First time DIY laminate floor project

Julie F
by Julie F
Some of the experts her say not to lay laminate in the kitchen....anyone had sucess with it in the kitchen?
  13 answers
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 21, 2012
    I have had it in my kitchen for 2 years....LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! I wanted real wood, but I did not want to worry about water. I am not overly careless about water, but I know the floor will not be ruined with 1 astray ice cube. I even have it in my master bathroom. I am careful to step out of the tub onto a cotton absorbant rug and always check to make sure I wipe up any drip. We are empty nesters so we do not have to worry about kids. I think one of the big concerns is that moisture underneath will cause mold...just do not allow that to happen. I also use rugs at the skink and refrigerator.
  • Pros and Cons. Laminate products come in all sorts of qualities and types. Depending upon the quality purchased and the method of installing You will either love it as Jeanette does, or hate it like my wife does in our office. It can be hard on the feet like tile, and can be damaged by moisture should the fridge ice maker overflow, or dishwasher fail to drain. Small spills tend not to be to much of an issue as long as you pick them up quickly. I find the biggest issue with this type of floor is uplift on the seams. If you have a lot of humidity in the home or under the floor the edges where the wood connects together tends to lift ever so slightly making a tiny bump that you often can see and feel if barefoot. But it is very easy to clean and very hard to damage so it can be a great choice for a kitchen and in some rare cases bathroom/powder rooms alike. Purchase the most expensive floor that you can afford however, the lower cost laminate is fine if your flipping the house, but for long term the more you spend the longer and happier you will be once its down and finished.
  • Stacye H Stacye H on Jul 21, 2012
    I put laminate flooring through my entire house with the exceptions of the bathrooms. The night after it was first installed my dishwasher overflowed. It ruined the 1st 3 rows of laminate from the dishwasher. Since then my dishwasher has over flowed again and the ice maker has leaked so now the entire kitchen floor is ruined. I am saving the money to install ceramic tile. I would not recommend it.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 22, 2012
    When we investigated laminate flooring, we took a sample home and I put it in a bowl of water for 7 days. At the end of the week, I had to dry it! NO DAMAGE WHATSOEVER. The floor I chose was Oak pattern by Shaw Industries. We installed it ourselves and have never had any problem with slippage. My helpers insisted that it be tight and perhaps put in a bit more snug than the professionals would. Also, we put in the "quiet floor" pad which was padded and we love this. As for being hard on the feet, I feel it is no worse than any solid floor....tile, vinyl, wood, etc....but is harder on the feet than carpet...of course! I grew up with hardwood and believe me, it is hard to keep and it can be ruined in a heartbeat. One dog pee or wet towel and you have a ruined floor. After 7 years and a lot of traffic we have not one blimish on my laminate!
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 22, 2012
    PS...we had ceramic tile and when the ice maker leaked and we did not know it, the sub flooring under the tile had to be replaced before we cround put down laminate. We had to leave it open for days to let the joist dry out! We had to put down kittly litter and use fans. No matter what kind of flooring you have, nothing is going to be completely waterproof because you go from waterproof product (tile) to non-waterproof product (baseboards/walls). Grout in tiles crack and water seaps through; there are gaps between the wall and the floor where water can seap in; water can seap underneath cabinets....any amount of water...and particualrly frequent water flows....will cause problems in ANY floor!
  • Julie F Julie F on Jul 22, 2012
    Thanks to all for your input...will report back later in aug after my husband and I tackle this project!
  • Heidi Lambert Heidi Lambert on Jul 22, 2012
    We put it down 15 years ago (pergo brand) with the exception of a few scars where I dropped something sharp, it has worn awesome, washes well and still looks good. I have loved it. I have it in my family room also, a little seperation at the door where people have left wet shoes, but not noticeable, and we laid it ourselves, first time...recommend it
  • The original Pergo was a Dog to install. The reason why this was so resistant to water damage is that every edge was glued to the next. Thus preventing water from getting into the seams between each board. While it still looks great in my house, it is awful noisy when you drop things on it or when the dog needs his nails cut. I do not think they even make that type of install system anymore.
  • FloorNerd FloorNerd on Jul 22, 2012
    I have installed many laminate in kitchens. it can look nice if done correctly, I have installed in my kitchen and recently got washer dryer, now they say not to put washer over laminate but I have seen countless of homes & apartments with washers over laminate with no issues and me being one of them. My advice to others is just keep the laminate out of the bathrooms.
  • Lisa and Joey Lisa and Joey on Jul 23, 2012
    We've had laminate in our kitchen & breakfast room for about four years, and we love it. We have two dogs and a cat, and it's held up just fine. No scratching or wearing at all. It was easy to install, especially once we'd made it around the door openings. Let us know how it goes!
  • Suzy Suzy on Aug 28, 2012
    I have thru out my house, even in kitchen, but don't put in bathrooms, if you have a commode run over or a leak, before you find it, could warp the laminate. I put down Pergo, it has been down for at least 15 years....great if you have kids &/or animals. I love it!!!!
  • I have installed many laminate floors in kitchens. Mostly for folks that don't have a bunch of kids running around. You just have to be watchful for any fluid that may get on the floor. If it sits on a joint for a long time the joint can swell. watch out around frigs that have water despencers. Be careful with theice maker water lines.
  • That is exactly the reason why it should not be used in the kitchen. They do make other types of self install flooring that will work however. Bamboo flooring is a better option that does not swell nearly as fast or as bad should water sit on it for any length.