The carpets have had it.

[Shirley]

We've got laminate flooring in the modern part of the house and I HATE it!! It's cheap and nasty stuff though, so no doubt there are better versions. Very cold on the toes too - especially in the winter months.

The old part of the house has bamboo flooring - which is fab!! The bedroom has a scaggy old carpet in which will be replaced one day, but when we can afford it. It's not at the top of the list of things to sort out.

[shiney]

Laminate isn't the best thing to have but it's better than concrete floors that we have. I'd definately prefer good old fashioned floorboards with rugs anytime!

Andy, I have never got a full deposit back from any private let. I looked after all my rented homes and the landlords just take the micky most of the time. There is such a thing as fair wear and tear, but I think most of the landlords expect you to levitate over carpets!

[digiveg]

Congrats on the poo pics...I think, well, I think I'll...barf, right now...

[Muddypause]

Oh Gad, don't get me started on laminate flooring.

It's the interior version of stone cladding - people actually thought that was a good idea once, remember?

It looks awful, it's horrible to walk on, it even sounds nasty. Dogs hate the stuff because they can't get a grip on it. I think it always looks like a cheat in the same way that woodchip paper usually is. You can't finish the edges properly without taking off the skirting, which means that people settle for another cheat with a bit of trim all the way around. Door frames and steps are always a problem. There is no way you would ever enter a house and be fooled into thinking that it was the real floor.

Trust me, it does absolutely nothing to enhance a place. People have asked me to install it, and I've always refused. Fact is, that even the 'real wood' version of it doesn't look anything like real wood. Even the expensive stuff can make a house look cheap.

In five years time, skips across the land will be full of the stuff. If you want a wipe-clean, non-slippy floor that is pleasant to walk on, a decent vinyl (or preferably real linoleum) would be my preference.

All views expressed here are just me own, etc.

[shiney]

Oh Gad, don't get me started on laminate flooring.

It's the interior version of stone cladding - people actually thought that was a good idea once, remember?

It looks awful, it's horrible to walk on, it even sounds nasty. Dogs hate the stuff because they can't get a grip on it. I think it always looks like a cheat in the same way that woodchip paper usually is. You can't finish the edges properly without taking off the skirting, which means that people settle for another cheat with a bit of trim all the way around. Door frames and steps are always a problem. There is no way you would ever enter a house and be fooled into thinking that it was the real floor.

Trust me, it does absolutely nothing to enhance a place. People have asked me to install it, and I've always refused. Fact is, that even the 'real wood' version of it doesn't look anything like real wood. Even the expensive stuff can make a house look cheap.

In five years time, skips across the land will be full of the stuff. If you want a wipe-clean, non-slippy floor that is pleasant to walk on, a decent vinyl (or preferably real linoleum) would be my preference.

All views expressed here are just me own, etc.

Fair enough! You are totally right, but a vinyl living room floor doesn't do it for me either. Laminate does the trick for the time being. Needs must when the devil drives. When he doesn't, I'll have wood. Honest!

[Millymollymandy]

It's easier in French houses because most of them don't have those large skirting boards like in English houses which are pretty well cemented in place. We just take up the manky little pine skirtings and use the laminate skirtings that come with the floorboards. So it looks neat (I hate those bits of quart-de-rond (don't know English for it) that people use in English houses beside the original skirting).

However!

I had some expensive, good quality laminate installed in my last house and it does show up every mark and fingerprint, especially when the light shines on it, and it can't be scrubbed because you must not let it get very wet. I always had to clean it with a barely damp cloth and only use water and once in a blue moon, a special detergent for laminate. And then you must polish it up after washing it. It's a on your hands and knees job. To sum it up it is a real pain in the behind!

Can't beat tiled floors!

[den_the_cat]

Dogs hate the stuff because they can't get a grip on it.

Oh but thats one of the best bits

c'mon though - tiles and real wood are better but its way better than carpet.

[Muddypause]

Dogs hate the stuff because they can't get a grip on it.

Oh but thats one of the best bits

That's OK for young pups that you want to see on You've Been Framed, but it's going to be a misery for an old dog with arthritic hips. But enough about me.

c'mon though - tiles and real wood are better but its way better than carpet.

Seriously? I'd put laminate flooring right at the bottom of the list. Carpets are pretty high up, actually. I'd rather have bare concrete than laminate.

[PurpleDragon]

Seriously? I'd put laminate flooring right at the bottom of the list. Carpets are pretty high up, actually. I'd rather have bare concrete than laminate.

