I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2 large
rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by the
link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to put a
transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,


Thanks for any help

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG

On Tue, 3 Sep 2013 18:53:11 -0700, "Ray"
wrote:

I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2 large
rooms (kitchen and family room.


Why laminate?

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by the
link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to put a
transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,


Yes you can do this without a transition piece. Start in the kitchen
area and cross past the archway (doorway) into the Family room using
the same flooring orientation. Continue through the family room. I
see no reason the change the orientation of the flooring.

Thanks for any help

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG

"Oren" wrote in message
news

Why laminate?
No reason except price was right, and I have used laminate before


Yes you can do this without a transition piece. Start in the kitchen
area and cross past the archway (doorway) into the Family room using
the same flooring orientation. Continue through the family room. I
see no reason the change the orientation of the flooring.

The reason I was concerned, is that maybe the 2 rooms may be heated slightly
differently, so unequal expansion might warp the floor

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG

On 9/3/2013 6:53 PM, Ray wrote:
I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2 large
rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by the
link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to put a
transition between the 2 rooms ?

A transition is not required. It's a lot more work to lay continuously.
You'll be doing a lot more notched planks.

Sacrifice a plank and cut it into 3 inch pieces so you can plan the
layout so the tongue of the boards match the opening between the family
room and kitchen (starting from the window in the family room).

A Skil laminate saw makes things easier, though a table saw is fine too.

Buy the laminate with the foam pad already attached, and the laminate
that uses no glue (floating). Costco's Harmonics is good, though the
supplier really gouges for the baseboards and transitions.

On 9/3/2013 10:31 PM, Ray wrote:


The reason I was concerned, is that maybe the 2 rooms may be heated slightly
differently, so unequal expansion might warp the floor

Won't be a problem

On Tue, 3 Sep 2013 19:31:11 -0700, "Ray"
wrote:


"Oren" wrote in message
news

Why laminate?
No reason except price was right, and I have used laminate before


The kitchen is also a potential place for leaks and water damage.
Something to consider in the basement project.


Yes you can do this without a transition piece. Start in the kitchen
area and cross past the archway (doorway) into the Family room using
the same flooring orientation. Continue through the family room. I
see no reason the change the orientation of the flooring.

The reason I was concerned, is that maybe the 2 rooms may be heated slightly
differently, so unequal expansion might warp the floor


It could be worse with water damage to laminate.

I've seen it happen when a pin nail punctured a pipe after the
laminate was in. When the base molding was set in a basement bathroom.
The laminate warped from a slow, slow leak of water.

Fixing tongue and groove laminate that warped from water leaks is not
an easy task for some folks.

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG

"Ray" wrote in message
...
I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2 large
rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by the
link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to put
a transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,

YES

now I bet you would like to know where to put the Center at::::::

Ray,

I see no reason why you can't make the flooring continuous in both
rooms.
What's the white area between the fridge and furnace?

Dave M.

On 9/3/2013 11:19 PM, Oren wrote:

I've seen it happen when a pin nail punctured a pipe after the
laminate was in. When the base molding was set in a basement bathroom.
The laminate warped from a slow, slow leak of water.

Fixing tongue and groove laminate that warped from water leaks is not
an easy task for some folks.

Depends on how it is installed. I have engineered hardwood (like
plywood with a nice finish) on my lower level. I did have a leak in the
baseboard heat. The water ran under the poly moisture barrier, across
the hallway, out the other side. No damage, no water touched the
flooring.

"David L. Martel" wrote in message
...
Ray,

I see no reason why you can't make the flooring continuous in both
rooms.
What's the white area between the fridge and furnace?

Dave M.


The white area has been eliminated, but the drawing not updated... There
used to be a door at the bottom of the stairway.
Ray

The kitchen is also a potential place for leaks and water damage.
Something to consider in the basement project.


Yes you can do this without a transition piece. Start in the kitchen
area and cross past the archway (doorway) into the Family room using
the same flooring orientation. Continue through the family room. I
see no reason the change the orientation of the flooring.

