I got/installed a bunch of obsolete laminate flooring off craigslist.
Now, I feel compelled to save some "just in case". Of course, I've
got three different kinds. No chance that I'd
find any compatible stuff in a decade.
I really don't have anyplace to stick it.

The attic has temperature/humidity extremes. And I'd have to
support it between joists.
Garage is FULL!!

I'm thinking about standing the boxes on end along the backside of a closet.
That puts pressure on the ends where they click together.
Also, won't stay there unless it's "tilted" a little. That promotes
warpage. Doesn't do any good to save it if it's not gonna be good
when I need it.

Anybody got experience with storage of extra click-together
laminate flooring?

Thanks, mike

On Nov 24, 10:20*pm, mike wrote:
I got/installed a bunch of obsolete laminate flooring off craigslist.
Now, I feel compelled to save some "just in case". *Of course, I've
got three different kinds. *No chance that I'd
find any compatible stuff in a decade.
I really don't have anyplace to stick it.

The attic has temperature/humidity extremes. *And I'd have to
support it between joists.
Garage is FULL!!

I'm thinking about standing the boxes on end along the backside of a closet.
That puts pressure on the ends where they click together.
Also, won't stay there unless it's "tilted" a little. *That promotes
warpage. *Doesn't do any good to save it if it's not gonna be good
when I need it.

Anybody got experience with storage of extra click-together
laminate flooring?

Thanks, mike

Nothing wrong with storing in the attic if you bring it down to the
living area for a couple of weeks before you use it (at some time in
the future).

mike wrote:
I got/installed a bunch of obsolete laminate flooring off craigslist.
Now, I feel compelled to save some "just in case". Of course, I've
got three different kinds. No chance that I'd
find any compatible stuff in a decade.
I really don't have anyplace to stick it.

The attic has temperature/humidity extremes. And I'd have to
support it between joists.
Garage is FULL!!

I'm thinking about standing the boxes on end along the backside of a
closet. That puts pressure on the ends where they click together.
Also, won't stay there unless it's "tilted" a little. That promotes
warpage. Doesn't do any good to save it if it's not gonna be good
when I need it.

Anybody got experience with storage of extra click-together
laminate flooring?

Thanks, mike

If it's manufactured laminate (instead of real wood), it won't warp,
deflect, swell, rot, get eaten by insects, twist, blow-up, deform, rot, turn
color, expand, contract, de-laminate, scratch, droop, fester, get attacked
by mold, termites, or mice. It is immune to humidity, heat, pressure, wood
rasps, or bullets.

It'll be okay wherever you store it.

"HeyBub" wrote in
:

mike wrote:
I got/installed a bunch of obsolete laminate flooring off craigslist.
Now, I feel compelled to save some "just in case". Of course, I've
got three different kinds. No chance that I'd
find any compatible stuff in a decade.
I really don't have anyplace to stick it.

The attic has temperature/humidity extremes. And I'd have to
support it between joists.
Garage is FULL!!

I'm thinking about standing the boxes on end along the backside of a
closet. That puts pressure on the ends where they click together.
Also, won't stay there unless it's "tilted" a little. That promotes
warpage. Doesn't do any good to save it if it's not gonna be good
when I need it.

Anybody got experience with storage of extra click-together
laminate flooring?

Thanks, mike

If it's manufactured laminate (instead of real wood), it won't warp,
deflect, swell, rot, get eaten by insects, twist, blow-up, deform,
rot, turn color, expand, contract, de-laminate, scratch, droop,
fester, get attacked by mold, termites, or mice. It is immune to
humidity, heat, pressure, wood rasps, or bullets.

It'll be okay wherever you store it.




it won't ..., swell, ..., expand, contract...

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

On Nov 25, 9:21*am, Red Green wrote:


So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?


LOL... Because different materials expand and contract at different
rates and if you installed the floor tightly to the surrounding
materials
it would buckle if the floor or those surrounding materials
expanded...

THAT is why the manufacturer tells installers to leave that 1/4"
gap...

~~ Evan

On Nov 25, 2:23*pm, Evan wrote:
On Nov 25, 9:21*am, Red Green wrote:

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

LOL... *Because different materials expand and contract at different
rates and if you installed the floor tightly to the surrounding
materials
it would buckle if the floor or those surrounding materials
expanded...

THAT is why the manufacturer tells installers to leave that 1/4"
gap...

~~ Evan

Yes, he realizes THAT, Evan. His response was to HeyBurp's comment -
which you cut out in your reply - that the stuff was so stable and
immune to all outside influences and forces. If so stable, why the
expansion gap?

To the OP. You don't need to store much. If you have exposed joists
in the basement, screw blocks/supports to the underside of the
subfloor or side of the joists. Come to think of it, you could just
put it in the attic flat on the back side of the ceiling below. Don't
overload it, but you'll only need a few pieces per type of flooring
and a few joist bays. Skip bays and one piece per bay is well inside
the ceiling drywall's capabilities. If there's batt insulation, lift
it and put the boards underneath.

