laminate floor install

CBBC

Member
I've done a couple of these so I'm not completely green... some were real cheap, some better quality.
Anyway I know about the level floor below, and secure etc. On the cheap one I layed a thin 1/16" foam underlay. It was actually good enough that it helped in a couple uneaven areas. This was in an area which never had real floor covering - just a throw rug over the plywood.

The better, thicker one had the underlay foam pre attached to the back of each board. I had to pull this floor appart below the previos carpet and do a bit of structural work and some better leveling. This floor is holding up well- level- with no extra thin foam underlayment.

The one I am working on right now is a bit different. The boards are the good thick ones with the backing attached. The sub floor is in good shape, flat and secure.

The carpet I took out is 38 years old. It was good quality, and below it is the 1/4 underlay foam. It is a bit compressed in the main walk areas, but overall in good shape.

Since I don't need to rip it out, would it be worth while - or wise- to leave the old underlay in place and lay the new laminate with the thin foam backing on top of it?

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Grant
 
My experience suggests ripping the foam padding out. If it still looks good you have an anomaly. by now it should be turning to dust, and I suspect it is not far from there. If you have a good strong level sub floor, put your laminate on that. I took out a twenty year old carpet (builders special) and found the foam was weak in spots. took it out, put a few screw-nails in a couple squeaky places and put an engineered hardwood (floating- edge glued) over a special 1/8 inch underpad. Very happy with the result.
Sounds like you have a good project- good luck
 
The laminate manufacturers will tell you not to do that - and I'm pretty sure that would void their warranty.
 
To lay padding on top of padding is a mistake. The padding may "crawl" when its on top of another padding creating uneven flooring. Also the laminate floor should not have more than a 1/4 of padding, you do not want a lot of flexing of the laminate floor. the padding is really there for to absorb the sound. the denser the padding the better. When Laminates first hit us market the best "padding" was a dense 1/4 board designed for to absorb the sound I think they were 3x3 but that was in the 90"s so memory not so good.
 
I'd remove it, leaving it may cause problems as has been suggested. The backer material I believe is or may be for acoustical reasons. One building project I did some years ago in Manhattan, owner decided to install plywood underlayment over the level coat on the concrete deck, for hardwood flooring. Code called for the thin foam backer, for acoustics, so it was installed before the hardwood floor. Somehow I got a nice size roll for it and the steel shop was getting ready to deliver the roof railing system, I had them use that material to wrap up the finished railings to prevent damage, worked perfectly, sent them up wrapped up and protected with the crane, no touch up or damage.
 
I put my laminate floor over the the carpet underlay foam. It has held up for 8 years and it still looks like new.
As far as voiding the waranty, do not worry about it. I read mine and about the only thing it covers is fading of color and obvious manufacturing defects.
 
Grant, You may get lucky and not have any problems if you install laminate flooring over the carpet pad. Chances are there will be problems withe the interlocking edges of the laminate failing over time....if not right away.
I'm not a fan of laminate flooring but when a customer insists on using it I prefer to use Silent Step pad under it. It costs more than the normal foam pad, but it eliminates the plastic sound when walking on the laminate with shoes on.
Pops
 
Thanks Everyone, I'll pull it all off I guess.

The first room was hardly used and the foam was reall good, carpet ok too just faded. The hallway was, as Chris suggested, deteriorating and turning to dust so that will need to come out anyway.

The manufacture did not call for extra padding so I will just make sure the floor is good and secure.

Another question. The Laminate will run across the top of the stairs from the hall into another room. No way is this going on the stairs.

There is currently carpet on the stairs and it will likly be replaced soon. Should I run the laminate to the top of the riser and put a bull nose molding over it, or keep it back a foot or two and have a carpet landing?

Thanks, Grant
 

You can probably get a stairnose piece of wood with the correct profile to finish the top step landing and part of the stairnose will be the same thickness as your laminate.
My daughter has been in the flooring game for ten years and I've learned from her on problems of that nature after doing 5-6 flooring installs of both 3/4" and laminates.
 
I will never, ever, EVER install another cheap laminate floor! In fact, I hope to never have any laminate anything in my house. Compressed wood dust, paper and glue just ain't gonna hold up no matter what.
 
WOW! That's some feedback Brent.

I was going to repond further - but I think I'll leave it.

Everyone else I appreciate your input. Enjoy the rest of your
day.
Grant
 
No offence taken Bret. I don't particularly like pressed
cardboard either...but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
Grant
 

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