Laminate floors are meant to be floated over a variety of sub floors and never secured directly to any substrate. In other words, the laminate flooring just lays on top of the sub floor, which can be wood, concrete, or an existing floor. This allows the laminate flooring to expand and contract freely as the room environment changes. Laminate floors come in planks and squares of various sizes and shapes. All four sides of each plank have a tongue and grooved edge for locking them together.

Many brands of laminate flooring no longer require the installer to have to apply specials glue at the joints. Laminate floors with glueless locking systems have become extremely popular. There are also laminate floors which have the glue pre-applied along the tongue and the glue is activated by damp sponge. The tongue and grooved edges of these floors are also pre-sealed at the factory to help prevent moisture from attacking the inner core structure.

Special polyurethane underlay is laid down prior to installing laminate flooring. This helps the floor to float freely over the top. Some more expensive underlayments are available for reducing sound transmissions and restricting moisture from wicking up.

Installation is done similarly to hardwood flooring. Drying, laying several rows first, and squaring up the rows in the room. Acclimating the planks to the room is also essential to make the installation easier and to avoid planks bowing and cupping.