laminate flooring

Even the cheap laminates are durable. What you get with more money is a better appearance, (more natural looking) and better wear on the top coat. You won't go through 8 mm of material in your lifetime, but it is the top layer that really counts. It seems as though many of the cheaper brands don't offer much in the way of trim strip, transition pieces, etc. That may or may not be a factor in your decision.

In any case, if you decide to install it, you need a good carbide tipped blade to cut it.

I put laminate in my last kitchen. Then we had a leak under the sink. Ended up removing it an putting down tile.

Your fooling yourself at a buck a foot for the flooring. You still need a membrane and the pad. Check the direction for installation. My pad was $0.50 a foot on sale when I bought my flooring. Do you own or can borrow an accurate tablesaw and miter saw? I purchased a 10 inch Dewalt for my project. I already own a power miter saw.

I had some laminate (Pergo) in a small room, and had a leak, and the stuff swelled up and buckeled like crazy. I think the stuff is just terrible in general, and in particular for any application that risks wetness. I dont think it looks very good either. And my stuff wasnt cheap. It ended up being as expensive as real wood flooring. If I wnated to go with a prefinished product, I would go with a ~Bruce wood flooring product (i.e. prefinished wood floors), or if that would be too thick an application, tile is a great surface for a kitchen.

i'm doing an area where there is a cast iron radiator. i know it will look lousy if i try to cut around the 4 "feet" it stands on. old guy told me to jack up the radiator ever so slightly and slide the flooring in under it - anyone ever hear of this - you know what i'm afraid of.

We put Pergo in the kitchen about 5 or 6 years ago. Looks great, no problems.

I installed the Kronoswiss glue together, not in a kitchen, in rental property about 2 years ago. It was 7mm.

It has held up very well.

Colbyt

One thing not mentioned though. was the consideration of engineered wood rather than laminate. I put down some Mannington wood about 18 months ago and I'm very happy with it. I have laminate on my stairs, but the wood is much nicer overall.

We put Mannington glueless (snaps together) in kitchen and baths a while back. All doing well if you follow directions and used silicone around the edge. Good warranty too.

Same problem with the tiles on the second floor - floor moves too much. Already install laminate in one of the bathrooms. Its not water proof but so far so good.

I had a leak too and my hardwood floor swelled and buckled just as bad as the laminates. There is a water proof laminate product that you could submerge it under water without damage.

Well that is certainly true. Hardwoods will buckle when heavily wet. I had this happenas as well (I guess I should learn to keep the water where it belongs...). However, the swelling eventually went down (mostly), to the point you cannot visually tell, and only can feel it barley. And with wood, you had refinish numerous times, whereas with laminate, you are out-of-luck.

Waterprrof laminate sounds interesting, but I just dont like the look of laminates...

yes, but the laminates are under a buck a sq foot & take no time to replace

Don't like the LOOK of laminates? I defy you to tell which one of my 3 floors is laminate......

Now, as for SOUND, that's a different story. When walking on it with hard soled shoes, you can hear a difference between laminate and real hardwood.

flooring

I've done it. A couple times when doing flooring projects I have been able to pull up a cast iron radiator slightly, using a crowbar and block of wood. Has not caused any leaks. The pipes to the radiators are 80 year old iron.

When I put laminate in the kitchen I was not able to lift up the radiator enough to get clearance under it; had to cut around the legs. That's why they make that matching-color caulk. Of course, you always have to cut around the pipes anyway.