Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Flooring (DIY) – Lower quality engineered wood or decent quality laminate?
  • zeesaffa
    Free Member

    Please help me make a decision 🙂

    Not sure what to go for at around £30 p/m2.

    There are some online retailers with engineered wood on discount sale with wood wear layer of about 2.5mm > 3.5mm thickness.

    Or do I go for a decent quality laminate at that price?

    It’s going in living room. Above average traffic for a living room because of 2 young kids and doors leading out into garden.

    Also, what are your thoughts on fiberboard underlay 5.5mm?

    Opinions appreciated!

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    At £30 per sq metre you’re spoilt for choice of good quality engineered. No need to go for laminate at that price.

    http://www.flooringsupplies.co.uk/engineered-wood-flooring

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    I got solid oak for that kind of money 2m long, 220mm wide planks, oiled and hand scraped, it looks lovely and has worn really well. Needs re-oiling about every 2 years which takes a few hours and a day to dry. Mines glued to a 10mm plywood subfloor and goes under the skirting which was removed for fitting. I used UK Flooring Direct and they were excellent. For the record 3 dogs, 2 kids its 8 years old and still looks pretty much like new even in the hall. I’d strongly recommend oiled as it’s far, far easier to maintain than lacquer especially if it gets scratched, quick sand of the scratch if it’s deep, re oil and it’s gone.

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    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    I’d strongly recommend oiled as it’s far, far easier to maintain than lacquer especially if it gets scratched, quick sand of the scratch if it’s deep, re oil and it’s gone.

    This! Just wipe an oily rag over any scratches and it’ll eventually gain a lovely patina.

    zeesaffa
    Free Member

    Thanks all!

    I had been advised to go lacquered for the protection but now that you’ve suggested that about oiled I’ll have to rethink that 🙂

    Thanks again!

    zeesaffa
    Free Member

    I’ve been reading up a bit more on oil vs lacquered – and oil is definitely the way forward.
    Scratches don’t show up as much because the oil penetrates the surface – and when they do show up then (as you suggested above) – a light sand and wipe of that board with oil sorts it out.
    Lacquered is a bit more hard-wearing but when it does scratch or wear out over time – the floor starts to look bad.
    Also, oil has a nicer more natural look to it.

    That’s how I now understand it.

    Good thing you guys pointed that out and I didn’t just have the advice from the wood flooring “specialist”.

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    Given the choice of oiled or lacquered I would choose oiled every time.
    Looks more natural, more easily “repaired”, not so slippery, should never need sanding as it gets older; it’ll just develop a patina.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    How much do you need? I’ve 5m2 boxed unopened of this in the garage you can have for £100.

    dyna-ti
    Full Member

    Real wood, engineered or other, is 100x better than that plastic coated high density laminate stuff.

    Its just horrid to walk or kneel on.
    Easy to clean though, if youre a messy type.

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    As I said nice oiled oak looks lovely and properly looked after with oil it darkens a little with age but takes on a nice sheen. I found some options at wood floors direct for 34 psm yesterday.j

    craig24
    Free Member

    Which thickness underlay are you all using? I’ve been looking at this recently and the free stuff they chuck in is only 2mm?

    bearnecessities
    Full Member

    Quite happy I was with the 10mm laminated stuff I was going to buy, but no, you lot now have to drag me into a world of inevitable research and procrastination…

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    The proper way to do it depends on the floor. I have planks in a Victorian house so my bloke laid a 10mm floating ply underfloor on those so he could run the floor the same way as the planks then glued 18mm oak boards to that, its been perfect. I remember the glue was eye wateringly expensive.

    chickenman
    Full Member

    Except, Joolsburger, in that scenario I’d have nailed it straight down without the need for a subfloor (maybe the odd shim if the old floor is really wonky): No mess, no expensive glue, no ply and done in a fraction of the time.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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