The reason I was concerned, is that maybe the 2 rooms may be heated
slightly
differently, so unequal expansion might warp the floor


It could be worse with water damage to laminate.

I've seen it happen when a pin nail punctured a pipe after the
laminate was in. When the base molding was set in a basement bathroom.
The laminate warped from a slow, slow leak of water.

Fixing tongue and groove laminate that warped from water leaks is not
an easy task for some folks.


In Actual fact, this area may never be used as a kitchen.... I only show
this as a possibility in my drawing. I have put in the plumbing and wiring,
but as long as I live here there will be no basement rental. If I get a
"failure to Launch from one of my kids, I would just put in a strip of tile
along the back of the kitchen.

Ray

Ray wrote:
I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2 large
rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by the
link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to put a
transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,


Thanks for any help

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG



Not enough information to give you an answer. You don't have the room
sizes marked, or brand of laminate. There should be no conflicting
advice with the necessary information.

For example: both Mohawk & Pergo state transitions are required over
40'. Think length & width. Whatever brand you go with, follow the
instructions.

On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 13:51:19 -0400, Ron C wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG



Not enough information to give you an answer. You don't have the room
sizes marked, or brand of laminate. There should be no conflicting
advice with the necessary information.

For example: both Mohawk & Pergo state transitions are required over
40'. Think length & width. Whatever brand you go with, follow the
instructions.

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.

I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f

Ray wrote:

In Actual fact, this area may never be used as a kitchen.... I only
show this as a possibility in my drawing. I have put in the plumbing
and wiring, but as long as I live here there will be no basement
rental. If I get a "failure to Launch from one of my kids, I would
just put in a strip of tile along the back of the kitchen.

You may have already thought of this, but there is a product called Allure
TrafficMaster Vinyl Flooring that you may want to check out. Here are a few
videos about it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ztVIOwKuo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTH9102E7qk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS9zkbySzNw

The flooring strips are made of all vinyl which means that you don't need to
worry about water damage. The strips actually stick to each other along the
overlapping edges, rather than clicking together like regular laminate
flooring. But, it is a complete floating floor and isn't adhered to the
subfloor underneath. I have some samples that I got from a Home Depot
demonstration that I attended as part of a recent real estate investor group
meeting in my area. It's just a thought in case this option is of any
interest to you.

Also, you mentioned that the basement may one day end up being a rental unit
or a "failure to launch" space for one of your kids.

You probably already know this too, but for any sleeping area in a below
grade space such as your basement, you have to have the proper means of
egress directly to the outside from any sleeping area room. That could be a
door leading directly from the room itself to the outside, of course. Or,
it can be an egress window -- as long as it meets the size, height from the
floor to the bottom of the window, etc. egress window requirements.

And, finally, if you are finishing the basement yourself or with
contractors, including adding a bathroom and/or kitchen etc., and you later
decide to sell your house, the buyers most likely will require proof that
there were permits taken out for all of that. The permit issue is your
call, and it is certainly the proper way to go, but I wanted to mention it
since the lack of a permit often holds up or kills a future home sale.

On 9/4/2013 10:51 AM, Ron C wrote:
Ray wrote:
I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2
large rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by
the link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to
put a transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,


Thanks for any help

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG


Not enough information to give you an answer. You don't have the room
sizes marked, or brand of laminate. There should be no conflicting
advice with the necessary information.

For example: both Mohawk & Pergo state transitions are required over
40'. Think length & width. Whatever brand you go with, follow the
instructions.

Don't believe the brochures and youtube videos. It's a LOT harder than
you think. Not every room is rectangular. They gloss over all the
edge issues.

Every constraint you add dramatically increases the difficulty.
Some things to think about:

Your rooms probably aren't exactly square.

The perimeter spacing requirements are probably close to the
baseboard trim thickness. There's zero margin for error.
Measure the board width very carefully. Tiny differences really
add up over a large distance.

