous guys, and take your time to do everything in the best way possible. "It could be that the purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others ..." despair.com/products/mistakes?variant=2457302467
You can lay your first row along wall and use a scribe protractor thingy and Mark along side of flooring and then sand or cut it and then boom! A perfect fit!
Would have been much easier to get it flat against the wall if you removed the baseboards first, put your vynal pieces flush against the wall, paint your baseboards, then put them back on the wall slightly higher so they are right on top of the vynal. No gap and looks good. You would have still had to cut the vynal to size and deal with that curved wall, but would have made it a little simpler.
Hello! Good video! If i have already painted the concrete, then decided to put down flooring, do i still need to do the black sealant under the floor mats? Thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. And for the helpful painting tips. It baffles me that people feel the need to complain because the video wasn't tailor made to their requirements. Their time could be better spent creating the perfect video they are looking for
I am about to put laminate on a concrete condo floor. I don’t need a plastic vapour barrier when there are heated/occupied/dry condos below us right? I assume the plastic is needed only if the concrete is on the ground or above a humid basement? Also, it’s so weird that you want the room to seem smaller. In a condo we are always trying to make things seem bigger. Thanks for the terrific video.
In your case I would think just using an under laminate will be fine. I used the plastic due to the high moisture that wicks through my slab. This front room is super big. The part that was not intended by running the floor I did, it made my kitchen look huge as I continued the direction. Thanks for watching and I how it all goes well. Ken
“As square as a 1983 house can be.” My house is 120 years old and has been moved at least once. I can’t wait to see my curved walls against new flooring. 😂
Marco Deluca is your floor sealed? If yes you may be able to get away with just under laminate. I went the safe route and used both. A little more money but safer in the long run. Ken
The baseboard was glued to the wall. There was no way I was going to rip the drywall out when the quarter round worked just fine and is perfectly acceptable.
Wouldn't it be better to apply a liquid type floor sealer? And that you don't really get moisture coming from under the concrete, floors buckle over time from moisture in air and from spilling liquids, and a secret trick you can do is to paint the bottom of your boards if they are bare! That adds protection
The sealer approach is a viable way to do it, but most sealers do not make the floor completely impermeable. Meaning water may still seep through. I choose this method due to a strong musk smell coming from the carpet before I tore it up. This told me there was some moisture coming through. You do have some good thoughts here. Ken
@@MoonpieCreations if your concrete floor is dry when you remove carpet then you don't have a water issue, pay close attention to corners, situations are different, footings can leak and that will cause moisture to come out the cracks!
@@MoonpieCreations It's a good idea to wait until you get a good rain before laying down flooring, that way you can see if water is coming in from the rain!
you get a lot of moisture from the concrete. even if there are no visible cracks. you always need a vapor barrier. if you use a painted on sealer it is great unless you ever get a crack in the slab.
@@Diver7atms my room addition conversion from a garage is bare just concrete slab and after a rainstorm I can see water leaking around edges and moisture even comes from cracks in middle of floor, but the more I seal the edges the leaking is less severe, no w I'm about to add gutters and if that don't stop the leaking I'll put perferated pipes around sides, I plan on putting ceramic tiles down and that should take care of moisture issue from cracks
I got mine at a place called Surplus Warehouse, but they sell it at lowes and home depot also. www.lowes.com/pd/FloorComfort-100-sq-ft-Premium-2-mm-Flooring-Underlayment/50402206
William Chap as the floor tiles in it gets real solid. no movement. the way to the floor keeps it in place plus after putting in the quarter around it won't come up at all. Ken
Video starts at 1:30 ... For some reason he wanted to show himself painting first. Even tho not a single person clicked on the video to see him painting.
When you laid down the plastic sheeting, how did you secure it to the perimeter? I see how you secure the pieces to one another (packing tape,) but it's not clear how it stays in place along the outside edges against the baseboards.
bluzemule hey, I did not secure the plastic to the walls. Every instruction I found said to not tape it closed. The plastic it to protect the flirting from moisture. The plastics should go to the walls and the flooring should stop 1/8” to a 1/4” from the wall. I hope this is clear as mud now. Lol. Good luck. Ken.
@@MoonpieCreations Everything I've read says the same thing. Not taping the edges allows any moisture, however little, to escape out the edges instead of building up moisture underneath. Makes sense!
@@MoonpieCreations Wow, I just looked at what you're doing in making the resin and wood bowls, etc! Beautiful! I'm so glad I found you by searching information about covering concrete. You are very talented, and I thoroughly enjoy your presentations on your videos. Very nice. :)
Thanks.......perfectly? Uhg, I will show the places I screwed up after this series is done......It's a video in it's self lol. Thanks for commenting. Ken
About that crack in the corner. I got rid of my old carpets/padding, and there's a few of these cracks in the floor that create drops between 2-3 mm.. Do I have to level the entire room? is there an easier way to even these out and fill up the concrete cracks? Please advise! I had to stop the project, because I don't know what to do.. I really don't want to level entire condo :( Thanks in advance!
bartek drabczynski, I want to start off by saying I am by far not an expert on this subject and I encourage you to ask someone who is. I can only tell you my experience. Okay, with the crack in my foundation, i filled it with cement patch, but since it was in the corner I did not level it. I had other low spots that I did have to level. Using a straight edge will help you find those low areas. I only, and again I'm not an expert, leveled the low spots I found not the whole floor. There is a spot in front of my fireplace I missed and every time I step on it you can feel the floor give a mm or so. But 2-3mm is a good size dip and could cause your floor to separate and warp. I would suggest you start by leveling those spots and see if the rest of your floor matches up. Leveling isn't as hard as you would think. They make a product just for it. You mix and pour and it basically takes care of the rest. Maybe some of the more experienced people that watch can give you a better answer. Ken
bartek drabczynski u should be able to seal it with a concert sealer. however if your floor is not even and the cracks are big and everywhere I would suggest speaking a pro.
