acclimatising laminate

[lighteningmcmama]

hello

Have you ever laid laminate flooring without acclimatising it? Our flooring people want to bring the laminate on the day and lay it on the day, so wont be acclimatised. Is this OK? They said there will be room next to the beading on the walls for any minor expansion or contraction.

Bump

Laminate is usually laid floating, so it can move about a bit. However I would not be pleased.

I would be tempted to write to the installers saying "I note that you intend to fit this flooring, disregarding the manufacturer's instructions. The maker's guarantee will therefore become invalid. Please confirm that you will be taking over responsibility for the guarantee"

Our builder did this with our full wood floor and he wrecked it It expanded, had to be cut out and has never recovered.

Thank you for your replies.

What do fitters normally do when they supply and fit the laminate? Do they deliver it in advance? Because we live further out than the area these fitters normally cover I know they won't deliver to us. I'm wondering if I need to pick it up? Any ideas if c35m squared laminate would fit in a 7 seater boot (without the back seats up), or an estate boot?

Thanks so much

the packs are very heavy. One person would get quite tired carrying them all. If you drop them you will chip or break the mating tongues.

I think a pack covers about 1.2 m2, and is about six inches thick (and 4 ft x 1 ft) You could fit quite a few packs in an estate or hatchback with the seats folded.

p.s.

solid wood is much more prone to widthways expansion and contraction according to humidity (it does not move lengthways). I have seen a parquet floor buckle and hump when laid in moist conditions.

Thank you so much for your advice. I think I'm going to work out a way to get the laminate to our house before they come to lay it on Monday...

So what do fitters usually do, do they deliver beforehand?

Thanks so much

Hmmm so maybe it's ok then? That's what they said to me, that because it's not real wood it doesn't matter

So confused though...

me too.

But if you look up the maker's instructions for the laminate, I bet it will say it should be acclimatised to the room for two days before laying.

If the installers don't follow the MIs, the manufacturer will deny responsibility for any subsequent buckling or gapping, to it has to be the installer's risk, not yours. If there is heavy furniture in the room, it will hold down parts of the floor and prevent it moving.

here's an example I found
na.pergo.com/pdfs/installation/Installation_Essentials_Guide_072313.pdf

That's v helpful thanks

The flooring ppl are refusing to bring it before hand. They're happy to leave the job

Which makes things difficult for me as I'm isurrounded by boxes of New beds that can't be made until the flooring is down and it needs to be done before Easter...

I would start asking around for recommendations of a local fitter.

Laminate is not very difficult, but needs painstaking and precise cutting and trimming. Many joiners, carpetlayers and carpenters do it, and it's a dry, inside job which they like in winter.

You can get laminate, delivered, from any DIY shed or flooring supplier, and the underlays, and stack it in your house.

Thanks piglet John, I've cancelled the other people, and have arranged for a recommended carpenter to come do it after Easter. So we will go buy it as you suggest.

I'm thinking to keep it in another room until the day before it's fitted when we'll move it into the actual rooms, as it will be a pain to have the boxes in the bedrooms for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for all your help