Chapter 5 of 88% of exam
Laminate Flooring Installation
Laminate is about 8% of the C-15 exam. Laminate floats, so the rules are about expansion space, vapor barriers and transitions, and they vary by manufacturer. This page is a short survey; the PrepPass C-15 study guide compares two manufacturers' instructions.
Floating floor rules
Leave the manufacturer's expansion gap at every wall and fixed object, never glue or nail the planks, and use a polyethylene vapor barrier over concrete even when the plank has an attached pad.
Example gap
3/8 in. at the perimeter (one manufacturer).
Manufacturer laminate instructionsTransitions
Required by room size and at separate rooms; the limits differ by product.
Manufacturer laminate instructions