Laminate flooring... [Archive]

gemini9961

12-09-2005, 07:36 PM

Vette

12-09-2005, 07:38 PM

Ive heard of laminted paper... but never laminted flooring. :eek:
sounds intersting.

be sure to post some before and after shots. :D

AlleyCat

12-09-2005, 07:45 PM

Ive heard of laminted paper... but never laminted flooring. :eek:
sounds intersting.

No, laminate flooring is not the same as laminated paper. Laminate is just another word for vinyl. Most houses have this type of flooring in at least one room such as a bathroom or mud room, so chances are you've seen laminate flooring before.

Gemini, hope you like your new flooring! :)

Cincy'sMom

12-09-2005, 07:51 PM

We (and by we I mean my husband and dad) installed laminate flooring in our dining room in October. So far, i love it!! The dogs are so sure, as they have no traction, but it looks great!!

gemini9961

12-09-2005, 08:09 PM

kuhio98

12-09-2005, 08:29 PM

We are getting laminate flooring installed tomorrow and I am excited. Happy to be done with carpet. I detest carpet so much. With 3 dogs and mud, carpet does not hold up well. Plus, carpet and allergies do not go together either. Anyone else have laminate?? :D
We installed Pergo laminate flooring in the entryway, kitchen and bathroom several years ago. We love it! The only thing I wish we had done differently is have heating put underneath it. It is downright cold on a wintery, Alaskan day. The kitties like it except for Cammie. She hates to be cold, so she will only sit on the area rugs not the floor.

Glacier

12-09-2005, 09:02 PM

We had real maple in our last house. It was gorgeous! We had an extra layer of sealant put on and it stood up very well to dog nails.

We've thought about putting in laminate here but it's too slippery for Preacher. He's blind, old and failing. As there will likely always be an old dog here, there will be no slippery stuff!

I really want tile, but with a woodstove for heat, it's too cold! So we are going to put in vinyl that looks like tile--easy to clean, stands up to critters and not slippery. Not sure when that will ever happen though so for now we have painted plywood--ugly as sin but it works!

Enjoy your pretty new floors!

Daisy and Delilah

12-09-2005, 09:44 PM

I just had laminate flooring installed 3 weeks ago. When the carpet left the house I was practically cheering. I still have carpet in a few areas but mostly the laminate. I absolutely love it. Daisy and Delilah clippity clop across it like little ponies. I love the sound of it. It's so cute ;) Let us know how you like it. I think you'll be very pleased. What shade are you getting? I got the double wide slat in golden oak. Love it :D

christa

12-09-2005, 09:49 PM

When we moved into this house in August, the previous owners had installed laminate hardwood in the kitchen & mudroom . . . I loved it so much that I thought it would be a good idea for our office (which is where the cats stay at night). It has been great! I absolutely love it! Easy to clean up spills & cat vomit, LOL . . .

Did I mention that hubby and I installed it ourselves??? Well, we did and it was tough! If you can afford it, have it installed by a professional. It was a good test for our marriage, LOL.

Can't wait to see some pics!

Here's ours that we installed:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/christa_law/OfficeFloor02.jpg

The kitchen was what sold me!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/christa_law/tour04.jpg

You'll love it!

poofy

12-09-2005, 10:00 PM

I am sure I will love it. Here is the website (http://www.quick-step.com/main.aspx?id=6) to the brand of laminate we are getting. It's not real hardwood flooring, gosh I could not afford that. Plus, the laminate wears easier or shall I say wears better than hardwood. Less maintenance all with the look of wood.

that is beautfull, wish i could ddo that here, I hate carpets..took them out of my other trailer..I wish i had the money to do it in this one, might after i finsh paying it off in July of next year..http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b212/lvpups/crossfingers.gifhttp://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b212/lvpups/crossfingers.gif :)

christa

12-09-2005, 10:54 PM

BTW, we also have the laminate tiles in our bathroom (previous owner installed those too) . . . they're wonderful also! Everyone always thinks they're real tile!

Vette

12-10-2005, 02:46 AM

Oh dang... all our house is carpeted except the kitchen.. it has linolum(PS?) floor. looks sorta like Liminate though. and our bathroom is really tiny.. so no fancy flooring in there.

