Installing final row laminate under architrave and bottom of stairs

[markyyyyyy]

Hi,

i am on my final row of laminate flooring, at the bottom of the stairs. I will be installing the row in 2 half planks to match the pattern of the floor ( previous row is 1 full plank length)

I am going to trim off the bottom of the architrave and timber that is at bottom of stairs (not sure of name of it), but i've not got much room to work with to get it underneath

One half i can just slide in, but the final piece will be tricky

Is there a trick to get it in there?
Is it best to use the flooring tool that you can hit with a hammer to get laminate in?

pics below

cheers

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The architrave and door casing (bottom picture) can both be undercut with a multitool (this should already have been done before you got to this stage). The newel post and bottom riser in the stairs are probably best finished with the laminate cut short and a quadrant moulding to cover the gap. If you undercut the riser it can drop a bit in the future if you go too far. If you undercut the newel and you'll need to chisel the waste out so your laminate will fit in - which can be difficult to do working flat against the existing floor (hence quadrant moulding)

I think where you've gone wrong is not to plan your exit strategy before hitting the snags - you'll be better off removing some of the laminate so that you can deal with the issues and finish the floor

 

[markyyyyyy]

thanks for your reply

So basically just cut off a bit of the door casing (where there is white paint) and leave the brown coloured casing and just cut close to it? cheers

edit: would i need to trim the lip and glue the final rows together?
Also, sorry i should say, it's not the newel post, i'll take another pic from further away

...

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Ah-ha! Take the last plank you fitted out. Using a multitool and a offcut of flooring undercut the door casing on the left of the stairs to the its' full depth. Remove waste. Groove the leading edge of the left stair stringer to a depth of about 10 to 12mm from the face. Groove the inside edge of the left stringer in the same way, from the front of the stairs back to the first riser. Chisel out a groove at the bottom of the left stringer, front to rear, with a narrow (6 to 8mm) wood chisel. This should be all the undercutting you do on the left side. Repeat for the right side.

Mark the line of the last but one plank on the floor, then use the measurements to produce a scribed last plank. Allow 10mm or so clearance along the front of the stairs riser.

Insert the last piece of laminate, pulling it hard against the riser

Drop the last but one plank into place and click.

Using a cat's paw bar and a small pull bar and mallet piece drive the last plank to connect with the last plank but one.

This should leave a 10mm expansion gap along the edge of the laminate which can be filled with cork strip and will then be covered by your stair runner (carpet), or which can be hidden beneath a length of quadrant floor moulding pinned to the front of riser (horizontally, not vertically)