Flooring

[3Girls]

We are looking at replacing the flooring in a basement suite from carpet to laminate. Is there a specific brand others have used, and what should I watch for as this is being placed on cement.

Maurice

 

[GarthChapman]

Put something down to keep the cold of the concrete from invading the laminate flooring. Also, if I remember correctly you have to put something down as a sub-floor to put Laminate on concrete. Not sure what but I am sure someone on this forum will know.

 

[jackiechandc]

The best thing to under laminate is a good elevated subfloor such as the Dri-core from Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/...tk=P_PartNumber

or Subfloor from Rona

http://rona.ca/shop/~subfloor---delta-fl-p...3;subfloor_shop

Both keep the laminate floor dry in case of moisture build up and keeps the floor warm.

If cost is prohibited then you need to have a vapor barrier along with a foam lining underneath the laminate flooring. If you want to go this route, try to get at least the thicker laminates (ie. 12-14mm) rather then the 7-8mm laminates as it will be thicker and warmer to the touch. Never put the laminate directly on the concrete as over time any moister build up will warp the floors. Hope that helps.

Wei

 

[Ready4Rent]

QUOTE (3Girls @ Aug 7 2008, 10:19 PM) We are looking at replacing the flooring in a basement suite from carpet to laminate. Is there a specific brand others have used, and what should I watch for as this is being placed on cement.

Maurice


Depending on your budget, you might want to check out http://www.karndean.com/newhome.asp it a great product that will work in basements,kitchens,bathroom, well the whole house. It is a bit more expensive that your average laminate, but the upside is it lasts for 12-20 years or more. We have installed it in some of our high-turnover buildings (1 bedrooms) and the tenants can not wreck it, we just wash and its good as new. The only way they can wreck it is by burning it, but if that happens you just heat-up that section and replace one tile or plank. We have moved from laminate as much as we can (budget allowing), Laminate only looks good for a few years (depending on tenant and quality). There are many choices for styles/borders.... I could go on and on.

Another plus, is with good prep you can install a large basement in an hour and a half with 2 people.

John

 

[GlennLasiuta]

QUOTE (jackiechandc @ Aug 7 2008, 10:43 PM) or Subfloor from Rona

http://rona.ca/shop/~subfloor---delta-fl-p...3;subfloor_shop

Hello there. I recently contacted RONA regarding the Delta FL underlay product, and apparently they no longer carry that line in Western Canada, only in the East do they still sell it.

Not sure what area you are in, but figured I would share that. Thank you!


Glenn

 

[RanjitPlaha]

Hi, make sure you use a undercushion that has a vapour barrier attached to it. Quik-step with the Uniclic joint is the only product, that I know of, that has a 25 year joint integrity warranty. The biggest problem with laminates is the joint separates or the edges of the laminate swell (pick up moisture) and then get chipped off due to regular use. This swelling is NOT guaranteed by the manufacturers. Quik-Step has the densest, most water resistant core in the business. The thickness of the product should not be an issue except when its 7mm or less. Don`t buy that stuff, because the joint integrity is not there (its not thick enough to hold the joint together). Quik-step 8mm is good for anything. Thickness in laminates does not indicate quality. For example, the thicker does NOT mean its better. The core can be very different in the products from medium density fibreboard (MDF) to high density fibreboard (HDF). So, if you buy a 12mm product with a low end HDF core is it better that a 8mm product with a high end HDF core? I`ll take the 8mm product with a true HDF core, anyday. The thick product with a lower density core will swell way more than a high density 8mm product.
I have seen what is sold in the marketplace. Most products fail due to the joint and second because of the core.
Dri-core and Delta FL are both good add ons. In terms of keeping the floor warm? DriCore I believe adds R-2 value and the Delta FL maybe less. Is it worth the cost? Not in my opinion. If you have moisture issues over the norm you may want to install these products because they will help the moisture travel under the floor and wick out the sides of the room over time.
Hope this helps.

 

[JeffSmith]

Apply 1" Styrofoam (blue or pink that come in 2` x 8` sheets) on the concrete. Tape seams with tuck tape. This will insulate and provide a thermal break from the concrete. Place 3/4" plywood sheeting on the styrofoam and screw it to the concrete using tapcon screws. Now you can put what ever you like on the plywood. Includung carpet.

