How to choose laminate!?

[Goodcat]

Anyone done their own laminate or work with it? Where we're at... we're in love with the lamton 7mm tropical wenge...

Quality Flooring and Building Materials for Less - BuildDirect

We plan to install "Quiet Walk" padding below our laminate. This, combined with floating and being on a crawl space, should significantly improve the feel of the home, and hopefuly help reduce audible light impact of our tiny dog's claws.

Problem is, it comes with pad pre-attached! I've read and been told, if we combine this pre-attached pad with another pad below (Quiet Walk), we'll run into all sorts of issues.

Any other products similar to this Tropical Wendge in color? Is it unheard of to remove the thin padding from the laminate before installation? I'm sure that would be a pain in the butt, however we really like this color and style. Any contractors have advice?

 

[Colinb913]

When me and my dad installed the laminate in his office, it came prepadded. We used the quiet walk padding as well, and didn't run into any problems. It was a tight fit under walls, but nothing a little persuasion couldn't get us past.

Been down for about a year now, and haven't had any issues. No movement, warping, cracking, or any crap like that. It's laminate so it's a pretty tough material.

YMMV of course, but feel free to PM me with questions, I have installed many a wood/laminate/linoleum floor in my 18 years.

 

[Goodcat]

Sweet, I spoke with quiet walk and they said necuse there product is so thin, it's good to go with 2mm preattached. Thanks!

 

[mcolford]

I hate mine. I did the pre-padded as well as padding under it to keep it quiet. Mopping sucks as you have to immediately dry it or it will warp. Not very dent resistant as well. Im ready to tear it out and get carpet!

 

[92LX]

I like most laminates

I have installed laminate from low end to high end in rentals and family property. Generally get what you like. I have done thick laminate, thin laminate, cheap laminate, and expensive laminate.

Generally I just put the cheap foam padding down in rentals with good results. However, I put quiet walk in my house in rooms that have little to no chance of getting wet.

Laminate is not water proof and if you put the quiet walk in the kitchen or bathroom water will find a way to leak (if you get a leak) to an edge, tear, hole or something and fill the jute with water, which will stay wet and rot your subfloor. I suggest the foam padding in a kitchen.

Most laminate as said below if very non-water resistant keep it dry and will last you a long time. The longest lasting laminate I have had is in my near east side rental, it was manufactured in poland and used the epoxy and wood chip stuff from old soviet era rifle stock and that stuff has not had any water damage, and has lasted 7 years of the hardest rental service ever. It was also the cheapest and nearly the thinnest. Thought we were buying high quality expensive stuff for my office downstairs, it got slightly wet once and bulged within and hour of getting dry.

I pretty much stick with laminate in living and bed rooms now, and vinyl/tile in kitchens and baths.

Laminate is probably the overall easiest maintenance stuff out there in areas where it stays dry.

Also, cut it with a sabre saw. Laminate is hard on saw blades, sabre saw blades are cheap. I know lots of guys that use their miter saws and then have to buy a new $60 blade when they are done.

 

[88GT]

Just outta curiosity, why are you wanting to install the separate pad if the laminate comes with an attached one?

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Just outta curiosity, why are you wanting to install the separate pad if the laminate comes with an attached one?

We plan to install "Quiet Walk" padding below our laminate. This, combined with floating and being on a crawl space, should significantly improve the feel of the home, and hopefuly help reduce audible light impact of our tiny dog's claws.

 

[Hammer]

What ever you do, stay away from Shaw laminate products. I had a floor installed in my house not more than 2 months ago and I hate it. It creeks, pops, some of the lips have broken and it catching. Glad the house is sold now.

 

[Goodcat]

Yikes! So many facts and opinions across the internet. Having small dogs with small bladders and reading all this is making my head spin!

 

[88GT]

Fine, let me rephrase, if the laminate already has padding, why spend money on additional? I know what he's trying to get. I'm not convinced he can't get that with the laminate pad. Hence, the question for the additional pad.

 

[Goodcat]

The additional pad is designed specifically to reduce impact, walking and echo. Regular pad is only made for correcting minor flaws in the subfloor and as a sound barrier. 2mm barrier vs underlayment designed to reduce noise dramatically, that is the question!