Hello all i have received good advice from friends on here in the past how about this one.We removed the carpet and the oak flooring is stained beyond help..Don;t know why pet owners do not let their pets go outside it is terrible.I had them sanded down but the black stains go all the way though what a shame. we are going to cover then with a laminate floor what do you think thanks again greg
Laminate flooring pros and cons
- Thread starter skidoolis
- Start date
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lenny
Guest
if you really like the oak you could have the bad sections cut out, takes a skilled carpenter to do a good job, but certainly possible
I just finished the cabin in a hickory laminate flooring. Used a product made by Swiftlock, the come in 4"x36" pieces that interlock. Once installed they look almost like wood floor. It came out fantastic, took a weekend to do the whole cabin (800 sq ft.) and then put down trim along the baseboard.
The only down side is that stuff is hard to cut and really chews up the blades on the chopsaw.
The stuff seems to be real durable and has easy cleanup. We just sweep and then run the Swiffer occasionally. The dogs nails do not seem to mark/scuff it at all.
I have been warned though to be careful as moisture (ie: melting snow from boots etc..) is not good because it can seep down between the cracks so we put down extra rugs at the doorways during the winter.
The only down side is that stuff is hard to cut and really chews up the blades on the chopsaw.
The stuff seems to be real durable and has easy cleanup. We just sweep and then run the Swiffer occasionally. The dogs nails do not seem to mark/scuff it at all.
I have been warned though to be careful as moisture (ie: melting snow from boots etc..) is not good because it can seep down between the cracks so we put down extra rugs at the doorways during the winter.
peppermill
New member
We put laminate down 5 1/2 years ago through out the whole house except kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. It is great. As they say easy to clean and no scratches. We don't have pets but believe me we have come in with mud, snow, water, grass and anything else you can think of and it still looks like new. I would not hesitate to put it in again. The only reason we went with ceramic in the kitchen, bath, and laundry is in case something would spring a leak the floor wouldn't be ruined. We have had water, milk, juice, soda you name it has been spilled on it and it hasn't seeped in cracks. I wouldn't suggest leaving something like that for a long period of time but if caught right away no problem. Good Luck and if you decide to go this way enjoy. I do mine.
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I put down Pergo 11 years ago(it was the glue together kind/befor they had snap lock), I was told to use the glue type in wet areas(kitchen), because it seals the seams and doesnt allow water to penetrate between the cracks, its held up very well, I've had no issues with the floors, still look great after 11years, holds up well to 4 kids abuse, I just wish it looked more like wood, the new stuff out looks more realistic, I would def. use the stuff again.
Dsbasecamp
New member
Make sure when looking at different products take a key and try to strach it ( only on samples ) you will be amazed on which one hold up
X 15 on that one. I re-sanded and stained all of the floors in my house except the dining room and hallway. Unable to do that and make it look good. Money was real tight so we bought a "cheaper" brand. I did take and try and scratch it with a key and a knife. Did not scratch at all. But now that it is down, under the kitchen table it is scratched up so we bought a area rug for under there. But have noticed a couple of other spots that have got small scratches from furniture moveing. I think if you get yourself into the $2.50-4.00 a square foot stuff it will hold up better. With all that said I would do it again, in fact I am going to replace what I have someday.
just an opinion,...
When we remodeled our home, we went with this locking brand (Diamond) I believe,...
we looked around, and though it was a bit more expensive,... we were sold
(suckered) on their promo videos,... showing sections of it "soaking in a bathtub",...
and then the usual,.. nails, glass, and any other obsure items that would cut
or scratch something,... being used on it.
O.K.
Looked Awesome! BUT,.... one night about 3 years after our remodeling was
complete,.... One of those 5 gallon water jugs must not have "seated" correctly
on our water cooler,...
and when I got up at 4:30 am to get ready for work,..
I realized in my stocking feet,.... that the full 5 gallons had been leaked on the
floor! (I FREAKED OUT!) Me and the Mrs. Got it all cleaned up right away,...
and thought to ourselves,.... Whew!, Thank goodness we got the kind that withstands
water!