RobiLee

12-10-2005, 09:22 AM

Ok, I love this laminate flooring you guys! I think this is something I would love to do in the dining room and kitchen. Thanks for the idea. So this stuff is pretty tough and holds up to dogs tromping across it?

Lady's Human

12-10-2005, 10:39 AM

I've talked to a bunch of people with dogs, and they say it stands up well. I'm going to put it in our dining room and living room, when I get one of those infamous "roundtuits". :D

Corinna

12-10-2005, 11:03 AM

Uabassoon

12-10-2005, 11:10 AM

I have ceramic tile in my apartment and I love it. That was what sold me on this place. I'm not sure that I could ever have a place that was mostly carpet. I like carpet in the bedrooms but that's about it.

Cincy'sMom

12-10-2005, 06:01 PM

gemini9961

12-12-2005, 08:36 AM

My hubby has a hard wood business and has for 23 years . I won't go in to the pros and cons of the engeneered vs the real thing . G but in our last house NO carpet servived. Wood is the only way to go. What brand are you getting Gemini? They are not all alike some are good others are a nightmare for the installer and the owner.

We are getting the Quick-Step (http://www.quick-step.com/main.aspx?id=6) brand. We went through Empire Today (http://www.empirecarpet.com/) and they installed it. They are coming back this morning to finish so when I get home tonight it will all be done. Of course our house is full of dust now due to the installation so when I get it all cleaned up and pretty I will post pictures. I absolutely love it so far. Daisy and Delilah, my 3 clipity clop across the floor as well and I can tell which one is coming before I see them. They can't sneak up on me now. :D The color we chose is called French Oak. The laminate we got has a 15 year warranty on it that Empire Today covers. They have 25 year warranty ones as well but that was a little more than we wanted to spend. This stuff has got to be some on the sturdiest and most wear resistant stuff around. :)

Logan

12-12-2005, 08:52 AM

I love the "real" thing, best, but I don't have any in this house. In my old house, I had solid oak flooring and it was much easier on my dogs, getting up and down. In this house, I have some Pergo (kitchen, hallway and entryway) and my husband laid a similar laminate floor in our den about a month ago.

Like you, I hate carpet, but I still have the majority of the house to go before I finally get rid of all of it.

Just make sure you have plenty of non-slip rugs for your pets to lie on so they can get up more easily. Our Murphy had a horrible time with the laminate and we ended up letting her live on the carpet.

Logan

gemini9961

12-21-2005, 02:37 PM

Alright, the floor is in and my house is cleaned so here are the pics. I love my new floor. The dogs slide around on it pretty good, but they are learning they can't run full speed down the hall now. :rolleyes:

Before:
The computer room. Uck, uck carpet.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0001.jpg
And after:
Beautiful I do believe.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0011.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0012.jpg
The twin bed that was in there was moved, that's why it's not in the "after" pictures.

Spare bedroom before:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0004.jpg
The hose is there because we had to drain the waterbed, which is NOT going back in my house. I don't like it and never wanted it. It's going to my brother.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0008.jpg
The room sans waterbed still with carpet. I let the dogs play in there since I didn't care about the carpet anymore.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0008.jpg
The carpet in this room was still in pretty good shape since we hardly ever went in there.
Disregard the weird spots on my wall. We thought we could touch up some areas but it didn't work out so well. My next project is to re-paint the house. :eek:

gemini9961

12-21-2005, 02:42 PM

Spare bedroom after:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0009.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0010.jpg
Hallway before:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0003.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0007.jpg
After:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0014.jpg
Living room before:
This room was the worst of course, since it got so much use from us and the dogs.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0005.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0006.jpg
After:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0013.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0015.jpg

Daisy and Delilah

12-21-2005, 02:43 PM

Gorgeous Amber!! :)

gemini9961

12-21-2005, 02:47 PM

Our bedroom before:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0002.jpg
After:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0018.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0017.jpg
This is a picture looking into the kitchen so you can see what the kitchen floor and the new floor look like together.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/gemini9961/2005_1217Floor0019.jpg

Well there it is. I am loving it. :D Super easy to clean, just sweep or vaccumm and then use a slighty damp mop to clean more. Laminate is a little easier to care for than hardwood since hardwood can scratch easily and it needs to be waxed too. I would recommend laminate to anyone.

k9krazee

12-21-2005, 02:51 PM

It all looks gorgeous Amber!!!

