Buffaloed in Pa Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Has anyone installed one at a curved opening where one floor meets another ? My kitchen area meets my Living room here . It`s about a 10 ft opening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 20, 2010 Share Posted May 20, 2010 Has anyone installed one at a curved opening where one floor meets another ? My kitchen area meets my Living room here . It`s about a 10 ft opening. No. But trace the curve and cut the individual pieces with a hand jig saw... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 One warning...laminate floors expand in the summer. If you do not leave enough expansion room around the edges, your floor will buckle. I had laminate installed in my entire basement, about 850 sq.ft. Looked fine until June when the floor buckled in several places. The most troublesome areas are where there were odd cuts: corners, poles, etc. so keep that in mind with your installation. And by the way...the salesman swore up and down that this stuff does not swell, even a millimeter. He said you could soak it in a tub of water and it wouldn't swell. Well guess what?? PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 One warning...laminate floors expand in the summer. If you do not leave enough expansion room around the edges, your floor will buckle. I had laminate installed in my entire basement, about 850 sq.ft. Looked fine until June when the floor buckled in several places. The most troublesome areas are where there were odd cuts: corners, poles, etc. so keep that in mind with your installation. And by the way...the salesman swore up and down that this stuff does not swell, even a millimeter. He said you could soak it in a tub of water and it wouldn't swell. Well guess what?? PTR Did you let it sit and climatize to the house for a while... Like say in a garage... Before installing?? I think you are supposed to do that?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Did you let it sit and climatize to the house for a while... Like say in a garage... Before installing?? I think you are supposed to do that?? You can only acclimate in a climate controlled area. If your garage isn't climate controlled, leaving it there doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wraith Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Even if the material has been allowed to acclimate, it will still expand/contract. I installed laminate this January so I know it's going to swell, so I had to pay very close attention to the recommended 1/4" gap. As far as installing to a curved threshold, the flooring won't be problem. You can, and will, have to cut the laminate into a variety of funny shapes to fit around cabinets, under/around door frames, etc. Use a template and a jigsaw as Exiled recommended. The challenge will be the transition piece between the laminate and whatevers on the other side. The traditional transition pieces supplied by the laminate companies aren't designed for curves. I'm sure you can find an alternative, though, as you must already have a curved transition piece you can use for ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 You can only acclimate in a climate controlled area. If your garage isn't climate controlled, leaving it there doesn't matter. Exactly, my bad... Sorry, forgot to mention that... Mine is... Heated/AC... The house was the model home and had the garage area as the showroom... Also like Wraith said... I found that transition pieces are common in up to about 8 foot lengths and hard to get in wood at you local mega home store... A trick if you want you have to make it two pieces (long transition) is to NOT cut the joint at a 90 degree angle... Join them with a 45 degree mitre... The joint will be less noticable! Gotta wood shop in your home? Custom make it the transition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffaloed in Pa Posted May 22, 2010 Author Share Posted May 22, 2010 Even if the material has been allowed to acclimate, it will still expand/contract. I installed laminate this January so I know it's going to swell, so I had to pay very close attention to the recommended 1/4" gap. As far as installing to a curved threshold, the flooring won't be problem. You can, and will, have to cut the laminate into a variety of funny shapes to fit around cabinets, under/around door frames, etc. Use a template and a jigsaw as Exiled recommended. The challenge will be the transition piece between the laminate and whatevers on the other side. The traditional transition pieces supplied by the laminate companies aren't designed for curves. I'm sure you can find an alternative, though, as you must already have a curved transition piece you can use for ideas. That is the problem I`m looking at. The curve . I`m trying to find out if they make something flexable to go between the two floors. It will have to be something the laminate fits in. I know you are supposed to leave about a quarter inch to three eights on the ends. Some sites say to leave the flooring in the room for two to three days before installing.Thanks everybody for trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 That is the problem I`m looking at. The curve . I`m trying to find out if they make something flexable to go between the two floors. It will have to be something the laminate fits in. I know you are supposed to leave about a quarter inch to three eights on the ends. Some sites say to leave the flooring in the room for two to three days before installing.Thanks everybody for trying. I undertstand... Wouldn't that look kinda cheesy if it was something flexible like plastic or rubber?... I don't even like the look of metal. You gotta make a template anyway... Can you custom make the transition out of a wide (enough to accommodate the curve) piece of nice matching wood?... Then you can run a router down either edge with the bevel of you choice. I like the transitions that go up at a about a 45, flatten out and then down at about a 45... Clean and simple, understated and not too fancy... But not just a plain square edged piece of wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffaloed in Pa Posted May 22, 2010 Author Share Posted May 22, 2010 I undertstand... Wouldn't that look kinda cheesy if it was something flexible like plastic or rubber?... I don't even like the look of metal. You gotta make a template anyway... Can you custom make the transition out of a wide (enough to accommodate the curve) piece of nice matching wood?... Then you can run a router down either edge with the bevel of you choice. I like the transitions that go up at a about a 45, flatten out and then down at about a 45... Clean and simple, understated and not too fancy... But not just a plain square edged piece of wood. sounds great..But that would have to be one wide piece of wood. I guess you could do it with two pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 sounds great..But that would have to be one wide piece of wood. I guess you could do it with two pieces. How big is the curve? I wonder what an opinion from a professional carpenter would be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Did you let it sit and climatize to the house for a while... Like say in a garage... Before installing?? I think you are supposed to do that?? Yes...for two months. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Yes...for two months. PTR Wow... You are all fine there! Was there a special under lay used? To circulate the air... Is your basement wet/damp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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