Laminate staircase

asp746

i've got a staircase that's got 12 stairs leading to a small landing about 8ft x 4ft - there's wall eitherside of the staircase so no spindles required just a bannister. I was quoted a brand new staircase for £1245 and it was more than i could afford. I've since had someone out who's quoted me £800 for a laminate staircase - with rounded stair edges (rather than square ones that will rip your leg open if you call up them) and all the skirting and a new banister - which he said alone is £140.

do you think this is an ok price? He did initially quote £900 but i got him down to £800. There are going to be 2 of them and it'll take a full day.

he reckons the staircase will last for years and he'll be using heavyduty laminate. Part of me thinks is it worth putting new laminate over old stairs when for an extra £445 I could get the whole staircase replaced.

i'm just fed up of getting ripped off so would appreciate any thoughts.

zarazara

I cant advise on price but I can on laminate. I slipped on ours and broke my leg. the staircase is carpeted now.

mountainchrisriver

Can't understand why you would want laminate on your stairs...

ukwoody

1) I think £1245 for the new staircase you've quoted seems steep, but await others to comment. I no longer do stairs.
2) If it is just putting laminate flooring over the treads I think that it is dangerous and possibly illegal due to the variation in tread height this would cause on the bottom and top steps (every step must be of equal size), furthermore laminate is slippery and never recommended for this use. In addition to this, the laminate would have a different colour on the edge than the top.
Also two men for a whole day should be an aboslute max of about £300 if so that is £500 for materials which seems very steep for skirting, laminate and a basic handrail. I actually question if it would really take two men a whole day?

Woody

bookduck

I think the edges of the laminate will wear away even if it is rounded

Poppycat

Dont do it. Laminate is not a good thing to put on stairs. We have one just one one large step before you reach the hallway and it has trim on the step where laminate join and its always getting knocked we replaced it the other week we did laminate the step we inherited it.

Phirefly

Would someone please explain precisely what a laminate staircase is?!

Poppycat

Yes thats whats got my thinking I can only assume as others seem to think its just laminate on the steps


Theres a thread on laminate here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=467996

Some pictures of laiminate here

http://www.cfab.co.uk/gallery/morepictures/laminate_flooring_stairs.html

Laminate can be noisy btw even more so on stairs

asp746

to have my hall stairs and landing carpeted will cost around £160 and only last a few months - honestly!!

i pulled the carpet up before xmas and you will not believe the amount of dust that accumulates on a weekly basis. I have found it so much easier sweeping the stairs rather than struggling up them with a vacuum. Also i only used to hoover the stairs once a fortnight so they must have been absolutely rotten without me being able to see the muck.

so it comes to replace it or laminate it and cost is a major factor. Also the joiner said he'd put round butt ends on it so basically no sharp edges.


i have laminate in my living room and its not noisy - i think that's a myth about it being noisy and none of us have either slipped on it either and we have it in the bathroom.

ukwoody

asp746 wrote: »

to have my hall stairs and landing carpeted will cost around £160 and only last a few months - honestly!!

i pulled the carpet up before xmas and you will not believe the amount of dust that accumulates on a weekly basis. I have found it so much easier sweeping the stairs rather than struggling up them with a vacuum. Also i only used to hoover the stairs once a fortnight so they must have been absolutely rotten without me being able to see the muck.

so it comes to replace it or laminate it and cost is a major factor. Also the joiner said he'd put round butt ends on it so basically no sharp edges.


i have laminate in my living room and its not noisy - i think that's a myth about it being noisy and none of us have either slipped on it either and we have it in the bathroom.

1) It is NOT a myth that laminate is noisy, that is why you can buy proper insulation that helps avoid "drumming"
2) If you are determined to go down that route, why bother to ask the opinions of tradesmen and others?
4) Ordinary laminate is leathal in bathrooms and only the expensive stuff is warrentied for use in them. Here is the exert from the Quickstep website, they are the worlds biggest producer of laminate. "
Despite the very good damp-proof characteristics of Quick-Step® laminate floors, it is not recommended to install laminate in damp rooms (bathroom, sauna, laundry area, etc.) In addition, you must never (not permitted) clean Quick-Step® laminate floors with water. Avoid standing water and other liquids on the floor at all times.

Accoring to Quickstep, they have now produced a version that is suitable for stairs, you need a special kit to enable this which includes the rounded edges (so he wont be making them at all!) Personally, having had a customer break their hip with laminate, stairs is the very last place I would ever install it, infact I would refuse.

But it seems you've already made your mind up.
Woody

babyangel10

Hi, I'd be interested in how you get on with this - I had considered a laminate stair case as my existing one is a bit damaged in places and as it is fully enclosed both sides I can't just replace a single tread without pulling some plaster off somewhere, (as each tread is fixed into the wall somehow) but couldn't afford to pay a tradesperson, nor could I source the right size of laminate so that I could do it myself. It all seemed way too expensive TBH, compared with the 'usual' laminate.

I was concerned about slipping though, especially having a small child, her friends, plus a dog and cats (not to mention the occasional 'one too many' night myself' ) so I gave the laminate idea a miss.

However I have stripped the stairs instead and am going to put up with the damaged treads, but have been told about a type of tape you can buy that you fit on the edge of each tread to prevent slipping.

I think it's a bit like the rough side of velcro, but not as sharp, but I so far have only seen it in white, black and hi-vis yellow! But that was in a Toolstation catalogue so I haven't actually felt it to see.

So, at risk of hijacking your thread asp746, does anyone know where I can get clear or brown non slip tape?

If you do go for the laminate option, then you may find it useful too, asp746