Glueless Laminate Flooring

[David Wulff]

Okay, so this is a slightly odd question, but as it isn't related to drugs, sex or programming, and my attempt at accessing www.laminate-flooring-discussions.com failed, the Lounge will have to do... I want to redo the flooring in my bedroom. I am just not happy with my current carpet and to be honest the hassle of hoovering twice a week is getting to be more than I can bare. The problem is that I really don't know where to go. I could buy some more carpet, but that doesn't solve the hoovering problem and it would be a real pain in the bottom to lay correctly because of the odd shaped floor area of my bedroom. I could also take the wooden or tiled floor approach. The problem I see with tiles is that they are either carpet (which need hoovering) or ceramic (which would be cold). I also don't think ceramic tiles look very nice IMHO - they remind me of patios not bedrooms, and carpet tiles tend to be of commercial quality (not something you'd want to roll around on). So that leaves wooden flooring. But of course that has plenty of problems too. :(( My parents are useless to ask for advice because their first question is always "how much will it cost?", followed by expressions of horror, so I am trusting you with the future of my life for the next few years... Firstly, all of the furniture, the shelves and the skirting in my bedroom is beech (well laminate really with contiboard here and there). If I was to go for a laminate flooring I would need to choose beech again, surely, else it would look really odd. :~ One of my questions to you is is my "surely" assumption correct? I don't want my room to look like it was designed by a blind walrus, but then again I don't want it to look like a reject from the the club house of the Beech Lovers Society. If it is of importance, the walls are a creamy colour and the linen is either going to be red/pink, sand/pale brown, or black/grey. Secondly, suitability. Would you choose laminate flooring for a bedroom? :~ I have a nice rug lined up from a catalogue - :-O - that would match the new linen which ever colours I finally choose, so the main part of the floor that I would ever actually touch 'not-with-my-feet' would be soft (and rugs can be shaken outside). I suppose I'd need a chair mat to stop the surface in front of the flight deck--sorry, my desk, long story--from getting scratched. Anything I have missed? Lastly, is there anything I should know before writing the justification speech before approaching my mother? I'm going to put my neck ou

[Ray Cassick]

Well I am not female, not gay (no malice intended to anyone) and I an not Paul Watson but I will throw and answer out... I am going through some massive remodeling in my house and screem to keep/get hardwood floors anywhere I can. They are a bit cold on the bare feet, but who does not ware a pair of socks or slippers now days anyway :) Get a throw rug for next to the bed and your all set. As far as wear and tear goes, many of the products now days carry lifetime warrenties with them against wear.. I still remomend that you place some good plastic feet on the furnature legs though.

[Maximilien]

Is there an IKEA store near where you live ? they have nice floor "packages" do NOT put ceramic, this is really bad for a bedroom, it's noisy, cold, and really hard to install. I'd go for simple hard pine ( fir ) floor, not crystal varnished, but tinted or oiled. Max.

[Daniel Turini]

A false floor for easy and hidden cabling would be good! Better than this, save your money, hover your carpet and buy something you'll use more than a new floor. IHMO, your parents are right, sorry... Q261186 - Computer Randomly Plays Classical Music

[David Wulff]

Ray Cassick wrote: I still remomend that you place some good plastic feet on the furnature legs though. Oh yeah - thanks for that, I'd never have thought of that! I suppose those "push in" plastic feet things would be okay? They are abour 10 mm dia solid plastic attached to a pin to fix to the base of units, beds, etc? My chair will have wheels hence me thinking of adopting a chair mat. And yes I do wear socks around the house anyway, so that isn't really a problem.

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David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk

An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})

[brianwelsch]

Astro turf. :rolleyes: BW "I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit." - Mel Brooks.

[David Wulff]

Maximilien wrote: Is there an IKEA store near where you live ? Not as far as I know, but after venturing into their Bristol store once and spending about twenty minutes trying to escape again I have sworn never to enter one again! They must *really* want you to buy something! :omg: Maximilien wrote: do NOT put ceramic, this is really bad for a bedroom, it's noisy, cold, and really hard to install. Ok I'm sold, I never liked that idea anyway. Maximilien wrote: I'd go for simple hard pine ( fir ) floor, not crystal varnished, but tinted or oiled. Duely noted. :)

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David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk

An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})

[David Wulff]

Sod the astroturf, I've got a couple of growbags and some "grass" seed out back... :laugh:

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David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk

An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})

[David Wulff]

Daniel Turini wrote: A false floor for easy and hidden cabling would be good! That wouldn't be necessary, the room has already been fitted out with hidden conduits everywhere. I can get from any the wall sockets/my pc to anywhere else in the room with ease. I already thought of that. :) Daniel Turini wrote: Better than this, save your money, hover your carpet and buy something you'll use more than a new floor. IHMO, your parents are right, sorry... You don't have to say sorry, as I am not going to listen to you. :rolleyes: As I said, the floor does need doing (the current carpet does not match and is torn and stained in places) - I firmly beleive if you are going to start a project you should finish it, and well the floor is a necessary part of that process.

