Laminate flooring installation.

[dabuddha]

So I'm finally getting around to fixing up my basement this spring. I've purchased the laminate flooring, underlayment, miter saw, and table saw.

I pulled up the old carpet and broke apart and removed all of the tack strips. After doing this, I saw that the nails were still in the concrete (basement has a concrete floor).

I used my hammer to pry up all the nails but with most of them, a little bit of concrete came up as well (small divots). This is, of course, along the edges of the room.

My question is, do I need to patch all these divots before laying down the laminate or is it unnecessary? If I do have to fill in these small divots, what's the easiest best thing to use?

TIA!

 

[DominionSeraph]

Why would it be necessary?
If nobody's gonna stepping there, and they're small enough that the flooring can bridge it anyway... what do you think could be a problem?

 

[Lotheron]

It's unnecessary as the divots are too small to make a difference.

 

[dabuddha]

Why would it be necessary?
If nobody's gonna stepping there, and they're small enough that the flooring can bridge it anyway... what's the problem?

That's what my thought was. My coworker thought it might be an issue about moisture getting in those divots and freezing?

 

[dougp]

That's what my thought was. My coworker thought it might be an issue about moisture getting in those divots and freezing?

My concern would be moisture, period. Not just freezing, but you're talking about a mold issue. I'd talk with someone at Home Depot, Lowes or Ace and get their opinion (if you can find the "area" expert.) There should be a putty you can use to fill those divots in, if not a sealer.

 

[Lotheron]

My concern would be moisture, period. Not just freezing, but you're talking about a mold issue. I'd talk with someone at Home Depot, Lowes or Ace and get their opinion (if you can find the "area" expert.) There should be a putty you can use to fill those divots in, if not a sealer.

Not only mold, but water will ruin a laminate floor way before mold grows. Laminate floors CANNOT get wet. Period. It soaks up the water and bubbles/warps. They do make moisture barriers to stop moisture such as when laying it on concrete, but if you're talking about enough water that it can form and freeze, that's a bad thing.

If the area can get that wet, you should be using a tile floor (ceramic, etc)

 

[dabuddha]

Not only mold, but water will ruin a laminate floor way before mold grows. Laminate floors CANNOT get wet. Period. It soaks up the water and bubbles/warps. They do make moisture barriers to stop moisture such as when laying it on concrete, but if you're talking about enough water that it can form and freeze, that's a bad thing.

If the area can get that wet, you should be using a tile floor (ceramic, etc)

Only way water will really be able to get in (AFAIK) will be if the sliding door were to break and a flood were to come in. I will be laying this stuff on the concrete before laying the laminate down:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

 

[dougp]

Only way water will really be able to get in (AFAIK) will be if the sliding door were to break and a flood were to come in. I will be laying this stuff on the concrete before laying the laminate down:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

I think the easiest way to put it is this.

Buy filler and seal the holes - a few hours and probably not more than $10.

Murphy's Law - Flood or unnoticed water spill, and you end up having to replace who knows how much laminate and other things.

To each their own, but I'd rather just fill it in to be on the safe side.

 

[AFurryReptile]

Had the same thing happen to me just last week. Spoke with a contractor, and he told me to fill those holes in.

It's super easy. Just get some of that self-leveling concrete from Home Depot. It cost like $10 and took 20 minutes. Better to be on the safe side.

 

[cardiac]

Fill the holes in. And if you have that much of a moisture problem, you need to address that way before you put ANY type of flooring down.....

 

[dabuddha]

Okey doke you guys have convinced me (not that I needed convincing, more like information lol). I'll make sure I fill in all the divots to be safe. Thanks!

 

[richardycc]

if you are gonna fill those holes, you might as well throw in a coat of drylok.

 

[edro]

I agree with unnecessary.