You absolutely do not ever use caulk between boards. But always go by what your flooring manufacturer says for steam mopping. We used a steam mop on these with no problems.
@@MoonpieCreations I did and it works great.. a floor in another room i did i dind't use caulk. Guess what happen. You got it the water made the floor swell and buckle upwards at joints. My brother inlaw owns a carpentry business he told me to try using caulk in between boards and the ends because thats how he laid his flooring down at his office. to avoid the boards from warping
Honestly there is a better way to install over concrete. DMX 1 step is a suspended underpayment allowing air to flow under it and significantly reducing moisture. Anyone ineterested look it up.
I wish I could hear your voice as good as I can hear the music which is distracting. Just a little bit of constructive criticism. Because I have to turn my phone up to hear your voice and then the music comes on and it's really loud. So if you should consider not having that music on there. I'm surprised you left the base molding on the floor and didn't pick it up before putting that flooring down.
Made this video a long time ago. Sorry for the music. The base molding can be left and using the1/4" round to cover the gap between it and the base. I removed the base in one room and it was caulked to the wall and did a lot of damage to the wall. Took a while to fix. I love the look of the 1/4" round so win win. Thanks.
I want to get something straight I don't know if every CONCRETE Is like that or it's only your house so what you're saying if you pour water on your concrete it will drain your concrete will suck up the water or suck in the water maybe where you live nowhere else is like that
I'm not saying that at all. Concrete is inherently porous. You can use a sealer to the surface of the concrete to prevent water penetration. But it's impossible to seal the concrete so you get now penetrations. Water can seep up through the best of slabs, but not always. This slab gets a little moist so better safe than sorry. Ken
so what happens to the moisture from concrete? does it get trapped beneath foil and starts to smell like a dead animal? or does it escape to the sides creating rising damp in your walls? make your pick...
The only issue the moisture in the concrete poses at my house is to the laminate. The slight moisture can cause the laminate to warp. If a concrete floor has has enough moisture to cause what you describe I would suggest calling a professional and having the floor and under slab checked. You may even have to have the concrete professionally sealed. I had to have this done a few years ago in my man cave in my garage. The floor in the video originally had carpet and yes it is very humid where I live, that is why I replaced with laminate flooring, but I've had no dead animal smell and my walls have no dampness. Thank you for the great questions and thanks for watching. Ken
Some say the under laminate would have been all I needed. I just sold the house and the floor was inspected. Passed with flying colors. Better safe than sorry.
When putting in the flooring I used a stagger method, making sure the seems were not closer than 6 in. You are trying to achieve a random effect. Most of the time I attempted to get the seems half way down the board, but you need to make sure you do not have to small of a piece at the beginning and the end of the row. Normally the off cut from the previous board works well to start a row. Every now and then I cut off an inch or two to get the stagger right. I hope this helps.
Sealing the concrete may be a good idea either way,. With that in mind a slab in a house should not weep enough to cause a mold issue that the 6mm plastic can not handle. Most (good) contractors building a house on a slab account for heavy moisture. There should have been a 2" or so layer of sand put down then they should have laid some 6mm plastic, then another layer of sand before the concrete. If your house was built 40 to 50 years ago and you have excessive moisture coming through, then yes you may have to have your concrete sealed. You would be able to tell if your carpet was wet. Thanks for the input. Ken
Yes you would put the floor down before the baseboards, but in this case the base board was already in position. In that case you use quarter round. I have another video that show how to install quarter round. Thanks for watching. Ken
Hahahaha, yes having the boards under the base board is preferable. But it is common practice for DYI'ers to use quarter round as taking off the baseboards can cause damage to the drywall. Ken
Not removing baseboard to paint it is lazy and wrong. It's also generally a good idea when laying flooring to do so. It's not difficult to remove or replace.
I appreciate your comments. In some cases it is a good idea to remove the base boards. But in this case these base boards were glued to the wall by the previous owner and it would have cause damage to the drywall to try and remove them. It is also common practice to not remove baseboards unless you are paying someone to do it. Ken
Hi Ken with all due respect glue is not a reason to do a half ass job. Even a glued on baseboard can be removed with little effort. Damage to the drywall would be minimal if any and that's one of the easiest repairs out there anyway. I'm fully aware half ass work is common practice. As well as people who only do the minimum for what they are paid.
Its common for painters here to mask walls/floor and spray the base these days. Its much faster and a skilled operator can create an almost perfect finish. Different strokes man.. Why would you remove a baseboard that's been previously installed just to paint it? Lol. Most painters here would just add an item on their quote to cover the prep work (sanding, cleaning up edges, making old profiles more crisp) needed before actually spraying. The results speak for themselves. Maybe in your line of work you've never seen it done this way, but it doesn't mean your way is the only way. Open up your mind. Construction is always changing. People are naturally going to adapt to the ways that are going to get their job done the best but also the most efficiently. Why remove the baseboard, just to paint it? That would entail demo-ing the bottom 7" of drywall, clean up, re-drywall, skim coat, let it dry, skim coat again, paint wall, sand, paint & clean up baseboard, re-install baseboard on new drywall, apply filler for nail holes. VS. Just painting the baseboard. Thats a heck of a lot more money and if there are no real deficiencies with the drywall or lathe/plaster, then why mess with it? Especially if that's not what the client wants.
