Replies

1. 
   Mooney | Oct 04, 2002 02:10am | #1

   Im sorry Bill, you cant go Pergo. It isa laminate that is backed with pressed board. Moisture will make it swarm .

   Ceramic tile , or flaux epoxy ,is the only thing I know that will hold up for a long time. I just did ceramic in my basement , after tearing out moisture runined carpet. Im supposed to have a dry basement also, but it just doesnt work that way for a long period of time. I installed pergo upstairs through out , and I really like it . My research told me no moisture. Ceramic tile is really nice though.

   Tim Mooney

1. 
   Willy50 | Oct 04, 2002 04:48am | #2

   Hi Tim,

   Thanks for info regarding Pergo. I myself have not put one of these floors down. I was talking to a flooring guy who has been in the business for years and he swears by the Wilsonart floor. He said that he has manufacturer's reps in his place all the time. He would take a 30 gallon garbage can, fill it with water and just take these samples and put it in the can and leave it for days. He said the Wilsonart was indestructible and looks good BUT I think it has no wood to it only plastic and PVC in particular. So, Not sure what to do. I know how to lay tile and like the look, it is just a bit on the cool side in the winter but if that is what has to be, then maybe that is the answer,

   Thanks again

   Bill

1. 
   james | Oct 04, 2002 06:22am | #3

   you may want to lay ceramic over a heating mat or over radient floor heat. just some options for tacking the chill of a hard floor.

2. 
   BillHartmann | Oct 04, 2002 06:28am | #4

   The most common laminate floor has a mdf type of material for the core. The show surface is a high pressure laminate. Basically "formica". That is a picture layer that is saturated and covered with a melime wear surface. It is heavier duty that counter top, but a similar idea.

   One brand does have a line with a plastic core, called i-core. I don't remember the brand, but it is expensive,

3. 
   Mooney | Oct 04, 2002 01:23pm | #5

   Thanks to Bill Hartman for adding info on I core, Im a little behind here .

   Actually I used wilson art up stairs . I just matched it and payed 4 dollars a foot for it

   not including the extras. I could have bought other colors for two bucks a ft on the internet. I never checked the price of I core . I layed a 100 sg ft office and the materials cost about 500 dollars. I could have layed tile left over in the basement for a little over a hundred. There would have been no difference in labor. The Icore may be an option , but at what price ? Give us an up date Bill when you gather the information. I havent even had my first cup of coffee this morning and I have already learned something about the new flooring . Now , to the coffee,...

   Tim Mooney

4. 
   Mooney | Oct 04, 2002 01:30pm | #6

   Bill, most people buy area rugs for sitting areas on tile. Good looking. Im on tile now in the basement and my feet are a little chilly . LOL! I guess I will have to develope the habit of house shoes. So you do have a good point. As soon as Im done with the office footies will be on wilson art up stairs  up stairs. But the upstairs part will be the only difference . Its would be cold also in the basement. I wanted my office chair to roll easily , or I would have went back to carpet.

   Tim Mooney 

1. 
   Willy50 | Oct 04, 2002 06:32pm | #7

   Guys,

   Thanks for all the info. I will let you know what I come up with. I would love to do a radiant floor heat thing but I believe that has to be done when the concrete floor is poured? To do it now would again raise the floor height too much? Unless there is an electric pad way to do it? which would involve less thickness and tile over that????

   Thanks

   Bill

1. 
   BillHartmann | Oct 04, 2002 07:06pm | #8

   Yes, you can use electric radiant heat.

   But you need to check out the operating expenses. It depends on what you local electric rates are.

   But if you already have basic HVAC in the area you only need to use the radiant of compensate for the loses through the floor. I don't have any idea how to figure that.

   BTW, my house is two story on slab. I am on a hill side and 1/2 of it has 4 ft stem walls (or the back side of the garrage).

   All of the HVAC contractors wanted to treat this as "basement" with overhead heating ducts. I knew that it would be cold. I finally found one that would put in two units. One for each floor.

   This was in 1979 and radiant was not well known, specially in this area. Just before I start I though of the possiblity of using electrical cables in the concrete and then using the single furnace with overhead ducts. But I did not have time to do any research, but went with the 2 units.

   I am thinking about doing a small addition with 9 ft of glass door/window. And there will be a small section of tile infront of it and the remaining room with be wood. I am thinking of putting electrical mat under the tile, just to counter the loses through the glass.

2. 
   MisterT | Oct 05, 2002 02:10am | #9

   junk

   Do not try this at home!

   I am a trained professional!