Hi, I'm totally new to this d-i-y lark but i hope to put down some laminate flooring on some floor boards. Which brand is suitable? There just seems to be an unending list to choose from. I'm considering B&Q's Floormaster range and also the flooring that Allied carpets is promoting as their own stuff. Thanks for any advice in advance.
Lee
Don't get that cheapo one that B&Q do, I can't remember the name but was less than a tenner a pack , it was a nightmare. I ruined two packs and took the rest back it was bloody hopeless. I bought another make from the local floor place and it was fine. Rob
We were going with the floormaster loc 1600, but when we called them to order it they could not make anyone available to take the order. So we took our £500 and went to screwfix and got to keep £150 of it. It's really rather similar, but not the same.
Not laid any of it yet, so can't comment beyond the first impressions, which isn't all that bad TBH. Main difference being in the pattern; it features much smaller "planks" within the larger overall design of each panel.
It's 7mm instead of 8mm of the B&Q. Each pack covers twice that of the B&Q one. It seems a tad more flexible than B&Q (down to thickness I expect) The profile of their locking mechanism is slightly less complex. Not sure how they would perform relative to each other though.
Found out the Screwfix one we got was Kaindl McSnap and they have a web site, where the instructions seem ok, if a tad severe! ;O) Screwfix may source from more than one place so I'd check deeper into that - I suspect it's the main reason behind the advice they give to buy all you need for a job in one lot.
It's AC3 and IC(?) 3 and B&Q one is 4 in these respects. Maker suggests it's up for light commercial use, so it should be ok for home use I'd imagine.
Hope this helps, but probably not (I remember the nightmare you're having now all too well!) Above all, good luck with yours. Mine's going down within the next 3 weeks assuming no further delays are encountered.
Take Care, Gnube
I did my kitchen in some I got from Ikea. It went down a treat and so far (3 years) I have had no problems at all. They have done it on a landing at Ikea with the phrase that x number (being a lot and I cant remember) are walking over this landing over the last year, and it looked fine.
Being Ikea, it was dirt cheap as well
Mike
Just laid some Richard Burbidge flooring in the bathroom of my wife's flat - went together easily and neatly, is rated for bathrooms and kitchens, looks wonderful. Think it was called Profile II or Connect II or something like that.
Around £13 per sq m, so not the cheapest stuff, but we are very happy with the outcome. When the tenant goes away next it's going down in the kitchen....
cheers Richard
-- Richard Sampson
email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk
Go for glueless and DON'T buy the type that has a locking system similar to what you get at Wikes i.e. any system where you have to use a hammer and plastic block to knock the planks together or strap tensioners to get the planks really close together.
I had untold grief with this type of system last year when I did one of our bedrooms. If I hit the plastic block too hard it put the planks I had already laid out of true and it took three times as long to lay the floor as I had estimated. I am still not completely happy with it although it looks very nice on first inspection.
I went to Carpet Right to get the laminate flooring for the second bedroom and, although it was a little more expensive, it was a million times easier to lay. I bought Interloc flooring and the difference with their locking system and the ease in which it went down more that makes up for the additional expense in my opinion. These planks literally *do* click together and you get a nice tight fit between them. You do not need to use a hammer and plastic block to knock them together.
I was in there the other day looking for laminate to do the lounge. The Interlock seems to have got dearer since last year but they have another brand called Kronofix which appears to have the same locking system and it is currently selling at £8.99 a square metre. Interloc is now £11.97 a square metre.
I haven't had the chance to check out Allied Carpets and would appreciate it if anybody knows if they are selling laminate flooring with the Interlock system and how much it costs.
I have done extensive web searches for laminate floors over the last few days and in my opinion you can get the best deal from Carpet Right at the moment.
BTW I don't work for them :)
HTH
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