Muzulcao- I absolutely agree with you. It’s completely absurd to remove the baseboard just to paint it. That’s crazy and unnecessary if you’re going to add quarter round. I don’t know what Wade Wilson is thinking- or smoking. Peace!
Sorry Wade Wilson, but it is not lazy and half ass. Like another commenter stated, most painters nowadays will tape it(baseboards) off and spray it. I've worked construction for the majority of my adult life and something I have had to come to terms with(I am very anal and meticulous) is that there are different pathways to get to the end result. Right and wrong are a matter of perception. If you can paint the baseboards just as well on the wall as you can when you remove them, why go through the extra work and risk of damage(unless you're trying to milk the customer)?
The issue with the music is the music is too loud compared to ur voice commentary. Have to reduce volume during music and then increase volume to listen to u talk. Otherwise it is a good video
It's supposed to be about flooring I don't need painting tips I almost said f this video. But decided to watch on for a bit. The tips were good but stick to the topic at hand. Peace
Don't be hard on this guy because of some imperfections in the work or in the video We all learn from other people mistakes...some time professionals make things too difficult to follow.
I would do that if I would have removed the kick boards. Since I did not I made sure the moisture barrier went to the wall. My floor does not wick much so I think in my case it will be ok. Ken
Hey Pamela, I am sorry but life got in the way and I never finished the video series. Although the floor was completed and in my opinion looked very good.
All you would need to do it take your baseboard before laying the floor. Mine was glued to the wall and I did not want to add the extra work. Thanks for watching.
Optimally yes removing the base boards would be best, but not required. I would go as far to say it’s all about taste. But in my case the base boards were glued to the wall. I was not willing to replace the drywall as it tore and cracked as i tried to remove one baseboard. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
@@MoonpieCreations huge headaches when my contractor failed to do this before laying the floor . And now a got a second contractor who buffed out the peaks of the concrete floor but still unable address the problem before he lay the floor. Headaches headaches
Tania Loves Tea I believe it is a matter of choice and normally you will tear your drywall if you try. This can cause issues. Thanks for your comment. Ken.
joe smith it’s a personal preference some people like to use quarter round and not pull up the base board. In my case the baseboard was caulked to the wall and I didn’t want to tear the drywall and have to repair it. You can actually do it either way.
Not sure what you mean by spacers, but there is a 1/8" gap around the floor. The only place there is no gap is around the chimney. Could you explain what you mean so in case there is something that should have been done others can see? Thanks for watching and commenting. Ken
Ken Moon - Moonpie Creations If you goto any home improvement store they sell these small spacers that go between the wall and flooring to keep proper spacing while you work. I am about to do my floors soon, but when you start hammering the wood around, I think these help to keep the space. They get removed once you put in your quarter moulding.
Robert R Suchan thanks I thought that might be what he meant but wasn't sure. I have some of those spacers, but I didn't use them because I couldn't find them. Lol. But it worked out well anyways. Ken. .
Moonpie Creations The only thing he did that was half way descent was painting the base boards. 1. Whatever underlayment you decide to go with will act as a moisture barrier. Doubling up with black plastic is a waste of time and money. 2. He did not check the floor for leveling. If you don’t properly prep your floor with leveling every time you walk cross it you’re going to feel dips and soft spots. 3. He did not take any moisture readings. 4. I can’t even tell you how many other simple steps he looked over. Lastly, I’m a professional and he’s a straight up amateur. A lot of people think they can save money doing it themselves, but with all the mistakes they leave behind it’s just going to end up costing them more in the long run.
Hey thanks for sharing with us. The floor was leveled, but I did not put it in the video. I was going to make another video on it, but lost the footage. It's hard to get all the step in an 8 min video. As for the barrier, you are completely right that either could have worked, but I had the 6 mil plastic and wanted to ensure a good barrier. The floormat were so my feet had a bit of a conscious. A little overkill? Maybe. I did this floor 3 years ago and it is still in great shape. I do appreciate the comments as it will help others. Ken
Moonpie Creations lol no thanks required Man. Just get some contractors who know what they are doing and make longer videos if you really wanna help people get their projects done right. Unfortunately, I just cringe a stuff like this.
Suggestions for anyone watching this to make your install a bit easier. 1. After your first row is done and you have cut the last piece to fit, use some or all of the remainder to cut small strips and use them as spacer between the flooring and the wall. 2. Secure your underlayment using duct or packing tape on all outside edges. 3. Remove any baseboard trim before installing. It is very easy to reinstall, will look much better, will hide any uneven cuts, and as long as you are careful, you can remove it without breaking it. It is also relatively inexpensive to purchase new. 4. Use a rubber mallet to tap boards into place. 5. Use Moisture Proof laminate on any concrete surface. 6. When finished with a row, be sure to examine all the seams of all the previous rows to be sure nothing has moved....otherwise you may end up pulling up the entire floor again to fix any gaps. 7. If your board is straight tongue and groove, consider using glue on the seams. If they are channel lock boards, be absolutely sure no gaps appear as this can happen easily with this type of board. 8. If you chip a board, just keep it for use on an end piece where you can cut the board length and use the end without the chip. 9. Like Dad always says: Measure twice, cut once. Seriously!
Good suggestions.
There are a lot of experts online who say plastic moisture barriers create mold issues over the years. Now that you have had yours in place for 4 years, can you give an update regarding any issues with mold or water pooling up? Thank you for a great video!
I haven't had any issues, but my slab wasn't super wet either. The carpet would just smell dank. The floor is holding up great and there have been no moldy smells coming from it.
@@MoonpieCreations thanks for the update! Subbed.
