Is laminate recommended for kitchens? I dont fit it but somone was asking,I would have thought if it got wet it may swell?
Laminate is fine for kitchens if you follow the simple rules! Wood plus moister dont mix. So if the kitchen is a normal kitchen used once a day for cooking a proper dinner then all should be fine. However if the kitchen is in use all day long boiling stuff etc then the moister content (humidity) will be high and could cause expansion/cupping etc issues. Also spills- if something was spilt and mopped up the there is no problem. Again if something is spilt and left on the top then yes the laminate could be damaged. Always put a rug or simular down while washing up. There are also laminates out there designed for these areas, but they still need to be looked after.
i agree with matt the only thing i would add is get the customers to check the hose fitting on the back of washing machines or dishwashers cos if they are dripping even slightly at the back where they cant see then after a short time they will have a majoor problem.you used to be able to get shallow plastic trays to put your appliances in but i havnt seen them for a few years
and to add to that! make sure the tumble dryer hose is vented outside and not under the kick boards :shock:
ok, what do you guys think about fibre board as an underlayment in a kitchen? is it a no no would it soak (can't think of the right word) moisture?
the fibre board is a load of pants. IF anything it makes floors worse. I prefer timbermate like al, its far better. However timbermate should only be used on concerte subfloors. On wooden subfloors it can cause a build up moister (sweat) that is caused by the balance of moister in air to subfloor and then condensating (dew point in simple terms for example) A way around this is that you can buy timbermate without the foil moister backing, Or you can install the underlay upside down and run a spike roller over the backing (the type used on carpet joins) Make sure you run over the underlay well to puncture many small holes in it.
