Laminate Flooring over Hardwood Floors
parkplaza
11 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (45)
DanG4
11 years agoparkplaza
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Can Hardwood or Laminate Be Installed Over Brick Floors?
Comments (2)Glenn - Thanks much for your advice. I plan to start floor shopping tomorrow; depending on how much it would cost to smooth out the brick, I may just keep it the way it is. We will probably be putting the house on the market in the next couple of years, and it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money prepping the floors for wood/laminate when prospective buyers might like the brick.......See Morelaminate flooring vs. hardwood flooring
Comments (3)Laminate (traditional fibreboard construction) is NOT recommended for kitchens...in fact it VOIDS the warranty on 99.99% of laminates. A water PROOF or water RESISTANT laminate (composite core construction) is more than welcome in a kitchen...with the understanding that anything "wet" must be wiped up within 15 minutes (which is 15 minutes LONGER than a regular laminate). Engineered hardwoods (like solid) are allowed in kitchens. The finish on the wood is highly water resistant but NOT water proof. You will be required to wipe up spills within 15 minutes (same as the water resistant laminate). A nice water resistant laminate = $4.50/sf. A high-end water PROOF laminate = $5.50/sf. A nice engineered hardwood = $6/sf. A high-end engineered hardwood = $15/sf. Solid hardwoods have the same pricing. The question becomes, what are the other floors in the REST of the house?...See MoreOrientation of new hardwood floors over old hardwood floors
Comments (3)Laying the new floor in the same direction as the old floor is not the normal way to go about this. In the building industry, it is more common to see layers that are staggered or "bricked". In other words if layer #1 is laid in a North-South direction, then layer #2 (the top layer) is laid perpendicular to it in an East-West presentation. If you want to run the new flooring in the same direction as the old, you will want to use some underlayment (plywood) over top of the old floor so that you can maintain the "staggered" or "bricked" layering system. That is one way to maintain the North-South presentation. Please work with hardwood flooring professionals who have some experience renovating these old gems. They will have seen what worked....and what didn't. Their experience will be invaluable on a project like yours....See MoreInstalling Laminate Over Hardwood
Comments (5)SJ McCarthy, thanks for the tips about cork vs foam. We're not house project newbies - we've done drywall, built-ins, moulding, baseboard, window framing/trim, etc - and actually installed nearly all the baseboard in our house so removing and reinstalling is a non-issue. Our house has just five rooms. The hardwood goes from the living area straight into the bedrooms (continuous) so no transitions there. Where it transitions to tile in the bathroom and kitchen/dining area already have drops (the hardwood is lower than the tile) so adding laminate on top would make the floors more even or just reverse the drop slightly if anything. Edit: We measured and there is currently a 15mm drop from our kitchen to hardwoods already, so adding laminate on top would help there. The interior doors are ones we already replaced and trimmed to fit (so nothing new there), but it would be ideal to not have to shave them further. I would love to find a floating floor that can go over what we have without requiring us to shave the doors more so that when removed the doors wouldn't have a weird gap over the hardwood. Update: Hubby informed me that the four doors we have that open over the hardwood each cost about $30, so shaving them further is a non-issue and replacing them in the future is also a non-issue. The door frames trim is already higher cut (we cut little spacers to put under them to make them flush with the floor) because carpet had previously been installed over the hardwood. I'm not opposed to using a different material other than laminate either, I just don't want to have to move myself and everything out of the house only to pay a lot to have our floors redone and then have them look worn in another few years. With a floating floor we can do the install ourselves and do it piecemeal, one room at a time, which is logistically a bit more manageable. We also wouldn't mind changing the up the color of our floors a bit, so laminate would allow us to do that while maintaining the integrity of the existing floor....See MoreUser
11 years agopunman
11 years agomjtx2
11 years agomadeyna
11 years agolive_wire_oak
11 years agoUser
10 years agodomino123
10 years agojakrussel3
10 years agotalk2jorge
10 years agohockeychick
9 years agoUser
9 years agoralphevans
9 years agoRachelle McKinnon
9 years agopegasus1213
9 years agopublicsafety
8 years agoJoy Rieckman
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agolive_wire_oak
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoJoy Rieckman
8 years agoChahumpi
7 years agoHesh Halt
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoConnie Cable
7 years agoSusan Parrish
7 years agoFrans Odendaal
7 years agoLinda Cates
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agodann ronda
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agojrb451
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoJanet
6 years agojlmoulton95
6 years agojlmoulton95
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoJanet
6 years agojlmoulton95
6 years agoJanet
6 years agodivecaribbean
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agodivecaribbean
6 years agojlmoulton95
5 years agoJanet
5 years agoWoodpecker Flooring
5 years agoJanet
5 years agoLily
5 years agoJanet
5 years agoGroysman Construction
5 years agoJoe Kalina
3 years ago
Related Stories
REMODELING GUIDESLaminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less
See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it
Full StoryMATERIALSWhat to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor
We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGHow to Clean Hardwood Floors
Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. Find out how to keep them that way
Full StoryMATERIALSMesquite: The Brawny Beauty for All Over the Home
Denser than other hardwoods and sporting beautiful coloration, mesquite makes a fine material for flooring, countertops, furniture and more
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSWhat to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors
Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor — and the one mistake you should avoid
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESTransition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors
Plan ahead to prevent unsightly or unsafe transitions between floor surfaces. Here's what you need to know
Full StoryFLOORSHow to Paint Your Hardwood Floors
Know how to apply nail polish? Then you can give your wooden floors a brand-new look
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESContractor Tips: Smooth Moves for Hardwood Floors
Dreaming of gorgeous, natural wood floors? Consider these professional pointers before you lay the first plank
Full StoryFLOORS6 Alternative Flooring Ideas to Kick Up Your Style
Rubber, cork, concrete and other materials are worthy options in lieu of hardwood or tile
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESYour Floor: An Introduction to Solid-Plank Wood Floors
Get the Pros and Cons of Oak, Ash, Pine, Maple and Solid Bamboo
Full StoryZanesville's Most Skilled & Knowledgeable Home Improvement Specialists
AdeleInTexas