Installing "floating" Laminate Flooring

oldguru · Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:33 am

I have a '88' Redman MH with the usual Carpet/sheet vinyl floor covering. I plan on installing a floating wood laminate in the near future. I will be doing this in stages as I can afford to pay cash for the materials. My first stage will be the living room and kitchen. I plan on doing these as one a continuous install. The living room is presently carpet so I will be removing that. The kitchen is sheet vinyl. Can I install over the top of the vinyl or will the thickness of the vinyl create a problem where the living room meets the kitchen?

Thanks!!!

Greg · Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:25 pm

Since you break the flooring at the end of the room you should not have any problem, but if you plan on one continues floor there may be a problem. Greg

Brenda (OH) · Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:27 pm

You may want to check the install instructions, most laminate flooring snap together type has a maximum number of feet you can run without a break, something like 22 or 27 ft? I think that is because gaps can happen with temperature changes when the floor expands and contracts.

so if the length is going to be too long to run it continously, then breaking between the rooms makes the most sense.

Brenda (OH)

tnt17 · Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:22 am

I put down Kronotex Laminate Flooring from Lowes in our den last winter, love it. It didn't take the '2 to 3 hours' estimated time though. More like 30 minutes to an hour a evening/night for the whole week, trim molding included. Course, i did throw the back out on night 1 carrying the packaging up the steps because it was raining lol.
Here's what i bought:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none
i liked the color, and the price. I did have to put down the underlayment pad.
They have a how to guide and project calculator as well on the right of the page, not sure how long you can go like Brenda was saying, but there was something on the box stating if you continuously go over x amount of feet, to put in a divider/stop/center strip then continue on again.
Room i did was a 14x18, and it took roughly 10 boxes of planks.
Kitchen for me is next, good luck to you!

flcruising · Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:39 am

You shouldn't have any problems.
Laminate flooring is layed with a padding to 'soften' the feel of the floor with an integral moisture barrier to protect the unstable bottom. You can simply double the underlayment to raise the area under the living room to the height of the lenoleum, or go to a flooring supplier and pick up some scrap (free typically) vinyl to lay under the floor.
Either way would be easier than ripping up the old vinyl flooring.

Yanita · Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:13 pm

Hi,

Check the installation instructions on the package. I believe you are only allowed so much padding underneath before you compromise the snap together edges.

Yanita

oldguru · Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:20 am

Thanks very much for all the information!! I checked with the manufacturer of the laminate and according to them the difference in thickness between the bare sub floor and the vinyl was within allowable tolerances so that took care of that, when all else fails, read the instructions I guess!!

I had planned on this being a one day job, turned into three. When I pulled the old carpet up I found some bad places in the particle board sub floor. The usual under a window and a door, but one big one next to the wall connecting with a bathroom.

It turned out that there was a water leak under the bathroom floor
The pex water line had rubbed in several places and rubbed a hole in it. therefore I ended up replacing a section of water line, the entire bathroom floor, and three bad places in the living room floor. that took 2 full days, yesterday I finally got to the laminate and got it almost finished before wore out. i have about a hour or 2 to go on it now and we really love the look and feel of it!!

Yanita · Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:46 pm

Hey Oldguru,

LOL, yup, reading the install directions are generally the first thing to do...or, like my Husband does...uses them to sit on or they are they first thing to get thrown away!

Anyways, sounds like it was a good thing that you started this project..with the water leak and all. We always tell people, plan on at least three times the amount of time planned for any project on a MH, you are bound to find something else that needs fixing.

If you can take a pic of the finished project. Everyone loves looking a pics here.

Take care,

Yanita