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Laminate Flooring

CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
edited May 2006 in General Discussion
I just bought enough laminate flooring to do a basement room. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations. Most of the directions are self explanitory.

The room is 14.5'x56'. Do I need an expansion joint in the middle? If so, what is an expansion joint?
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    can laminate flooring be installed over tile ?
    the house we are buying has tile in all teh but two rooms and I have been told by a few folks that it would be better to install it over the tile instead of tring to take the tile up.
    my problem is we are going to leave tile in the two bathrooms and it will be lower then the laminate flooring
    anyone got any thoughts on it [:D]
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  • rongrong Member Posts: 8,459
    edited November -1
    I installed Pergo interlock flooring.
    make sure there are no dips in floor
    more than 3/16 and don't spill any
    liquids on the floor as it will swell.
    I have 3 scatter rugs now and probably
    more to buy. The floor cost me $5 /sq ft
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  • sharpshooter039sharpshooter039 Member Posts: 5,897 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    laminate is easy,just use a good underlayment,if laying over concrete make sure the underlayment has a moisture barrier so if the slab sweats it will not be wet under your floor.I have never heard of any laminate you had to worry spilling liquids on,if you spill it just wipe it up no problem, just dont leave anything setting on it that will stay wet like a big potted plant...I mostly sell windows but I also sell a couple hundred containers a year of laminate comming out of europe.

    and make sure you do not butt it up tight against the walls,it has to move alittle,thats why its called a floating floor,leave a little gap and cover it with your baseboards
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  • 47studebaker47studebaker Member Posts: 2,251 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Would help to know which kind of laminate floor. I have installed 3 different kinds. My last type had a separate pad/underlayment, it also has a metal strip that the next row snaps into. I found it easy to work with but it helped to have 3 people, it seemed to work better as I was putting down a complete strip from one side of the room to the other, 28 feet. It's also useful to have a rubber hammer or similar tool to move those that you didn't get tight enough when first put down, also one of the small crow bars, the kind 2" wide. I just checked in the basement and found my brand, Alcoa Original with Silent System. Would recommend it to any others thinking about it. I bought it off in internet, think it was at least $2 per sq foot cheaper than any of the local stores.

    The second floor I installed I got from Armstrong dealer in town. When I had about 2/3 of it layed I discovered the pattern had shifted. I took the defective boxes to the dealer and he replaced them, but couldn't/wouldn't even come out to look at what was already layed down. He only took back the boxes that hadn't been opened.
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  • 47studebaker47studebaker Member Posts: 2,251 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    forgot, haven't had any experiance with the glue together type. Anything spills just wipe up within a few minutes. Wife damp mops about once a week and sweeps when she see something.
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  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,866 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    return it.
    get real wood. wait until you spill something in the joints. youll be glad you listened to me.[;)]
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
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  • ripley16ripley16 Member Posts: 4,834 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
    I just bought enough laminate flooring to do a basement room. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations. Most of the directions are self explanitory.

    The room is 14.5'x56'. Do I need an expansion joint in the middle? If so, what is an expansion joint?


    My wife and I were looking at some Dupont floor on sale at Home Depot just tonight for our kitchen. I've put down about 1000 sq. ft. of it and we really like it. Looks good, wears good.


    Have plenty of shims handy to keep the floor off the wall as you go.

    56' is a long run, you may need an expansion joint. Check directions or contact technical help for their answer. An expansion joint is usually a T shaped trim piece that connects two similar surfaces and allows some movement of each piece. This product DOES expand and contract.

    Be sure the product is usable Below Grade. Not all products are.

    You'll have less waste if you work the 14.5" length as opposed to the longer length.

    Find a good color match caulk to handle those irregular areas.

    Be sure to finish the job with baseboard and/ or 1/4 round.

    Good luck with your project.
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Layed plastic and a foam underlayment.
    I plan to lay it in 14.5 ft runs for the 56 foot legnth of the room.
    I plan on leaving a 1/4 gap next to the walls all around the walls.
    Should I worry about the floor buckling with such a long run? THe direction sheet said to leave a 2 centimeter expansion gap every 24 inches.

    I am not too wild about leaving a 2 inch gap in the center of the room. Do I need such an expansion gap? Has anyone ever had a floor buckle with a gap under the walls with enough room for a floor the shift?
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  • ripley16ripley16 Member Posts: 4,834 ✭
    edited November -1
    Are you sure about that expansion ratio. Could it be 2cm per 24 feet? I'd check that first.
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes it does say an expansion joint is needed every 24 foot. I realize I could need three joints or fudge it a little and use one at 28 feet. Seems like a small fudge to me, but do I need to place one at all?
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  • ripley16ripley16 Member Posts: 4,834 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
    Yes it does say an expansion joint is needed every 24 foot. I realize I could need three joints or fudge it a little and use one at 28 feet. Seems like a small fudge to me, but do I need to place one at all?


    My guess is that one joint in the middle would be OK, so long as there is ample room on the ends also. By ends I mean the ends of the 56" length. The 14" side only need the 3/8" or so.

    I would still advise contacting the manufacturer if possible to ask about such a long run. Whatever you do it will have to meet their standards of installation to hold up under warranty claims.
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  • tacking1tacking1 Member Posts: 3,844
    edited November -1
    I wish you well.

    I am with bobski on this one.

    there are too many levels of quality with laminate flooring.
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  • ripley16ripley16 Member Posts: 4,834 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by tacking1
    I wish you well.

    I am with bobski on this one.

    there are too many levels of quality with laminate flooring.


    Not many wood products go below grade however.
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