My house was built in 1954 on a slab. The original flooring was that asbestos tile. It was completely removed in the kitchen and dining area at some point before I bought the place, but it exists in most of the living room and down the hall--where I want to put the laminate.
I have some stick on lino tiles to put where there are asbestos tiles missing.
I was told that stuff to feather out differences in the slab and the tile isn't all that hard to do.
My question is this: Should I put moisture barrier over the asbestos tile?
I cannot remove the tile, as it would be too expensive to dispose of it, and there is a lot of it.
The laminate I bought has a 2mm underlayment pad attached to it. Do I need another layer of underlayment? I am concerned about how cold the floor may feel, since it's on a slab.
Please advise.
This is a good example as to WHY you NEVER start your first row along the wall. You'll be able to see the bow in the wall even more so by cutting in splintered (triangle shaped) pieces to fill the caps. You should make a straight line on the floor to work off of. Except in this case, he has all that plastic underlayment which will move on you and therefore will move your chalk line as well. So in this case, you can lay your first row down and drill a tiny hole into the board and through to the concrete using a finish nail to keep it from moving, then use a color matched putty or finish crayon to hide the nail holes. Use a compass and pencil to mark your cut along the wall, then cut your boards to the curve of the wall you just made, make sure you start at the widest part of the board or you can start in the middle by splitting the difference of the board. You'll want to make it wide enough so that your eyes won't notice it, like it would when using small pieces to just fill the gap. You'll see the curve in correlation to the straight lines of the tongue and grooves. This principal also applies to tile setting (which I've done a lot of). Fixing the bow or curve in the wall would be the best option... obviously, but that could be REALLY expensive... blame the stupid framers! (I used to be a framer and finish carpenter btw). The baseboards should've been pulled as well, it's a very simple process and 90% of the time you can reuse them, depending on the quality of the wood. Just make sure you're careful to pull them off using a nice thin strong flat bar in combination with an old stiff drywall 4" - 6" taping knife. I always number the wall and the back of the boards so as to correlate where they go with one another. No cutting, or measuring is necessary and if they used finish nails, they pull right through. However, if the boards pull the nails with it, pull them out from the back side using a pair of side cutters (dikes), just don't squeeze too tightly or you'll cut the nail through. Also, don't beat them through and then pull them out from the front, they could splinter or bull chunks of wood out "really, really badly"! A pneumatic finish gun from Home D. or Harbor F. is about $30 - $99 and the end results are worth the extra effort! Seeing people use 3/4" round molding along existing baseboards to hide the caps in the flooring just looks cheap and lazy in my humble opinion. These subtle details can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the end!
Tyler,
Thanks. That is some great advice . I did screw up starting at the wall. I normally measure to make sure I don;t have small gaps on either side. In my haste to video I started to close to the wall. The only thing I disagree with is removing the base boards. I removed them on my upstairs and the damage to the drywall was substantial. These base boards were attached via regular nail and paint, so I guess it depends on the situation. I personally like the look of quarter round lol. But either way you have given some great advice. Thank you.
Ken
base boards is one of the first things to do so you can finish floor under them to get that perfect finish
Hi Tyler. Please help me out by clarifying some things if you can. If you check that you have a fairly straight wall, is it fine to start your first row at the wall? If the wall is wonky, how far away do you chalk a line for the starting point? Im floating over concrete by the way. I'm screenshotting your advice to read and re-read. Thanks! When I watch how-to videos, I always look at subscribers, likes and dislikes ratios and look in the comments for expert criticism when deciding what advice to take or ignore. Thank you for commenting!
Yes, it appears the the wood misses going underneath the baseboards by up to 1/8" of an inch on the right-hand wall, watching the video. I think that as long as you have to repaint the baseboards anyway, and also it appears they are not nailed tight against the wall early in video (I can see gaps between the curved baseboard and the wall), you should remove them, and sand them smooth off the wall THEN paint them, and lay the floor, then reinstall them to kill 2 birds with one stone. In other words, start by fixing the crappy workmanship from the previous guys, and take your time to do everything in the best way possible.
"It could be that the purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others ..."
despair.com/products/mistakes?variant=2457302467
Was thinking the same thing. Lol
You can lay your first row along wall and use a scribe protractor thingy and Mark along side of flooring and then sand or cut it and then boom! A perfect fit!
That's an interesting way to approach it.
Ken
Removing tack strip in yer socks, priceless! 😂
Only stepped on them four times too.
Ken
Would have been much easier to get it flat against the wall if you removed the baseboards first, put your vynal pieces flush against the wall, paint your baseboards, then put them back on the wall slightly higher so they are right on top of the vynal. No gap and looks good. You would have still had to cut the vynal to size and deal with that curved wall, but would have made it a little simpler.
Yes that is another way to do it. Thank you.
Ken
No doubt. That's the first thing I thought about when the video started by painting the baseboards! I would've taken them up for sure.
I would do it like he did and add 1/4 round
Hello! Good video! If i have already painted the concrete, then decided to put down flooring, do i still need to do the black sealant under the floor mats? Thanks!
It all depends if the painted floor still has moisture. I would not think so though.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. And for the helpful painting tips.
It baffles me that people feel the need to complain because the video wasn't tailor made to their requirements.
Their time could be better spent creating the perfect video they are looking for
That you for that. I appreciate the support.
Ken
I am about to put laminate on a concrete condo floor. I don’t need a plastic vapour barrier when there are heated/occupied/dry condos below us right? I assume the plastic is needed only if the concrete is on the ground or above a humid basement? Also, it’s so weird that you want the room to seem smaller. In a condo we are always trying to make things seem bigger. Thanks for the terrific video.
