I see that Costco is selling Harmonics laminate floors that aren't nailed or glued down. They basically snap together and just sit there. You leave a gap at each wall to allow for expansion, with a baseboard covering the gap.
Has anyone used this?
How do you handle stairs with this stuff?
It works just fine, but you don't do stairs with it.
- Rodger
No laminate (pergo style) products are glued or nailed down. They are all considered "floating" floors.
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I did some floors with the HD version and it came out awesome. Floor prep for levelness will determine what it looks like when done. I had a hell of a floor prep job on concrete that had a lot of uneven places. The floor leveler can run $35 a bag if I recall.
Check the installation instructions. Depending on what you are puting it over says if you want to put down a plastic moisture barrier ASIDE from the padding.
The stuff I used had aluminum oxide as part of it's surface coating. Excellent for wear. It also means you MUST use carbide tipped blades. Had a regular steel blade at first and it lasted about 10 cuts then just blue smoked and burnt.
Yeah, done that - t kind of burns through it after that! It's also because of the glue/epoxy that it's made with - very strong stuff.
- Rodger
I haven't used that exact brand, but I think they are all mostly similar. I'm not real impressed with laminate. It's a good product for homeowners since it is simple to install. Take the warranty sheet and put it in the recycling bin. That's about what it is worth. I dealt with some warranty issues before--the factory rep came out and stretched a string across the floor--more than 1/8" out of flat in 10 feet and the warranty is void. He also slipped a putty knife under the base trim, and if there was one spot he couldn't slip the knife, guess what, warranty voided. Any seam within 12" of another--warranty void.Pretty high standards IMO. No warranty for scratching either. It does scratch fairly easily. You must religiously leave an expansion gap next to the wall or it will buckle. It also must not ever be used where it will potentially get wet. I will also second the idea of using an additional moisture barrier. It looks like fake wood. No real good way to deal with stairs--take a walk through the laminate department at HD and the parts you see are what you will have to deal with. But if none of that bothers you, go for it.
What about formaldehyde emissions? Is there a brand out there that doesn't emit toxic fumes? I would really like to use this stuff on my raised subfloor in the basement but I read that a lot of people are affected by the fumes and not just for a few days either. I know that there is a brand imported from Europe but is there anything made in North America?
Claude M>> I see that Costco is selling Harmonics laminate floors that aren't
Just a guess, but I bet the manufacturers would know. Contact them.
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