Laminate Flooring Suggestions.....Please

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Guys,
Would anyone have any suggestions when it comes to door jams and trim ? I thought of making a 3/8" wood spacer and use one of my dovetail cutting saws to undercut the door jam trim, so that I could hide any irregularities under it ! The flooring that I have been looking at is 5/16" thk . I really dont want to pull all that trim down also !

Thanks !

 

[ray66v]

Good Evenin Guys,
Would anyone have any suggestions when it comes to door jams and trim ? I thought of making a 3/8" wood spacer and use one of my dovetail cutting saws to undercut the door jam trim, so that I could hide any irregularities under it ! The flooring that I have been looking at is 5/16" thk . I really dont want to pull all that trim down also !

Thanks !

I use a piece of the new flooring as the spacer for the hand saw and cut all the door jambs and casings.

As far as the base moldings, you either have to pull them, (my preference), or add a shoe molding at the bottom, to hide the gap. If you use care, you can remove the base without damaging it. Pull any nails that stay in out the back, with channel locks, or pliers.

Set the moldings down on the laminate, but don't push them down so tight that the floor binds.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Ray,
Thanks, I was kind of thinking that was the best way, but thought I would ask someone that has done it before ! Thanks Ray !

 

[QRTRHRS]

I put a good bit of the glue together Pergo in my last house. I had it for ten years so I don't even think that the snap together type was even available yet. At that time, Pergo's best underlayment was a "homosote" type of material about a quarter inch thick. I searched for squeeks and high spots in my subfloor and repaired all of those.

My floor was quiet and held up really well even with big dogs rough housing, etc. About my only regret was using it in the kitchen. Too hard to stand on for long periods of time and jars do not bounce so well. I would prefer Pirelli tile or something similar.

My current house has Bruce in it. It looks good but I think that the underlayment is something cheap as indeed it does make clicking sounds when you walk on it.

I have some suggestions for someone wanting to install laminate flooring. First, get yourself some really good knee pads. I acclimated my flooring inside but set up my chop saw and my table saw in my ajacent garage to keep the particle dust out of the house. Up until that time, I did all of my carpentry work in feet and inches. When I researched the literature, I decided to buy a metric rule to eliminate mistakes when working with the metric sized Pergo. I did not make a single bad cut on the install, something that I cannot always claim. I spent the extra money for the Pergo wall spacers to maintain that perimeter gap and would readily do so again even though they just collect dust these days.

I also agree that quarter round looks crappy.

Some of my dogs have had trouble walking on the smooth laminates. I ended up using throw rugs here and there so they can find some traction.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I installed the Costco brand in living room - over electric heating cable and it is holding well to the abuse about 3 years now.
Did you consider cork tiles? It is an overlooked flooring in the US, but it sure is nice and warm on touch.

 

[2manyrocks]

For cutting door jambs, I like to use a Japanese backsaw because it is thin and flexible.

The key to removing baseboard without ruining it is to use multiple thin prybars at multiple points and gradually work it loose. A wrecking bar will wreck the baseboard.

If the baseboard is beat up looking anyway, it's not that expensive to replace it.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin Guys,
Im spending my morning on my hands and knees pulling up all those little staples that were used to tack down the carpet underlayment ! Not fun at all !

 

[ray66v]

Good Mornin Guys,
Im spending my morning on my hands and knees pulling up all those little staples that were used to tack down the carpet underlayment ! Not fun at all !

You can drive them in with a hammer, (a lot faster).

Think about where you want to put your butt joints, you want to stagger them, for several, rows stepping over an equal amount each time. The job looks neat, and professional, if you keep them even, and in line. Not just through out the room. But, also spacing the for the pieces at the walls.

Have fun.

 

[scott_vt]

You can drive them in with a hammer, (a lot faster).

Think about where you want to put your butt joints, you want to stagger them, for several, rows stepping over an equal amount each time. The job looks neat, and professional, if you keep them even, and in line. Not just through out the room. But, also spacing the for the pieces at the walls.

Have fun.

Good Afternoon Ray,
Thanks for the tip on the butts !

The staples are a bit of a problem ! I tried hammering them down but the underlayment is like a 3/8" foam material. When you hammer them down, some of the foam gets stuck under the staple, so your really not gettin a smooth surface ! Maybe the underlayment for the laminate would hide any imperfections but I hate to take the chance !

 

[ray66v]

Good Afternoon Ray,
Thanks for the tip on the butts !

