Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - New here - some questions (Compare Laminate Brands)

This forum is great! I've learned so much just from reading the old posts.

My washing machine decided to hiccup while I was on vacation and there was quite a bit of water damage. Approximately 350 sq ft of carpeting have to be replaced and I've decided to go with laminate flooring.

I've visited the home centers, several independent local flooring stores and a warehouse. The offerings are fairly similar except that the warehouse prices are much lower - even for Quick-Step which has to be special ordered.

Anyway, the one thing I haven't been able to find is a website that compares the different brands and the ranges within the brands. Could anyone here refer me to one?

Actually this site has some good info and guides, although I think it may be from another web site originally. Yeah it is actually from another web site but here is a link
http://www.floorshop.com/howtos.html


Also Ifloor has some good articles about different brands and what not, unfortunately it is a few years old. So it does not apply directly to todays market, but it has a lot of good and valuable info which will help you.

http://www.ifloor.com/learnmore/index.html


Good luck and I have been researching for over a month now. The more I learn the harder my decisions seem to get. Forum is great though and everyone is helpful. Read up and ask questions.

Thanks John! I know what you mean, I'm hitting the point of information overload.

I found another place near my house that carries Kronotex brand. Not familiar with it so I need to do some more research...

Another general question, what do people think about laminate floors that already have the underlayment vs. the one that don't? Are they better, worse? Do you still need a vapor barrier or foam?

Some people here will be better able to answer that then me.

But from what I have learned so far. I believe an attached underlayment will help with reducing sound and possibly an easier install, but that depends on some factors. I personally would not choose a flooring just on whether it had attached underlayment or not. You will find that most do not have an attached underlayment.


Vapor barriers depend on what type of subfloor you are installing it on. If you installing on the ground floor and have a cement sublfoor, you will need a vapor barrier. There are other circumstances, but essentially if there is a potential for water to come up through the sub-floor you will need a vapor barrier. If you are installing on an above ground floor, the vapor barrier is generally not needed.


I am still grappling with the underlayments; foam, cork, rubber, etc..
Usually you have to go with the underlayment from the manufacturer to qualify for their warranty info.

Type Compare Laminate Brands into your search engine for useful info.

When I did my floors,( kitchen,bath, dining, and a 40" hall) I opted for the more expensive laminate,that was thicker than most, and came from a larger company that could carry a stated warranty.I tried not to take any BS from sales people, and asked them to prove any statements made by them. I also bought more than needed for the job so I could have some for the repairs that might come up.As for underlay I went with the foam, that I laid out then taped all seams.I am most happy with the floor.It does not sound "clicky" and is as warm as the house. :coffee:

I've looked at everything from the thinnest, 7mm, "private label" brands with 10 year warranty to the thickest, 12mm, brand name with 30+ year warranty and I'm still confused. :confused:

I have to replace approximately 350 sq ft of carpeting and I have about $1500 to work with. I would like to spend a little less but what will be will be... I would love to do the bedrooms as well but that will be a total of 900 sq ft of flooring (includes 10% safety)

It's easy enough to say, okay, I'm not going to buy the cheapie stuff b/c it's too good to be true, you get what you pay for, etc., etc. The biggest confusion comes in when you have several brand names that look fairly equal but range from $2.89 to $3.99 per sq ft. :wall: Then to make it even more confusing, this place I found today - which just opened a month ago - is having a special on this Kronotex stuff that's usually $3.19/sq ft. This is the brand I'm least familiar with but it's 10mm thick...It's looking good but could it be too good to be true?

http://www.virginiabusiness.com/magazine/yr2004/may04/50lumber.shtml

I bought 320 sq feet of flooring and with vapor barrier/foam (cheap 1/8" stuff) the bill was $ 538 dollars. It's a painless click together type which I will be installing this weekend. I picked it up myself 18 miles away. All the other online flooring guys I saw had expensive delivery charges around $200 bucks.