Installing a floating floor in a walk-in wardrobe with fixed shelving already in place is absolutely doable as a DIY project — but it requires careful planning around expansion gaps and working in a confined space. Get these fundamentals right and you'll end up with a professional-looking result that performs well for years.
Understand How a Floating Floor Works
A floating floor — whether laminate, engineered timber, or luxury vinyl plank (LVP) — is not fixed to the subfloor. Instead, the planks click or glue together and the entire floor 'floats' as one connected sheet. This means it must be free to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. In a small, enclosed space like a walk-in wardrobe, this movement is just as important as in a large room.
Because the floor floats, nothing should pin it down — including shelving uprights, fixed cabinetry bases, or door frames. This is the key challenge when shelving is already in place.
Assess the Existing Shelving
Before you buy a single plank, take a close look at how your shelving is fixed:
- Freestanding shelving units sitting on the existing floor: these will need to be temporarily removed, or you'll need to float the floor around them and leave proper gaps (see below).
- Wall-mounted shelving with no floor contact: these are the easiest to work around — the floor simply runs underneath the wall brackets.
- Built-in cabinetry with a fixed base or kickboard sitting on the subfloor: this is the trickiest situation. Ideally, remove the kickboards, lay the floor underneath, and refit the kickboards over the top to hide the expansion gap.
If the shelving uprights are bolted through the subfloor or screwed into the floor itself, you'll need to work the flooring up to them and leave the required expansion gap, then cover it with a trim piece or quadrant moulding.
Gather Your Materials and Tools
You'll need:
- Floating floor planks (laminate, engineered timber, or LVP) — buy 10–15% extra for cuts and waste
- Appropriate underlay for your floor type (check manufacturer specs — some LVP has underlay pre-attached)
- Expansion gap spacers (usually 8–12 mm, always check your product's datasheet)
- Pull bar, tapping block, and rubber mallet
- Jigsaw or mitre saw for cuts
- Tape measure, pencil, and square
- Quadrant or scotia moulding and a nail gun or adhesive to fix it to the skirting (never to the floor)
You can find flooring, underlay, and tools at Bunnings, Mitre 10, or PlaceMakers.
Prepare the Subfloor
A floating floor is only as good as the surface beneath it. The subfloor must be:
- Clean — vacuum and sweep thoroughly
- Dry — moisture is the enemy of floating floors, especially in NZ's varied climate. Use a moisture meter if you're unsure, and check BRANZ guidance on acceptable moisture levels
- Flat — check with a long straightedge. Most manufacturers allow no more than 3 mm variation over 1.8 m. Fill low spots with a floor-levelling compound (products from Ardex or Mapei are widely used in NZ) and grind down high spots
Lay the Underlay and Plan Your Layout
Roll out your underlay, butting edges together (don't overlap) and taping joins with the manufacturer's recommended tape. Trim it neatly around any shelving uprights that contact the floor.
Plan your plank direction — in a walk-in wardrobe, running planks lengthways along the longest wall usually looks best and makes cuts simpler. Dry-lay a row or two first to check your layout and avoid ending up with a very narrow strip at one wall.
Install the Floating Floor
- Start along the longest straight wall, leaving the required expansion gap (typically 8–12 mm) between the planks and the wall. Use spacers to hold this gap consistently.
- Work around fixed shelving uprights by carefully measuring and cutting planks to fit snugly around them, maintaining the expansion gap on all sides of the upright. A jigsaw makes these notch cuts straightforward.
- Click or tap planks together following the manufacturer's instructions. In a small wardrobe, a pull bar is essential for fitting the last plank in each row against a wall.
- Stagger end joints by at least 300 mm between rows for structural integrity and appearance.
- Once all planks are laid, remove your spacers.
Finish the Edges and Refit Shelving
Fit quadrant or scotia moulding around the perimeter to cover the expansion gap. Fix this moulding to the skirting board or wall only — never nail or glue it to the floating floor, or you'll restrict movement and risk buckling.
If you removed shelving units, refit them on top of the new floor. Do not bolt them back through the floating floor into the subfloor — this will restrict expansion. If the shelving must be secured for safety (especially tall units), anchor it to the wall studs instead.
Refit any kickboards by trimming them so they sit just above the new floor surface, allowing the floor to move freely beneath.
When to Call a Professional
While floating floor installation is a popular DIY job, consider calling a qualified flooring installer (find one on tradedirectory.co.nz) if:
- Your subfloor has significant moisture issues, damage, or is badly uneven
- The existing shelving is complex built-in cabinetry that needs careful removal and refitting
- You're unsure about the correct expansion gap for your specific product
- You want a warranty-backed installation — many manufacturers require professional installation for their warranty to apply
Note: flooring work in a wardrobe does not typically require a building consent under Schedule 1 of the Building Act, but always confirm with your local council if you're unsure, particularly if any structural elements are involved. See MBIE Building Performance for guidance.
