v-groove Laminate flooring problems

redpin_2

hi all, i'm having issues installing my v-groove laminate flooring . i think its due to the fact the floor might not be100% even, so we're looking at putting plywood on top of the existing floorboards. which comes to my first issue, im not sure which plywood i need to get. i've looked at wickes, theyve got tons of exterior plywood but none interior (assuming that i need the interior one)
i was wondering if anyone else had issues with installing laminate due to the floor being uneven and if so what they did to overcome it

kind regards

MX5huggy

Don't worry about using exterior ply inside it is just made with better glue that withstands damp better than the interior grade.

Whats your current floor made of?

phill99

What problems are you actually having? Laminate flooring has a tolerance so there may be something else adrift.

missile

If you do use ply, use screws not nails to fix it to the floor.

redpin_2

thanks guys. the issue is that the floor is warping (my dad's words) i.e. the laminate isn't clipping into place because the floor is uneven.

the main flooring is wooden floorboards

would this ply be good enough; http://www.wickes.co.uk/Exterior-Plywood/invt/110111 (9mm x 1220mm x 2440mm)
or would i need something stronger/thicker

regards

ormus

that should be ok but its expensive if the room is big. how big is the room?
mdf or chipboard is half the cost and a bit thicker. ie 11mm.

redpin_2

the room size's about 16sqm; and ye im a bit irritated that i need to go spend more money when the whole point of me buying laminate was to save cash could of brought hardwood flooring for the same amount it'll end up costing me.

mdf / chipboard are good alternatives but i'm worried they could be bendy and as a result not provide solution to my problem - assuming by your response; i should be looking at getting 11mm depth minimum

kind regards

olias

Have you looked at the thick laminate underlay boards? I mean the sort like this:

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9278655&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB&fh_search=laminate+underlay&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1267964387555&isSearch=true

not the thin stuff on a roll.

I have used it before and it evens out bumpy floors a treat and also gives the finished laminate flooring a bit of 'give' making it more comfortable to walk on. It also avoids the issues of drilling through the floorboards when attaching plywood and risking hitting a pipe or wire!

Olias

booty40uk

Hi

Use the underlay as suggested by Olias. If this doesnt work then there must be either something seriously wrong with your existing floor, or the new laminate is in some way defective, or its being installed incorrectly.

Andy

redpin_2

thanks guys; do you think there would be any difference between this and b&q's ownbranded one because they dont stock it in the store or alternatively wickes fibreboard underlay

what i might do is buy the underlay & fibreboard; try out the underlay first, if that dont work then i can still reuse it on top of the fibreboard.