Corinna

12-21-2005, 03:12 PM

Looks great you will find it much easher to clean too. Never hear of the brand or the installers but then again o'm on the west side of the country.

JenBKR

12-21-2005, 03:15 PM

Beautiful! I love laminate flooring - we are having "Roscoe's" room (a room off of our kitchen where he stays when we are not home) done with the exact same thing - I can't wait! The carpet in there looks terrible.

lv4dogs

12-21-2005, 03:26 PM

I have to say that it sure does look lovely, very lovely!

I know the spills and the such are a lot easier to clean but is it really easier to sweep and mop rather than just vacuum?

gemini9961

12-21-2005, 06:54 PM

I have to say that it sure does look lovely, very lovely!

I know the spills and the such are a lot easier to clean but is it really easier to sweep and mop rather than just vacuum?

The vacumming is much easier, but I sweep up if I see a little here and there. As for the mop, I will do that occasionally just for extra cleaning. I think I am borderline OCD when it comes to cleaning, lol. THe Swiffer works great on it.

Thanks everyone for saying how nice it looks. :)

christa

12-21-2005, 07:42 PM

Looks FANTASTIC! Isn't it great?!?! I love ours . . . I'd love to have it in the whole house but we only have it in 2 rooms.

Your house probably went up serious bucks in value!

Looks great! Thanks for sharing the before/after pics!

BitsyNaceyDog

12-21-2005, 11:27 PM

I have laminate flooring too, we did it ourselves though. It was quite easy, it just snaps together.

krazyaboutkatz

12-21-2005, 11:52 PM

It sure looks beautiful. :) Did you do it yourselves or did some one install it for you? I currently have carpeting in my bathrooms and I hate it. I'd love to have laminate flooring instead. :)

Is it expensive? I couldn't find any prices on the website that you gave us. I did fill out some info so they could send me some more info about it though.

Pam

12-22-2005, 06:34 AM

We will be doing this in the kitchen sometime this coming year. I am looking soooo forward to it. My hubby's friend put it in his home several years ago. In fact I had never heard of it before then. I remember him telling hubby that it was so strong you could stomp a cigarette out on it. Of course no one would do that, but I thought it gave you a pretty good idea of how rugged it is. LOL!

I am seriously addicted to a program on HGTV called Designed to Sell. They frequently rip out carpeting to increase the value of the homes. Usually they put down hardwood but I think laminate is probably more practical for us pet loving folks!

These pictures are amazing. Congratulations on your new easy-to-care-for flooring! ;)

gemini9961

12-22-2005, 08:09 AM

Your house probably went up serious bucks in value!

I sure hope so. Our house is still pretty new, only been here for a about a year and a half and it was being built when we bought it.

It sure looks beautiful. :) Did you do it yourselves or did some one install it for you? I currently have carpeting in my bathrooms and I hate it. I'd love to have laminate flooring instead. :)

Is it expensive? I couldn't find any prices on the website that you gave us. I did fill out some info so they could send me some more info about it though.

We had them install it. I am sure installing it ourselves would have been easy but with my work schedule and my husband's it seems like we are hardly here and when we are it's to sleep. It would have taken us FOREVER to get it installed since we did almost the whole house. The type we got is really good. I know there are all different kinds of brands out there. Ours has a 15 year warranty on it. :D But, they said that if you install it yourself you void the warranty. :eek: Another reason to have it installed. Ours was pricey because we did have it installed, but if you can do it yourself that would definitely be the cheaper way.

anna_66

12-22-2005, 08:58 AM

I LOVE IT!!! Not only does it look beautiful but you don't have to worry about cleaning the dirty stinky carpet any more:)
One of these days I hope to have it myself.

pnance

12-22-2005, 11:53 AM

Gemini9961 you new floor looks great. I'm jealous since it's something I'd like throughout my house. We installed it last year in the kitchen and dining room because the dogs were destroying the carpet in there (that's their route in and out of the backyard) and love it. The dogs aren't that fond of it since they don't get the traction during play time they do on the carpet, and I'll confess Hunter took a header into the sliding glass door when we first put it in. No harm done, he was more shocked than anything and I have to confess it was absolutely hysterical to watch.