GranTurismo

Hello,

I am thinking of doing a DIY wood laminate floor in lounge/diningroom. Is it as easy to fit as the adverts say (clik together stuff)?

How does it but up to the skirting in a modern house, is there a gap to fill? Also is it as hard wareing as they say or does it scratch easily.

Anyone done it?

stevem2k

I haven't done it, but I have had it done ( the whole flat, bar the bathroom ).

Check the rating on the laminate, and get the 'light office' stuff, rather than the cheapest available - it's less prone to scratches.
There is a gap all the way around ( even with the membrane & plastic sheeting underneath ), this is covered by a beading that tacks onto either the laminate, or the skirting board. I think the best result is with the beading the same colour as the skirting. There are joining strips for where it meets carpet or tiles as well.

Before you start, decide which way you should lay it, apparently it should be along the longest wall, but click some together and see what looks best.
You'll need a workmate and tools to trim the stuff upto the edges, and budget 10% extra for wastage. Try and pick the stuff from the same batch, as the colours can vary slightly.

That's about it.

SteveM

Richard Askew

GT - ello matey long time no see.....
looks like it is your lucky day
If you are only doing the lounge and dining room then you wont have a problem...kitchens and bathrooms are a different scenario tho because of the moisture and humidity.

Step one is to select the brand - Pergo or Westo are the most popular brands on the market and their quality is very good indeed - that is why they are dearer than the other tack....
These usually come in packs which will cover 2.1 square metres.....

Step 2 is to get the correct amounts of underlay for it (15sq/m) per roll which will make it squeak less and more comfortable to walk on

Step 3 depends on whether you go for click or glue flooring - IMHO the glue ones take longer to lay but are *better* and wont move and creak

Step 4 get a fitting kit which contains the fitting blocks and spacers ( alternatively use an offcut from a spare piece and butt that up against the one you want to lay - tongue into groove and hammer the offcut - this will stop the tongue splitting)

Step 5 get a strip of beading (pine) to go in the gap between the laminate and the skirting board ( if you were using it in the kitchen or bathroom then you would need expansion strips made from corkto take up the *play* when they expand and contract

Step 6 - leave the flooring out of the packs in the room for them to get used to the air/humidity/temps in that room - if you didnt and laid the flooring straight away it would bow and buckle - 3 days is best

Step 7- lay the flooring - its p*ss easy and wont take very long at all - just dont rush letting the glue cure or they will slip and not bond properly

Any more info needed then let me know and I will bring along a "how to..." leaflet from work to the Worcester meet on Sunday or check out

GranTurismo

Blimey, who needs Ask Jeeves!

Thanks guys I could not have hoped for a better answer!

Cheers.

dba

the grade you need for kitchen and bathrooms is called AC4,AC3 is fine for all the other rooms.The new stuff is called *loc* and doesn't need glue,there isnt any evidence (yet) that the glued flooring is better
You can buy perfectly acceptable laminate flooring from a national retailer,no need to blow a second mortgage.

Be careful not to be conned by the really cheap offers.For example you may find some are half the price of others,but are actually only 6mm thick and are chipboard backed.B&Qs current promotional product for eg,is 7.2 mm and mdf backed.

Make sure you leave a 10 mm expansion gap and don't over glue the tongue,you can get air trapped and it can rise.

Kevin Greeley

Always looks filthy, shows every crumb and bit of dirt.

Cannot get it wet, laminate lifts up at joins and doesn't go down again.

Might look like wood, but there isn't any in it! It's a printed pattern that repeats.

Have to get cuts perfect to make good joins or it'll look terrible.

And the edge problem! Either remove skirting or use beading (looks awful IMHO).

I wouldn't waste my time using it again.

Wife likes it though.

Kevin.

Nimbus

Kevin,

Can only assume you had the cheep stuff


Did our kitchen a couple of months ago and had no problems. After looking around the various DIY shops we ended up getting it all from Ikea (gued edges). They have got everything you need and at a good price. Took me a day to lay it (up intil 1am to get the last bit done! You know what it like when you just *have* to finish a job).

Although it says to make sure you do not get it wet, we had a leaking pipe on Friday from the bathroom above the kitchen. It must have been leaking all day as when my wife got home the kitchen floor was flooded. She moped eveything up and dried the foor. The floor has not warped or been damaged in any way.

Only problem now is that she wants the lounge and dinning room done in it as well...

[This message has been edited by Nimbus (edited 17 July 2001).]

fast bloke

I've laid both glue and click together. If you are going for a glue one, spend the money on Pergo. It is machined to a much finer tolerance than the others. For a dry floor go for Quickstep uniclick. Costs about half as much as Pergo, and is massively simpler to lay well. I have always used this since I first tried it. Take off the skirtings before you start. If they are painted get new ones.When you are finished put them back tight to the top of the floor. Take care where you finish the cuts at doors etc. If possible fix the joining strips lightly before laying the floor. You need to get the joining strip completely hidden by the door when it is closed.
Start in the opposite corner from the main door. Lay the short edges towards to window that lets in most light
The middle of the floor is the simple bit. Take time to get the edges, skirtings, radiators etc right or you will spoil the finished effect.
With two small kids I now have laminate in every room including kitchen and bathroom. Water spills aren't a problem if you clean them up immediately. Emma's asthma also disappeared with the last of the carpets

p.s. No scratches to report. I dropped a razor sharp wood chisel on one of the quickstep floors and it didn't leave a mark. Neither do burning cigarettes. Biggest problem is that I have nowhere to hide the speaker cables for the stereos now.

chiark

I've used the Pergo stuff and would recommend it. Seems hard wearing.

Only thing to add to Handy Richard's post is something about cutting: don't forget to take account of any slope on the walls, otherwise you'll end up with a nice stepped effect. Beading covers a multitude of sins.

Oz

I'd definitely recommend taking the skirting off...it's harder work but when it's all gone back on it looks much better than with beading...

Clik together is fine...very quick. No problems so far with scratching and we have a heavy handed three year old who's dropped toys from upstairs onto it...

Boost II

iTrader: (1)

Hats off to you all - I did a dining room, hall and cloakroom(translate = downstairs bog) and the whole lot was a b@stard. One day became two days became 4 days. Cutting around the bits that weren't just square corners was the worst. I swore never to do it again, but it was just about worth it I think. Lifted the skirting boards over the edges and it does give a smart finish.

On the bright side though, I did use cheapish stuff and it still looks good as new after 2 yrs. I've also managed to flood it and no problems although luckily I waxed all the joints when I layed it which might have helped.

And another thing... how come ever since I bought it everywhere is giving the bloody stuff away at half price?

[This message has been edited by Boost II (edited 17 July 2001).]

Luke

"JUNKERS" clip system. Solid wood .Skirtingboard's off. Correct amount of gap at each end.

When I see floors with beading I think it looke terrible because around doors etc it all goes to pot !!

Remember to check all supplies under floorboards etc. its a shame to rip it all up after a few years because the fitter never checked.......

dba

the beauty of Loc of course is you can pick it up and take it with you when you move but you do need to find the same shaped house again.They leave that bit out of the adverts