Laminate

Spritzy

We have the most hideous carpet in our living room - which I'd love to replace with laminate, but obviously - cheaply!

I've had a lok at ebay - for secondhand laminate, nothing has popped up locally, yet.

Does anybody know where else I could go to look at it, other than Homebase and wickes? anywhere nice and cheap?

Ooooh also, I am a complete novice - is it easy to lay? Do I absolutely have to have underlay underneath it?

thank you!

vasseur

I have just ripped up a load of laminate in our bedrooms (!) that the previous owner laid. There was a foam liner underneath.

I would advise you not to get any really cheap laminate. In my experience it's harder to lay as it snaps and chips easily. Buy the best you can afford otherwise it ends up turning into an expensive mistake if you have to replace it sooner.

I'm sure someone far more knowledgeable will be along later to advise where you could get it cheaper without compromising too much on quality.

Francesanne

Think I'd save up and get some good flooring. It'll be cheaper in the long run. Would be worth waiting for.

Spritzy

Thank you both for your replies. It's a rented property and the landlord wont replace the carpet but is happen (of course!) for me to lay laminate out of my own pocket.

I'm happy to pay out a bit, for an easier life (dogs, children etc!), so cheap would see us through the next couple of years I think/hope.

Plumberman

If you have wooden floorboards under the carpet it may be a cheaper option to sand and varnish them, providing they are in good condition.

27col

When I was young, bare boards, whether varnished or painted, were a sign of poverty, not a life style choice. Quite apart from being draughty. Far better to buy a cheap carpet that you don't consider to be hideous. But that's only my opinion.

Absolutely

Spritzy wrote: »

We have the most hideous carpet in our living room - which I'd love to replace with laminate, but obviously - cheaply!

I've had a lok at ebay - for secondhand laminate, nothing has popped up locally, yet.

Does anybody know where else I could go to look at it, other than Homebase and wickes? anywhere nice and cheap?

Ooooh also, I am a complete novice - is it easy to lay? Do I absolutely have to have underlay underneath it?

thank you!

I wouldn't bother with secondhand laminate and I'd be surprised if you saw any for sale tbh as it generally gets wrecked when it's taken up.

Google floors2go to see if there's one near you. That's where I got mine from and it was a good price and has lasted for years.

Easy to lay? Hmmm, the (then) man of the house took care of this. Worst bit as far as I could see was having to use a power saw to fit laminate round doorways, etc.

And yes, you need underlay underneath it.

Hope some of that helps.

JC9297

27col wrote: »

When I was young, bare boards, whether varnished or painted, were a sign of poverty, not a life style choice. Quite apart from being draughty. Far better to buy a cheap carpet that you don't consider to be hideous. But that's only my opinion.

Yes my mum is like this about wooden floors, I think it's a generation thing (she's 75).
Laminate isn't draughty as there are no gaps like floorboards.

vasseur

JC9297 wrote: »

Yes my mum is like this about wooden floors, I think it's a generation thing (she's 75).
Laminate isn't draughty as there are no gaps like floorboards.

It depends on the quality and who lays it

IMO laminate has a cold feel to it whereas proper wooden floor boards are warmer underfoot.

Be_Happy

Spritzy wrote: »

I'm happy to pay out a bit, for an easier life (dogs, children etc!), so cheap would see us through the next couple of years I think/hope.

If you have dogs, there could be problems. Our elderly labrador couldn't keep her feet on laminate floor, we had to lay carpet runner through hall to avoid her falling. Neighbour made the mistake of doing his stairs in laminate, his young energetic dog fell whole length of stairs and ended up having to go to vet (luckily only badly bruised - they thought it had broken a leg). I'd go for the cheap carpet option too.