Laminate flooring is fairly new to the market compared to the other types of flooring that have been around for decades. Most consumers are not familiar with this type of wood flooring. This is where it is easy to make big mistakes if your going to purchase this flooring for your home or business. There are hundreds of brands being manufactured these days, from 6mm to 15mm thick. There are all types of finishes from high gloss (Piano finish) to distressed (Rustic) and everything in between. Manufacturers hold patents on the locking systems, some are easy and some are hard to work with.
I have installed carpet for over a dozen years which at this point, I'll leave to the younger guys. I have installed most of the other types of flooring also such as Vinyl, Ceramic tile, Hardwood and VCT tile. I ended up installing Laminate and Hardwood at the present time. Most flooring installers are self employed. This means you are your own boss. You take care of your own taxes and all the legal aspects of being self employed. There are no retirement plans, 401k's, health insurance or unemployment benefits if work is slow.
I offer laminate flooring consultation for folks that need someone to show them how to install their own laminate flooring. Sometimes its better to have someone show you in person. You can do a lot of searching on the internet, Youtube, websites, forums etc, and learn how to do the installation. But sometimes being shown in person can make all the difference. Here's an example: Lets say your thinking of installing laminate flooring in your home yourself. Typically in the Tampa Bay area installers charge anywhere from 1.00 to 2.00 a square foot for labor to install laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring installation is not always that easy. I have laid a lot of laminate flooring and even today some jobs take some extra time in planning. Laminate flooring installed the proper way can be very pleasing to look at. For my readers who choose to take on the task, I think they should have all the information he/she can find. On this website I want my readers to be aware of the many potential problems you may encounter with laminate flooring installation, and how to correct them so your floor will look like a professional installer did it.
Installing laminate flooring in kitchens will take more time than installing laminate in a square room. There is a lot more cutting involved when going around cabinets. Most often there are appliances that need to be moved. Dishwashers that take extra time. Refrigerators that may have ice maker lines. Sometimes you may have to adjust the height of the stove so it is level with the counter tops. The one drawback for laminate flooring is liquid. If liquid sets on the joint of laminate flooring too long it will seep down into the joint and swell up.
There are many laminate floor manufacturers all around the world. You may be surprised when you look on the carton and see where your laminate is made. Although laminate flooring was first developed in Europe, it is manufactured in other parts of the world such as China to the USA. Here is a list of manufacturers and retailers and their brands of laminate flooring and some of the accessories that they carry.
When installing laminate flooring you really need to be more precise when cutting each piece that your installing on the stairs. Such as the treads, risers and stair noses. This will give your staircase the best look without gaps and spaces that take away from your stairs. You don't typically see quarter round on stairs to hide gaps. If someone tells you how they do it, just say thanks but no thanks. Many do it yourselfers may not want to take on this task. But for the ones that want to, I am going to describe in detail how to install laminate flooring and hardwood on stairs.
Lets face it, ask just about any laminate installer if he's good at laying laminate flooring and the most common answer you will get is Oh yeh I've been doing it for 69 years I'm the best, this is my specialty. I'm not saying that I have some secret formula that will determine if a laminate installer will do your floors right. But maybe as an installer myself I maybe able to help you make a better decision. Of course asking about references is a good question to ask. Asking about little things can be an indication as to the level of detail he may have, such as do you chalk in the base board/ quarter round?
Compared to other types of flooring, laminate flooring is the new kid on the block. Carpet, tile, wood and vinyl have been around for decades but laminate flooring has only really started to catch on in the 90's in the US. In the beginning laminate was not that attractive, it was flat and kind of looked like your kitchen counter. Now they make laminate that looks just like beautiful hardwood floors. I am amazed at the beauty laminate flooring can add to a home. The cost of laminate flooring can be substantially less than the real thing and in a lot of cases is much more durable.
So what I will do is to list as many as possible so you can find the answers your looking for. I try to list answers to my readers questions about laminate flooring. I'm sure there are many that I miss, so if you have a question about anything at all that has to do with laminate flooring feel free to post it here. I will answer your questions based on my knowledge as a laminate flooring installer. Hopefully it will help you and other readers. Entering your story is easy to do. Just type!. Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here.
Natural cork flooring is not new to the market. It has been around for quite some time. It is a good alternative to the more traditional types of floors on the market today. It adds warmth and natural beauty to your home, and comes in a lot of different textures and colors. Although this site is mainly about laminate flooring, I feel I should write about cork flooring because it uses the same method for installation. Cork flooring is sold in a floating floor as well as a glue down floor. The floating cork flooring has the same type of click together system as laminate flooring.
Cleaning laminate flooring is easy to do when you understand what product is good for your floors and knowing the dos and don't s to look out for. Tired of pushing that vacuum cleaner that seems to produce more dust. With the proper cleaning of you laminate floors they will look like brand new for years to come, they do need to be cared for like any other flooring. Laminate flooring and liquid just do not get along. I tell my clients to use as little cleaning solution as possible when cleaning laminate flooring.
When undercutting fireplaces for laminate flooring, it can be a very dusty job. Most fireplaces are made of some sort of masonry product, such as bricks, concrete, ceramic tile or stones. When cutting this type of material it produces a lot of fine powder, which gets everywhere. The other alternatives are to install a mold around the fireplace, which is not very attractive. Or install the laminate or hardwood up to the fireplace and fill the gap with matching putty. Fireplaces made of rock or stone will have irregular shapes that would require you to scribe around each one.
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