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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think laminate floor is not naff?

219 replies

Laquitar · 14/03/2011 07:03

This snobbery about laminate floor and leather sofas gets on my nerves.

They are not naff, they are PRACTICAL. You can keep the floor clean, really clean.

Carpets are filthy and they smell.

We had a lovely -and clean- decade when laminate floor was 'trendy'. Now someone has decided that it is 'naf' Hmm and i fear we are going back to smelly carpets.

AIBU to think they are ok and should stay?

OP posts:
Reality · 14/03/2011 07:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emkana · 14/03/2011 07:06

Well my leather sofas and laminate floor are certainly staying!

ginmakesitallok · 14/03/2011 07:07

I don't like laminate flooring - if you don't want carpet then get real wood. Just my personal taste

52Girls · 14/03/2011 07:08

I dint like laminate cos it's just a bit 'flat' looking so I have wood instead. I've never liked leather sofas but that's just my taste.

TheProvincialLady · 14/03/2011 07:10

I'm not a particular fan of carpet but it doesn't have to smell. You are just as wrong for being rude about it. Why do you care what other people have in their houses or what is fashionable? If you like laminate then have it.

Bunbaker · 14/03/2011 07:14

I have laminate floors in the dining room and kitchen and carpet everywhere else. My carpets don't smell, but the inhabitants of this house are old enough not to deposit smelly things on them. I get them professionally cleaned regularly to keep them nice.

I find hard floors in the living room/bedrooms too cold.

MrsSchadenfreude · 14/03/2011 07:14

Laminat flooring and leather sofas? Ikea storage units and the odd Billy bookcase? A nice fitted bedroom, too, with a dralon or faux leather headboard on your bed? Oh yes, terribly lower middle class, dahling! GrinWink

Why would you care what people think?

And when I had carpets, they never smelled. Confused What did you do on your carpets?

MumInBeds · 14/03/2011 07:18

There's nothing wrong with laminate provided you don't have neighbours close enough to hear you (or any children of the household) walking/running about.

Original poster
Laquitar · 14/03/2011 07:23

I don't care what others have but every thread i click is about laminate floors being naff.

And in a way the laminate snobbery it does affect everybody i.e. when you sell

OP posts:
JollySergeantJackrum · 14/03/2011 07:32

I love my laminate. In a new house it's not like we can just strip back the wooden floors.

Carpets make my allergies worse, and houses with both carpets and pets in the same rooms are just grotty.

If I was looking to buy a house from someone with pets, I'd only even consider it if they had laminate or wood or if I could afford to remove the carpets before we moved in.

TattyDevine · 14/03/2011 07:34

I think there's laminate and there's laminate. The orange hued poorly fitted stuff from B&Q that is sort of squeaky and creaky can give it a bad name. Properly fitted Quickstep with the correct underlay as one of my friends has just had done is lovely - I really like what she's had done, it suits her house, which is modern, I think it might have been almost ostentacious to have put oak flooring down in her hallway area in this particular house...the laminate is just lovely.

Other houses it would be a compromise.

I think its easy to get a skewed view on Mumsnet of how many people as a proportion hate something. Someone pipes up, then everyone who either does like laminate or has it themselves dont defend it on the basis that they dont feel they have to justify their reasons for liking it or having it, and dont really want to lay themselves open to criticism or snap judgements for doing so.

UndiscoveredApprentice · 14/03/2011 07:34

I didn't know laminate was naff. Whoops, reckon I have failed my basic interior design class then.

Bloodymary · 14/03/2011 07:38

Well I am about to have my kitchen floor done, and I am going for laminate.
I really wish that I could afford wood, but I simply cannot.

Bloodymary · 14/03/2011 07:40

TattyDevine What is Quickstep?

JollySergeantJackrum · 14/03/2011 07:44

bloodymary quickstep is here - www.quick-step.com/

We have quickstep too, it's lovely.

Bloodymary · 14/03/2011 07:47

Ooh thanks for the links both of you, will be looking into it today, as I really must get this floor done to save my sanity Smile

SeeJaneKick · 14/03/2011 07:48

I think the people on here who mantain it is naff are people who fancy themselves as purists of some kind and that they have always thought laminate is naff.

If you don't live in an older build where there are floorboards or parquet then what are you supposed to do? I have laminate and I love it.

SeeJaneKick · 14/03/2011 07:50

Ours is Quickstep...we rent and the landlord is quite good when it comes to putting in good qality fittings etc. We only had it done in the Summer and we are pleased with it.

TattyDevine · 14/03/2011 07:51

I think when people talk of naff laminate they mean this kind of thing <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.laminate-wood-floor.info/flooring/laminate_flooring232.jpg&imgrefurl=www.laminate-wood-floor.info/home-improvement-laminate-vs-hardwood-flooring/&usg=__B5SSyA9B1BbCVJXBWy1oAntHsWA=&h=480&w=640&sz=30&hl=en&start=22&sig2=t0wBdxkh6UbKIqLjPfSr2g&zoom=1&tbnid=8UzcLFHywwG-kM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=173&ei=c8h9Ta6APNuL4gbmlJnkBQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbad%2Blaminate%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1076%26bih%3D438%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C622&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=633&vpy=129&dur=94&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=112&ty=77&oei=ach9TeCqIYKXhQfC0pj1Bg&page=3&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:22&biw=1076&bih=438" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this , sort of orange and shiny.

But even then, it suits some houses, its practical...have what you like, what you can afford, or what your house came with! Particularly when you have young children - you can do your dream floor later I say.

justcarrots29 · 14/03/2011 07:52

It just reminds me of the horrible creaky, gappy plastic my mum and dad put down in every room of their house. ergh

Nice laminate however looks very fresh and clean. I like carpet though, I like cosy houses.

Bloodymary · 14/03/2011 07:53

Yes there is a huge difference between the two isnt there.

noddyholder · 14/03/2011 07:57

I don't like it although there are different types as you say and some of the heavier grade ones are ok if you don't want real wood.It is another of those things that in all my years as an interior designer I have never been asked for like feature walls etc.But in your home you should have what you like and feel suits the space and how you live. Carpet has never really gone out of fashion and certainly doesn't smell! There are some amazing floor coverings around especially some of the new carpets

HelenBaaBaaBlackSheep · 14/03/2011 08:04

I'd have tiled or wooden floors if I could I afford it, but as I can't it's laminate for me - anything but carpets!