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I’m in the process of remodeling my home, and have reached the point of having to decide the type of flooring to place in the kitchen, utility room, hallway, and guest bath.
We have been looking at Armstrong Swiftlock laminate flooring for these areas. We don’t want to use sheet vinyl or tile in these areas. All the laminate placed in these areas will be glued.
We would like to know the relative merits of both the laminate, and the solid wood flooring, and the difficulty of placing each.
One specific concern is the effect of re-installing a toilet over a laminate floor with the foam underlayment. Wouldn’t this allow movement and continually break the seal between the toilet flange and the wax ring?
Any information would be helpful.
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Replies
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I would put in wood. Look at reflection from Armstrong
*I agree with Rob, wood is better. However, there are a few things to consider:1) Subfloor and ease of installation. Wood floors require a pretty flat subfloor, and require potentially more prep than laminate. I recently installed Pergo laminate in a kitchen remodel, in which I didn't have to contend with ripping out the asbestos-containing linoleum which was under the old carpet. Wood floors also require sanding and finish, unless you install a pre-finished product. If you are DIY and haven't installed flooring before, laminate products are a lot easier to install.2) Life. Most laminate products carry around a 15-year warranty, while wood floors will likely out-live any of us, provided proper care.3) Aesthetic value. While the laminate products look decent (IMO), nothing compares with the look of wood. It will help the value of your home and provide a more beautiful and durable floor than the laminate.Of course price is always a factor too, as wood is more expensive than laminate, but if you can afford it, IMO it's worth it ten times over.I haven't had any experience with laminate products in bathrooms, however Armstrong says their products may be installed in bathrooms, and that you must leave a 1/4" gap around the toilet flange for expansion, and then seal the gap with 100% silicone caulk.Andy
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I'm in the process of remodeling my home, and have reached the point of having to decide the type of flooring to place in the kitchen, utility room, hallway, and guest bath.
We have been looking at Armstrong Swiftlock laminate flooring for these areas. We don't want to use sheet vinyl or tile in these areas. All the laminate placed in these areas will be glued.
We would like to know the relative merits of both the laminate, and the solid wood flooring, and the difficulty of placing each.
One specific concern is the effect of re-installing a toilet over a laminate floor with the foam underlayment. Wouldn't this allow movement and continually break the seal between the toilet flange and the wax ring?
Any information would be helpful.