Laminate Floor Install Question

[scotthershall]

Hi everyone,

So I just ordered some laminate flooring from Lumber Liquidators. Nothing fancy, costs about $1.40/sq ft. It comes with a pad pre-attached but the sales guy recommends installed an additional pad for further sound reduction. This adds another $0.50/sq ft. Obviously, before spending another 35% on this little project I did some investigation online. The only info I seem to be able to find is on Yahoo Answers not the usual DIY forums I frequent (including this one!). So what I'm reading there is the extra padding will cause more flex in the flooring wearing out the "click" joints of the floor faster. This makes complete sense to me. Furthermore many say the pre-attached pad should provide ample sound mitigation (from the hollow/tinny sound that a laminate floor makes - I'm okay with some sound, it's not traditional hardwood after all). There are no issues with the subfloor- nice, flat plywood. Just need to screw down some areas to eliminate squeaks.

Sounds like this is one of those usual up-sells that many places make in one form or another... but this up-sell seems like it would be detrimental rather than be solely a waste of money.

What do you guys think? Any advice? Would the additional padding cause more movement and hence faster wear at the joints? If not, would it be worth an extra 50 cents per square foot?

Thanks!

Scott

 

[St. Coemgen]

If the sub-floor is uneven, having a thicker layer of padding to "even out" this unevenness can actually prevent floor flex over uneven spots and can increase the life span of the laminate. That is, the padding will compress in the high spots over time and the floor will flex less than if you used a thin pad. And also the thickness of your laminate flooring (6,7, or 8 mm) will affect its "flex". Thicker will have obviously flex less and is better to use if you have a less than perfectly flat sub-floor.

Also, it the sub-floor is slap concrete (or concrete covered with tile, vinyl or linoleum -- which yours isn't, so just adding this for other's reference) one should also put down a vapor barrier under the laminate floor (such as 6-mil (.15mm) of polyethylene sheeting).

As for myself, even when using a 1.2 cm thick real wood locking flooring, I still used a 3 mm pad under the wood flooring because the concrete sub-floor was really uneven and badly poured. My wife, in her renovated office put down a 1/4 inch plywood sub-floor over lousy concrete and then only a 1 mm pad under laminated flooring (which is about the same as having laminated flooring with pre-attached padding). So it really is a case by case decision that should include the condition, quality and type of sub-flooring.

More padding does really change the sound. And also adds a tiny, really tiny but some, insulation to the floor (which is probably not relevant, but just thought I would throw that in).

But if you have a really flat and level sub-floor, then the included pad is probably enough if you do not mind the sound when someone (especially women with heels) walks on it. The real benefit, or risk, of the attached padding is it will move with the temperature change contraction/expansion of the floor and is less likely to "bunch up" from this floor movement as a separate padding "might". But then the sub-floor should allow for this movement and be slick enough to allow for it else it might tear into the moving padding.

 

[Highbeam]

Skip it. It's an upsell.

I just put down 8mm with the attached 2mm neoprene looking pad over plywood. No problems and no regrets about additional layers of padding. It's not like carpet where you benefit from the thicker pad underneath.

 

[scotthershall]

Thanks for the replies.

The subfloor is 3/4 inch plywood that's in good condition. Like I said, just need to screw down a few places to eliminate squeaks.

Highbeam - that's pretty much what I'm going to use. 8mm with a 2mm attached pad. I'm okay with some noise, just don't want that clicky noise when you walk on it. I've heard this on some laminate floors. But it might just be part of the bargain... Not like I can afford real hardwood, and even if I could I probably wouldn't get my money back when selling the house. Laminate is the best bang for the buck, methinks, at least in my neighborhood.

Thanks again!

Scott

 

[firefighterjake]

If you are seriously considering the pad . . . have you considered engineered hardwood flooring? There is a little more to it than snap clicking it together (but not much) and you cannot refinish it (or are limited to the number of times you can do so), but in some cases it's not much more than laminate.

In our home we went with engineered hardwood we found on sale at a local liquidator (Mardens for you Maine folks) and at a good price ended up with a product that looks and feels a lot like a traditional wood floor. Since we're pretty gentle on our flooring (no shoes in the house) it still looks pretty good from the day we put it in.

(broken link removed to http://www.lumberliquidators.com/ll/s/engineered-hardwood-flooring/engineered-hardwood-flooring/_/N-yd/Ne-rs/Nr-p_property_site%3AUS/Nrpp-12/Ns-p_price_sort|0)

 

[trailrated]

I have done 2 rooms in my house with laminate from lumber liquidators. I got the 12mm stuff. The first room I decided not to use additional padding and I am pleased with the finished product. A year later I did the second bedroom and had to use a different laminate because the other stuff from my first room was discontinued.

I decided to use additional padding and I am kinda wishing I didn't. The floor feels more spongey in some spots where its uneven. To late now, but in the future I will do away with additional padding.