Laminate 2 | Home Makeover Diva

Laminate Flooring For Allergies

11.19.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Monique writes:

I am living in a coop in Westchester City NY, and I want to replace the
wall to wall carpeting I have because it’s disgusting and my kids have
asthma and I have allergies. I’m on a limited budget as a single mother and I realize that laminate is cheaper than wood.

I just want to make sure it’s not something that is toxic and could cause allergies. Please tell me if laminate flooring for allergies would be a good choice? Does it have formaldehyde and does wood have formaldehyde? I want something that doesn’t off gas and that is pure. Does cork have any adhesives with formaldehyde?

I don’t like the look of cork, even though I like what I have heard about it. How does linoleum compare? Please advise. I am desperate to get this carpet out of the house! Thanks, Monique

Dear Monique, most laminates are a good choice for allergy and asthma sufferers. You just have to do a little research before choosing the right one for you. The easy way to select a laminate that will be good for both you and the kiddos is to look for a GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified or GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certified laminate flooring.

The GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certification is specifically designed with little people in mind and will give you the absolutely least amount of off gassing. One company I found from the GREENGUARD website with this rating is Kaindl. They also make an affordable product, ranging from $2 per square foot and up. Just make sure you do the research and make sure the specific product you are interested in still has the GREENGUARD rating.

As for cork, yes most brands do live up to the standards you’re looking for. But if you don’t like the look of it, I would skip it entirely. Consider looking at Marmoleum instead. It is a natural Linoleum made of linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, and jute. And there is absolutely no VOCs or off gassing. Expect to pay around $3 a square foot.

Both Marmoleum and Laminate will do well with the traffic and commotion caused from a household with kids and if the proper research is done at the same time, either will be a healthy alternative to carpet. This being said, wood flooring is more expensive but can also be found with these features. You will just have to be prepared to spend about $5 a square foot and up. With any luck, this will get you on the right track for finding a flooring option that meets your criteria.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe(diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.

Cork Flooring Vs Laminate Flooring

11.05.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Tom asks:

Hope you can help. Initially I thought I might purchase your basic laminate flooring. But a friend of mine has been talking up a storm about how great cork flooring is. Should I buy cork flooring instead of laminate flooring?

First of all, cork flooring is a great choice! If you’re looking for a green flooring option, then you can’t go wrong with cork flooring vs laminate flooring. When it comes down to the choice of laminate vs cork flooring however, it just depends on what your needs are.

First off, cork flooring is more expensive than your basic laminate flooring. So it just depends on how much money you were planning on spending. I’ve seen laminate for as low as $.65 a square foot plus the price of pad. Cork is usually runs between $3-$5 a square foot. The best deal I’ve ever seen on cork was $1.50 a square foot plus the price of pad.

Other than price, cork is considered to be an eco friendly product. So if you’re looking for a green flooring option, cork would beat out most laminates in a direct comparison. The cork used in cork flooring comes off a tree but does not require the tree to be cut down. It’s only the bark of the tree that is used, thus letting the tree to continue growing and produce more cork. This is what is called a sustainable building material. Hence, it’s ability to be considered eco friendly

Another difference between the two, cork is softer than most flooring. This means it can dent easier than laminates, but most dents will pop back out on their own over time. That said cork is another one of those products that you have to like “character” to genuinely appreciate it over time as some spots won’t pop back out in every instance. However with laminate, once it’s scratched that’s it. Your only choice is to go with a wood putty that will try to camouflage that spot.

So which one is better is really up to you. It depends on the room you’re putting it into and what your needs are. If it’s going into the kitchen and you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, then it would make a lot of sense because cork is softer and will help reduce some of the strain on your legs and back, thus making cooking more pleasant. Other than that, it just depends budget, traffic and style!

