Laminate staircase

ukwoody

Clarion, thank you for the clarification and welcome. Some nice work on your site. However I do note one thing, you say about inappropriate footware such as socks, lets be honest here how many of us do prescisely that? especially first thing in the morning?

It's good to know it can be done safely, however, I must confess I personally would still not fit it on stairs, but then I dont in Kitchens either.

Woody

~Chameleon~

How would having laminated stairs differ from normal wooden stairs in terms of safety issues?

asp746

great post john and lovely pictures.

woody - i hadn't made my mind up when i started the thread - maybe the wording of it made it sound like i had. All i knew for sure was definitely no carpet and it couldn't stay bare as they're an embarrassment:eek: I just needed opinions on the laminate vs replace staircase and also thoughts on the £800 pricetag.

they look so lovely in the photographs and its £800 i don't want to spend on something that won't really be worth it but i think i've decided that i'll speak to the joiner to double check the materials he'll be using are approprite for stairs and also the round edged stair nose (or whatever it was John said).

PS: John, the joiner said that the handrail will be around £130 as its a beech one - had it been a different wood it would have been significantly cheaper.

thanks

babyangel10

I have just come across a booklet that I got at the National Homebuilding Show t'other week - from a firm that do something called a stair makeover.

No prices in the booklet or online so presumably they aren't cheap, but if you fancy a nosey the site is www.stairmakeover.com.

Looks good, but at what cost?!!! Might be worth a price query though?

ukwoody

asp746 wrote: »

great post john and lovely pictures.

woody - i hadn't made my mind up when i started the thread - maybe the wording of it made it sound like i had. All i knew for sure was definitely no carpet and it couldn't stay bare as they're an embarrassment:eek: I just needed opinions on the laminate vs replace staircase and also thoughts on the £800 pricetag.

they look so lovely in the photographs and its £800 i don't want to spend on something that won't really be worth it but i think i've decided that i'll speak to the joiner to double check the materials he'll be using are approprite for stairs and also the round edged stair nose (or whatever it was John said).

PS: John, the joiner said that the handrail will be around £130 as its a beech one - had it been a different wood it would have been significantly cheaper.

thanks

My appologies Asp. Perhaps both of us should have looked a little closer at just what it was you wrote.;)
Having now seen Clarion's post and his work - which is indeed very nice, It must be siad there is a case to be considered. I personally - (and it is a personal decision) would want a lot more info and to see it in practice b4 ever agreeing to fit it, but as mentioned before, having had a cust get a broken hip, I am now extremly wary of the stuff.

I would suggest you do indeed go back to your chippie and clarify exactly what material he proposes to use, if possible ask him for either an example of it or wher you can go to see it. If he refuses, walk away and find another who will.

I still think the handrail is expensive even for beech, but as stated I haven't been involved with stairs for ages. Maybe others can comment on that.

Woody

ormus

imho, i wouldnt not fit laminate on the stairs nor a kitchen/bathroom.
no matter what some companies are trying to sell you.

re legal action and warranties, well we all know about those things in the uk.
does anyone really keep their receipt for 5 or 10 yrs?

as for domestic flooring installers companies staying in business for 5/10 yrs? do me a favour.

ukwoody

Ormus, I think it is a bit unfair to say that many installers wont be around that long. They have built up an industry allmost by themselves and many are proud to be in it and proud of their work. Don't forget that many were also carpet fitters or carpet shops that have been forced to move with the times and move into laminate. They will continue to be around long after the sheen of the laminate has worn off.
Interestingly when I went to an Expo (Interbuild) last year, the feeling was that laminate had almost had it's day and people were now preffering to move to solid wood flooring and the benefits that offers.

woody

ajtrader100

ukwoody wrote: »

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

Woody, just looking at this post and your previous one some manufacturers make matching stair profiles that are either standard or flush fitting (i.e. they clip into the laminate on the step).

Trust me it would take one fitter 2 days to do a staircase they are VERY time consuming.

I have seen 2 staircases when laminated and they look absultely amazing. The slip resistance of laminate is only effected when when and most have a moderate slip risk.

And I agree with the bathrooms thing!! Again.

ajtrader100

Poppycat wrote: »

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

Is this your site poppycat?

Clarion_2

ajtrader100 wrote: »

Trust me it would take one fitter 2 days to do a staircase they are VERY time consuming.

Trust 'me', it takes one fitter one day to do a set of stairs in laminate... I do them all the time.

The very first set I did had six tricky 'kite' turns and a bottom step that needed extensive work... They took a day and a half. Obviously as I now do them more often (and I wouldn't trust anybody that doesn't do them all of the time) the speed at which I do them has increased.

Anybody who says that to laminate a set of stairs will take longer is either (a) inexperienced, or (b) trying it on, and I wouldn't go with either.