R

Evan wrote in news:f3a3e7e9-c356-48fe-86e2-
:

On Nov 25, 9:21*am, Red Green wrote:


So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?


LOL... Because different materials expand and contract at different
rates and if you installed the floor tightly to the surrounding
materials
it would buckle if the floor or those surrounding materials
expanded...

THAT is why the manufacturer tells installers to leave that 1/4"
gap...

~~ Evan

Ohhhh, I see. Hmmm, where did I also see info to that effect. Oh yea! In
the parent to your reply. You must have been pecking away so hard on the
keyboard and "LOL"ing you missed the whole one line I quoted and whole 1
sentence of the new text.

it won't ..., swell, ..., expand, contract...

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

"mike" wrote in message
...
I got/installed a bunch of obsolete laminate flooring off craigslist.
Now, I feel compelled to save some "just in case". Of course, I've
got three different kinds. No chance that I'd
find any compatible stuff in a decade.
I really don't have anyplace to stick it.

The attic has temperature/humidity extremes. And I'd have to
support it between joists.
Garage is FULL!!

I'm thinking about standing the boxes on end along the backside of a
closet.
That puts pressure on the ends where they click together.
Also, won't stay there unless it's "tilted" a little. That promotes
warpage. Doesn't do any good to save it if it's not gonna be good
when I need it.

Anybody got experience with storage of extra click-together
laminate flooring?

Thanks, mike

Just my opinion, the attic with proper support will be fine.

Most if not all of this stuff is made overseas, shipped in cargo holds,
allowed to sit around in shipping containers on the docks, stored in non
climate controlled warehouses in all parts of the country and is sold in
several non-climate controlled locations right here in my town.

Before using any of the stored pieces I would allow them to adjust to the
new climate. Most of the packages say 48-72 hours. After attic storage I
would double that.

Chance are very high that you will never use any of it. I have some
installed in rental units for over 7 years and going strong. By now I would
have replaced the carpet at least 3 times. I could rip it out and replace
next week and would still be way ahead.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit http://www.househomerepair.com

Red Green wrote:




it won't ..., swell, ..., expand, contract...

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

"Manufactured" laminate has a base made of, Lord knows what, something
similar to particle board - sawdust(? could be ground chicked bones) mixed
with a binder.

"HeyBub" wrote in
m:

Red Green wrote:




it won't ..., swell, ..., expand, contract...

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

"Manufactured" laminate has a base made of, Lord knows what, something
similar to particle board - sawdust(? could be ground chicked bones)
mixed with a binder.



Well I have to admit I've only seen, looked and installed a limited amount
of laminate and it's all been the stuff from home centers.

On the other hand, I recently put down a few rooms of 3/4 oak which is real
wood. Same thing with mfgrs instuctions, gap required.

Just keep doing what I've been doing all along. Follow the particulars for
whatever is actually being installed.

"HeyBub" wrote in
m:

Red Green wrote:




it won't ..., swell, ..., expand, contract...

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

"Manufactured" laminate has a base made of, Lord knows what, something
similar to particle board - sawdust(? could be ground chicked bones)
mixed with a binder.



Well I have to admit I've only seen, looked and installed a limited amount
of laminate and it's all been the stuff from home centers.

On the other hand, I recently put down a few rooms of 3/4 oak which is real
wood. Same thing with mfgrs instuctions, gap required.

Just keep doing what I've been doing all along. Follow the particulars for
whatever is actually being installed.

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 07:01:24 -0600, "HeyBub" wrote:

Red Green wrote:




it won't ..., swell, ..., expand, contract...

So why do the mfgrs install instuctions (that I've seen) say to leave
like 1/4 gap for expansion at perimeters and transitions?

"Manufactured" laminate has a base made of, Lord knows what, something
similar to particle board - sawdust(? could be ground chicked bones) mixed
with a binder.

That's the hooker. Laminate substrate can be anything from particle board to
plywood to wood to plastic (and I'm sure I've left some out). The term, by
itself, is next to meaningless.

You never know when you might need stuff like this. I put down Pergo
in my kitchen a decade ago. This year I replaced my boiler and the
modern ones don't vent through a roof flue, they go out a wall. So I
had a walled-in pipe running through my house that I didn't need.
Removed it and I have a bit more room in my kitchen... patched the
hole in the floor and I'm glad I have some tiles and molding left over
because they don't make this pattern anymore.

(Copyright 2010 by Shaun Eli. All rights reserved)

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 08:28:44 -0800 (PST), Shaun Eli
wrote:

You never know when you might need stuff like this. I put down Pergo
in my kitchen a decade ago. This year I replaced my boiler and the
modern ones don't vent through a roof flue, they go out a wall. So I
had a walled-in pipe running through my house that I didn't need.
Removed it and I have a bit more room in my kitchen... patched the
hole in the floor and I'm glad I have some tiles and molding left over
because they don't make this pattern anymore.

Yeah, you should *always* keep an extra box of stuff (flooring, tile,
whatever) around for future use. The material is cheap enough, compared to
the cost of re-doing everything.