Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Cork Subfloor Issue - Advice Needed
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cmvsm
12-30-07, 08:32 PM
Hi everyone,
I'm getting ready to install my laminate floating flooring, and had a question that could possibly delay my project.
First off, I'm putting the laminate over a concrete slab that is in good condition and is level. I've got two areas of ceramic tiles in the house (kitchen and foyer), that will be too difficult and time consuming to remove, as they are mortared to the slab, so I decided to use a cork underlayment that would bring up the concrete slab height to the same height of the ceramic tile. Then I could just place laminate straight over everything without any transition pieces. I've asked a few flooring places and they all said this is ok to do with a floating floor installation.
Well, I just realized that the ceramic tile height is 6/16" and my cork subflooring tiles are 1/2" in height. So I have roughly a 3/16" lip on my cork that extends over the height of the ceramic tile.
Is this going to be a problem in terms of the stability of my new floor if I place the laminate straight over the uneven area? I couldn't have gone with 1/4" cork as I would have been 1/8" below the height of the ceramic tile.
Any advice would be appreciated. Hopefully this is not a problem.
I'm getting ready to install my laminate floating flooring, and had a question that could possibly delay my project.
First off, I'm putting the laminate over a concrete slab that is in good condition and is level. I've got two areas of ceramic tiles in the house (kitchen and foyer), that will be too difficult and time consuming to remove, as they are mortared to the slab, so I decided to use a cork underlayment that would bring up the concrete slab height to the same height of the ceramic tile. Then I could just place laminate straight over everything without any transition pieces. I've asked a few flooring places and they all said this is ok to do with a floating floor installation.
Well, I just realized that the ceramic tile height is 6/16" and my cork subflooring tiles are 1/2" in height. So I have roughly a 3/16" lip on my cork that extends over the height of the ceramic tile.
Is this going to be a problem in terms of the stability of my new floor if I place the laminate straight over the uneven area? I couldn't have gone with 1/4" cork as I would have been 1/8" below the height of the ceramic tile.
Any advice would be appreciated. Hopefully this is not a problem.
twelvepole
01-12-08, 04:05 PM
Leave 3/4" expansion gap between tile and laminate. Drop in a T molding in the gap. The wooden T molding can be sanded underneath to remove 1/16" for flush installation.
cmvsm
01-12-08, 04:15 PM
Thanks for the reply Twelve! I'm actually finally finishing this big project and other than the strange cuts that I had to perform with my jigsaw, everything has gone pretty smoothly.
I ended up using the 1/2" cork on the subfloor, and 1/8" cork on the tile and it matched up pretty much perfectly. The sound proofing from the cork is excellent as well.
I do have one soft spot in the floor that was due to an unforeseen low spot in the concrete. I didn't notice it until I was several rows out. I'm certainly a noob for missing it, but no one ever steps there anyway. Once I get the 5" baseboards in, it may not have as much play as it is under one of the first boards.
Anyhow, other than that, everything looks great and completely 'flows'. Thanks again for the advice. I hadn't thought of using a T-molding.
I ended up using the 1/2" cork on the subfloor, and 1/8" cork on the tile and it matched up pretty much perfectly. The sound proofing from the cork is excellent as well.
I do have one soft spot in the floor that was due to an unforeseen low spot in the concrete. I didn't notice it until I was several rows out. I'm certainly a noob for missing it, but no one ever steps there anyway. Once I get the 5" baseboards in, it may not have as much play as it is under one of the first boards.
Anyhow, other than that, everything looks great and completely 'flows'. Thanks again for the advice. I hadn't thought of using a T-molding.