HELP ! Advise needed on Laminate flooring laid badly !

[zogar75]

Brilliant...thank you so much Woodyoulike for your helpful advise..........I never thought I'd have to swop up on laminate flooring and how to lay it !!!

Feel armed with a bit more knowledge now..........going to put my Sheriffs hat on now and go deal wth these cowboys Yeeeeha!

 

[zogar75]

sorry one more thing.........would the foil underlay have to be laid face down or would thr foil be on the top....if that makes sense??

I just read another question on the forum about underlay for laminate and someone replied saying the foil bit should be face down? On ours it was face up so the foil was sat on the top and then the laminate went straight on that!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Opinions vary in this regards to be honest. Main thing is using this type of underlayment in the correct situations, ONLY on concrete/screed underfloors

 

[mattysupra]

poly foam underlay can be used every where. But on the concrete section it should have a sheet of plastic underneath it and then taped with water proof tape where the subfloors change.

The tin foil backed underlay can also be used every where. But this should be silver side down on the concrete section and joints taped. On the wooden section it needs to be turned upside down and then a spike roller ran over the backing to puncture hundreds of holes into it. Or you can pull the silver backing off.
To confuse things more, the silver backed underlay is a 'vapiour barrier' and not a DPM. The subfloor needs a working DPM and must have a moister content less than 75%RH to use this underlay. (British Standards)

It is however a lot easier to switch underlays to the ones designed for the job!


The plywood in question (3-4mm) would of helped to level the floor boards but only a little. You need 6mm+ to level out floor boards.

However, in your case the estimator has said that it needs some sort of floor prep and it was never was done.

 

[zogar75]

WOW the plot thickens further and my head hurts even more

Thanks Mattysupra for your advise.

Sorry to sound completely dumb but what do you mean when you say ' subfloor ' ?

Nothing other than this silver foil underlay was used and it was foil side up on the concrete floor. I don't even think it was stuck down just cut round and slapped on the floor ! The same with the lounge and dining room..it was just cut out and popped stright on to the existing wooden floors .

So a polyfoam underlay wasn't used then if this siver foiled underlay was the only thing used ? sorry getting more confused and it isn't that hard with me !!!

Do you know the actual name of the 'vapiour barrier' underlay that he used in my house?

I have actually emailed him to ask him to confirm what he actually used and why the plywood wasn't used as quoted !

 

[mattysupra]

subfloor is the base floor in your house i.e the floorboards or the concrete.

I am presuming they used a product called timbermate underlay. It is very good underlay and far better than poly foam. Polyfoam is normally green or white.

However, there are many different underlays out there so without seeing a photo of the underlay its hard to say.

They may have used a underlay that is sutible.

You need to see what there prepared to do. You have some info now that you can question them with. Ask them for the specs and make of the underlay. It may well be fine.