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David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk

An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})

[John Fisher]

I don't fit your criteria for appropriate people to give a suggestion. However, my wife watches "Trading Spaces" a lot, and I see it too.... The wood flooring does not need to be the same kind of wood as your furniture. In fact, I would expect most designers to intentionally avoid that. Instead, pick a kind of wood which looks good alongside your furniture, but is somewhat obviously not the same thing. Now you can toss this answer out with the rest of the opinions! :-D John

[David Wulff]

John Fisher wrote: However, my wife watches "Trading Spaces" a lot, and I see it too.... My condolences. ;P John Fisher wrote: The wood flooring does not need to be the same kind of wood as your furniture. In fact, I would expect most designers to intentionally avoid that. Instead, pick a kind of wood which looks good alongside your furniture, but is somewhat obviously not the same thing. Would that still be okay though with the skirting board (you know, that strip between the wall and the floor to cover the expansion gap) is beech? Argh - I don't know! I'll just paint the concrete at this rate...

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David Wulff http://www.davidwulff.co.uk

An orgy in Tiverton... ({) `/\^^/\:p (Z) :$/\^^/\` (})

[Navin]

Hmm, I don't meet your criteria for giving good *style* advice, but I am a home-owner so I'll stick with the practical stuff. First of all, do you know what's underneath the carpet? Sometimes people put carpet over hardwood floors just becuase they like it better. If you rip out the carpet and have a hardwood floor, you can get it sanded and refinished, and unless there are a bunch of pet urine stains on it, it will probably look pretty nice. Other than that, laminate flooring or carpet sounds good. I am considering putting laminate flooring in my kitchen and bathrooms, simply becuase the vinyl looks pretty crappy. Ceramic tiles in a bedroom just doesn't seem right. If you go for anything but carpet, plastic or felt "feet" for your furniture is a good idea. As for your office.. what type of chair do you have? If it's one of those computer chairs with wheels, good laminate flooring might be able to handle it... otherwise get something to protect the floor from the chair (like a pad, or a rug, or whatever.) [EDIT] And if you go for carpet, consider wool carpeting. It lasts longer, is more durable, and is better environmentally than your typical carpet.... although you do have to vacuum it as much as any other carpet, and it can be more expensive. [/EDIT] Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[l a u r e n]

david i hate to point this out to you but tiles need hoovering / sweeping twice a week too :laugh:

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"even if my world is weird it's my world"
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[l a u r e n]

now glaze coated concrete is very nice and very stylish seriously :)

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"even if my world is weird it's my world"
biz stuff   about me

[adamUK]

Hey David, bit steep and can wind up the electric bill but consider getting electric underfloor heating on whichever flooring you choose (okay not carpet). Have it on a timer so it warms it all up nice and toasty for when you get up. Works a treat in my bathroom! Either that or install electric heating in your slippers... Just have to avoid tripping over the electric cable wired to them though. hope it all goes good. Adam. www.beachwizard.com/travelogue[^] "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered" George Best.

[peterchen]

True Linoleum looks great and is very easy to care for (needs an expert to be laid out though). It's a bit epensive, but... well, for the money you can always take the cheapest carpet you can get, and order a cleaning woman twice a week to sweep it. My absolute preference is wood (great when barefoot), although it *is* an issue with use. And nothing is worse than an exploding housewife* exploding because you didn't lift the 8 ton chair before moving it around. Even on my old used and ugly wooden floor I have a stripe of carpet for the most walked part (computer & bed, you name it) *) mental image: David Wulff in an apron...

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Auch den Schatten will ich lieben weil ich manchmal lieber frier'  Rosenstolz   [sighist]

[Brian Delahunty]

Completely off topic. How's NY treating you??? Band started? Regards, Brian Dela :-)

[Brian Delahunty]

peterchen wrote: David Wulff in an apron... :wtf:... oh shit... no... X| X| X| [Thanks peterch X| en] Regards, Brian Dela :-)

[l a u r e n]

nyc is good im moving into my own apt in 2 days got laptop dsl is ordered rollerblades are waiting in the shop band stuff isnt happening yet what more could i want? (apart from sun, sea, sand, love etc etc) :)

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"even if my world is weird it's my world"
biz stuff   about me

[Navin]

lauren wrote: what more could i want? We won't ask what you're paying in rent to live in NYC. :-D NYC is a darn cool place... my sister lives there, but it is expensive. To rent a crummy apartment in Manhattan, she is paying twice what I pay on my *mortgage* for a whole house here in KY. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.