In your case I would think just using an under laminate will be fine. I used the plastic due to the high moisture that wicks through my slab. This front room is super big. The part that was not intended by running the floor I did, it made my kitchen look huge as I continued the direction. Thanks for watching and I how it all goes well.
Ken
Does the plastic barrier need to be stock down to the concrete at all, or is it floating?
It is a floating floor. I would not stick it down.
“As square as a 1983 house can be.” My house is 120 years old and has been moved at least once. I can’t wait to see my curved walls against new flooring. 😂
My home repairs got in the way of my shop time . You go guy you go ! BobLee
These house renovations take up all my time. But it's so hot and humid outside I ain't going out there anyways.
Ken
Does this underlayment have to be used or cam I use quiet walk?
Quit walk is an underlayment so it will work just fine.
I usually pull the baseboard. I never cared for the look of the 1\4 round. It seems we pretty much both do the same kind of stuff. LOL
Someone glued the base boards on. Lol. I didn’t want to have to repair the drywall.
Jeff good vid but what should I use pad or the underlayment and barrier?
Marco Deluca is your floor sealed? If yes you may be able to get away with just under laminate. I went the safe route and used both. A little more money but safer in the long run.
Ken
question was pad??
@@marcodeluca4068 The under laminate works as the pad.
Reading the comments, I thought the music was going to be over your voice, that really is not the case. Video is fine.
Thank you Michael.
Ken
I think you should be installing the floors under the baseboards? 1/4 round suggests they were installed without good planning or effort.
The baseboard was glued to the wall. There was no way I was going to rip the drywall out when the quarter round worked just fine and is perfectly acceptable.
Wouldn't it be better to apply a liquid type floor sealer? And that you don't really get moisture coming from under the concrete, floors buckle over time from moisture in air and from spilling liquids, and a secret trick you can do is to paint the bottom of your boards if they are bare! That adds protection
The sealer approach is a viable way to do it, but most sealers do not make the floor completely impermeable. Meaning water may still seep through. I choose this method due to a strong musk smell coming from the carpet before I tore it up. This told me there was some moisture coming through. You do have some good thoughts here.
Ken
@@MoonpieCreations if your concrete floor is dry when you remove carpet then you don't have a water issue, pay close attention to corners, situations are different, footings can leak and that will cause moisture to come out the cracks!
@@MoonpieCreations It's a good idea to wait until you get a good rain before laying down flooring, that way you can see if water is coming in from the rain!
you get a lot of moisture from the concrete. even if there are no visible cracks. you always need a vapor barrier. if you use a painted on sealer it is great unless you ever get a crack in the slab.
@@Diver7atms my room addition conversion from a garage is bare just concrete slab and after a rainstorm I can see water leaking around edges and moisture even comes from cracks in middle of floor, but the more I seal the edges the leaking is less severe, no w I'm about to add gutters and if that don't stop the leaking I'll put perferated pipes around sides, I plan on putting ceramic tiles down and that should take care of moisture issue from cracks
Where did you get the underlayment mat and what brand is it?
I got mine at a place called Surplus Warehouse, but they sell it at lowes and home depot also. www.lowes.com/pd/FloorComfort-100-sq-ft-Premium-2-mm-Flooring-Underlayment/50402206
@@MoonpieCreations thanks, I appreciate it
as you walk on that floor, it moves though or does it feel solid and in place?
William Chap as the floor tiles in it gets real solid. no movement. the way to the floor keeps it in place plus after putting in the quarter around it won't come up at all.
Ken
Your doing a Great Job on that and I'm looking forward to part two. Thank you for sharing..
Thanks for watching. I meant to publish part 2 last weekend, but I forgot then went to Dallas. I will post this weekend.
Ken
Video starts at 1:30 ... For some reason he wanted to show himself painting first. Even tho not a single person clicked on the video to see him painting.
Adam A Hahaha it’s kinda like unwanted comments. But seriously thanks for taking the time.
Ken
😂😂 good one
When you laid down the plastic sheeting, how did you secure it to the perimeter? I see how you secure the pieces to one another (packing tape,) but it's not clear how it stays in place along the outside edges against the baseboards.
bluzemule hey, I did not secure the plastic to the walls. Every instruction I found said to not tape it closed. The plastic it to protect the flirting from moisture. The plastics should go to the walls and the flooring should stop 1/8” to a 1/4” from the wall. I hope this is clear as mud now. Lol. Good luck.
Ken.
@@MoonpieCreations Everything I've read says the same thing. Not taping the edges allows any moisture, however little, to escape out the edges instead of building up moisture underneath. Makes sense!
@@barbaramaas2009 Yes you are absolutely right.
@@MoonpieCreations Wow, I just looked at what you're doing in making the resin and wood bowls, etc! Beautiful! I'm so glad I found you by searching information about covering concrete. You are very talented, and I thoroughly enjoy your presentations on your videos. Very nice. :)
Good to see you in your "Pre-Beard" Days Ken... Good job mate B-)
Hahaha that was such a long time ago. Quality video too. Bahahaha.
@@MoonpieCreations Aye, Very professional too Ken.
Everything is done perfectly. Like!
Thanks.......perfectly? Uhg, I will show the places I screwed up after this series is done......It's a video in it's self lol. Thanks for commenting.
