Installing Wood floors

[Flint knapper]

How hard is it to instal laminate wood floors! I'm thinking about putting wood floors in all of my house except for the bedrooms.

Thanks

[TXJon]

Do you mean laminate, or wood? Laminate is not too hard. If you are reasonably handy, have a decent chop saw and a jig saw you should be fine. It will eat your saw blades.

Maybe you want to spend a little time in a house that has it, before you put it in yours. It's very noisy, especially if you have kids. I have had some people tell me their dogs won't walk on it. Maybe that's not a bad thing.

Solid hardwood is another story.

[barnett76522]

its not bad at all if you take your time and make sure everything is perfect. make sure you get enough if your going with laminate or at least ask wherever your buying it from if they keep that style in stock. have seen some buy then install and be short go back to the store and they don't carry it any more.

[Lethal Injection]

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[Lethal Injection]

Do you mean laminate, or wood? Laminate is not too hard. If you are reasonably handy, have a decent chop saw and a jig saw you should be fine. It will eat your saw blades.

Maybe you want to spend a little time in a house that has it, before you put it in yours. It's very noisy, especially if you have kids. I have had some people tell me their dogs won't walk on it. Maybe that's not a bad thing.

Solid hardwood is another story.

We just had the laminate installed in my house and in my opinion the only positive side is that they are easier to clean. The floors are colder, harder and makes the room alot louder so now the ol lady wants to cover them with rugs, go figure.

[kdenhead]

We installed laminate about a year ago.

We chose laminate over 'real' wood b/c of our dawg. He had ruined the Bruce hardwood floor in our entry (he would run to the front door to check on squirrels!).

We are pleased with the Wilsonart product we chose. It is LOUD compared to carpet and our old hardwood. BUT, it is TOUGH. The dawg or the three kids have yet to make a mark on it. Very easy to keep. We removed all carpet downstairs and have nothing but laminate or c-tile.

Go with a name brand and buy the better/best stuff. Ours ended up being more expensive than some of the hardwoods.

kc

[Shadow]

We just had the laminate installed in my house and in my opinion the only positive side is that they are easier to clean. The floors are colder, harder and makes the room alot louder so now the ol lady wants to cover them with rugs, go figure.

did you happen to use the sound dampening insulation? It's a bit more money up front but saves in the end. Also going from carpet to any hard floor is going to "echo" more. Carpet absorbs sound so it doesn't "bounce" around room. You can use a small area rug and that should suffice.

[Sticks&Strings]

It is great if you have dogs. Tough as nails. It is loud, so you will probably need a rug, and maybe a couple trees or plants to help absorb the noise.

[Flint knapper]

I have a hallway with two rooms. The problem that I might have is when going from one room to the hall way and then to the other room.

[cj7zrcool]

I'm planning on selling my house this year, so I ripped out all the carpet & vinyl and replaced it with laminate flooring & ceramic tile. Love the tile, HATE the laminate for the same reasons stated above. Cold & LOUD. My 65# boxer walks around on it at night and it sounds like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly having a tap-off until he jumps back up on the sofa. It's friggin' LOUD, I'm tellin' ya.

[Mudslinger]

Because of our 2 Rotts, we pulled the carpet in our living room, dining room and kitchen and installed ceramic tile. Yes it is cold, but not noisy and very easy to clean. I think the look with the right tile is just as good as wood flooring. The wood or laminate flooring is not that hard to install. Like it was said above, a good miter saw, jigsaw and maybe a coping saw, a little time and good knee pads and you will be to go. Go luck and post pics after you finish.

[tjb86]

like stated above not to hard if you can read a tape measure and use a saw.

[dustoffer]

Just finished off our house--my recommendation is to not use the floating floor--but the glue-down type.

And, yes, it is a bit noisier and colder, but easier to clean, and unlike carpet, doesn't wear out in high-traffic areas.

[Ol Thumper]

Sliding miter saw, table saw, jig saw, tape measure, rubber coated dead blow hammer and a laminate install kit and your good to go.

[cjkozik]

Very easy to install the hardest thing is around door jambs. It can get a little tricky having to pop a piece together under one. If you run into problems post some pics and I'm sure there are enough people on here to walk you through any difficult spots you may run across. What ever you do, don't go the cheap route on your vapor barrier/ padding.