 

[MarkHealy]

You might also want to check your floor for deflection (how unlevel is your concrete). Laminate does not like to span open gaps. A little deflection can be covered with floor patch, but not all. Remember not all concrete is suitable for laminate. For warmth factor think about cork.(Torlys has a great product) It comes in a laminate form but since it is an insulator it feels warmer then many other products. It`s also available in 1 foot squares that can be glued down. (then it doesnt matter as much how level the concrete is

 

[MortgageRob]

QUOTE (mhealy @ Aug 18 2008, 03:26 PM) You might also want to check your floor for deflection (how unlevel is your concrete). Laminate does not like to span open gaps. A little deflection can be covered with floor patch, but not all. Remember not all concrete is suitable for laminate. For warmth factor think about cork.(Torlys has a great product) It comes in a laminate form but since it is an insulator it feels warmer then many other products. It`s also available in 1 foot squares that can be glued down. (then it doesnt matter as much how level the concrete is


I second this opinion, we switched to an insulated subfloor w/ a very durable piece-together thick lino for that very reason. Great decision, as it flexes much better over time, and is more durable, especially in the basement. Not cold either, if done properly, and is fully waterproof (great for bathrooms and laundry). Anyway, I hope you figure it out!

 

[PaulPoulsen]

When we were renovating our basement, we had a lot of people try to talk us out of laminate. The common theme was that the humidity in the basement can cause swelling or warping in a wood or laminate floor. My wife did a lot of research before we installed the floor and we`re very impressed with the finished product and we`re confident it`ll last a long, long time.
[list type=decimal][*]Make sure you don`t/won`t have a problem with water finding its way into the basement. Nothing would ruin your day more than finding an inch of water over your new floor next spring.[*]As others have mentioned, make sure the concrete is level without any big dips or grooves. Depending on the status of the floor, you can either grind out the high spots or fill in the low spots.[*]We laid down this dimpled product from Totem (sorry - I can`t remember the name) and taped the edges together so that we had one huge sheet.On top of that, we installed 5/8" tongue and groove plywood. OSB was cheaper but I was worried it wouldn`t be as stable as plywood if there was some humidity. Once the plywood is spread out, secure it to the concrete by drilling through the plywood and through the dimple product into the concrete and driving in a concrete anchor or a concrete screw. This part is ugly. We had to rent a commercial hammer drill from Home Depot. I have a 1/2 Makita hammer drill and it couldn`t keep up.Now you`ve got a level concrete floor with dimple product on top with 5/8 T&G plywood on top of that and it`s all secured with a fastener of your choosing. Now lay down your laminate underlay (that thin foam stuff that comes in a roll). Tape those pieces together.Once all that`s done, install your laminate. We went with 12mm as we thought it would be more stable than the thinner stuff.[/list type=decimal]

 

[vandriani]

In my humble (but no so professional) opinion, I would try to build a raised sub-floor. Which is to raise the floor (2" or more) to create hollow cavity between the concrete and the a plywood base. This can be done with 2x2 or 2x4 studs and then plywood on top. You would then place the vapor barrier foam/plastic underlay and then the laminate. You should also cut holes in the newly raised floor big enough to put a vent cover on it. There should be at least 2 within each room but a few more would be better. These holes are to allow the air (specifically moist) to escape into the room and not be trapped under the raised floor. An advantage of the raised floor is that you mitigate moisture buildup and the floor is warmer. We did this many years ago with linoleum as the final surface and it worked great. It is much more time consuming and costly but there is nothing better than warm tootsies.

 

[terri]

QUOTE (vandriani @ Aug 20 2008, 12:21 PM) QUOTE In my humble (but no so professional) opinion, I would try to build a raised sub-floor. Which is to raise the floor (2" or more) to create hollow cavity between the concrete and the a plywood base. This can be done with 2x2 or 2x4 studs and then plywood on top. You would then place the vapor barrier foam/plastic underlay and then the laminate. You should also cut holes in the newly raised floor big enough to put a vent cover on it. There should be at least 2 within each room but a few more would be better. These holes are to allow the air (specifically moist) to escape into the room and not be trapped under the raised floor. An advantage of the raised floor is that you mitigate moisture buildup and the floor is warmer. We did this many years ago with linoleum as the final surface and it worked great. It is much more time consuming and costly but there is nothing better than warm tootsies.


wow, buying 100 yr old houses where 6 1/2 foot basement ceilings are considered high, I envy people who have the luxury of new construction and can afford to put down a subfloor far less a raised subfloor or a series of underlayments.

okay that`s besides the point, just had to rant.

On to the question of laminate. I don`t like. I use it but I don`t like it. It`s fine in a low rent apt, which basements tend to be but I, like others, believe that it does not wear well. After a few years of high traffic use it looks bad, if it chips it looks terrible, even if you do use "laminate filler" etc.

I love engineered hardwood in basements , looks really good, but it`s pricier and you have to make sure manufacture warranty covers use in basements.
Generally not cost effective for a rental unless it`s a bit more high end. last a long time, however, way more durable than laminate and can be sanded once.

T.

 

[kir]

How about trying a floating vinyle product? It takes 2-4 hours, not dust, not cutting, mold and mildrew resistant, you can mop it.
It cost about the same as laminate at about 2$ sq/ft. For extra warmth or if the floor is slightly uneven, apply a 3/8 underlay...dirt cheap.

Kir.

Sterling Real Estate

995-4050