How soon after installing laminate flooring can you put furniture on it? It is recommended that you wait at least 24 hours before placing any furniture on the newly laminated floor, to prevent creating gaps and problems that can cause the floor to be squeaky. This recommendation is made in consideration of the weight of the furniture that will be placed on the floor.
This time frame applies to large pieces of furniture; however, you may place lighter pieces of furniture on the laminate floor 15 hours after it has been installed.
When to place furniture back on refinished floors, please read:
Can Heavier Pieces of Furniture Be Placed on Laminate Flooring?
It is possible to place heavy furniture on laminate flooring because it is made out of wood, stone, or granite. Furthermore, even though it is not connected to the original flooring, it is not susceptible to damage from heavy furniture as long as it is moved appropriately.
The floor can be damaged by chipping, scratching, or denting the furniture if it is not handled properly. The following is a guide that will explain how to place heavy furniture on laminate flooring without causing any damage to the floor.
The appropriate level of preparation
It is recommended that a pad be placed underneath the base of any furniture that will be placed on your laminate floor before placing the furniture on the floor. This will prevent any direct contact on the floor, which could potentially cause damage to the floor.
You can use a variety of different things as cushion-like furniture glides, such as felt pads or padded plastic cups, and place them on the bottom of the legs of the furniture to prevent it from moving around.
You can use heavy-duty felt that has been cut into squares and adhered to the base of the piece of furniture using an adhesive if the piece of furniture is supported by a solid beam or base. If the laminate flooring is adequately safeguarded, heavy furniture can be placed on top of it without the risk of the furniture scratching or denting the floor.
When moving, make sure to lift the furniture.
Do not try to drag your furniture across the floor to move it from one part of the room to another. Instead, move each piece individually to the new location. It is a recipe for disaster, and you risk tearing the laminate boards in your furniture.
When moving large pieces of furniture, it is best to enlist the assistance of additional people or to make use of a dolly to move the pieces more easily. Unloading should also be done gently; heavy furniture should not be dropped or slammed on laminate flooring because doing so can dent or crack the flooring.
Learn how to move furniture carefully without scratching the floor here.
Regular Cleaning
When your bulky furniture is surrounded by particles of dirt, even the smallest movements could cause it to scratch the laminate flooring beneath it. Because of this, it is essential to regularly sweep the area in addition to mopping it either dry or with a very slight amount of moisture; this will remove all of the dust and dirt particles that may have accumulated underneath the furniture.
When utilizing this method, you should take care not to use an excessive amount of water because excess water can seep into the spaces between the boards and become trapped between the laminate flooring and the original flooring. This can result in the growth of mold and mildew on the flooring that was originally installed.
Does Laminate Flooring Require Some Kind Of Break-In Period?
It is strongly recommended that you give any new laminate floor product at least 48 hours to acclimate before installing it in your home. This would make it possible for the laminate planks to acclimate, which means they could become used to the new environment or climate.
Why does it take laminate flooring some time to settle after installation? You might be wondering, “Well, laminate flooring has a wood core, and wood cores are porous on a microscopic level because they contain tiny openings that allow air into the core, carrying with it whatever humidity the environment maybe.”
Well, the answer to that question is that all laminate flooring has a wood core, and wood cores are porous on a microscopic level.
Planks tend to swell when stored in an environment with high humidity but tend to contract when the humidity level in the air is lower. Even though these alterations may be extremely minute, they have the potential to cause the snug locking systems to buckle or gap across the floor.
Because of this, it is advised that you give your laminate floor some time to settle before installing it. This will allow the planks to become unified in the temperature and humidity of the environment. This will ensure that the planks are in the same condition throughout and that the locking system will not be affected in any way.
How to Preserve the Laminate Floor in Your Home
Install Carpets Or Rugs In The Area
It is possible to lessen the impact that foot traffic has on your laminate floor by installing carpet or rugs in areas that get a lot of it. In addition to this, you can protect the laminate floor from scrapes and scratches by placing rugs underneath the legs of the furniture. It is possible to use rugs to cover other areas as well, such as the space beneath the kitchen sink.
