Is it possible to lay laminate flooring in a bathroom - even if it's not recommended for use there?

[Nige]

I was wondering what was preventing me laying a good quality (Quick Step) laminate floor in a bathroom - even though the boards in question aren't recommended for use there?

I have several packs left over from a previous job and though it's designed as a glueless system, surely using a waterproof wood glue would make it suitable for use in wet conditions? The same laminate is used in my living room and I've had no difficulty mopping up liquids (occasionally several hours after they've been spilled) - so what would be the problem using it in a bathroom?

Anyone have any thoughts/experience?

Nigel

[George]

Water has a habit of getting anywhere and over time in the bathroom the edges will start to rise. A person I knew wanted the glueless laying in his kitchen, I advise him not to but he went and done it disregarding my advice.

His wife was forever mopping the kitchen and the edges as stated started rising(bulging) and it looked absolutly awful. General laminate is not made for areas of a wet nature

[R D S]

I laid expensive stuff in our batroom. It looked very s**te very quickly.

If you don't mind mopping up every drop of water very quickly you may be OK, if you think there is a danger you might ever leave a spill on it then don't bother.

[Huge]

Have a look at Amtico. It's vinyl, waterproof, and they make some very convincing fake finishes.

it isn't cheap, though.

[Steve Firth]

Alternatively in the line of fake finishes, have a look at Cotto d'Este ceramics. They do some convincing "wood" as ceramic tiles. A local restoration of a castle used Cotto d'Este to replace a floor made from oak strips and tile which wasn't coping well with modern use. Most visitors are convinced that the "wood" is wood. As well as antique effects they have parquet and several modern 'wood' finishes.

OTOH Cotto d'Este makes Amtico look cheap.

[Owain]

Common sense?

Owain

[manatbandq]

You shouldn't plunge your hand in a pan of boiling water, but there's generally nothing preventing you doing it. Just don't whinge to us (or Quick Step) when you realise why you shouldn't have done it.

MBQ

[Andy McKenzie]

Ah, 'expensive stuff' - there's your problem ;-> I laid cheap stuff in a bathroom 7 years ago and haven't had any problems whatsoever. It's quite a small room, but I wasn't especially careful. I used a PVA glue, and removed and refixed skirting after laying the laminate. It does get wet when baths are had, but doesn't receive any special TLC beyond a weekly mop. I certainly haven't suffered from curling edges.

Andy

[R D S]

I boughty stuff that said 'bathroom' on the packaging, you are lucky, mine looks like s**te, in places there are gaps of about half a centimetre.

[George]

You do suprise me, I mean if you did use PVA it would have still opened up a gap between each piece of laminate...why because the boards flex when walked on and would seperate the laminate gaps just enough to for water to penetrate.

So in a nut shell...PVA is usless in bathroom laminate flooring

[Andy McKenzie]

It was certainly PVA, perhaps we are back in the realm of cheap is cheerful. It almost certainly was laid on a thin compressed paper liner (IKEA circa

1994) which has very little give. So the answer may be 'if laying laminate in a bathroom ensure a firm foundation)! Again the bathroom is fairly small so that might help. I think its an exemplar of 'your mileage may vary'.

Andy

[Andy Hall]

Laminate floor isn't recommended for anywhere, but it's especially unsuitable for wet areas.

You can lay it, but it will swell and disintegrate quite quickly if it gets at all wet.

The appropriate surface for a bathroom floor is tiles, or at a pinch if you must, vinyl sheet.

[Mike Dodd]

I laid a hard-wearing (AC5) click-lok system with PVA, which was left over from the toy-room (computer room), probably 4 years ago. Been fine, even with a wife that likes to splash a lot in the bath.

I was concerned when I laid it but figured as it was spare I might as well try.

[George]

The wife or the laminate?

[Simon Stroud]

As an alternative to Amtico, you could consider Karndean

have used this in two bathrooms and have been VERY pleased with the result.

I have posted several times on the subject - have a look at

you can see pictures of my results.

Regards, Simon.

[Nige]

If I was proposing simply laying a laminate flooring in a bathroom when this wasn't recommended, I would indeed be lacking 'common sense'.

However, the second half of my posting - which you seem to have missed

- mentioned using a waterproof wood glue to prevent ingress of water through joints. In other words - not laying the laminate in the conventional way, but using a method which could be effective for flooring in bathrooms etc.

And from the replies I've received, it seems at least one other contributor to the group has found this method to be successful...

Nigel

[Nige]

Wouldn't dream of 'whinging' to you or anyone else - it simply seemed to me that what prevented the use of laminate flooring in wet areas was that most types use a glueless, 'click lock' system to make the boards easy to lay.

Provided one was prepared to properly glue the joints and seal the ends (as well as using a sealant between the boards and skirtings placed on top) - it might be possible to create a suitably waterproof floor.

I hadn't realised this was broadly equivalent to self-mutilation - but thanks for your considered reply...

Nigel

[manatbandq]

Not by you, no.

or at a pinch if

In your (not so) humble opinion, maybe.

MBQ