The staples are a bit of a problem ! I tried hammering them down but the underlayment is like a 3/8" foam material. When you hammer them down, some of the foam gets stuck under the staple, so your really not gettin a smooth surface ! Maybe the underlayment for the laminate would hide any imperfections but I hate to take the chance !

You can use a scraper to remove any foam that is left sticking up from under the staple.

And yes, the padding is very spongy, and will easily hide the rest.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin Guys,
OK, Im going to Lowes this mornin to pick up my flooring. We decided on an Glendale Oak by Pergo. I brought a sample home a couple of days ago and Kathleen liked it, and it has the foam backing on it allready !

I would like to start in the walkin closet off of our master bedroom. The clsoet is 6' x 8'. The 8' dimension is the depth of the closet, so I would like to run the flooring width wise, but when I get to putting the flooring in the bedroom I am planning on running the opposite way. Maybe just install a saddle between the closet and the main bedroom. Will this be permissible in your opinion ?

Thanks.

 

[George2615]

If the walkin closet has a door you can close then running the laminate the other way won't show. They have transition pieces you can cut to fit the doorway.

When I pulled up my old carpet and padding I found that my sub floor was OSB or what I call chipboard or particle board and it had been installed incorrectly (running with the joists instead of across them) since new and was sagging between the joists. I did put down a new subfloor of 1/2" plywood but had no choice. I had already purchased the laminate and didn't know the subfloor was bad until I started tearing up the carpet so I had to go over budget with the plywood.

 

[ray66v]

Good Mornin Guys,

I would like to start in the walkin closet off of our master bedroom. The clsoet is 6' x 8'. The 8' dimension is the depth of the closet, so I would like to run the flooring width wise, but when I get to putting the flooring in the bedroom I am planning on running the opposite way. Maybe just install a saddle between the closet and the main bedroom. Will this be permissible in your opinion ?

Thanks.

I am not sure I would run it in two directions. But, you could certainly do so.

Most of the time you do use a transition mldg. and break the floor into a separate section, when you go through a doorway. Although for a small closet, (not a walk in), I would not use one.

Don't forget to give the floor some time to acclimate in the room before you start your installation. Open the packages enough to let the air in and let them sit. Usually they suggest a couple days, check the instructions.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin George and Ray,
Thanks for your replies ! Actually my wife has decided that the flooring will run the same way, so thats the end of my idea ! I guess its probablly best that way, the flooring will run the length of the room. I put down a few boards in the closet to see how it would look, very nice actually. I made up some 1/4" spacers out of pine to keep it away from the wall. Ray I used your advice and used a piece of scrap to undercut one of the door moldings allready, that worked out well !

Im up at my Vt home this weekend so the flooring is just sitting in the house getting acclimated, and will get back into the project next week !

Thanks again, I will update next week !

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Guys,
OK certainly not to appear stupid or worse even dumb ! But worked my way out from the back of the closet and am now about 10" from the inside wall by the closet door. The laminate flooring is about 8" so that means Im about 2" shy of that wall. If I cut the 2" strip to get me were Im going, then I have cut off the female groove ! What am I missing here ?

Just a bit embarrased, because I do build custom furniture on occassion !

BTW there are no directions with this stuff, unless I missed them somewhere !

 

[ray66v]

Your either cutting off the tongue or the grove, either way if it's against the wall, it doesn't matter. You don't need it.....??????

 

[scott_vt]

Your either cutting off the tongue or the grove, either way if it's against the wall, it doesn't matter. You don't need it.....??????

Good Evenin Ray,
Correct, but when I put the next piece of flooring in that will go underneath the door, there wont be any groove, is that OK ?

BTW, I have my FD drill tonite so I will check in later, thanks !

 

[ray66v]

You don't cut the grove off that end, just the part against the wall.

You notch it out for the wall.

Capiche pison?

 

[scott_vt]

You don't cut the grove off that end, just the part against the wall.

You notch it out for the wall.

Capiche pison?

OK Ray,
I see what your sayin, btw Im usin the FD computer now ! But I can still see a potential problem when I get on the other side of the wall out in the bedroom, Im sure I will get it eventually !

 

[George2615]

Scotty,
Before you get too far and not that you didn't read the installation instructions but make sure you stagger the flooring sheets when you assemble them. I didn't see any mention of that in these posts. If you don't you will see the joints. they will stick out like a sore thumb. (don't ask me how I know) Install like this pic. As you can see I had to cut about a 2" strip for the right side wall.