Especially in areas with a lot of foot traffic, placing rubber or non-slip pads underneath your rugs is a good idea if you want to keep them from moving around.
In addition, you can protect your laminate flooring with the help of carpets or rugs by installing welcome mats in the entryways of your home. This mat will protect your laminate flooring from being scratched by debris such as dirt, pebbles, and sand that may be tracked on people’s shoes. Everyone who enters your home is required to wipe their feet down on a towel before setting foot on your laminate floor.
If you are going to be staying with a large number of people, you might want to consider making the laminate floor a “no shoes” zone.
Rubber wheels should be used in place of plastic casters.
If you have kitchen tables or desks that are placed on laminate flooring, you can easily replace the plastic casters on the chairs with rubber wheels by simply removing the plastic casters from the chairs. This reduces the likelihood of the floor becoming scratched or damaged.
Make sure to get wheels made of soft rubber; there is a wide selection of options available online, as well as in many stores that sell office supplies and supplies for improving your home.
Ensure That The Humidity Levels In Your Home Are Maintained.
Your house should have a relative humidity that ranges from 35 percent to 65 percent at all times. By doing this, you will reduce the likelihood of the laminate floor buckles as a result of the expansion or contraction of the laminate plank.
You can use a humidistat to determine the level of humidity in your house by either making use of the one that is already installed in your thermostat or humidifier, or you can purchase a separate humidistat from local retail or home improvement store.
When the conditions are dry, you can use a humidifier to prevent your laminate flooring from contracting; when the conditions are humid, you can use an air conditioner or dehumidifier to prevent the flooring from expanding.
Clip the Toenails of Your Pet
If you have pets that have nails or claws that are particularly long, you should be aware that they could scratch your laminate floor. Because of this, you must keep your pet’s nails trimmed, but you should avoid cutting them too short, as this could be harmful to your pet. You have the option of either clipping your pet’s nails yourself with nail clippers designed for pets or taking them to a groomer to have them done professionally. When you do this, your pets won’t be able to scratch up your floor.
When your pet comes in from the outside, you should also make sure to check their paws and remove any dirt or gravel that may be stuck to their paws.
When You Mop, Try Not To Use Too Much Water
It is best to avoid using a wet mop on your laminate floor because doing so can allow additional water to seep into the floor, which will eventually cause it to become damaged.
When mopping your laminate floor, you should also steer clear of using cleaners that contain soap or detergent because doing so can cause damage to the flooring. Instead, you should make use of a cleaner that is designed specifically for laminate floors, and then dry the floors using a dry mop or a cloth
The manufacturers of your laminate flooring may recommend particular brands of cleaning products. However, it is strongly recommended that you use a cleaner that is designed specifically for the type of flooring that you have.
Remove Any Mess Immediately After It Occurs.
If you clean up any spills that happen on a laminate floor as soon as they happen, you can help prevent liquids from seeping into any cracks or joints in the flooring, which over time can cause your laminate flooring to become brittle or start to warp.
Wipe up spills with a soft cloth or mop; depending on the substance that was spilled, you can proceed to further clean the floor with the cleaning product that is recommended for your flooring.
If you need to clean up spills with a product other than water but are unable to locate the product that is recommended by the manufacturer, you can use a commercial window cleaner that does not contain ammonia instead.
Do not use the beater bar or the rotary brush heads that come with the vacuum.
Before using a vacuum on a laminate floor, you need to make sure that the rotary brush or beater bar head has been removed. Using heads with these types of teeth on your laminate floor could cause it to become damaged. Instead, you should make use of a vacuum that has a felt or brush-type attachment.
Conclusion
This article will answer your question about how soon after installing laminate flooring you can place furniture on it. After reading this article, you will have a better idea of when you can continue decorating your room after installing laminate flooring.
This article also addresses other significant questions, such as whether or not laminate flooring requires a period to settle, and whether or not it is possible to place heavy furniture on laminate flooring. All of this will be of assistance to you in achieving a successful installation of the laminate floor.