Brazilian Cherry Jatoba Flooring

07.22.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Needy in New York writes:

I’m trying to figure out what type of floor to put in my summer home. I live in NY state and there is not heat in the house in the winter. I was looking at the Brazilian cherry jatoba natural in the click lock style. Would this be ok?… Do I need to use underlayment or Rosin paper?… are the seams glued or does it stay without it? It is a floating floor, right? What is the difference between a click floor and an engineered floor? Please Help!!! Needy in New York

I would NOT suggest putting wood flooring into a house that doesn’t have heat during the winter. Some companies don’t even warranty flooring if the conditions drop below 60 degrees. If you do go with the Brazilian cherry jatoba flooring, I’d definitely stay away from a solid hardwood. A click-lock or engineered wood flooring might have less problems because of the installation method and construction of the flooring itself.

The difference between a click-floor and an engineered floor is in the construction and installation method. A click-floor is a floating floor and the edges of the plank interlock, then click together. It doesn’t require nailing, stapling or glue of any kind, because it floats on top of a foam or rubber pad. Click-floor wood flooring has a layer of wood veneer on the top and then one thicker layer of either MDF or plywood followed by another really thin backing material made of either plywood or MDF.

An engineered floor also starts out with a veneer of wood on the top level. Then it has layers of plywood going in different directions to increase the strength of the board. Typically there are three or more layers of opposing grain plywood. The edges of the flooring are tongue and groove but do not lock together. Because of this the flooring either has to be stapled or glued down. If the flooring is being stapled then a Rosin or tar paper must be used as well. Some engineered wood floors can be glued on just the tongue and groove and then be floated on a foam or rubber pad.

While I think a click-floor or engineered floor would do better than a solid hardwood, keep in mind the conditions may still be too harsh for the flooring. During the winter when the temperature drops below freezing, the gaps in between the planks will be much larger and could potentially damage the flooring. This could harm both the engineered and the click-lock flooring. Installing a floating floor would help minimize the amount of damage done during the expand/contract stages. But the joints themselves whether of a glued engineered or a click lock may suffer over time causing the boards to warp or come apart.

Have you considered going with a good quality porcelain or stone tile instead? Before discounting this, because it is a completely different style, hear me out. The advantage of porcelain or stone in this particular situation is that the extreme temperatures will not cause a problem to the flooring itself when installed properly. Porcelain tile does well in freeze/thaw situations but the grout will require a little more upkeep.

If you don’t care for the idea of tile, then the only other thing I can suggest that may fare better than wood flooring but still look like wood flooring, is a laminate floor. Not just any laminate flooring will work, you need to look for a high pressure laminate (HPL) or plastic laminate. This is still not guaranteed for a no heat environment but because of its layered construction it may fare better than regular laminates and wood flooring.

That said the only flooring that would for sure work in a no heat environment is porcelain or natural stone tile. Nothing else is guaranteed to work. So if you do choose to go with the beautiful Brazilian cherry jatoba flooring, please keep in mind that it is a great risk. You’ve been cautioned and advised. Good luck!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

Laying Laminate Flooring On Stairs

03.22.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Cindy writes:

Dear Home Makeover Diva, can I install laminate flooring on my stairs?

Cindy, yes you can lay laminate flooring on your stairs. I know many readers get tired of me saying this, but you just have to follow the manufacturers recommendations for the specifics. The basics of laying laminate flooring on stairs are that you have to glue it down instead of letting it be a floating floor. Most often the manufacturer has a specific glue they recommend or a type of construction strength adhesive. Either way both the riser and the step will have to be glued to be secured. And you won’t be using any type of underlayment or foam pad when you glue the laminate down. So if your laminate has the pad attached, you will need to peel it off each piece.

Another thing to look out for is that you will not want to use an overlapping stairnose transition piece. This means you will have to cut down the stairnose transition if overlapping is the only kind available to make it into a flush mount, otherwise you will have a trip hazard. Even though all of this sounds like adding more work to an otherwise do it yourself friendly project, it is still possible. Just make sure you read the directions thoroughly and understand what you are getting yourself into before the project starts!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!