I would take a guess, then, that you don't have kids with allergies? We were advised to remove all carpets, couldn't afford decent 'proper' flooring, and have you ever seen the state of kids knees when they fall over onto concrete? Sometimes you have to take ugly over practical or 'I want'.

[Tigerhair]

He he - we've just put laminate down (yesterday) in the lounge and will be running it through to the kitchen once our knees recover. (I used to have sore knees, and I'm sure the reason for it was far more enjoyable!!!)...

Anyway, we'd had this thin office carpet down for the last 8 years and after dog/cat throw-ups/poo/wee/spilt food/drinks/baby oozings/etc... we'd had enough - it had to go.

We've bought a top quality laminate and we really like the way it looks. The dogs running on it is hilarious when they try to do the 0-60 bit. It's guaranteed for 10 years and hasn't got a scratch on it despite the dog claws. It's got to be more hygienic than the carpet.

We just wanted something that would last really well from a money/environment standpoint. Even if I hate it I'm not changing it again for YEARS! Too much hard work!

[Ranter]

I live in a terraced house & think laminate flooring should be outlawed in this type of housing. I hear my neighbours' every footstep as they walk through the house.

I've just had my kitchen floor tiled & have a good vinyl in the bathroom (upstairs). I like carpet in other rooms as I love to walk about in bare feet & it's just too cold to do so on tiles or vinyl most of the year. Carpets help me keep warm & given that my illness means I'm very susceptible to the cold, keeping warm is a bit of a priority.

Rotten weather means I'm already in slippers & have been for most of August boo hiss.

[the.fee.fairy]

Laminate flooring and dogs should be illegal.

I'm sorry, it is the cruellest thing you could ever subject a dog to, and it takes years off the life of a breed predisposed to hip problems/back problems.

I have the same opinion as Muddy actually, i hate laminate flooring with a passion. Its noisy (for your naighbours more than you generally) and it never looks classy.

For kids with allergies, its seen as a safe option...but what about the glues and varnishes used in processing it? Stone tiles are better.

I just hate the sight of dogs skidding over it. Its not funny, its the height of cruelty. if you want to take your dog to the vet to end its miserable life two or three years early because you *had* to have laminate flooring that it couldn't get a grip on, and couldn't run on, then fine, that just tells me what kind of person you are.



Sorry for the angriness of this rant, i just feel that it is cruel and nasty to an innocent animal.

[PurpleDragon]

For kids with allergies, its seen as a safe option...but what about the glues and varnishes used in processing it? Stone tiles are better.

Yeah, you are right, but it is also the cheaper option for folk who can't afford tiles. Also, the allergies are generally caused by dust mites taking up residence and breeding inthe carpets, rather than the things like glues. For my DD anyway.

[Tigerhair]

I just hate the sight of dogs skidding over it. Its not funny, its the height of cruelty. if you want to take your dog to the vet to end its miserable life two or three years early because you *had* to have laminate flooring that it couldn't get a grip on, and couldn't run on, then fine, that just tells me what kind of person you are.
.

If this was aimed at me... well thanks! I was joking actually (yes, in bad taste!) and I ADORE my dogs and the only time I watched them doing the "comedy" run was when it was being put down. Now we have loads of rugs on it so they don't do it. And if you are that angry, don't apologise at the end of it, it kind of negates the affect!

[den_the_cat]

I rather more suspect it was aimed at me, but lets put it this way.

I don't currently have dogs but do have cats. I have cats because I haven't lived in a house which I think its fair to house mid to large sized dogs in for about 15 years.

When I do have dogs then in general, like kids, I wouldn't expect them to have to run indoors. I think all animals (including kids) should be able to run in safety in a large garden or on open land where they can be properly controlled. I think slippery flooring is very very far from being the cruellest thing you can do to a dog and I also think that the difference in slipperiness between laminate flooring and tiled flooring is marginal, which my dads dog will happily attest too since one of his favourite games is to run down the tiled hall and slide the last half.

If anyone dislikes laminated flooring for reasons of practicality, snobbishness or personal taste then thats fine. I don't like it a lot either but having moved from a laminate floored house to a carpetted one recently I would love to get the laminate back. I personally find carpet unhygenic and think that anything but the really really expensive stuff looks terrible, but again, personal taste and I'm not about to call out ownders of shag pile carpets for cruelty because their dogs get their claws caught in it or fleas are more prone to loitering there.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating soaping a dogs paws and making it skate to its food bowl, but a well looked after well trained and well balanced dog which gets plenty of exercise, a good soft bed and lots of cuddles will not be traumatised for life by having some laminate in the lounge or by being laughed at when it cant chase a fly because its paws are sliding.