If it makes you feel better, get a bottle of premade concrete filler.
It's like $10 and would cure in 1 day.

http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/ConcreteRepair.asp

 

[vi edit]

I just have to ask the "hole fillers" what exactly they are protecting against? Most modern basements are going to have expansion joints cut into them that will collect water too. Are you going to fill them in? Most floors will also have low spots that very few people (and even contractors) will fix that will pool far more water than a couple nail holes ever would.

The most moisture you are going to get is condensation on the slab if it's not enviromentally controlled as humidity and temperatures fluctuate through the seasons. If this is a concern then no hole filling is going to fix it and laminate or carpet should be avoided.

Since carpet was used before thats probably not the case as is other water concerns.

If you get enough water in there to fill those holes you have a lot more to worry about.

Just my thoughts anyway....

 

[Mark R]

I wouldn't worry too much about filling the holes, as long as they are small - only a inch or so across, and only a few mm deep. A decent underlay will mask most of the unevenness, and good quality laminate (1/2" thickness or thicker) will be rigid enough not to sag under weight. (Cheap laminates - less than 1/2" thickness - can be very flexible and soft and can sag over small holes)

What is important is damp protection. It is essential that you have some form of moisture barrier between the concrete and the laminate. Some underlays will have an integrated moisture barrier (e.g. a bonded polyester film that extends beyond the edges of the underlay, so that you get guaranteed overlap of the barrier film). If your underlay doesn't have a moisture barrier, then you will need a seperate barrier film to go under the underlay.

 

[Zargon]

floor levelor or hydrolock concrete is easy to install

mark r did hit pretty much everything right on though

 

[ajskydiver]

If you get enough water in there to fill those holes you have a lot more to worry about.

This ^.

Don't bother filling in the holes.

 

[dabuddha]

Thanks for the help all!

Another question I had. One of my coworkers was telling me I should run my boards along the shorter wall (option B). I was under the impression that I should do it along the longer wall (option A). The drawing isn't to scale of course but you can get the general idea.

 

[Drako]

Thanks for the help all!

Another question I had. One of my coworkers was telling me I should run my boards along the shorter wall (option B). I was under the impression that I should do it along the longer wall (option A). The drawing isn't to scale of course but you can get the general idea.

I would do option A, and not just because I'm lazy .

 

[CPA]

My concern would be moisture, period. Not just freezing, but you're talking about a mold issue. I'd talk with someone at Home Depot, Lowes or Ace and get their opinion (if you can find the "area" expert.) There should be a putty you can use to fill those divots in, if not a sealer.

Should have used Cork, then you wouldn't have to worry about moisture or mold.

 

[CPA]

Thanks for the help all!

Another question I had. One of my coworkers was telling me I should run my boards along the shorter wall (option B). I was under the impression that I should do it along the longer wall (option A). The drawing isn't to scale of course but you can get the general idea.

Depends if you want the room to look wider or longer.

 

[vi edit]

Thanks for the help all!

Another question I had. One of my coworkers was telling me I should run my boards along the shorter wall (option B). I was under the impression that I should do it along the longer wall (option A). The drawing isn't to scale of course but you can get the general idea.

Technically, if this was a main/2nd floor that would be over floor joists you would run perpendicular to the joists. Since it's a slab you can go either direction.

Personally I would rather have the planks running parallel to the short wall. If you are off square at all it'll be much harder to tell and you won't have a running bond going the length of the long wall.

But that's just me.

 

[Zargon]

sounds right vi

the line for a will be harder to get right

 

[UnklSnappy]

The divots from the tack strip are not a problem. Fix them or not, whatever you want to do.
Direction is up to your personal preference.
Most important is that the concrete is flat, no more than 1/8 inch in 10 feet.

 

[smitbret]

Run the seams parallel to the primary, light source, i.e. if the north window is where most of the daylight comes in, run the seams north<->south, otherwise the harsh lighting will make your seams look obvious.

Concrete will draw moisture. Make sure you put a moisture block between the concrete floor and the laminate, in ANY basement actually, but especially here. I'd fill the holes, too. It's better to take a few minutes now than have to pull it up later and do it.