If it's the stuff that tilts to lock into place, you need to
have a place to tilt it. If you try to go thru an opening,
you may not be able to tilt it. Even with transitions,
I had several situations where
I had to lay down 100 square feet or so and slide the whole
assembly under a door jamb. When this happens on three sides,
it becomes tricky indeed.

There are minimum width and seam offset constraints.
If you have a lot of stuff on the
floor, which it appears you do, you have to maintain those minimum
constraints everywhere simultaneously.

Make detailed, ACCURATE, drawings to make sure you can meet those
constraints everywhere.
It may be impossible unless you run the boards one way. Pick a pattern
that looks nice either direction and with random arrangement of boards.

Even with a rectangular room,
You can't just start laying boards. When you get to the other end
and are an inch short, what do you do?
Do the math first and trim the first course so the last course meets
the minimums. You may to trim the first course at an angle to
fix any out-of-square issues. Of course, that also impacts where the
seams fit into
doorways and around fixtures and heater vents, etc.
I found that starting at the other end of the room dramatically
changed the difficulty of the solution.

Start with that EXACT drawing that shows every seam and cutout.
Something as simple as a counter that overhangs and won't let you
tilt
the board into place can derail your plan.

Take careful note of which end you're gonna cut and whether
you can use the other end elsewhere. Your pattern can depend
on the length of the leftover board from the previous course.
If you just start laying boards, you're gonna waste a LOT.

Don't even think about doing this without a chop-saw and more than
one carbide blade. The stuff dulls blades FAST. Do all your
sawing outside with eye and breathing protection. The surface
material is hard and sharp.

I spent several days with pencil and paper and calculator to come
up with a solution that worked. I managed to get all the closets
working without seams, but I still have a transition at every room.

Are we having fun yet?

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 13:51:19 -0400, Ron C wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG


Not enough information to give you an answer. You don't have the room
sizes marked, or brand of laminate. There should be no conflicting
advice with the necessary information.

For example: both Mohawk & Pergo state transitions are required over
40'. Think length & width. Whatever brand you go with, follow the
instructions.

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.


I believe you answered your question when you provided the link.

Being I had the privilege of attending Pergo certification many years
ago, when Pergo built their factory in Charlotte NC, they stressed this
exact condition. I know Mohawk followed suit on their laminates.

Pergo had all their flooring styles layed out in this long hall.
Between every style was a transition piece @ 40'.

I know times change with technology, but since both brands have it in
their install instructions, I don't believe it's by error.



I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f

On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 16:35:51 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.


I believe you answered your question when you provided the link.

Being I had the privilege of attending Pergo certification many years
ago, when Pergo built their factory in Charlotte NC, they stressed this
exact condition. I know Mohawk followed suit on their laminates.

Pergo had all their flooring styles layed out in this long hall.
Between every style was a transition piece @ 40'.

I know times change with technology, but since both brands have it in
their install instructions, I don't believe it's by error.



I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f

Got a link that says a transition every 40'? Any direction...

I'd like to see it. Thank you.

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 16:35:51 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.

I believe you answered your question when you provided the link.

Being I had the privilege of attending Pergo certification many years
ago, when Pergo built their factory in Charlotte NC, they stressed this
exact condition. I know Mohawk followed suit on their laminates.

Pergo had all their flooring styles layed out in this long hall.
Between every style was a transition piece @ 40'.

I know times change with technology, but since both brands have it in
their install instructions, I don't believe it's by error.


I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f

Got a link that says a transition every 40'? Any direction...

I'd like to see it. Thank you.


Ahh yes, my bad. It's an expansion joint every 40'. Normal people
cover these with a transition or T molding. Sorry I misled you by
thinking there must be the T molding.

I guess the OP could leave a gap without a proper decorative trim piece.
But, if they were wise, they would follow the manufacturers instructions.

On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 17:00:17 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 16:35:51 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.

I believe you answered your question when you provided the link.

Being I had the privilege of attending Pergo certification many years
ago, when Pergo built their factory in Charlotte NC, they stressed this
exact condition. I know Mohawk followed suit on their laminates.

