finding floating floors

[weekendwarrior]

Hi all
Does anyone know any good places for floating/laminate flooring in the north/west Melbourne area? Require about 50 square m's. Anyone with any thoughts/comments on this type of flooring?
Thanks in advance.

[Trav]

Not sure about Melbourne, but I picked up some real timber (ie not a plastic laminate) tassie oak floating floors at a renovation auction for about $40m2. It might be worth looking in the local papers for similar auctions.

Trav

[Cassandra]

There is a thin (11 mm) real solid floor called INDUSTFLOOR that we got for our new kitchen at $66 a sq.m. here in Sydney. Look back in this thread for the photos of it under my name. It is fabulous and we will be getting more to do the rest of the house. Only trick is to lay it with NON water based glue. It goes over all types of sub floors as long as they're level (sort of). Never scratches (and we have 4 kids and 2 dogs) and retains its finish.

[blt]

Any carpet store will sell it, even Bunnings (hardware stores) sell laminate flooring. They also will usually sell solid flooring boards.

From what I've seen, laminate prices seem to range from ~$19-$60m2. Cheaper stuff is thinner (~7mm) and is unsealed. The cheap stuff doesn't look anywhere near as finely machined or finished off as slightly dearer stuff imho. Dearer stuff is thicker (>=8mm), is waterproofed on all faces, has a slight embossed finished for appearance, has a backing plate on the base, and generally looks nicer quality.
We ended up buying some 8mm Laminex flooring for $28m2, and it looks pretty good. The one I liked the best was Quickstep 800 - but at $42m2 I couldn't justify the extra cost.
Also, remember that you need plastic underlay - it's about $3-$6m2 and comes in several grades. Dearer underlay often has soundproofing qualities.
ALSO, you may need to remove and/or replace your skirting board. The flooring is laid with a 10mm expansion gap around the perimeter, and some people just cover this with quad ... but imho it looks better if you use the skirting to cover this gap.
If money is no object, go to a carpet store and look at the Bamboo flooring... it's very nice!
ummm think I've rambled enough!

[ymd]

Hi there, thanks for your feedback blt..Can I please ask you where you purchased the 8mm laminex flooring from? I seem to be getting prices around the $49.00 m/2. I want to lay it downstairs on a concrete floor - Will probably require around 100m/2 and I won't have to worry about laying down a soundproof substrate thankfully..Many thanks, ymd

[blt]

Hi weekendwarrior... I didn't bother saying where we bought it, as we are in Brissie! We ended up getting all the flooring from our local Bunnings hardware - much to my surprise. They had a range of cheaper ($19m) stuff which wasn't real flash, but also several pallets of 8mm Laminex QuickStyle for $28m, in a choice of 3 colours. I'm not sure now if Bunnings is in Vic?
We just finished laying 50m2 and are quite happy with the result, although it was more fiddly and took 4 times longer than expected (always the way). We bought dearer underlay that has soundproofing, even though we have a concrete slab. Supposedly if you use cheap underlay (which is just plastic sheeting) you can get 'clanking' or hollow noises when you walk on the flooring. I don't know if that's true or not! Probably could've saved a bit of cash by getting the regular stuff.
Oh - btw, we realised at the last minute when reading the laying instructions that you are not meant to run continuously for more than 13m2. This means that in room doorways you need expansion gaps.... so if you have a room >13m2 I'm not sure how you'd handle it.

[nik]

ymd,

in bunngins at the flooring section you will find big rolls of white foam stuff, from memory 10m2 for about $20. Just use that over the top of some builders film and it should be alright. That's what I have used in the past, and it's also what carpet call supplied me with when I first layed some of the stuff. As for quality, then you get what you pay for, I bought some cheaper flooring (I forget the name, I think it started with D and was made in Germany) at about $30 a pack (2.25m2) and I definitelly noticed a difference between that and the parador stuff i have used in the past. But all in all, it wasn't a bad floor, and it's been down about a year or so and it's stood upto two dogs walking all over it. No other probs either.

Nik.

[ymd]

Thanks a mill blt & nik..your feedback has been extremely valuable..Budget is tight & I will pop into bunnings & pick up the $19.00 m/2 flooring & the rolls of white foam at $20.00 for 10 metres..I have attached my dimensions for downstairs..Can I please ask you to have a check over it to ensure I am calculating it correctly! I've rounded the cm's off to the next metre..Attachment enclosed..Thanks again, ymd

[nik]

I might want to add I have never been good at maths or measurements. But approx you should need about 58 - 59 m2. You should take in the dimensions and just confirm with one of the bunnings staff. If I were you though, I would buy an extra packet incase you need it, and also I would buy the installation kit that they also sell (about $20). I bought an extra 2 packets (thankfully, because one turned out to have broken boards in it) and just took them back to bunnings and got a refund. I have also seen rugs a million selling that sort of flooring, but I don't know if they still do, or if it is a good price. Another hint is to read the instructions, walk into the room, plan out your work, and then read the instructions again. The first room you do will pretty much be a practice run. You will get better as you go on, it looks like by the third room you will be a pro. As for time, cater for about 2 days per 20m2 to finish. And make sure you have plenty of damp rags and dry rags so you can wipe off the excess. Apart for leaving the 10mm gap all the way round, there shouldn't be much else you need to know.

Good luck, and don't rush it. Ohh, and don't forget the glue

Nik.

[seriph1]

how did you get on finding the flooring?

Steve

[weekendwarrior]

Hi Steve
Still researching the laminated flooring but have been impressed with some Pergo laminate flooring from Delta Carpets and Vinyls in Airport West. For around $39 square meter you get a nice looking floor gaureented for 15 years. Extra couple of bucks per meter for underlay. Pergo have an international reputation as beeing a good thing- still looking into it, but are leaning their way.

[seriph1]

Sounds good - am not familiar with it - are you talking a wood-look vinyl?

[weekendwarrior]

Hi steve
Its a laminate floor. Check out www.pergo.com

[Chesand]

Cannot comment on the type of flooring you are after but we had Pegulan installed by Delta about 3 and a half years ago.
Very pleasant people to deal with and did a good job. We were very satisfied and the floor still looks as new
Hope that might help