Ken
About that crack in the corner. I got rid of my old carpets/padding, and there's a few of these cracks in the floor that create drops between 2-3 mm.. Do I have to level the entire room? is there an easier way to even these out and fill up the concrete cracks? Please advise! I had to stop the project, because I don't know what to do.. I really don't want to level entire condo :( Thanks in advance!
bartek drabczynski,
I want to start off by saying I am by far not an expert on this subject and I encourage you to ask someone who is. I can only tell you my experience. Okay, with the crack in my foundation, i filled it with cement patch, but since it was in the corner I did not level it. I had other low spots that I did have to level. Using a straight edge will help you find those low areas. I only, and again I'm not an expert, leveled the low spots I found not the whole floor. There is a spot in front of my fireplace I missed and every time I step on it you can feel the floor give a mm or so. But 2-3mm is a good size dip and could cause your floor to separate and warp. I would suggest you start by leveling those spots and see if the rest of your floor matches up. Leveling isn't as hard as you would think. They make a product just for it. You mix and pour and it basically takes care of the rest.
Maybe some of the more experienced people that watch can give you a better answer.
Ken
bartek drabczynski u should be able to seal it with a concert sealer. however if your floor is not even and the cracks are big and everywhere I would suggest speaking a pro.
EliteEvolution416 .
With no caulk used between boards will lets water from mopping it or a steam mopper get in the wood and make it warp
You absolutely do not ever use caulk between boards. But always go by what your flooring manufacturer says for steam mopping. We used a steam mop on these with no problems.
@@MoonpieCreations I did and it works great.. a floor in another room i did i dind't use caulk. Guess what happen. You got it the water made the floor swell and buckle upwards at joints. My brother inlaw owns a carpentry business he told me to try using caulk in between boards and the ends because thats how he laid his flooring down at his office. to avoid the boards from warping
Honestly there is a better way to install over concrete. DMX 1 step is a suspended underpayment allowing air to flow under it and significantly reducing moisture. Anyone ineterested look it up.
Thank you. Good info there.
I wish I could hear your voice as good as I can hear the music which is distracting. Just a little bit of constructive criticism. Because I have to turn my phone up to hear your voice and then the music comes on and it's really loud. So if you should consider not having that music on there. I'm surprised you left the base molding on the floor and didn't pick it up before putting that flooring down.
Made this video a long time ago. Sorry for the music. The base molding can be left and using the1/4" round to cover the gap between it and the base. I removed the base in one room and it was caulked to the wall and did a lot of damage to the wall. Took a while to fix. I love the look of the 1/4" round so win win. Thanks.
Do you not watch your own finished production? lol The sound bro
Fair enough. This was almost 5 years ago. :)
Ken
No shoes removing tack strip. Shoes for painting the baseboards. You're funny
lol, I have never said I do smart things haha. I learn a valuable lesson not using shoes removing the tack strips. ouch!
Ken
I replace carpet with laminate in old homes. I know what you mean with warp walls and piecing it in. Still turns out nice though
I want to get something straight I don't know if every CONCRETE Is like that or it's only your house so what you're saying if you pour water on your concrete it will drain your concrete will suck up the water or suck in the water maybe where you live nowhere else is like that
I'm not saying that at all. Concrete is inherently porous. You can use a sealer to the surface of the concrete to prevent water penetration. But it's impossible to seal the concrete so you get now penetrations. Water can seep up through the best of slabs, but not always. This slab gets a little moist so better safe than sorry.
Ken
Where are the other videos to this project 🤔
so what happens to the moisture from concrete?
does it get trapped beneath foil and starts to smell like a dead animal?
or does it escape to the sides creating rising damp in your walls?
make your pick...
The only issue the moisture in the concrete poses at my house is to the laminate. The slight moisture can cause the laminate to warp. If a concrete floor has has enough moisture to cause what you describe I would suggest calling a professional and having the floor and under slab checked. You may even have to have the concrete professionally sealed. I had to have this done a few years ago in my man cave in my garage. The floor in the video originally had carpet and yes it is very humid where I live, that is why I replaced with laminate flooring, but I've had no dead animal smell and my walls have no dampness. Thank you for the great questions and thanks for watching.
Ken
in my 50's house there is no membrane under the slab, if i don't ventilate the ground floor constantly, i would get 85% rh in 2 days
Thanks my man I appreciate the only needed instructions
No problem, Thanks for watching.
Ken
Aluminum side up or down?
Ivan Otero directions say up.
Ken
How about a vapor barrier with cushion?.....
Some say the under laminate would have been all I needed. I just sold the house and the floor was inspected. Passed with flying colors. Better safe than sorry.
what are the measurements are you using to stagger the spacing??
When putting in the flooring I used a stagger method, making sure the seems were not closer than 6 in. You are trying to achieve a random effect. Most of the time I attempted to get the seems half way down the board, but you need to make sure you do not have to small of a piece at the beginning and the end of the row. Normally the off cut from the previous board works well to start a row. Every now and then I cut off an inch or two to get the stagger right. I hope this helps.
I used this method and didn't realize that I should have sealed the floor first to prevent mold growth.
Sealing the concrete may be a good idea either way,. With that in mind a slab in a house should not weep enough to cause a mold issue that the 6mm plastic can not handle. Most (good) contractors building a house on a slab account for heavy moisture. There should have been a 2" or so layer of sand put down then they should have laid some 6mm plastic, then another layer of sand before the concrete. If your house was built 40 to 50 years ago and you have excessive moisture coming through, then yes you may have to have your concrete sealed. You would be able to tell if your carpet was wet. Thanks for the input.
Ken
how do you finish the edges next to the baseboards ?
Miguel, you use quarter round. I'll upload the video on this tonight.
Ken
Oh, ok, thanks Ken
aren't you suppose to put the floor down before the trim?
Yes you would put the floor down before the baseboards, but in this case the base board was already in position. In that case you use quarter round. I have another video that show how to install quarter round. Thanks for watching.
