laminate floor

[Jones]

I'm looking for cost effective laminate flooring for the DIYer. I'm thinking of redoing the whole main floor of my home with it, which consists of foyer, hall, closet, half bath, kitchen, living and dining rooms. Any pros and cons to doing the kitchen? I was originally thinking of just laying tile there for a "traditional" look.

Anyone know of "cheaper" cost for laminate flooring as opposed to the traditional Lowe's and Home Depot stores? I live in the Baltimore area. The cheapest I've seen so far is $1.50 to $1.75 a square foot of Pergo. We don't plan on living in our house "forever", but the carpets look hideous and it would probably sell better and easier without that carpet as an eyesore.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

The closeout store (Odd Lots, Big Lots, etc) have had it for $1 a foot. Not as nice as the higher prices, but you don't seem to care about quality so take a peek. I did not see any matching trim though if that is needed.

[U-CDK_CHARLES\Charles]

I used laminate on a "garage converted to family room" that was carpet on slab when we bought the house, with the "bonus" that the room had been home to a not so well housebroken dog by the former tenants, Oh Joy!.

It's Good Enough--at the time it was the most attractive option that would play nice with a slab, though now there are nicer "Engineered wood" things available.

In a kitchen, the newer "snap together" laminates generally have to be assembled with glue to maintain a water seal. They do NOT like water, but if they're properly sealed, they'll do okay.

If there's no reason not to, consider hardwood. Amortized over ten years, it's not all that more expensive, with the bonus that you can amortize it over 100 years or so.

[Bill HALL]

Think, long and hard, before you do the kitchen in any style laminate! I did several rooms in my house with the Lowes self-stick "honey oak" and love it for the most part! However, the kitchen is a "bear" to keep clean! Any little spot shows up immediately and if you drop a pot or pan, you get big time dents that show up great, in a well lighted kitchen. Would not do it again in that room!