........N O T !!!
When I got home from work that night,... it was cupped and pealled so bad,....
some sections actually "exploded at the seams" and the wood grain (picture) surface
on a couple sections looked just like pictures would after they had been under water.
UGH!!! Of course, We didn't "over-buy" numerous boxes of the same "lot" to have as "spares",...in case of some
unprepared emergency,... and of course, this model of flooring was no longer available,...
and of course, the small print in the "lifetime warranty" assured,... I was screwed.
THANK GOD FOR INSURANCE!
and an honest adjuster. 3 weeks later,... we were walking on new TILE flooring,..
that looked way better and "richer".
Live and Learn.
Just my .02 from my experience.
If I was so sold on the wood-floor look today,... I would have spent the "extra"
dough and got tounge and groove Solid Wood flooring installed.
Like the tile though.
Show us a picture of your new floor when completed.
)
When we remodeled our home, we went with this locking brand (Diamond) I believe,...
we looked around, and though it was a bit more expensive,... we were sold
(suckered) on their promo videos,... showing sections of it "soaking in a bathtub",...
and then the usual,.. nails, glass, and any other obsure items that would cut
or scratch something,... being used on it.
O.K.
Looked Awesome! BUT,.... one night about 3 years after our remodeling was
complete,.... One of those 5 gallon water jugs must not have "seated" correctly
on our water cooler,...
and when I got up at 4:30 am to get ready for work,..
I realized in my stocking feet,.... that the full 5 gallons had been leaked on the
floor! (I FREAKED OUT!) Me and the Mrs. Got it all cleaned up right away,...
and thought to ourselves,.... Whew!, Thank goodness we got the kind that withstands
water!
........N O T !!!
When I got home from work that night,... it was cupped and pealled so bad,....
some sections actually "exploded at the seams" and the wood grain (picture) surface
on a couple sections looked just like pictures would after they had been under water.
UGH!!! Of course, We didn't "over-buy" numerous boxes of the same "lot" to have as "spares",...in case of some
unprepared emergency,... and of course, this model of flooring was no longer available,...
and of course, the small print in the "lifetime warranty" assured,... I was screwed.
THANK GOD FOR INSURANCE!
and an honest adjuster. 3 weeks later,... we were walking on new TILE flooring,..
that looked way better and "richer".
Live and Learn.
Just my .02 from my experience.
If I was so sold on the wood-floor look today,... I would have spent the "extra"
dough and got tounge and groove Solid Wood flooring installed.
Like the tile though.
Show us a picture of your new floor when completed.
)We put in laminate in our kitchen, bath, and kids rooms. I have 2 small children who drop and spill just about everything they touch. I also have a rottweiler with nails who runs all over the place w/ the kids. They've been down for 5+ years now and are great. My kids dump cups of water out of the bath and it's even fine next to the tub. I have also had my water cooler bottle leak twice like bigvin. Found a huge puddle on the floor. No issues at all. We did not seal w/ anything. I believe ours is Shaw brand. Not super pricey, not cheap. My house is small and the traffic is heavy w/ the family and they have held up awesome. So obviously I would recommend. I wish they were real wood- but the price difference is ridiculous and it just wasn't in the budget.
we have lanoleum(sp)? in our kitchen that looks like ceramic tile, friends have come over and actually thought it was ceramic tiles, they actually had to bend over and feel it, it has been down for approx. 4 years now and no problems, also there are no seams in the entire room
we put down some inexpensive laminate almost 5 yrs ago. nearly indestructible. kids, dog, snow, etc....like new.
I sell a few colors of Courey International brand here in Mass City. They reduced the colors that I can get w/o shipping but I sell the laminate for about $1.10 per sq foot. This is the same stuff I referred to above.
Shipping for other colors is minimal in most cases. Cheaper than Menards and Home Depot (imagine that!!).
I sell a few colors of Courey International brand here in Mass City. They reduced the colors that I can get w/o shipping but I sell the laminate for about $1.10 per sq foot. This is the same stuff I referred to above.
Shipping for other colors is minimal in most cases. Cheaper than Menards and Home Depot (imagine that!!).