Ken
There's an edge that slips under the edge trim on this stuff it appears
Greg Davis that’s what I thought, and maybe he wouldn’t have a problem with that little curve he could just cover it with the trim
Amazing how it stays in place being that far off the walls
It's very easy to work with.
Don't you want the floor under the base board? Hide the edges without extra trim.
I leave it there for storage. Where do you store your food?
Ken
@@MoonpieCreations , ha ha, I fixed it.
Hahahaha, yes having the boards under the base board is preferable. But it is common practice for DYI'ers to use quarter round as taking off the baseboards can cause damage to the drywall.
Ken
Good job Ken! Now how much beer can you buy with all that money you saved by doing it yourself.
ha, drank it each night after sweating balls putting this stuff in. lol.
Ken
Thank you. This vid helped me a lot.
Nancy,
I am so glad you found this video helpful. Hope your flooring turns out great.
Ken
The music is much louder than the commentary forcing me to turn the volume up and down. Very annoying unfortunately.
Sorry Anthony. Older video.
Not removing baseboard to paint it is lazy and wrong. It's also generally a good idea when laying flooring to do so. It's not difficult to remove or replace.
I appreciate your comments. In some cases it is a good idea to remove the base boards. But in this case these base boards were glued to the wall by the previous owner and it would have cause damage to the drywall to try and remove them. It is also common practice to not remove baseboards unless you are paying someone to do it.
Ken
Hi Ken with all due respect glue is not a reason to do a half ass job. Even a glued on baseboard can be removed with little effort. Damage to the drywall would be minimal if any and that's one of the easiest repairs out there anyway. I'm fully aware half ass work is common practice. As well as people who only do the minimum for what they are paid.
Its common for painters here to mask walls/floor and spray the base these days. Its much faster and a skilled operator can create an almost perfect finish. Different strokes man..
Why would you remove a baseboard that's been previously installed just to paint it? Lol. Most painters here would just add an item on their quote to cover the prep work (sanding, cleaning up edges, making old profiles more crisp) needed before actually spraying. The results speak for themselves. Maybe in your line of work you've never seen it done this way, but it doesn't mean your way is the only way. Open up your mind. Construction is always changing. People are naturally going to adapt to the ways that are going to get their job done the best but also the most efficiently.
Why remove the baseboard, just to paint it? That would entail demo-ing the bottom 7" of drywall, clean up, re-drywall, skim coat, let it dry, skim coat again, paint wall, sand, paint & clean up baseboard, re-install baseboard on new drywall, apply filler for nail holes.
VS. Just painting the baseboard.
Thats a heck of a lot more money and if there are no real deficiencies with the drywall or lathe/plaster, then why mess with it? Especially if that's not what the client wants.
Muzulcao- I absolutely agree with you. It’s completely absurd to remove the baseboard just to paint it. That’s crazy and unnecessary if you’re going to add quarter round. I don’t know what Wade Wilson is thinking- or smoking. Peace!
Sorry Wade Wilson, but it is not lazy and half ass. Like another commenter stated, most painters nowadays will tape it(baseboards) off and spray it. I've worked construction for the majority of my adult life and something I have had to come to terms with(I am very anal and meticulous) is that there are different pathways to get to the end result. Right and wrong are a matter of perception. If you can paint the baseboards just as well on the wall as you can when you remove them, why go through the extra work and risk of damage(unless you're trying to milk the customer)?
I am baffled as to why every person posting on RUclips feels they need MUSIC. Music typically ruins a good informative video.
STOP !!!
Hey thanks for the constructive criticism. I will defiantly take your suggestion to heart. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Ken
@@MoonpieCreations, I don't like dead air, so I think filling it with music is fine.
The issue with the music is the music is too loud compared to ur voice commentary. Have to reduce volume during music and then increase volume to listen to u talk. Otherwise it is a good video
It's supposed to be about flooring I don't need painting tips I almost said f this video. But decided to watch on for a bit. The tips were good but stick to the topic at hand. Peace
For those that do not want any background sound, there's always the option to mute:). Pretty simple.
That music is a pain.
hassensaleh1 I 100% agree with you. If I could redo it in Re up it I would
Thanks for the mumbling tutorial blended into the blaring, crappy music. Cheers.
Hey you are very welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Ken
Don't be hard on this guy because of some imperfections in the work or in the video We all learn from other people mistakes...some time professionals make things too difficult to follow.
@@Bacu1930 Dennis is right, though. I had to crank the volume up to hear him and then without warning the music is BLARING.
I love old houses!!!!!!
I hate this house, lol.
Ken
Bob Lee's Woodshop j
I'm going to use flex seal tape👍😀
Its better to pull base and then lay flooring and then reinstall base. Thats the way I do it.
That is a perfectly good way to do it. Sounds like you know your stuff.
Thought the moisture barrier was suppose to go up the wall an inch or so
I would do that if I would have removed the kick boards. Since I did not I made sure the moisture barrier went to the wall. My floor does not wick much so I think in my case it will be ok.
Ken
Why didn’t you show the finished floor? Would like to see it
Hey Pamela, I am sorry but life got in the way and I never finished the video series. Although the floor was completed and in my opinion looked very good.
I would have liked to see the finished floor also. Was the finished wall the same width as your start wall?
Where is Part 2?
Why in the Hell did you not pull the floor trim up and run the laminate underneath??
As I have said in many other posts. 1. they were glued and the paper was tearing. 2. it is a lot easier and very acceptable to use 1/4" round.
@@MoonpieCreations I’m just messing with ya. You’re right, it’s an option. 👍
That music is like a 80’s porn flick
lol Yes!!!
Ken
Take the baseboards off. Put shoes on when u remove tac strip. Start your rows with a chalk line. Are u trying to screw ppl up?
