Bathroom laminate flooring

ukwoody

I'm sorry but I will strongly disagree with a previous comment on this. I have laid HUNDREDS of laminate floors. Unless you buy damn expensive stuff (and you really need to read the guarentee to see just what they Dont cover!) I would NEVER recommend putting it in a bathroom. To say it's fine unless you leave water pooling is wrong. Full Stop.
Bathrooms are by nature damp, caused essentially by steam that eventually falls to the floor. MDF lamintae flooring absorbs this. That is why 90% of carpenters and flooring layers who lay laminate will not fit it. Dont believe me? Read the guarentee and and on nearly all the makes you can buy via the retail trade is does not recomend it for bathrooms. (I personally wil not fit in a kitchen either).
I recon I could take you to at least a dozen houses just in my nearby area who originally laid laminate in a bathroom and would never do it again. It warps, twists, swells, and is damn slippery.

Woody

zebidee1

Just wondering why no-one has commented on the waterproof flooring I linked to? I am seriously considering this but everyone's silence is worrying me.

I thought this was the answer to all kitchen and bathroom floor problems.

becs

we bought bamboo for our bathroom. We had it fitted in the previous house aswell and it was down for about 2 years before we left and it looked as good as new, no problems at all. It is a very stable wood so not prone to the warping etc that others desribe. We have it throughout downstairs as well and have had a couple of "flood", 1 a leaking radiator that we didn't notice until there was a lot of water under teh wood and the second an overflowing drain under the kitchen sink. Neither have left the wood with any adverse effects at all. We got the chocolate colour from www.simplybamboo.co.uk and was about £19.99 m/2 I think. can't remember exactly as we got a discount because we bought so much of it! I think it looks fantastic and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it in a bathroom.

ukwoody

I've laid a couple of bamboo floors, one was indeed in a bathroom, though I have a vague feeling it was a trade product. Seems to be very hard wearing and durable (bluntens blades quickly!), might indeed be worth a look at, but do make sure the warrenty will cover it in bathrooms.

woody

ajtrader100

Any wooden or laminate floors will not be guaranteed in bathrooms. Aqualoc isnt even GUARANTEED in bathrooms.

Something like a vynil or vynil tile (Karndean or Amtico) is maybe more suited.

HOWEVER if you install the flooring properly and use a gule on the joints to increase the water resistance there is no reason why the floor shouldnt last.

Keep standing water off the floor as much as possible as this penetrates the joints. But its not just water from above the moisture in the room can get under the floor itself and effect it from underneath, usually "popping" the joints open and causing an uneven floor.

ajtrader100

ukwoody wrote: »

I'm sorry but I will strongly disagree with a previous comment on this. I have laid HUNDREDS of laminate floors. Unless you buy damn expensive stuff (and you really need to read the guarentee to see just what they Dont cover!) I would NEVER recommend putting it in a bathroom. To say it's fine unless you leave water pooling is wrong. Full Stop.
Bathrooms are by nature damp, caused essentially by steam that eventually falls to the floor. MDF lamintae flooring absorbs this. That is why 90% of carpenters and flooring layers who lay laminate will not fit it. Dont believe me? Read the guarentee and and on nearly all the makes you can buy via the retail trade is does not recomend it for bathrooms. (I personally wil not fit in a kitchen either).
I recon I could take you to at least a dozen houses just in my nearby area who originally laid laminate in a bathroom and would never do it again. It warps, twists, swells, and is damn slippery.

Woody

Woody, I fully agree, apart from the kitchen part. The better end of the markets laminate floors are GUARANTEED (not waranteed - find out the difference if anyone is unsure) in kitchens.

ukwoody

AJ, yes, I do agree, it is more of a personal issue with me and kitchens. I laid a floor about 3 years ago in a kitchen, for a couple that were getting on a bit. She accidently spilt a drop of water on the floor, next minute, she's on the floor with broken hip having slipped on it.

I *personally* just think laminate is very slippery when wet anyway and to my own mind kitchens compound the problem with various oils, fats and greases as well, which is why I made the decison to no longer fit in those areas.

As I say, that is my own choice though.
(Sorry, just to add there was no implication on me about this, it was just one of those accidents and I wish to avoid any possibility of it happening ever again.)

woody

Charlottesdaddy

Hi Folks,

For what it's worth, here's my ten-penneth;

I assume that you want a laminate for the visual effect, but are concerned about the suitability of it in a 'damp' environment (?).

Use a 'vinyl plank' system (Karndean or Amtico or similar) and a waterproof adhesive.

Be careful putting a smooth flooring of any description in a Bathroom or you might end up doing the splits if it gets wet.

Most vinyl plank systems are 2mm or 3mm thick and much simpler to fit than the laminates which tend to be 6mm and above. Also, please be aware that the actual 'wear layer' of laminate is only the thin top-coat and usually 0.5mm thick, with the rest of the thickness made up of an MDF (where the 'f' stands for fibreboard !!) carrier.

I've been in the Flooring industry for over 25 years now and, because of the potential comebacks, avoid two types of flooring, Laminate and Sisal.

Make your own decision, I've made mine !!

Good luck

C's Dad

:beer:

ajtrader100

Charlottesdaddy wrote: »

Hi Folks,

For what it's worth, here's my ten-penneth;

I assume that you want a laminate for the visual effect, but are concerned about the suitability of it in a 'damp' environment (?).

Use a 'vinyl plank' system (Karndean or Amtico or similar) and a waterproof adhesive.

Be careful putting a smooth flooring of any description in a Bathroom or you might end up doing the splits if it gets wet.

Most vinyl plank systems are 2mm or 3mm thick and much simpler to fit than the laminates which tend to be 6mm and above. Also, please be aware that the actual 'wear layer' of laminate is only the thin top-coat and usually 0.5mm thick, with the rest of the thickness made up of an MDF (where the 'f' stands for fibreboard !!) carrier.

I've been in the Flooring industry for over 25 years now and, because of the potential comebacks, avoid two types of flooring, Laminate and Sisal.

Make your own decision, I've made mine !!

Good luck

C's Dad

:beer:

The tickest wear layer on any laminate floor is .4mm thick on the most durable laminate called Uniq by a company called Pergo, however size doesnt matter! Most wear layers are just .2mm on laminates.

The wear layer on Vynil tiles, like Karndean, Amtico is a similar thickness. All these products are are PVC based with a wear layer on top. Many laminates have a higher AC rating than these products and are more durable (dependant on what price point your looking at) Fitting of Laminate is way easier than these products, you have less subfloor preperation and dont need the adhesives and constant treatment to keep it looking good.

Obviously in a wet room or bathroom these vynil tiles are more suited, but as for durability there is almost nothing in the flooring market that compares to laminates.

Plus almost all, 90% of laminates are not MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) but HDF (High density fibreboard), and are very resilient to both moisture and wear (although its not required as the wear layer does all the work) whereas a PVC Vynil Tile is 3mm thick IN TOTAL.

Charlottesdaddy

I must bow to your superior knowledge . . . . . and dump the 2,000 sq mtrs of vinyl planks currently in my warehouse, all of which has a 1.00mm wear layer.

:T