Hi

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these. The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

David

Aldrich wrote:

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these. The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

Not if your kids happen to be small boys it doesn't!

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

I've never used laminate flooring so won't comment on that. If you're
using vinyl, putting down a layer of 6mm WBP ply (NOT hardboard, which
doesn't like getting wet) sounds a good idea. You can always
incorporate 'a trap door' in it (small removable areas to enable you to
access removable floorboards underneath) if you're really worried about
anything specific, but personally I wouldn't bother. It wouldn't be a
big deal to lift the whole vinyl floor followed by the ply, in the event
of any maintenance needs - totally different ball game to having ceramic
floor tiles, for example.

David

Aldrich wrote:

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and
vinyl flooring from a maintenance point of view?

Why is it so important to access the pipes / wires, as they only really need
to be replaced every 50 years or so?

Jon

Aldrich wrote:
Hi

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these. The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

David



Tried carpet, twice. Not nice in the bathroom, especially after those
long cold walk/runs home from the pub mid-winter.

Put laminate down last time, after a disastreous affair with ceramic
tiles, been down for the last (xxx) years and still looks as good as the
day it went down. Okay, if I need to get under the floor then the
laminate comes up - but in my case [new house, small bathroom] the
material cost to re-lay if I ripped everything out is sub-£30. With any
uneven floor you're gonna have to lay a plywood subbase down anyway.

Just my 2 penneth worth... don't use carpet - consider laminate as a
reasonably priced alternative.

On Sat, 13 May 2006 18:59:42 +0100, Mike Dodd wrote:

Aldrich wrote:
Hi

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these. The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

David


Tried carpet, twice. Not nice in the bathroom, especially after those
long cold walk/runs home from the pub mid-winter.

Put laminate down last time, after a disastreous affair with ceramic
tiles, been down for the last (xxx) years and still looks as good as the
day it went down. Okay, if I need to get under the floor then the
laminate comes up - but in my case [new house, small bathroom] the
material cost to re-lay if I ripped everything out is sub-£30. With any
uneven floor you're gonna have to lay a plywood subbase down anyway.

Just my 2 penneth worth... don't use carpet - consider laminate as a
reasonably priced alternative.

I must confess I like carpet. Its warm.
--
Jim
Tyneside UK
http://www.jimscot.plus.com

On Sat, 13 May 2006 14:36:13 +0100, "Aldrich"
wrote:

Hi

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these. The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

David


Why not get the boards sanded and sealed .

Stuart

The message
from "Aldrich" contains these words:

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

Quick layer of hardboard will only take an hour to neaten up. Vinyl on top.

Carpet in bathrooms is vile.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Aldrich wrote:
We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
....
What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

Carpet seems the worst possible solution. How often do you need to lift
floor boards to get at plumbing. I am sure you will have redecorated the
bathroom several times before you need to get under the floor,

--
David Clark
http://www.publishing.ucl.ac.uk
$replyto = 'an.rnser.is.reqird'

DJC wrote:
Aldrich wrote:
We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the
sake of
...
What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

Carpet seems the worst possible solution. How often do you need to lift
floor boards to get at plumbing. I am sure you will have redecorated the
bathroom several times before you need to get under the floor,

Thats my take as well. Just in the throes of building pipes into the
walls and totally encasing the bath in a tiled surround..I thought..
"suppose I ever need to get to the traps on the shower and bath'

and I thought 'well I'll have to rip the whole effing thing out'
And remembered that my parents house did 50 years on its original bath
and trap and taps too..with three kids. Bath needed replacing 30 years
ago frankly..

On Sat, 13 May 2006 14:36:13 +0100, Aldrich wrote:

Hi

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these. The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

I think that means that carpet is the best solution.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

David

I am putting down cork tiles in all our (3!) bathrooms. Its cheap, warm,
waterproof, and can be painted/stained before final varnish finish. Or you
can leave it au naturel.

--
Sarah M

"Aldrich" wrote in message
...
Hi

We are considering a replacement for our upstairs bathroom carpet, which
covers floorboards. An easily washable covering is favoured for the sake
of
children and we would like a laminate flooring. However, there are pipes
and
wiring under the bathroom floor and I am reticent to put down flooring
that
can't be fairly easily removed for maintenance of these.

I've lived in a house for 20 years without needing to lift the floorboards.
I wouldn't worry too much about needing access, particularly if you inspect
everything before finally sealing it in.

The existing boards
are quite uneven, so I guess that a hardboard or plywood layer will be
required before laying laminate or vinyl.

Personally, I would replace them with water resistant flooring quality
chipboard, although you will get others on here who think that is the spawn
of the devil.

What are people's opinions about the practicability of laminate and vinyl
flooring from a maintenance point of view?

I like cork, for its warmth and ease of cleaning. Vinyl would be the next
choice, but most laminates are not water resistant enough for a bathroom.

Colin Bignell

nightjar wrote:

I like cork, for its warmth and ease of cleaning. Vinyl would be the next
choice, but most laminates are not water resistant enough for a bathroom.

And as slippery as hell when wet - I really would never put laminate in
bathroom...

Cheers

Tim