Installing Snap-Lok Flooring

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Anyone here ever install this stuff ?? It comes from Lowes and is a snap-lok type wood flooring. It's going over a concrete slab. Ed has the job lined up to help someone and we don't have a clue ??????

[Gilman]

Deadheader,
Is the snap lock similar to the Pergo flooring?

I looked on Lowes' website and it looks similar to the Pergo.  What did you want to know about it?  It's really fast and easy to install.  The snap lock looks even easier.  You don't have to worry about your end joints being tight.

[florida]

Yes, I've done several jobs with it.  The toughest part is laying it out so that you can get in all the closets and corners. Once you've done that the actual installation is a snap.    There is a technique but there's no way to explain it, you just have to do it a few times and then it becomes easy. Follow the instructions on the box and it will go right down. Make sure that each piece is jamb up tight before you go to the next one because there's no going back.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Thanks guys. Do you have to fasten it down somehow ??? What keeps it flat with humidity changes ???

  We have done a lot of Ceramic tile, so, basics should apply pretty close, as far as laying out ???

[JohnnyF]

Best to let the stuff acclimate for a week or two in the environment which it will be used.  Definitely want to leave the recomended space between the walls to allow for expansion and contraction.  You don't have to nail it down - it floats but when it expands, it will buckle if you don't leave the gap.  Good luck.

[Fla._Deadheader]

 JohnnyF, Thanks.

  Don't believe I ever saw ya post here before, Soooo, Welcome to the Forum.

[iain]

DONT forget the under-lay it helps even out the subfloor, deaden sound, and allow the snaplok to breath
 unwrap the packs and leave for a couple of days if the area is big
 if its push (tap in) snap type as opposed to in and push down snap USE the tapping in tool to protect your edges



 iain

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Iain, Underlay ??? What type. The guy wants to cover a concrete slab. What do you recommend???  Thanks

[Paschale]

I just helped my brother put in a kitchen floor not too long ago with some of this stuff--we got ours from Sam's.  I agree with florida--there's a technique, and you just figure it out as you go.  For us, we found that using some tennis shoes to sort of kick the stuff we just put down after the fact helps seal up joints perfectly.  I call it the kick and push technique!   ;)  It's really easy to do--the first few rows are your learning curve, but after that, you can really start cooking.  I'll just echo what the other guys said though, and make sure you have that gap.  Your molding will cover that up anyway.

You definitely want the underlayment.  It's acts as a vapor barrier of sorts, as well as added cushioning.  There are a couple of grades--my brother opted for the more expensive of the two, since they live in an old house and their kitchen is directly above their "Michigan" basement, which means essentially a dirt floor, so they wanna keep out any stinky stuff.  I don't know how you need to accomodate for a concrete floor--perhaps the company has a website where you could check things out regarding that?   ???

[iain]

no idea whats required in yankie land
 we got a choice of an uncompressed pulp fiber mostly for sound

a type of elongated bubble plastic in differant thickness's mostly sound and moisture (use tape for the joints DONT over lap)

or foil backed foam (tape)

 it should say on the pack or phone the maker (helps a lot with the guarante) for there recomend's



   iain

[karl]

Good info- just want to emphasize "read the directions first" and use the underlay recommended by the manufacturer for your application- no need of giving the manufacturer any excuses to void the warrantee.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Thanks guys. 8)

[Furby]

One of the main jobs of the underlay besides the moisture barrier, is to allow the flooring to move freely. The whole floor will move as one unit, but the underlay will keep the new floor separate from the subfloor and better allow that movement.

[ScottAR]

Great advice so far...   Try and follow the directions on the box as to layout,  don't line up joints.  Try and point the narrowest width to windows and doors.  Helps hide the joint lines.  

When I layed our kitchen,  I cut em upside down on the chop saw to prevent chipping the top layer.  If your saw base has any bad scars on it, cover with masking tape.  

We didn't roll out all the underlayment at once.  Just one width at a time so it didn't wrinkle or tear under walking.  This particular underlayment was a plastic covered foamy stuff about 1/8" thick.  We found joining up an entire length of flooring and then attaching that to the mass was the only way to get it even.   Keep a block of wood handy to bonk any gaps in tight.    

It goes really fast after the first couple rows when ya figure out how it works.    HTH

[isawlogs]

Dead header:  

   I've put in a few of those , the underlayer is foam.... they have three types ... one of witch is for ciment flooring . If my memory can serve me write it is green in color , the white one is for wood or linoleum , and pink is for sound as for a upstair bedroom.....it is the same thickness but the dencety is greater ...
  
   The first floor I put in I bought a new blade for my chop saw thinking that a new blade would make nice clean cuts ... well it did ... but the blade was complitly shot when I finished and what p...ss..d me off the most was that none of the cuts that you will be making will ever show . you only cut the peace where you finish and use that one to start a new row . So if you chip one wile cutting don't get upset the trim will hide it .
  
  If you need more info pm  me and I'll see what I can come up with to make your day.... ;)   Marcel

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Thanks Marcel. It's my son, Ed, that is gettin his feet wet in this one. I called last night and gave him the info that Y'all posted for me. I will tell him whatcha said, Marcel. Thanks

[Hokiemill]

FDH,  I put some of the Lowes Snap-lok in my Kitchen about two years ago.  What everyone has already said seemed to apply.  I bought the highest grade of underlayment to help with my very uneven old-house floor.  Spend the 5 bucks to get the tapping tool - essentially a block of delrin type stuff with a profile cut on the edge.  You'll need it to move (bang) some of the pieces lengthwise after they're snapped down.  Now that we've lived with it for a couple years I probably wouldn't do it again.  For a slightly higher cost I went with a pre-finished wood floor from Lumber-Liquidators (they have a local outlet) for a sunroom.  In the end the snap-lok is still just "simulated wood".  My wife loved it at first but now is annoyed with the sound it makes when you slide a chair across it.  My two cents.

[RSteiner]

I did a small bedroom a few months ago it was my first experience with this snap together flooring system.  I could not get it to go together as the instructions said but figured out a system that worked well.

Follow the instructions for application over concrete floors, a vapor barrier is a must.  I found I had to lay out a whole end to end section at a time then snap that to the previous end to end section.  To get the joints nice and tight I used a block of soft pine and tapped the edge of the section in as I rotated the snap joint together.

The flooring is hard and brittle it will chip easy and dull a regular saw blade quickly.  I really like the floor and with a good pad under it you don't get a hollow sound when walking on it.  Remember to leave expansion room all the way around the floor.

Randy

[Paschale]

I could not get it to go together as the instructions said but figured out a system that worked well.

I found I had to lay out a whole end to end section at a time then snap that to the previous end to end section.

Randy's right on about this--this was our technique as well, and it seemed to work well for us.  We watched the video that came with it, and tried to do just what they did, and we were going crazy, so we just started tackling the project with some frustration, and arrived at the same method Randy mentioned above.