Pergo had all their flooring styles layed out in this long hall.
Between every style was a transition piece @ 40'.

I know times change with technology, but since both brands have it in
their install instructions, I don't believe it's by error.


I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f

Got a link that says a transition every 40'? Any direction...

I'd like to see it. Thank you.


Ahh yes, my bad. It's an expansion joint every 40'. Normal people
cover these with a transition or T molding. Sorry I misled you by
thinking there must be the T molding.

I guess the OP could leave a gap without a proper decorative trim piece.
But, if they were wise, they would follow the manufacturers instructions.


Can you tell us what, and explain an expansion joint every 40' means
for laminate wood flooring. Never heard of such a thing.

Properly installed laminate allows for expansion and contraction.
I'm curious to know what exactly you are getting at.

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 17:00:17 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 16:35:51 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.
I believe you answered your question when you provided the link.

Being I had the privilege of attending Pergo certification many years
ago, when Pergo built their factory in Charlotte NC, they stressed this
exact condition. I know Mohawk followed suit on their laminates.

Pergo had all their flooring styles layed out in this long hall.
Between every style was a transition piece @ 40'.

I know times change with technology, but since both brands have it in
their install instructions, I don't believe it's by error.


I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f
Got a link that says a transition every 40'? Any direction...

I'd like to see it. Thank you.

Ahh yes, my bad. It's an expansion joint every 40'. Normal people
cover these with a transition or T molding. Sorry I misled you by
thinking there must be the T molding.

I guess the OP could leave a gap without a proper decorative trim piece.
But, if they were wise, they would follow the manufacturers instructions.


Can you tell us what, and explain an expansion joint every 40' means
for laminate wood flooring. Never heard of such a thing.

Properly installed laminate allows for expansion and contraction.
I'm curious to know what exactly you are getting at.

I'm really at a loss at attempting to explain the manufacturers
installation instructions, since you even provided the link to Mohawk.
Look at #8 under " 10 focus points".

I'm not sure if you want me to explain why the manufacturer wants it
installed this way, or to explain about expansion & contraction over
large installs.

On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 18:44:16 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 17:00:17 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Oren wrote:
On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 16:35:51 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Are you absolutely certain on your comment? I cut a few hundred boxes
of 5/8 thick engineered Mohawk T&G laminate flooring.
I believe you answered your question when you provided the link.

Being I had the privilege of attending Pergo certification many years
ago, when Pergo built their factory in Charlotte NC, they stressed this
exact condition. I know Mohawk followed suit on their laminates.

Pergo had all their flooring styles layed out in this long hall.
Between every style was a transition piece @ 40'.

I know times change with technology, but since both brands have it in
their install instructions, I don't believe it's by error.


I do not ever recall that a transition piece was needed or mentioned
in the install instructions.

This PDF does mention your contention that a transition is necessary.

http://www.mohawkflooring.com/pdf/MHK%20Laminate%20Installation%20Rev010813262013.pd f
Got a link that says a transition every 40'? Any direction...

I'd like to see it. Thank you.

Ahh yes, my bad. It's an expansion joint every 40'. Normal people
cover these with a transition or T molding. Sorry I misled you by
thinking there must be the T molding.

I guess the OP could leave a gap without a proper decorative trim piece.
But, if they were wise, they would follow the manufacturers instructions.


Can you tell us what, and explain an expansion joint every 40' means
for laminate wood flooring. Never heard of such a thing.

Properly installed laminate allows for expansion and contraction.
I'm curious to know what exactly you are getting at.

I'm really at a loss at attempting to explain the manufacturers
installation instructions, since you even provided the link to Mohawk.
Look at #8 under " 10 focus points".

I'm not sure if you want me to explain why the manufacturer wants it
installed this way, or to explain about expansion & contraction over
large installs.


