"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
news:Pbn7o.40815$MQ3.30479@hurricane...


"D.M.Chapman" dmc@puffin. wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tim Watts wrote:

I don;t care how much they claim "bathroom grade" is waterproof - I just
wouldn't for the loo. Hall's OK.

I've said this on here before, but we stuck some "slate look" laminate
down in the kitchen here years ago (8?) as a quick fix until we could
afford
to do it properly.

This was the aqualok stuff from B&Q.

The following year I found an offcut in a puddle outside (where I'd been
cutting it). Many years later, it's still out there, still getting all
the
weather and still completely fine.

Floor is still down and seems fine as well (which is a shame - it's
harder
to justify replacing it ;-))

So, some of the stuff really is waterproof...

But, re ceramic tiles - I don't see a problem. And you won't be doing the
job again for a long long time (never if you do it right).

we avoided ceramic and went for the quick laminate option as wife was
pregnant and the floor is a little bouncy - nothing major but needed
sorting
for ceramic.

The laminate appears to cope fine with the slight movement


Darren


I too have B&Q laminate down in my shower room, and bathroom, and it has
not been a problem in either. I also have laminate from the same series in
my kitchen and conservatory, and again, no problems. All of these are from
the B&Q 'Tiloc' range. Three of them are simulations of white limestone
tiles, and the kitchen one is a simulation of slate tiles. The effect is
so good, that they have, over the years, fooled just about everyone who
has encountered them - to the point where I have had people on their hands
and knees in disbelief that they are not looking at the real thing. The
Tiloc range is not expensive, and is a dream to fit together. If you are
really worried about the core not being waterproof, B&Q do a silicone type
sealer especially for the job. You put a thin bead of it down each joint,
before snapping it together, then wipe off any excess that exudes. My
son-in-law used it when he fitted Tiloc in his bathroom, but I have not
found the need.

In my hallway, and the downstairs toilet that leads off it, I have B&Q
bog-standard wood effect laminate. It's probably about the cheapest one
that they do. Both areas are heavily trafficked, but it still looks as
good as when it was put down. It is mopped regularly, but I think the
trick is to not get it ridiculously soaking wet. As long as you use a mild
detergent, and wring the mop out well, you really won't have a problem. I
have been putting laminates down in my houses since they first appeared on
the market 20 odd years ago, and they have evolved a lot since those early
days of having to glue the boards together. The modern board glueless
locking system is machined so well anyway, that the fit is tight enough
that you can't see the joins between boards, without a magnifying glass,
so that doesn't leave a lot of space for moisture to get down into,
anyway. If you do go down the laminate route, one little trick is to have
an old toothbrush to hand as you lay it. Run it down every mating surface,
before putting them together, as you can get tiny bits of machining debris
in the complex-profile snap joint. Even the tiniest piece of such debris,
can stop the joint from closing tight. Also, make sure that you use a good
quality underlay. I've found that it is well worth spending a bit more on
the grey medium density stuff, rather than using the white low density
polystyrene 'paper'.

Arfa



This is good stuff:

http://www.karndean.co.uk/site/home.cfm