Laminate flooring (vinyl, dishwasher, Lowes, installation)

[jaynarie]

Where is the best place to go for laminate flooring?
Lumber Liquidators appears to be the cheapest but someone said their installation fees are high. I MAY be able to have someone install it for me, but I am not counting on it at the moment.
If it matters, it will be an eat-in kitchen and 2 bathrooms- not the entire house.
Thanks!

[texdav]

I would go to a flooring center as they will have the better brands. For those areas I would go with the more expensive water proof versions.;because one dishwasher leak etc and you will be replacing if not.WilsonArt makes waterproof.

[crazyma]

IMHO make sure if you go with laminate, get something for *wet* environments, like texdave suggested. I have something in the kitchen (came with the house) and I despise it. Some warping around the frig where the icemaker throws out stray stuff that falls unseen. I've seen it used in bathrooms where is later buckled (got uneven?) I guess from the constant moisture. And make sure the installer knows whaqt they are doing...there wasn't enough expansion gap, I guess you call it, left around the edges and it squeaks too

{Personally I like linoluem (congoleum, that stuff, not the cheap cheap vinyl on a roll at HD/Lowes) 'cause if you get the good it takes the spills, kids, dogs Tile is okay but it feels so cold! Iv'e had it but those grout lines drove me crazy!!}

[Barking Spider]

texdav gave great advice. Don't scrimp, unless you don't care about how the job turns out.

I have been in lots of houses where someone installed laminate flooring, and either didn't have ALL of the tools they needed, or didn't have ALL the knowledge they needed, and maybe ALL the skill they needed. Just a total waste of money and material.

The inexperienced installer will make a mess of the areas where the laminate joins doors and trim areas. It's a give away that it was a beginner.

We have a laminate in our kitchen that continues into a laundry room/bathroom. The washing machine leaked several times and flooring looks like new. We did not go with the cheapest brand.

[Mammaof2girls]

After doing lots of research, I decided to go with the DuPont Real Touch Elite laminate flooring. It looks real nice, and it was very easy for my husband and I to install it in our living room and in the downstairs hallway. We purchased some to put in our bathroom too....but we bought the one that looks like it's tile, but it's not.

One of the nice things about this flooring is that it has the pre-installed foam underlayment for comfort and noise reduction.

We grabbed an online deal at h o m e d e p o t. Check out the reviews there.....all the reviews give it 5 stars.

Good luck!

[irishbasket]

Loew's - use the 12 month payment plan. You can do this even if you have never installed...it is that easy.