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THE BLUFF - what do you recommend the laminate or engineered, for kitchen and dining/living room, we have the laminate pergo now and its held up very well 11years old. the only reason were changing it. taking out 1 wall and moving another, and cant match the floor. ]
how does the flooring look, I know the stuff thats made today looks better than it did 11 years ago. does it still look like a picture
thanks Rob
Well that answered that not to much on the cons side.As for sealing what about gluing the snap style just by the landing to help with water and moisture?? i am looking in to lumber liquidators they seem to have some good prices. thanks for the advice on the scratch test good idea.It comes in different thickness 6mm all the way to 12mm i will measure and go from there thanks again greg
simonsr1-
i am only familiar with the laminate and it has been great for us. i have had hardwood before and would never take that over laminate again.
as for new looking...the only wear is a small area where the kids sat at a computer in a chair with roller wheels (with sand on feet apparently). it is about 2' diamater and is slighlty scuffed...but that took 3 yrs to do too. cheap to replace if we wai wanted to.
i have also dropped red hot wood pellets on it....no damage at all.
i am only familiar with the laminate and it has been great for us. i have had hardwood before and would never take that over laminate again.
as for new looking...the only wear is a small area where the kids sat at a computer in a chair with roller wheels (with sand on feet apparently). it is about 2' diamater and is slighlty scuffed...but that took 3 yrs to do too. cheap to replace if we wai wanted to.
i have also dropped red hot wood pellets on it....no damage at all.
have you thought about a dark stain over the oak?maby hack up the floor with chain/ saw scuffs/u shaped chisels/ dark stain walla vintage mahogany don't laugh people do it to brand new floors and cabinets in multi million dollar homes. or just go verry dark and keep them smooth use light trim and some color on the walls good to go dark floors are coming back in style.if you don't like what are you out 2 hr and a gal of stain and you can still put some formica over it.or spend just a bit more and get some 1/2 in engineered floor with a real wood top and built like plywood you can usually get 1 good sanding out of the engineered wood floors or 2 or 3 light sandings. and you can fix scuffs and scratches with a dab of Polly.or pull it all up and put down new prefinished 3/4 with a aluminum oxide finish good for 30yrs
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lenny
Guest
long term use laminates will not hold up, cannot repair, once damaged it's junk. It may seem durable but to what degree. I keep seeing comments that it's fine after 5 years except a few areas. What about in 20 years when you go to sell or in 8 years with a heavy traffic family. I have hardwood in the "old town hall", it's 110 years old and looks awesome. It's basically indestructible, blemishes are expected in any flooring, hardwood is fixable and laminates are not. They look cheep and fake because they are. The appear to be wood but are not, unless you get just that, wood laminate but you still deal with longevity. Some people say they don't care about longevity, they say that today but what about after you spend you $1500 for the laminate than in 10 or 15 years it looks like poop and you do it again. The old hardwood will still be there and ready to refinish. Hardwood floor in decent shape will be worth more money and workable than laminates any day.
Here is 110 year old maple floor poorly refinished by me, an amature. In ten years, if it wears, i'll spend 4 hrs sanding and vacuuming, and 2 hrs applying a coat of varathane
Here is 110 year old maple floor poorly refinished by me, an amature. In ten years, if it wears, i'll spend 4 hrs sanding and vacuuming, and 2 hrs applying a coat of varathane
yamadooed
Active member
I would have the existing oak floor repaired unless too much is damaged. I currently have the original glue PIA to install in kitchen and dine'n room with 15 plus years on couple small dings but in general good shape... Also have some newer snap together mannington laminate in a lower traffic area holding up well hella easy to install butt doesnt look as good as the original pergo around the edges... Caution if yall glue the snap laminate as the edges swell and look like carp... Btw I'd only install Tile in baths...
thank you all... we are going to look at some today at this place to start not a bad price for http://www.lumberliquidators.com/ca...d=418§ionId=4&subCategoryId=16&storeId=86 as for saving the original floor the stains are as big as a couch and sofa and they replaced some boards that don;t match the others. thanks again greg