Laminate flooring fitting
Discussion
What's the general rules around fitting laminate in kitchens?
I'm having my floor screeded this morning and was planning on fitting the floor first and then standing the units on top. Im aware the floor needs to float for expansion and contraction but the screed guys say I will have problems with a pinch point under the island and need to only go up to the feet of the island and all the other units. Kitchen and dining area will be approx 6x4m. Is this sound advice?
I'm having my floor screeded this morning and was planning on fitting the floor first and then standing the units on top. Im aware the floor needs to float for expansion and contraction but the screed guys say I will have problems with a pinch point under the island and need to only go up to the feet of the island and all the other units. Kitchen and dining area will be approx 6x4m. Is this sound advice?
My fitter at a previous house recommended not to have laminate in the kitchen and if we were adamant then only to lay up to the feet and not have the units standing on the planks. Raise the feet of the units to the appropriate height for the kkckboards and then lay the laminate after the kitchen is fitted.
I know you asked of laminate but have you not considered LVT instead. Used laminate in a kitchen once and a leaking dishwasher damaged a lot of it as all the joins swelled.
More directly on your q - Laminate under means ever changing the floor or lifting it if there was a need is much more of a challenge.
More directly on your q - Laminate under means ever changing the floor or lifting it if there was a need is much more of a challenge.
Although they say you can use laminate in a kitchen, I personally wouldn't.
The only person I know who has done it is my (fairly recently deceased) Dad, a bit of an impatient DIY bodger. He fitted it too tight without sufficient expansion gaps and now they have an unsightly bulge in the middle of their floor that flexes every time you walk on it. When my Mum passes and I have to sell the house I know some buyer is going to say "there's a bloody great bulge in the kitchen floor" and I'm going to have to roll my eyes and take the hit.
Out of interest are you choosing laminate over tiles on the basis of cost?
The only person I know who has done it is my (fairly recently deceased) Dad, a bit of an impatient DIY bodger. He fitted it too tight without sufficient expansion gaps and now they have an unsightly bulge in the middle of their floor that flexes every time you walk on it. When my Mum passes and I have to sell the house I know some buyer is going to say "there's a bloody great bulge in the kitchen floor" and I'm going to have to roll my eyes and take the hit.
Out of interest are you choosing laminate over tiles on the basis of cost?
AndyTR said:
My fitter at a previous house recommended not to have laminate in the kitchen and if we were adamant then only to lay up to the feet and not have the units standing on the planks. Raise the feet of the units to the appropriate height for the kkckboards and then lay the laminate after the kitchen is fitted.
Thanks for the response, It looks like the two days I took off work to do the flooring is wasted then. 
Still I can spend two days looking at my nice new smooth floor. 
scot_aln said:
I know you asked of laminate but have you not considered LVT instead. Used laminate in a kitchen once and a leaking dishwasher damaged a lot of it as all the joins swelled.
More directly on your q - Laminate under means ever changing the floor or lifting it if there was a need is much more of a challenge.
Good point, We had laminate in before hand and never had this issue so I didn't even consider it this time. Our local supplier has stopped doing LVT so we just ordered laminate that he had. Would a run of glue or silicone in the joints around the sink/ dishwasher work as a prevention?More directly on your q - Laminate under means ever changing the floor or lifting it if there was a need is much more of a challenge.
If you're going with a floating floor definitely fit the units first and run the flooring up to the legs leaving a 5-10mm expansion gap.
Agree with the other comments about laminate in a kitchen, not worth the expense/time to sort it out if it doesn't work. Particularly if it's a new room and you're putting skirtings on top.
I have glue down LVT in my kitchen, but I fitted a click floating LVT in another room recently. It was from 'Palio' which is a sub-brand of Kardean sold in builder's merchants. It went down really nicely. I've heard horror stories about the cheaper click LVTs you get at the DIY chains but this was spot on.
I got mine from https://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/brands/palio-trade-... who were cheaper than anywhere else I could fine, it came in a couple of days, direct from Karndean.
Agree with the other comments about laminate in a kitchen, not worth the expense/time to sort it out if it doesn't work. Particularly if it's a new room and you're putting skirtings on top.
I have glue down LVT in my kitchen, but I fitted a click floating LVT in another room recently. It was from 'Palio' which is a sub-brand of Kardean sold in builder's merchants. It went down really nicely. I've heard horror stories about the cheaper click LVTs you get at the DIY chains but this was spot on.
I got mine from https://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/brands/palio-trade-... who were cheaper than anywhere else I could fine, it came in a couple of days, direct from Karndean.
We've had Quickstep laminate in our kitchen (actually an open plan 'family room' hence wanted something that'd suit all areas in it) for around 8 years now and it still looks as new as the day it went down. Thoroughly pleased with it and would highly recommend. High traffic, kids, pets and spills have been no issue whatsoever.
I went up to the cabinet feet, partly to facilitate future renewal but also that it's a waste of money flooring where we'll never see! We just made sure we thought carefully about exactly where we wanted the island as obviously it can't be moved now. We overthink everything though so that wasn't much to ask!
I went up to the cabinet feet, partly to facilitate future renewal but also that it's a waste of money flooring where we'll never see! We just made sure we thought carefully about exactly where we wanted the island as obviously it can't be moved now. We overthink everything though so that wasn't much to ask!
Edited by tux850 on Wednesday 17th September 23:38
I've just fitted Herringbone laminate in our new extension and the quality seems far higher than laminates of old.
It's 12mm thick and looks great, however it took me 3 weeks of after work and weekends to do it!! The amount of cutting at the perimeter was insane.
https://floorstreet.co.uk/products/desert-oak-12mm...
It's 12mm thick and looks great, however it took me 3 weeks of after work and weekends to do it!! The amount of cutting at the perimeter was insane.
https://floorstreet.co.uk/products/desert-oak-12mm...
Ebo100 said:
Good point, We had laminate in before hand and never had this issue so I didn't even consider it this time. Our local supplier has stopped doing LVT so we just ordered laminate that he had. Would a run of glue or silicone in the joints around the sink/ dishwasher work as a prevention?
No, that’s potentially make it worse as it’d further restrict the required movement.Did you fit waterproof / water resistant laminate?
We were mid kitchen during lockdown and fitted a water resistant laminate (balterio?) as a stop gap, but have left it down as it’s been soaked a few times and is fine, so have never got round to changing it.
We had Karndean or Amticombefore that and to be honest the laminate at 5 years old looks better than they did at the same age and at end of life will be a damn sight easier to lift!
It’s laid up to the legs only with the plinth on top.
We had Karndean or Amticombefore that and to be honest the laminate at 5 years old looks better than they did at the same age and at end of life will be a damn sight easier to lift!
It’s laid up to the legs only with the plinth on top.
I DIY fitted Quickstep laminate in our kitchen which runs through into the open plan living room and also into the hallway. Had various splashes & spills on it and not had a single problem.
I removed the kitchen unit plinths and fitted it upto the feet, then trimmed down the plinths and refitted them. Had to remove an end panel too and trim that down to allow for the laminate and those green underlay tiles to run underneath.
I removed the kitchen unit plinths and fitted it upto the feet, then trimmed down the plinths and refitted them. Had to remove an end panel too and trim that down to allow for the laminate and those green underlay tiles to run underneath.
bennno said:
Ebo100 said:
Good point, We had laminate in before hand and never had this issue so I didn't even consider it this time. Our local supplier has stopped doing LVT so we just ordered laminate that he had. Would a run of glue or silicone in the joints around the sink/ dishwasher work as a prevention?
No, that s potentially make it worse as it d further restrict the required movement.Did you fit waterproof / water resistant laminate?
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