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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:
expatinscotland · 14/03/2011 21:04

Carpets are minging even if you hoover and don't wear shoes on them. They're filthy.

I'd rather have clean, naff flooring than filthy.

figcake · 14/03/2011 21:04

I know someone who works for Environmental Health who told me that ever since laminate floors became popular in our area, the number of neighbour noise dispute cases has rocketed. I love original stripped floorboards too Gettingicy - unfortunately, the floorboards have never been good enough in any of our houses (mainly due to being doused in glue by lino-maniacs a few decades ago or being nailed to destruction by carpet nuts).

ambarth · 14/03/2011 21:09

Wooden floors are expensive thats why people say laminate is naff. It's what poorer people have. That's snoberry and snoberry is naff. Only a real twat looks down on someone because of their flooring.

myredcardigan · 14/03/2011 21:13

Why do people always have three of those mirrors hanging symmetrically next to each other but slightly apart too? Who the F*ck wants to see themselves in three separate thirds???

DooinMeCleanin · 14/03/2011 21:14

There are different qualities of laminate. No-one has ever commented on mine, a few people have asked if it is wood.

We did the whole house out all at once so there is no way we could have afforded wood. Not that I would pay that much for flooring with two dogs, two kids and ibs cat Grin

myredcardigan · 14/03/2011 21:17

Ambarth, naffness is not reserved for things that are cheap. A friend of DH's drives a red Ferrari. I think that's incredibly naff. Oh and we used to know a couple who had proper gold taps. Seriously! They lived in Dubai. I seem to remember them telling us they would need replacing quite soon too.

SlackSally · 14/03/2011 21:17

Can't imagine ever judging someone on the floor they have.

Also loving the 'why not just have wooden floors?' brigade.

Same people that suggest 'the utility room' as the perfect location to keep cleaning products.

NotaMopsa · 14/03/2011 22:36

ambarth - stripped boards are real wood???

usualsuspect · 14/03/2011 22:43

I have concrete floors..not everyone lives in a house with floorboards

aPixieMomma · 14/03/2011 22:54

Carpets aren't minging all the time.

What an odd thing to say.

Just like everything, if you look after them and keep them clean, they are fine.

Of course if you have loads of pets and never clean the things they will be minging but it's a bit rude to say all carpets are minging, just like it's rude to say laminate is naff.

expatinscotland · 14/03/2011 23:06

'Oh and we used to know a couple who had proper gold taps. Seriously! They lived in Dubai.'

That's not naff, that's Dubai. Been there, done that. Now living in rural area in anything but genteel poverty (there's no such thing), with stripped floorboards as we can't afford to put anything over them but if we could it wouldn't be carpet.

It's wet here often and muddy and cold most of the year so the boards it is.

We can hear the neighbour breathing, FGS, and the wind howls through straight through the glen.

There's no place in the world I'd rather be, then sitting on the old couch our landlord did not want, but I'd not say no to laminate were it in my means (it's not and probably never will be).

expatinscotland · 14/03/2011 23:09

They are minging, aPixie. You can't clean them the way you can flooring you can sweep and wash every day.

They have a pad under them that catches and holds dirt that hoovers can't pick up and that is hard to wash.

You don't find them in many other cultures as pervasively because they are dirty, IME.

CrystalQueen · 14/03/2011 23:15

We have laminate, Billy bookcases and three wavy mirrors. I never realised our flat was such a temple of naffness. At least we didn't put the laminate in so I can deflect some of the blame...

Actually I don't like the laminate and would much prefer carpet (I find it cold and it is always stoory looking)(that's dusty) but we can't afford to replace it. Luckily there's not a flat under us as DD could not be described as light on her toddler feet.

Heroine · 14/03/2011 23:34

People who think carpets don't smell have just got used to the way their house smells.

Bumblequeen · 15/03/2011 00:44

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

Bumblequeen · 15/03/2011 00:54

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

Heroine · 15/03/2011 01:27

so what! your carpet will still smell of you in between proper shampoos - laminate and other hard floors only capture smells if they have something on them that actually smells or have soaked up some liquid (eg with poorly fitting laminate) that smells - even then they don't hold that smell for long. Laminate can, obviously be in houses where soft furnishings or furniture smells, so the house might smell, but that doesn't take away from the fact that carpets hold smells!

Heroine · 15/03/2011 01:28

and people who have carpet in kitchens or bathrooms? eeeeewwwwww

Bumblequeen · 15/03/2011 07:01

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 15/03/2011 07:43

My carpet in the living room stinks and is threadbare by the door and stained. It was here when we moved in and has suffered 2 children a dog and 3 cats. Really needs to go but not sure yet what will go in its place. It would be fine if I enforced the shoes off rule and was disposed to looking after it but the living room is walkway to DH's office outside and it just isn't going to happen. It truly is vile and I can't believe it is still on the floor and will be going very soon.

There is solid wood in the kitchen and not doing that again as 5 years down the line is very scratched and has moved a bit so have gaps and the edges go black. Carpenter doing work here has recommended we think about Quick Step so am going to have a look.

As for sofas, I had a fabric one when DD was born which is long gone. I'll have another fabric one when the DC's are gone. Meanwhile I have leather as sofa maintenance comes under the life is too short rule in this house.

lovecorrie · 15/03/2011 08:09

Same people that suggest 'the utility room' as the perfect location to keep cleaning products

Grin hahahahahaha

I'll be off to sit on me leather sofa (it's John Lewis though - is that ok...?) and gaze at me laminate in a minute whilst I chortle at this..

noddyholder · 15/03/2011 09:22

I think there are many generalisations here and to call carpets filthy is a big one! Ours are spotless but don't have them in the main living area that has a slate floor from the kitchen right through to the dining and tv bit.But the bedrooms have carpet and so does the stairs. What is wrong with keeping stuff in a utility room? I don't as i don't have one but would if i did!

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 15/03/2011 09:24

I think carpet is fine as long as you are prepared to keep out door shoes off and clean it regularly. If you're more a brush and mop kind of person as I am, it's a recipe for domestic carnage.

noddyholder · 15/03/2011 09:28

I suppose the living room is only used at weekends or in teh evening sometimes.We tend to stay at the back of the house which is tiled. Bedrooms though are carpeted and look lovely.It is grey sisal and very pretty and we have it in green on teh stairs

lovecorrie · 15/03/2011 10:00

I would love a utlilty room - it is one of my dreams...it's just the assumption that everyone has one that's funny I guess... we have a cupboard under the sink where all our cleaning stuff lives.