Laminate V engineered floor - Need your advice

[Redhotferrari]

Hi guys,

As the title sugests, want to 'wood' floor our lounge, have done small bathrooms, cloakrooms etc before and used suitable laminate and not done a bad job - IMO!

bit of background - the house is nearly 50 years old, the lounge is concrete, with a 'tile' on top, really stable and flat, so that seems a good good start.

Plan to remove all old skirting and replace with new one the floor is down, hate that beading carp!

My main question is, dont really want to take the very cheap option of laminate and regret it later, but cant afford to lay real wood. Was thinking of the engineered wood option.

Any thoughts on this? Is it any good etc? or would laminate do just as good a job? Have seen in Screw Fix that you can get hardwood veneer flooring for £37.90 per pack (1.58m per pack) Any thoughts if this is any good?

Look forward to your response on this one.

Many thanks

 

[Redhotferrari]

Anyone? Really could do with some advice on this one as dont want to make a bad choice.

Cheers

 

[WoodYouLike]

Give us a chance! Some of us work in the flooring trade an go home after a hard days work.

You could start here for the real differences and advantages in floor types.

 

[Redhotferrari]

Sorry, did not mean to offend!

Thanks for the link, I have looked into the different types and understand the difference, the question I had, was one, is engineered any good? Understand solid wood is better, but cant really go the whole hog! two, any experiance with the screw fif product? Seems like a good price and was hoping for some guidance on this one.

Many thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

Why is solid wood better? In many circumstances wood-engineered is better, due to enhanced stability when humidity changes during the seasons.

With the choices you have nowadays in pre-oiled wide board Wood-Engineered it looks the same as solid once installed, if you use proper insulation it sounds 'solid' etc etc etc.

Plus, do you know from 5.5 cubic meter Oak 95 sq m solid boards 18mm thick can be made versus 750 sq m of standard (3.6 mm solid top layer) wood-engineered boards!

 

[WoodYouLike]

As for Screw fix, if they talk about veneer the boards could have a solid top layer of only 0.6mm instead of standard 3.6mm.

 

[Redhotferrari]

The product from SFIX, states 3.5mm Hardwood Veneer, total thickness 15mm.

Resandable 3 times, 25 years manufacturers guarantee (assume they would bulk at this if not laid to MI instructions to the letter!)

Would plan to use there Foam underlay with DPM.

Is this any good?

 

[Petest67]

Is the flooring from screw fix that you've seen a 3-strip or a single plank? It works out to £20.41 + vat sq.mtr which if its a plank is excellent but its probably a 3-strip. I'm guessing its oak?
Using 3mm foam is fine but remember to get the one with built in dpm.

 

[Redhotferrari]

Thanks Pete, yes it is a 3 strip, is this a problem? once again, yes it is oak.

To put things in a bit of perspective, not looking for something to last 30 years, just something that feels a lot nicer and more solid than 'real' wood and will last a few years, my thoughta are that even if we stayed in the house for 5 years, if the floor lasts that long then per year its not a bad return on the costs, lets face it I could carpet it for a bit less and within this time would probably change or get bored of it and change anyway.

Look forward to your thoughts

 

[WoodYouLike]

Any decent wood floor, full plank or 3-strip, will be an asset to your home, even if you plan to live there only for 5 years.
Quality flooring that is, installed properly too - otherwise it's not worth the trouble or cheap costs. See here for recent Estate Agents survey on wooden flooring and adding value

 

[Redhotferrari]

thanks for all the advice on this one.

Woodyoulike, would you mind giving me a bit of advice about where to start laying this in my lounge.

Lounge is 6.5 m x 3.5m, one if the 6.5m walls has two doors either end, the other 6.5m wall has a brick built original fire place in, which is blocked up.

the 3.5m end walls have window one end, patio doors the other.

My question is where is the best place to start laying this?

Advice much appreciated, all the instructions I have found online seem to allow for a 'normal' square/rectangle room!.

 

[WoodYouLike]

We would start in front of the fireplace, that's your focal point of the room. If you start there with a whole board it will look nicest.