"8. Large rooms must have expansion joints every 13 m (40 feet)
width-wise to the planks and every 13 m (40 feet) length-wise. It is
recommended to provide an expansion joint between different rooms
(e.g. under the door). Expansion joints can be finished by means of a
molding that is attached to the subfloor."

I still do not know WHAT that means to YOU (my bad). You did state a
transition was in instructions and then claimed "my bad".

I'm only inquisitive as to what you mean or your understating.

I understand #8, unless you can show me otherwise.

How much quality laminate have you installed?

Oren wrote:

Can you tell us what, and explain an expansion joint every 40' means
for laminate wood flooring. Never heard of such a thing.



"8. Large rooms must have expansion joints every 13 m (40 feet)
width-wise to the planks and every 13 m (40 feet) length-wise. It is
recommended to provide an expansion joint between different rooms
(e.g. under the door). Expansion joints can be finished by means of a
molding that is attached to the subfloor."

I still do not know WHAT that means to YOU (my bad). You did state a
transition was in instructions and then claimed "my bad".

I'm only inquisitive as to what you mean or your understating.

I understand #8, unless you can show me otherwise.

How much quality laminate have you installed?

You said you never heard of such a thing as an expansion joint every
40', but you understand #8. Sorry, I'm totally missing something.

Actually, I'll bet I installed more certified installations than anyone
reading newsgroups.

On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 19:13:14 -0400, Ron C wrote:

Oren wrote:

Can you tell us what, and explain an expansion joint every 40' means
for laminate wood flooring. Never heard of such a thing.



"8. Large rooms must have expansion joints every 13 m (40 feet)
width-wise to the planks and every 13 m (40 feet) length-wise. It is
recommended to provide an expansion joint between different rooms
(e.g. under the door). Expansion joints can be finished by means of a
molding that is attached to the subfloor."

I still do not know WHAT that means to YOU (my bad). You did state a
transition was in instructions and then claimed "my bad".

I'm only inquisitive as to what you mean or your understating.

I understand #8, unless you can show me otherwise.

How much quality laminate have you installed?

You said you never heard of such a thing as an expansion joint every
40', but you understand #8. Sorry, I'm totally missing something.


I'm missing your explanation, so tell us.

Actually, I'll bet I installed more certified installations than anyone
reading newsgroups.


Who "certified" your installations? Don't get me wrong, but don't let
the big head get you if you can't explain what you mean about an
"expansion joint".

You did correct yourself, that a transition was not necessary for the
OP when I and others said it was not. And you retracted that.

Try again.

On 9/4/2013 12:31 PM, mike wrote:
On 9/4/2013 10:51 AM, Ron C wrote:
Ray wrote:
I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2
large rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by
the link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to
put a transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,


Thanks for any help

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG


Not enough information to give you an answer. You don't have the room
sizes marked, or brand of laminate. There should be no conflicting
advice with the necessary information.

For example: both Mohawk & Pergo state transitions are required over
40'. Think length & width. Whatever brand you go with, follow the
instructions.

Don't believe the brochures and youtube videos. It's a LOT harder than
you think. Not every room is rectangular. They gloss over all the
edge issues.

Every constraint you add dramatically increases the difficulty.
Some things to think about:

Your rooms probably aren't exactly square.

The perimeter spacing requirements are probably close to the
baseboard trim thickness. There's zero margin for error.
Measure the board width very carefully. Tiny differences really
add up over a large distance.

If it's the stuff that tilts to lock into place, you need to
have a place to tilt it. If you try to go thru an opening,
you may not be able to tilt it. Even with transitions,
I had several situations where
I had to lay down 100 square feet or so and slide the whole
assembly under a door jamb. When this happens on three sides,
it becomes tricky indeed.

There are minimum width and seam offset constraints.
If you have a lot of stuff on the
floor, which it appears you do, you have to maintain those minimum
constraints everywhere simultaneously.

Make detailed, ACCURATE, drawings to make sure you can meet those
constraints everywhere.
It may be impossible unless you run the boards one way. Pick a pattern
that looks nice either direction and with random arrangement of boards.

