I installed laminate in my mom's house. It wasn't very hard, though I lacked a saw I could use to rip pieces (borrowed a neighbor's). The laminate packages come with instructions; about the only amendment I had to make was to tap the pieces together (click-locking wasn't quite enough). Some click methods work better than others; I was installing cheap laminate and I suspect, based on what I know of engineering, that more expensive brands would snap together better.

As for replacing planks, my understanding is that you need a saw which will cut off the tongues that fit into the grooves of the adjoining piece. Cut off the tongues of the planks which need replacing, cut the new planks to fit (if necessary), and re-install.

Although I've successfully installed a glue down bamboo floor, a nailed down solid oak floor and 400+ sq feet of tile, I'm a laminate virgin and really hesitant to start my next flooring project of 600sq ft of laminate. We have a good brand, I think, so installation should be a breeze, but for some reason, I'm scared of screwing it up!

It's also easier if you're doing a floating floor rather than a glue-down.

get a click-together laminate.

follow the manufacturers instructions to the letter.

it's very easy.

a 12 year old can do it.

In fact my son has on his days off school and vacations as he learns the trade.

my first project with the click floating floor 4 years ago went flawlessly ,i did pick up the kit though it comes with the shims ,and the two other pieces so you can knock the flooring toghter.the wife and i put in about 800 sq ft.still looks great.and recently(2 days ago) we put in about 200sq ft in our new home.very easy for first timers!!!

My husband and I installed the Alloc brand laminate in our old house and it was super easy. We probably installed about 500 sq feet in a day. It looked great and held up really well. We're going to be installing laminate again ourselves in a kitchen remodel coming up.

I recently installed laminate for the first time and it is easier than what you hear.

Like most projects, it's all about the layout getting started. You dont want to just start at a corner, shift gears,and fly,only to find out that you have ended up with a sliver of a strip at the other side or end.If you are installing in multiple rooms, you have to keep them in mind as well when figuring out your layout.You want to keep the waste factor down with your layout, but most importantly that it will work out astetically for the room and into the next room(s) ,even if it means using more materials.

I have done layouts in many applications,not just flooring,so this was familiar territory.It isn't difficult, you just have to think it out beforehand.

Preliminaries on most projects include checking the square of the room,inventoring cuts and notches,baseboard and door jamb/casing concerns,and floor prep beforehand.

Alongside the mfgrs manuals,there are books out there im sure that deal with layout/prep.