Fitting laminate... but already got carpet laid over old laminate

Goldust

Hi,

When I bought my house it had some cheapo laminate in the living room which appeared to have been fitted fairly well.

Just before my daughter was born I did the paranoid parent thing and invested £500-odd in a carpet and nice underlay as I had visions of her falling on the floor, etc and figured carpet was a softer landing. However the carpet and underlay were laid on top of the old laminate. This has been fine and no big issues with the carpet itself as I'm aware some don't recommend this.

Anyway fast forward 3 and a half years. The carpet was a bad idea as it's just like a sponge for spills, etc and despite a professional clean it's just a bit manky and I think a new laminate would look better.

I'm pretty sure I can't lay on top of the carpet but could I lay on top of the old laminate if I used some sort of underlay between the two? It's not just a case of laziness not wanting to remove the old laminate but I trimmed the doors to fit the carpet height so if I go back to the low level I need new doors as well. Also, I have no idea what's under the original laminate and the fella who sold me the house it turns out is a bit of a botch job merchant.

Aylesbury_Duck

You can lay it on top of the old laminate with a membrane between the two but if the old layer isn't level or your new layer isn't level, you risk there being some "bounce" or knocking between the two.

How many doors are we talking about? Two, perhaps? If so, I'd be inclined to to the job properly and fit two new doors at the same time. Otherwise, you might be the next "fella who sold me the house was a bit of a botch job merchant"!

Rodders53

Laminates and engineered wood planks come in different thicknesses... as does the underlays you can use with them.

If you find out the overall thickness of what is there now, you may be able to select suitable new flooring that will leave suitably small gaps where the doors fit?

Gaps under doors could be covered with brush strips if draughts are an issue?

chappers

or just ply out the floor to make up the height

mr_vampy

You said you had the carpets professionally cleaned. My concern would be if any of the cleaning solution has been absorbed by the laminate underneath.

pmartin86

Goldust wrote: »

However the carpet and underlay were laid on top of the old laminate.

Also, I have no idea what's under the original laminate and the fella who sold me the house it turns out is a bit of a botch job merchant.

Sounds like 2 botch job merchants to me...