Even with a rectangular room,
You can't just start laying boards. When you get to the other end
and are an inch short, what do you do?
Do the math first and trim the first course so the last course meets
the minimums.

That's what got me when laying laminate at a rental. When I got to one
of the far walls I needed like a 1" strip.

The worst part, by far, was stairs.

You may to trim the first course at an angle to
fix any out-of-square issues. Of course, that also impacts where the
seams fit into
doorways and around fixtures and heater vents, etc.
I found that starting at the other end of the room dramatically
changed the difficulty of the solution.

Start with that EXACT drawing that shows every seam and cutout.
Something as simple as a counter that overhangs and won't let you
tilt
the board into place can derail your plan.

I guess I'm lucky that I never ran into an impossible situation like
that. You can tilt the board in on the long end or short end and then
bang it into place.

Take careful note of which end you're gonna cut and whether
you can use the other end elsewhere. Your pattern can depend
on the length of the leftover board from the previous course.
If you just start laying boards, you're gonna waste a LOT.

Don't even think about doing this without a chop-saw and more than
one carbide blade. The stuff dulls blades FAST. Do all your
sawing outside with eye and breathing protection. The surface
material is hard and sharp.

The Skil laminate saw is very useful. I was surprised how fast the
blades dulled though.

I spent several days with pencil and paper and calculator to come
up with a solution that worked. I managed to get all the closets
working without seams, but I still have a transition at every room.

Are we having fun yet?

I used scrap pieces for the closet. They only had a tongue and groove on
the long side, but that was okay.

Also, use a flush cut pull saw to undercut molding so you have less
jigsaw cuts.

On 9/4/2013 4:35 PM, Oren wrote:

Who "certified" your installations? Don't get me wrong, but don't let
the big head get you if you can't explain what you mean about an
"expansion joint".

He explained it perfectly well.

If you don't understand what an expansion joint is, and why it's
necessary on long runs, then you should not be installing laminate.

On Wed, 04 Sep 2013 21:44:54 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 9/4/2013 4:35 PM, Oren wrote:

Who "certified" your installations? Don't get me wrong, but don't let
the big head get you if you can't explain what you mean about an
"expansion joint".

He explained it perfectly well.


Did you get your tin-star badge from the bottom of a Cracker Jack box?

If you don't understand what an expansion joint is, and why it's
necessary on long runs, then you should not be installing laminate.

I know the purpose; understand expansion and contraction of laminate
flooring. I was inquisitive as to his understanding, but you had to
jump in. Take your own advice.

"Ray" wrote in message
...
I am finishing my basement, and want to put laminate flooring in 2 large
rooms (kitchen and family room.

These rooms are separated by an 8 foot open archway.. as indicated by the
link below.

The question is, Can the 2 rooms be laid continuously. or do I have to put
a transition between the 2 rooms ?
So far Ive got conflicting advice,,


Thanks for any help

Ray


https://www.dropbox.com/s/fhlb9vzy6yzlw05/basement3.JPG


Here your Answer N_S - E_W

Start At N_E And End at S_ E of bottom of room
http://brfconstruction.ath.cx/temp/B...t-Laminate.jpg

if start at Here and do this
N_E
N---S
End S_W
will be top of that Room

On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 10:12:16 -0600, "Hot-Text"
wrote:

Here your Answer N_S - E_W

Start At N_E And End at S_ E of bottom of room
http://brfconstruction.ath.cx/temp/B...t-Laminate.jpg

Only thing I would change is the orientation of the laminate.
Landscape vs portrait - due to the window (my opinion). YMMV

From the "start here", pop a chalk line a distance from along the wall
E-W instead of N-S a couple inches out from the wall (better mention
the expansion joint before I get talked too) :-|

The rooms are not square, The first couple of rows away from the wall
to keep the T&G from "traveling" and getting "cockeyed" as you proceed
forward towards the kitchen.

Your way would work, too. Pop the chalk line along the N-S wall at the
start point.

