TrafficMASTER Flooring DIY

Looking for an inexpensive way to spruce up the flooring in your home, TrafficMASTER brand rises to the challenge. We went with the Gladstone Oak, click & lock style. Though they were a budget buy, @ .49 per square foot, the floor turned out absolutely gorgeous. TrafficMASTER Glad Stone Oak laminates are durable enough to use in residential high traffic areas according to the specifications. We chose the home gym for placement and we’re not disappointed. We put the floor in our home in May of 2020 and there are zero visible scratches or stains, it’s now February 2021. The joints are solid; no bending, peeling, chipping, lifting or separating has yet to occur. Pretty impressive for the amount of money spent on the project.

The Process

When we first began to lay the floor we could not master the thirty-degree angle required to snap the pieces in place. It was frustrating. Once we realized we were over-complicating the technique – presto – the floor was down. Please watch our entertaining DIY video here of us laying the floor. Since the planks are on the thinner side, floor imperfections will come through and blemish your finish project. Be sure to properly prep your flooring area before installation. Sand out any uneven areas of the subfloor and use a leveler to confirm the evenness of the floor.

What I Wish I Had Done

I estimated the amount of flooring we would need to complete the project. DO NOT DO THIS. Especially if this is your first time laying a floor like it was ours. You will make mistakes. After making many mistakes, we ran out of laminates and had to buy more. However, when you don’t buy all your boxes from the same pallet you run the risk of the colors differing. So there are a few areas in the gym that are a slightly different color although we bought the exact same brand and style.

How to Calculate Square Feet of a Room

Measure the Length and Width of the walls of a rectangular room. Multiplying those numbers will give you the Area; length X width = area/square Feet. Be sure to purchase an extra 12% percent of flooring (an extra 10% is the general rule of thumb). The extras cover for waste, mistakes, and defective pieces (if any).

MAPEIHOME has a great diagram describing this process of measuring your room. Click here.

Tips and Tricks

· It is not recommended to break the bank on a table saw to cut the TrafficMASTER Gladstone Oak brand. We found one under $100.00 and it cut the planks perfectly

· Be sure to wear a mask and eye protection while cutting. This brand created a great deal of saw dust

· Cut the boards in a well-ventilated area

· Don’t over complicate the technique: lift 30 degrees, attach to previous plank and let go of board – simple as that

· ENJOY YOUR LUXURIOUS YET INEXPENSIVE FLOORING