Cables and Laminate floors.

jeff_chandler

After years of carpets we have decided to go for a laminate floor. Two years ago I had a brand new Ulster carpet laid at a cost of £1100. As I mentioned in a previous post the carpet was a lightish beige, never again. I used a plastic runner where the door to the lounge was but each time we moved it the carpet where no plastic had been got dirty very quickly. I used a damn Vax to clean it, put too much water on it and re covered it with plastic. It went mouldy and is now ruined, all my fault according to the insurance people. Anyhow, Ive gon off a carpet and decided to go for a maintain free laminate, this stuff dont scratch and is a little cheaper than carpet to have put down. I have one problem, two cables, one is for the satelite and the other is coax. These cables come from where the window is to the other side of the lounge, can laminate be laid over cables or do I need to cut out a chase in the floor and bury them. Answers please.

Jeff

Chippy_Minton_2

I thought people were getting rid of laminate floors these days.

Barneysmom

Laminate is terrible stuff. lethal if it gets wet - a big slip hazard. And it's cold too.
I'm sure it was a crazy bet between 2 people on one of those Changing Room type programmes, to see how many people in Britain they could make buy the stuff. Just for a laugh.

BUt as for the cables, whichever flooring you lay, you can't really put directly where paople are going to walk, it's a fire hazard.

ormus

cables should always go around the room, never across.
would be best behind the skirting or just underneath.
if you need to cross a doorway/opening, then just chase that bit of floor out.

andrew-b

If one is for satellite it's also coax..so you have two coaxial cables! These sort of cables aren't a fire risk under flooring (more of a triphazard if laid loose under carpet) but i wouldn't chase out the floor for them as it's hard work if it's a concrete floor.. if it's a raised timber floor it's easier. If your laying laminate (or real wood floor which would be nicer!) it would make a better job to replace the skirtings..you could then run a couple of coax cables (or "shotgun" coaxial cable which is two coax cables joined together) behind the skirtings at floor level.
Ideally i'd be looking for a different cable route for your coax and bring it down on the side of the room you want it in the first place - under the floor above maybe?

27col

You can buy quite neat plastic channel to conceal your cables. Obviously it would have to be run around the periphery of the room.

roswell

I think you would be better off with real wood florring if you want longativity out of your next floor covering.

gabyjane

Hi well we have laminate..i guess you love or hate hey!..i was the same as you and after living in nice rented houses with cream carpets and them getting filthy i decided it was not for us!..we have an oak effect grained (so feels like wood) one throughout our house and carpet on the stairs and halls..the kitchen and bathrooms are vinyl though..best move i have ever made tbh. I am a childminder so have numerous kids of all ages running through..our lounge runs onto the garden so always has feet on and looks as good now as it did 2+ years ago when we had it put down..one quick mop and it's fab..no scratches i can see either.
As for the wires well we don't have any running across the room but the one we wanted hidden is housed in the trunking up one corner of the wall..now painted you can hardly see it. I'm not sure id'e be happy putting flooring under the floor incase it needed to be removed for any reason.
Good luck either way!!

jeff_chandler

Thank`s for those replies. It`s understandable that some do not like laminates. Having seen a real wooden floor I was immediately put off, first of all you have to feed a natural wooden floor, they need lots of care. My friend has one and it scratches, dents and is not maintenance free. The one we have selected is one of the most expensive and comes with a good reccomendation from the carpet shop we purchased from. They want to lay it down later this week after I have removed the carpet and found somewhere to hide the coax and sat cables. I have decided to remove the skirting boards and place the cables behind there. When I come to the chimney breast and fire surround I shall chip away some of the cement base away and hide them there.

Jeff

keystone

jeff_chandler wrote: »

I have decided to remove the skirting boards and place the cables behind there.

Then take them all off and put them back after the laminate has been laid. That will give the installer his expansion gap under the skirting bords and avoid unsightly beading glued to the boards.

When I come to the chimney breast and fire surround I shall chip away some of the cement base away and hide them there.

Personally I think (and assuming it is a timber floor) I'd have a couple of boards up after the carpet is lifted and run the cable under the floor coming up behind the skirting boards and terminated where you want them before the installers arrive.

Cheers

vansboy

jeff_chandler wrote: »

Thank`s for those replies. It`s understandable that some do not like laminates. Having seen a real wooden floor I was immediately put off, first of all you have to feed a natural wooden floor, they need lots of care. My friend has one and it scratches, dents and is not maintenance free. The one we have selected is one of the most expensive and comes with a good reccomendation from the carpet shop we purchased from. They want to lay it down later this week after I have removed the carpet and found somewhere to hide the coax and sat cables. I have decided to remove the skirting boards and place the cables behind there. When I come to the chimney breast and fire surround I shall chip away some of the cement base away and hide them there.

Jeff

I like laminate, too!!

The thing you've not mentioned, is which underlay you're getting. Well worth going for thicker types - not the foam roll - only 3mm thick - then you'll have a smoother floor, better to walk on & more insulation.

VB