On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 14:43:43 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 10:12:16 -0600, "Hot-Text"
wrote:

Here your Answer N_S - E_W

Start At N_E And End at S_ E of bottom of room
http://brfconstruction.ath.cx/temp/B...t-Laminate.jpg

Only thing I would change is the orientation of the laminate.
Landscape vs portrait - due to the window (my opinion). YMMV

From the "start here", pop a chalk line a distance from along the wall
E-W instead of N-S a couple inches out from the wall (better mention
the expansion joint before I get talked too) :-|

The rooms are not square, The first couple of rows away from the wall
to keep the T&G from "traveling" and getting "cockeyed" as you proceed
forward towards the kitchen.

Your way would work, too. Pop the chalk line along the N-S wall at the
start point.
Generally you run the "planks" in the direction of the longest room
dimension, not across the short direction. With hardwood (t&g) you can
change directions in a doorway or archway without a transition, and
even do a "herringbone" angle - which you can NOT do with interlocking
laminate or "drop in" or floating manufactured hardwood because the
profiles on the sides of the board do not match the profiles on the
ends of the boards.

On 9/4/2013 12:31 PM, mike wrote:

Don't even think about doing this without a chop-saw and more than
one carbide blade. The stuff dulls blades FAST. Do all your
sawing outside with eye and breathing protection. The surface
material is hard and sharp.

I bought a Skil flooring saw from someone on craigslist
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037KM8TQ. He had two extra new blades. I
wondered why he only used the blade that came with the saw, since my
laminate dulled the blades pretty fast. The answer was that he installed
bamboo flooring, which is very soft (a complaint I heard is that it gets
indentations in it very easily). But the laminate, even though the
laminate layer is very thin, is also very hard, as you stated. I
probably only ripped 15 planks before the blade dulled. Fortunately
there's not a great deal of ripping. You really want both a flooring saw
(or table saw) plus a chop saw because you don't want to keep changing
the orientation of the flooring saw or table saw.

One more tip is to not try to get clever and cut a whole room full of
boards at once because the room is certain to vary because the walls
aren't straight. Cut boards as you need them even though it's a lot more
going back and forth.

I think I prefer the fake wood I have in the bedrooms versus the real
wood downstairs. There are no nails to pop up in the fake wood. If a
piece is damaged it's not too hard to replace it.

On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 18:41:20 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 9/4/2013 12:31 PM, mike wrote:

Don't even think about doing this without a chop-saw and more than
one carbide blade. The stuff dulls blades FAST. Do all your
sawing outside with eye and breathing protection. The surface
material is hard and sharp.

I bought a Skil flooring saw from someone on craigslist
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037KM8TQ. He had two extra new blades. I
wondered why he only used the blade that came with the saw, since my
laminate dulled the blades pretty fast. The answer was that he installed
bamboo flooring, which is very soft (a complaint I heard is that it gets
indentations in it very easily).

I've found that bamboo is varies a lot. The stuff I had in VT was
great. The stuff in the AL house, not so much.

But the laminate, even though the
laminate layer is very thin, is also very hard, as you stated. I
probably only ripped 15 planks before the blade dulled. Fortunately
there's not a great deal of ripping. You really want both a flooring saw
(or table saw) plus a chop saw because you don't want to keep changing
the orientation of the flooring saw or table saw.

"Hard" doesn't dull blades. Abrasives do. Since bamboo is a grass,
it's not very abrasive. Some woods are very abrasive (a lot if
silicon in the wood) and laminates will add abrasives to the surface
(some bamboo, too, for that matter).

One more tip is to not try to get clever and cut a whole room full of
boards at once because the room is certain to vary because the walls
aren't straight. Cut boards as you need them even though it's a lot more
going back and forth.

Yep. Three or four courses at once - one end to the other.

I think I prefer the fake wood I have in the bedrooms versus the real
wood downstairs. There are no nails to pop up in the fake wood. If a
piece is damaged it's not too hard to replace it.

If you have nail pops, something wasn't done right, likely the framing
is soft.