Mr. Positivity heh way to live up to your screen name. But thanks for the input.
Ken.
i don't like having the baseboard before the floor.
All you would need to do it take your baseboard before laying the floor. Mine was glued to the wall and I did not want to add the extra work. Thanks for watching.
For anyone watching, remove baseboards before installing…yes it’s more work but will look a lot more professional.
Optimally yes removing the base boards would be best, but not required. I would go as far to say it’s all about taste. But in my case the base boards were glued to the wall. I was not willing to replace the drywall as it tore and cracked as i tried to remove one baseboard. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Way easier than plywood + hardwood nailing
Absolutely, I thought about using hardwood for my flooring, but this is a much easier solution. Thanks for watching. Hardwood ouch. lol
Ken
First thing have to make sure the floor is flat.
Absolutely
@@MoonpieCreations huge headaches when my contractor failed to do this before laying the floor . And now a got a second contractor who buffed out the peaks of the concrete floor but still unable address the problem before he lay the floor. Headaches headaches
omg the music
I know right?!? It's horrible!!!
People remove the baseboards. They are not suppose to be there during the installation.
Tania Loves Tea I believe it is a matter of choice and normally you will tear your drywall if you try. This can cause issues. Thanks for your comment.
Ken.
Should have scribed the first row rather than adding pieces.
That's a great idea. Thank you.
Ken
why arnt u taking the borders off?
joe smith it’s a personal preference some people like to use quarter round and not pull up the base board. In my case the baseboard was caulked to the wall and I didn’t want to tear the drywall and have to repair it. You can actually do it either way.
Music catchy 😉
haha, I would most likely do this video much different today
Music is 1000X louder than your voice.
Yes sorry. Very old video for me.
Ken
The music is so cringy... 😖
Artemis D Hahahaha, sorry about that.
Ken
this guys has nooooo clue.you need spacers for expansion bro..gzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Not sure what you mean by spacers, but there is a 1/8" gap around the floor. The only place there is no gap is around the chimney. Could you explain what you mean so in case there is something that should have been done others can see? Thanks for watching and commenting.
Ken
Ken Moon - Moonpie Creations If you goto any home improvement store they sell these small spacers that go between the wall and flooring to keep proper spacing while you work. I am about to do my floors soon, but when you start hammering the wood around, I think these help to keep the space. They get removed once you put in your quarter moulding.
Robert R Suchan thanks I thought that might be what he meant but wasn't sure. I have some of those spacers, but I didn't use them because I couldn't find them. Lol. But it worked out well anyways.
Ken. .
Sure no problem :)
hopefully the wood wont expand with the heat during the summer
What is the music yer playing????
oh heck, I got it off creativecommons.org. Not sure the name. Sorry
Ken
always use spacers 1st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spacers for what, for against the walls?
That wall is as bent as spunk on a moustache
Bahahahhahahahaha
LA intension es buena pero no te entiendo nada y esa musica
Thank you. Yes the music is horrible.
Ken
The music in these how tos is horrendous. Why they think it enhances I’ll never know
I am totally with you on this. Stupid free DIY videos.
Music off music off music off!!!
Tal3n Are you all right are you all right are you all right?
Moonpie Creations yep😂
This is how not to install laminate
This is how not to comment.
And why not if you doing it wrong??
@@markkowalski1708 Because it's not wrong. Go troll somewhere else.
Don't be lazy. pull the moldings off and lose the 1/4 round. it looks dumb
Sorry...didn't realize the baseboards were glued on...now that's dumb
Ahhh the old looks dumb and don't be lazy comment. Feel free to head over to that house and fix it.
The music is very distracting.
I agree
that tape work tho
Yes, it works well. No issues 3 years later. Thanks for watching.
Ken
don't quit your day job.
Hahahaha then how would I pay to do all these DIY videos?
Ken
Don't like the packaging tape. That's not a professional product to use.
Okay, but it's a lot cheaper than Tyvek tape
Your underfloor pad is wrong.
How so? Give us some information here.
Ken
scribe it
shiny side of the pad goes down
Mark Ortiz although I appreciate the comment. The shiny side goes up. Per the directs.
Ken
I stand corrected. thanks
I fucking hate music playing when I watch tutorial videos.
Chunky Father I agree. I fucking hate music playing when I watch tutorial videos too.
Dude, You have no idea what you’re doing bro.
Joseph Rosales why do you say that? Give some details dude.
Moonpie Creations The only thing he did that was half way descent was painting the base boards. 1. Whatever underlayment you decide to go with will act as a moisture barrier. Doubling up with black plastic is a waste of time and money. 2. He did not check the floor for leveling. If you don’t properly prep your floor with leveling every time you walk cross it you’re going to feel dips and soft spots. 3. He did not take any moisture readings. 4. I can’t even tell you how many other simple steps he looked over. Lastly, I’m a professional and he’s a straight up amateur. A lot of people think they can save money doing it themselves, but with all the mistakes they leave behind it’s just going to end up costing them more in the long run.
Hey thanks for sharing with us. The floor was leveled, but I did not put it in the video. I was going to make another video on it, but lost the footage. It's hard to get all the step in an 8 min video. As for the barrier, you are completely right that either could have worked, but I had the 6 mil plastic and wanted to ensure a good barrier. The floormat were so my feet had a bit of a conscious. A little overkill? Maybe. I did this floor 3 years ago and it is still in great shape. I do appreciate the comments as it will help others.
Ken
Moonpie Creations lol no thanks required Man. Just get some contractors who know what they are doing and make longer videos if you really wanna help people get their projects done right. Unfortunately, I just cringe a stuff like this.