scottman0
Member
I am in the process of building a bathroom in my basement (with three little girls and a wife, I need a "man's room" with some piece and quiet!). I was thinking of putting laminate flooring down but a guy at the homecenter told me that I couldn't put it directly on concrete. I talked to my wife's uncle over Christmas and he did it in his parent's house. Just put down the foam vapor barrier and go. Anybody done it on concrete, anything I should or shouldn't do?
tedgoesfast
New member
yes i have just leave enough room at the walls for expansion the moldings will cover the gap and use the foam for sure
scottman0
Member
Thanks.
just a thought, you may want to put ceramic tile ....CP
scottman0
Member
That was the original plan but, I thought that laminate would be faster and I could do it myself.
DO NOT USE LAMINATE IN THE BATHROOM.
i used it in my kitchen, it lasted till the first time we let water sit on the floor. Never use it in a bathroom. There is a product that is similar but is a vinal product that is a floating floor, can be installed over cement, cant be wet, goes together easier than the laminate. I used it in my apartment house in a bedroom and bathroom. http://www.flooringmarket.com/vinyl/konecto/
this stuff looks like wood as close as a few inches away. it is a little more than laminate. laminate looks good in the store. i have 7years on mine and even in the living room there are edges swelled from drinks spilled, dont even look under the rug in front of the entry door.
good luck, i hope i have saved you a big mistake.
i used it in my kitchen, it lasted till the first time we let water sit on the floor. Never use it in a bathroom. There is a product that is similar but is a vinal product that is a floating floor, can be installed over cement, cant be wet, goes together easier than the laminate. I used it in my apartment house in a bedroom and bathroom. http://www.flooringmarket.com/vinyl/konecto/
this stuff looks like wood as close as a few inches away. it is a little more than laminate. laminate looks good in the store. i have 7years on mine and even in the living room there are edges swelled from drinks spilled, dont even look under the rug in front of the entry door.
good luck, i hope i have saved you a big mistake.
scottman0
Member
Well, I guess that I got the answer that I was looking for. Yes, I can use laminate over cement But DO NOT USE IN A BATHROOM! Thanks guys for all of your input. Back to plan A ceramic tile.
I do remodeling for a living an I won't do laminate it will get trashed in no time...Over concrete if it's a small area you should be able to do tile yourself. And your other option is to do vinil floor, there is a cazillion options for vinil now days and some get to be real nice...like the hardgoods thick stuff...check it out.....
Nick
Nick
moss
New member
Another option is to install a sub floor on the concrete and then go Laminate, provides a thermal break so your floor will be warmer when walking on it, and also will help with Moisture. I think the reason its suggested not to put laminate on concrete is how that product deals with Moisture, as Betheviper mentioned, and typically a basement with a concrete floor can be damp and wet. If you install the sub floor first, and then the laminate, you should have no issue's with moisture. As for the flooring, well laminate is not the best quality, and don't expect it to last the same as hardwood or Tile.
If your unsure of the product I mean, here is a link
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=931386&Ntt=931386&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber
If your unsure of the product I mean, here is a link
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=931386&Ntt=931386&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber
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bluemonster1
LIFE MEMBER ONLY ONCE!!!
The laminate I just installed in my kitchen is the New Dimension Laminate flooring.It has a proboard underlay.I have been soaking a piece of the laminate flooring in a container full of water all day,just checked it and there is no swelling at all.If nothing swells in 24 hours,I am a happy camper.This flooring is an inter-locking snap into place flooring.You lift it about 22 degrees and push one edge into the other,and bring it down while keeping pressure against each other and it locks into place.I do have a under lay with moisture barrier under it to.
FuzzButt
New member
I'd go with ceramic tile. Just get the kind designed for wet floor use. It will be a bit more work but you'll like the results better.
If you are concerned about the cold concrete get a heating element for the areas of the floor where you will be standing most of the time. Even if you have to build up the floor an inch or so to do it would be worth it.
I have ceramic tile laying directly on my concrete slab. I have used all 3 kinds of morter/mastic as well as regular sanded grout and the epoxy grout.
If you do go Laminate go with a separate vapor barrier then the foam padding.
If you are concerned about the cold concrete get a heating element for the areas of the floor where you will be standing most of the time. Even if you have to build up the floor an inch or so to do it would be worth it.
I have ceramic tile laying directly on my concrete slab. I have used all 3 kinds of morter/mastic as well as regular sanded grout and the epoxy grout.
If you do go Laminate go with a separate vapor barrier then the foam padding.
sockeyerun
Test Dummy
I just did most of my house in Laminate. Instructions stated that if installing over concrete, you must use a vapor barrier between the concrete and foam underlayment. I would not do it in a bathroom either. Soc
