It's similar to a sheet vinyl but it's a soft, cushy fiber product so it feels very comfortable. It's supposed to be really good for playrooms because it can withstand the abuse, is totally washable, and lasts forever but I've heard questionable things about the installation because it's a floating installation, meaning there's no adhesive used, and I want to be sure it stays down well.
No, it's truly more like a linoleum. It comes in a large roll, you lay it out on your floor (sealing any seams if your room is large and you need multiple rolls) and the floorboards hold it down in place. It sounds like too simple of an installation and when I looked up info. on it, people either raved like crazy about it or complained about the installation so I thought I'd see if anyone had ever used it.
So you have the "click" laminate flooring that comes in boards that you click together? That's the other option we're looking into . . . the only hesitation I have about it is that our playroom is going to be finished attic space and I was afraid of the noise factor with the boys racing cars and doing who knows what else up there. Did you install it yourself? Was it easy to do? Sorry for all of the questions . . . just a couple more! What type of subfloor did you use and how thick of a foam pad? Thanks for any and all info. you have for me!
Okay. Just have to pick your brain to see if you'd recommend it for a play area! The fiber floor doesn't really expand, I don't think. Here's a link so you can see what I'm talking about:
http://www.tarkett-floors.com/floors/site/en-US/topic/fiberfloor/segments.asp
well laminate is great yes its the locking planks we got ours from lowes. we did it ourselves and i will say it wasnt as easy as i thought it would be. but only because we did our kitchen and apparently our cabinets arent square. we had no straight lines to go off of and had to trim alot. but if we had put it in say a bed room with no cabinetry i may have a different opinion. we used the foam pad that was recommended for the brand and its very very thin i was very skeptical but i must say the noise from walking or children running is less than before we installed it. we did not get an expensive brand either so if you go for a higher quality its even better and im told ever easier. pergo is one of the best and one the more expensive but it has the foam padding/backing already attached to each plank.
i went to the website and it seems like a pain in the butt to install. the manual is almost 40 pages long. the only reason i know of for a floor not to be secured to the floor is if it expands with the weather. laminate expands and shrinks. i am no flooring expert but the fiber floor seems great but not for a do it yourself. even in the manual it says not meant for people with out experience with similar flooring!!!!!! that scares me right there
have you considered carpet??? they make the squares of carpet now that are super easy to use. i have a friend who did it and said it was the easiest thing ever.
I think the purpose of it being "floating" is so that it's easy to replace, etc . . . and it's supposed to be great for moisture so people put it in their basement, etc . . . that may be prone to flooding and if it gets soaked, you roll it up, dry the floor, roll it back out.
i have to say I didn't even look at the install manual. I TRIED but I have dial up and when it looked like it would take days to download, I gave up. 40 pages? That's a big much for a floor that you just lay down.
I have considered carpet but I have little guys (4 and 2 1/2) and I like the idea of having a floor that we can paint on and do crafts, getting totally messy, and it all just wipes right up. Oh, and I want a floor they can race cars on, etc . . .
well maybe you can do the laminate. i think as long as you have a straight wall to go off of you will be fine. plus lowes and home depot do classes on stuff like that. so you could attend the class and know alot more than i did going in. lol
i was thinking 40 pages for a floor you jsut roll out was alot as well. but it talks about the seams and how they need to be chemically sealed which to me sounds a biut scary. also it mentioned that the legs on furniture could "stain" the flooring which i found odd.
have you looked into cork flooring i have heard that it is great on the feet and is supposed to be great for people with allergies. it is water resistant and fire resistant as well.
http://www.wicanders.com/page.asp?id=6&context=6,11,0 here is a link for info on the cork flooring
Thanks for the link - I'll have to look into cork flooring. Is it pretty pricey? It sounds like an ideal fit for a play room.
Thanks also for walking through all of this with me. It's definitely helpful to have a sounding board (other than my hubby who already has set opinions!) to help me make up my mind on this! We're building a new home and business and have so many decisions to make . . . ugh! I'm overwhelmed.
i think the prices vary depending on quality and supplier. the same as most flooring.
http://www.expanko.com/ i think this is the brand extreme make over has used on their show. besides vinyl or laminate im not sure what other options that are out there. hard wood scratches and i wouldnt want to paint or any thing right on it. tile is tricky as well because of the upkeep. i think cork is a great option. in fact after looking at all the info im now wanting to do my floors in cork lol.
I have it...my opinion...pay more $$ than what I did. Mine did not take abuse very well, and you have to make sure it is "tight". I had a bubble in mine and it was easily riped.
But...for ease of installation. SUPER EASY. it took dh and my dad 1 1/2 hours to install it in my kitchen. Very easy.
That said, I'd buy it again, but spend more to get a better quality. And yes it is super nice on the tootsies...
I have it...my opinion...pay more $$ than what I did. Mine did not take abuse very well, and you have to make sure it is "tight". I had a bubble in mine and it was easily riped.
But...for ease of installation. SUPER EASY. it took dh and my dad 1 1/2 hours to install it in my kitchen. Very easy.
That said, I'd buy it again, but spend more to get a better quality. And yes it is super nice on the tootsies...
Thanks for the feedback! Do you have the fiber floor or the cork? If it's the fiberfloor, what kind did you get?
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