"Oren" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 10:12:16 -0600, "Hot-Text"
wrote:
Here your Answer N_S - E_W
Start At N_E And End at S_ E of bottom of room
http://brfconstruction.ath.cx/temp/B...t-Laminate.jpg
Only thing I would change is the orientation of the laminate.
Landscape vs portrait - due to the window (my opinion). YMMV
From the "start here", pop a chalk line a distance from along the wall
E-W instead of N-S a couple inches out from the wall (better mention
the expansion joint before I get talked too) :-|
The rooms are not square, The first couple of rows away from the wall
to keep the T&G from "traveling" and getting "cockeyed" as you proceed
forward towards the kitchen.
Your way would work, too. Pop the chalk line along the N-S wall at the
start point.

There you go Oren
you get the Right Point

Good elaboration, Hot-Text[_4_]. Withstanding your review of change in orientation of laminate as the rooms are not square will work better.

Cheers,
Bruce
The RTA Store.

On 9/6/2013 7:54 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 18:41:20 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 9/4/2013 12:31 PM, mike wrote:

Don't even think about doing this without a chop-saw and more than
one carbide blade. The stuff dulls blades FAST. Do all your
sawing outside with eye and breathing protection. The surface
material is hard and sharp.

I bought a Skil flooring saw from someone on craigslist
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037KM8TQ. He had two extra new blades. I
wondered why he only used the blade that came with the saw, since my
laminate dulled the blades pretty fast. The answer was that he installed
bamboo flooring, which is very soft (a complaint I heard is that it gets
indentations in it very easily).

I've found that bamboo is varies a lot. The stuff I had in VT was
great. The stuff in the AL house, not so much.

But the laminate, even though the
laminate layer is very thin, is also very hard, as you stated. I
probably only ripped 15 planks before the blade dulled. Fortunately
there's not a great deal of ripping. You really want both a flooring saw
(or table saw) plus a chop saw because you don't want to keep changing
the orientation of the flooring saw or table saw.

"Hard" doesn't dull blades. Abrasives do. Since bamboo is a grass,
it's not very abrasive. Some woods are very abrasive (a lot if
silicon in the wood) and laminates will add abrasives to the surface
(some bamboo, too, for that matter).

lots of laminates now have a silicon coating applied at the factory for
hard wearing.

On Tue, 17 Sep 2013 14:45:09 -0700, chaniarts
wrote:

On 9/6/2013 7:54 PM, wrote:
On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 18:41:20 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 9/4/2013 12:31 PM, mike wrote:

Don't even think about doing this without a chop-saw and more than
one carbide blade. The stuff dulls blades FAST. Do all your
sawing outside with eye and breathing protection. The surface
material is hard and sharp.

I bought a Skil flooring saw from someone on craigslist
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037KM8TQ. He had two extra new blades. I
wondered why he only used the blade that came with the saw, since my
laminate dulled the blades pretty fast. The answer was that he installed
bamboo flooring, which is very soft (a complaint I heard is that it gets
indentations in it very easily).

I've found that bamboo is varies a lot. The stuff I had in VT was
great. The stuff in the AL house, not so much.

But the laminate, even though the
laminate layer is very thin, is also very hard, as you stated. I
probably only ripped 15 planks before the blade dulled. Fortunately
there's not a great deal of ripping. You really want both a flooring saw
(or table saw) plus a chop saw because you don't want to keep changing
the orientation of the flooring saw or table saw.

"Hard" doesn't dull blades. Abrasives do. Since bamboo is a grass,
it's not very abrasive. Some woods are very abrasive (a lot if
silicon in the wood) and laminates will add abrasives to the surface
(some bamboo, too, for that matter).

lots of laminates now have a silicon coating applied at the factory for
hard wearing.

That's true (bamboos are the same) but it's not very thick, so not
much of a challenge for a carbide blade. Fifteen cuts isn't much for
a decent blade. Of course, if it were a steel plywood blade being
used for the rips, all bets are off.