Laminate Floor Comparison..

[borderfox]

I have been shopping around for laminate flooring in anticipation of my house being signed over shortly.

As i'm skint, I will be using this throughout the house (I know some of you would advise against - and understand why - but i'm up to my eyeballs in debt!).

When it comes to shopping around I can do this no problem based on price - but i'm just concerned that I may not be taking into account that one manufacturer may produce a better product than another - in terms of ease of installation and durability of the product.

Is there a comparison to be found anywhere online?
Are there brands that people can definitely recommend?
Similarly, are there brands that people can definitely steer me clear of?

Brands i have come across so far include 'Finclick' and 'Speedclick'. I have samples of a few different types - is there anyways i can test them for durability?

 

[Diyisfun]

If you are skint, use elbow grease & rub the f/boards stain & varnish. When you can afford it do the floors one at a time, based on what you want rather that the £££££££ you have.
Its what I did on my first house 40 years ago.
Still saving to renew the varnish.

 

[borderfox]

If you are skint, use elbow grease & rub the f/boards stain & varnish. When you can afford it do the floors one at a time, based on what you want rather that the £££££££ you have.
Its what I did on my first house 40 years ago.
Still saving to renew the varnish.

Will be laying downstairs on concrete floor with underlay in between. Upstairs has boards with spaces between them - would be draft issues anyways i think.

 

[Diyisfun]

Yes it is a bit difficult getting a shine on concrete.

 

[WoodYouLike]

The larger 'sheds' normally sell what we call B-products: the same as a good brand, but 'manufacturered' specially for large reselling companies. The reason for this sounds a bit like a economy lesson, but I'll try anyway:
once a brand manufacturer has produced all it can of its brand it knows it will sell for the 'normal' (higher) price it could be the manufacturer has capacity to produce more. The manufacturer can't sell this as its own brand (has 'covered' the market already) so only changes the name and sells it in large quantities to the bigger sheds etc. That way his complete capacity is used (fixed costs are all payed for) without competing with its own brand.

So, in the 'sheds' buy the middle class of laminated flooring (with those funny brand names) don't go for the cheapest ones, they are rubbish.

 

[handyhoney]

Yes, there is a comparison article out there, check out this article:
http://www.ifloor.co.uk/articles/lam/lam.brands.html

that site also has one on hardwood, if you're interested. Hope it helps!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Pity the writer is concentrating on USA (brand names, prices etc.)
Otherwise the article is appropriate. The other article he mentions: Pergo vs The World (explaining the difference between hardwood flooring and laminate flooring) I hold a very different opinion about it, but well.......
a) again it's based on USA and
b) we are into Natural Wooden Flooring, so I'm biased

 

[borderfox]

Thanks folks. @handyhoney - right on the money - but as WoodYouLike said, not for this side of the pond. If there was an equivalent for europe, it would be useful.