Putting down laminate floor (hardwood, vinyl, paint, installing)
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There's been a number of threads recently about laminate floors, and some very negative comments towards them. I thought I'd let you folks into a small portion of my life as a retired carpenter. Http://www.scotthansen.net/familyroom
This is my very modest home 20 miles North West of downtown Reno. I must admit I never gave the laminate a second thought as to some perceived lower standard. Being able to do everything myself saves enough, and gives us an easy to clean durable surface. I haven't worked residential since i was an apprentice, so I'm not up to date on the latest rage in shacks.
There's been a number of threads recently about laminate floors, and some very negative comments towards them. I thought I'd let you folks into a small portion of my life as a retired carpenter. Http://www.scotthansen.net/familyroom
This is my very modest home 20 miles North West of downtown Reno. I must admit I never gave the laminate a second thought as to some perceived lower standard. Being able to do everything myself saves enough, and gives us an easy to clean durable surface. I haven't worked residential since i was an apprentice, so I'm not up to date on the latest rage in shacks.
Looks really good, I am sold. The flooring company wants to put down quarter round, I like the idea of removing the moulding But what am I getting into if I do the baseboard removal myself? the house was built in 2003, wonder if there is sheetrock behind the baseboards. I have carpet now, what is involved with taking it out. I may not be capable of installing the laminate but I should be able to remove the carpet and baseboards. Any step by step would help me a lot.
Sidney in Port St Lucie, Florida
Looks really good, I am sold. The flooring company wants to put down quarter round, I like the idea of removing the moulding But what am I getting into if I do the baseboard removal myself? the house was built in 2003, wonder if there is sheetrock behind the baseboards. I have carpet now, what is involved with taking it out. I may not be capable of installing the laminate but I should be able to remove the carpet and baseboards. Any step by step would help me a lot.
Sidney in Port St Lucie, Florida
It really depends on your talent level, and confidence. When removing the old base you must first run a utility knife around the top to cut the old caulking. Failure to do this could result in pulling the face paper from the drywall. Use a pry bar (blue Wonder bar) carefully to not damage the drywall. If you need to put something behind it, do it. I use an old taping knife, so I avoid drywall repair. I use a taller profile base for the new install, but I still pull off the caulking carefully. You'll need the paint from the walls most likely. I paint the base prior to installing it (paint it before you even cut it to size), so I don't have a cut line at the floor. I touch up the putty holes from the nails, and the caulk joints. Blue tape is your friend. Put it everywhere on the floor a brush might even get close.
Funny how people complain about the laminate, and dumb old me thinks a base shoe looks stupid!
Please remember that this is second nature too me. Nail guns, saw table, table saw, *** saw are all easily retrieved from my garage. I have no idea of your capabilities. I also have time on my side now. If I work 4 to 6 hours a day that's enough.
Looks really good, I am sold. The flooring company wants to put down quarter round, I like the idea of removing the moulding But what am I getting into if I do the baseboard removal myself? the house was built in 2003, wonder if there is sheetrock behind the baseboards. I have carpet now, what is involved with taking it out. I may not be capable of installing the laminate but I should be able to remove the carpet and baseboards. Any step by step would help me a lot.
Sidney in Port St Lucie, Florida
I just completed pulling up carpet and installing laminate myself. Well I did have a guy friend help as there is some sawing required.
As for pulling up the carpet----that's the easy part. Grab a corner piece and pull!! You'll want a cutting knife to cut the carpet into small pieces -or at least I did it that way. Once the carpet is up and out of the way you'll remove the padding that was underneath. This includes lots of nailed/stapled down portions(I'm no expert ,so have no idea what the correct terms are ) But I used pliers and a hammer. You will want to make sure there are no staples,nails,any debris left over from the carpet. Just crawl around on your hand/knees and perhaps wear work gloves. All easy and sounds worse than it was.
It was at this point we began pulling up the baseboards--carefully. No problems there either.
I refused to pay the price contractors wanted to lay the laminate. It's tiring but too easy to do for me to give my hard earned cash to them.
For me...............I like the look of corner round.
It is not really that difficult installng laminate...perhaps you know someone with a chop saw, jigsaw, tape measure and square who could help you. I am pretty handy but have helped those successfully who were not and the look of pride on their faces after we finished was priceless.
Whichever way you go, good luck and remember.....you might make a few little mistakes installing it but you won't be paying someone that might not put as much effort and pride into it like you would.
Screw the floors and the topic of floors, look at those beautiful views you have there !!!
I pay for that view. Today is our first day above freezing since 12/23, and the snow is starting to melt.
As for the base shoe comment. Base shoe was very common in the early part of the 20th century when labor was cheap. It's not a problem to like it, I just think it makes the floor look like an after thought.
Most of the laminates look to me like sheet vinyl, not like real wood. Are there laminates that have grooves thus looking more like real hardwood flooring?
We put a laminate floor down in our dining room while our house was on the market (to get rid of the plush carpet with the dog stains). One realtor, who has been in the business for over 20 years and is very knowledgable, made the comment after showing the house that the oak hardwood we had installed was a very good addition to the property.
Definitely put in some molding. It is pretty easy, especially if you are going to paint it. Personally, I would use matching molding, but painted is ok too. You can add smaller molding like quarter round to standard molding pieces or even flat boards to make a0m ore interesting look, however keep in mind nthing but flat will collect dust and require cleaning. Building has moed towards plain flat type moldings because people do nto want to have to clean nicer more intersting molding. That is up to you.
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Putting down laminate
) But I used pliers and a hammer. You will want to make sure there are no staples,nails,any debris left over from the carpet. Just crawl around on your hand/knees and perhaps wear work gloves. All easy and sounds worse than it was.
