Rant: That viral deleted post about laminate vs. hardwood was totally right

I saw this post a couple years ago where a flooring guy ripped into those click-lock laminate planks, saying they'd warp within 2 years no matter what. I rolled my eyes because I install that stuff all the time and thought he was being dramatic, but now I've had to replace 3 jobs where the seams bubbled up after 18 months. Was that guy just lucky with his bad take, or does he actually know something most of us ignore?

2 comments

2 Comments

amy_foster7926d ago

Wait, has that actually been your experience though? I've been putting that stuff in basements and kitchens for years now and maybe I'm just getting lucky but I haven't had a single callback for bubbling seams yet. The key for me is making sure the subfloor is dead flat and giving the planks 48 hours to acclimate before I click them together. I did a big job with a cheap big box store brand once and that one did start lifting after 14 months but that was me being lazy with the prep. If you're picking the midrange stuff and following the instructions to the letter it's not the nightmare everyone makes it out to be.

margaret_gonzalez2526d ago

oh for sure @amy_foster79, you nailed it with the subfloor prep! i had the exact same wakeup call. did a basement job last year where i skimped on leveling because it felt flat enough and boom, six months later the seams were popping in three different spots. had to rip it all up and start over, which cost me way more than just doing it right the first time. now i always go with the midrange stuff too, the super cheap boards are just not worth the headache. and i swear by leaving them in the room for a full 48 hours before cutting anything, that's made a huge difference for me.