Laminate Flooring Recommends Please

MaggieBaking

Hi, I've previously asked a question on laminate flooring and I've started to consider my options now.

I admit to getting completely frazzled trying to understand it all So so so many options, price ranges, materials to choose from.

We're looking for 30 m2 flooring for our downstairs - tiny hall, lounge and kitchen. We're notoriously messy people - dropping food and spilling drinks (but no kids yet!). We're going to be living in the house for 3 years or so and then we're selling it on, so it doesn't need to last forever but I obviously want it to still look good in a couple of years. We're laying it onto concrete flooring (but will be getting underlay?)

I keep reading people recommending ones at £8 and other people at £20 and all sorts of advice and I'm getting so stuck.

We bought our kitchen from Howdens so would be happy to get flooring from there but I can't find a price online.

Any help to settle my poor mind would be much appreciated. I have a block on it and honestly I sometimes think I will walk into the nearest shed and pick up whatever as nothing's guaranteed as perfect and I'm sure I'd find flooring at £5 as good as £20! I have no idea what to do or what to look for.

Has anyone got any advice or recommends?

MaggieBaking

Oh no!! I've totally put this in the wrong place too! Could a Mod pretty please move it to the DIY Forum?

Apollonia

I had Karndean Sycamore wood effect flooring fitted by a local company 5 years ago.

http://www.karndean.co.uk/site/products.cfm?product_ID=1021

I am very happy with it - it still looks good and is easy to keep clean (and I have never used the special Karndean products!).

Karndean also provide a transferrable purchase guarantee so if you sell your home the new owners will still have the guarantee:

http://www.karndean.co.uk/site/purchase_guarantee.cfm


Well worth getting as my floors are guaranteed for 12 yrs.

HTH

MaggieBaking

Thank you, how much was it per m2?

squeaky

Moved!

HTH

MaggieBaking

:TThank you Squeaky!!

ali-t

MaggieBaking wrote: »

Thank you, how much was it per m2?

Significantly more than £5sqm! The cheapest range starts at £40sqm fitted and goes up to I think around £70sqm.

I have Karndean and it was well worth the investment. There was laminate down in the house when I moved in and it got scratched easily, isn't waterproof if you spill liquid on it and on areas of heavy use it can go patchy as the top layer wears off. Not a good look!

IME of having had laminate and karndean I would only recommend laminate if you like changing your house round a lot and would want to change it in a couple of years. I don't think I have ever seen 7 or 10 year old laminate that doesn't look terrible whereas the karndean still looks fantastic.

MaggieBaking

ali-t wrote: »

Significantly more than £5sqm! The cheapest range starts at £40sqm fitted and goes up to I think around £70sqm.

I have Karndean and it was well worth the investment. There was laminate down in the house when I moved in and it got scratched easily, isn't waterproof if you spill liquid on it and on areas of heavy use it can go patchy as the top layer wears off. Not a good look!

IME of having had laminate and karndean I would only recommend laminate if you like changing your house round a lot and would want to change it in a couple of years. I don't think I have ever seen 7 or 10 year old laminate that doesn't look terrible whereas the karndean still looks fantastic.

Thanks so much Ali Definitely too expensive for our budget, I only need it to look good for 3-5 years as this isn't our "forever home".

Although, I should remember not to compare the "including fitting" price with other laminates that exclude it!

missile

IMHO, you get what you pay for. Cheap laminate looks ... cheap, but

notoriously messy people - dropping food and spilling drinks

you may be happy with the cheapest you can find. Do not skimp on underlayand and you will need a damp proof membrame on a concrete floor.

I went for Quickstep.

MaggieBaking

Thanks, I ordered the Quick Step and Kardean brochure today

Candy53

Sorry if I shoudn't be asking here, but can someone tell me where the DIY forum is then, because I can't find it?

Thanx
Candy.