TOOOO Many Laminate Floor Choices

Kim1181

I want to lay laminate floor in my kitchen. Budget is kind of tight so I've been shopping hard. Found a good deal through Ebay on some Witex Speedy Lock laminate, I'm waiting for a sample now. Does anyone here have any experience with the Witex brand? I talked to the salesman on the phone today, I had been leaning towards the Balterio Ambassador laminate but he talked me into the Witex. He carries both but said if he was putting it in his mothers house (who is VERY picky) he'd put down Witex. Was hoping to throw this thread out here and see if anyone had any comments. Thanks

Floorwizard

Hi Kim, thanx for the question,

Speedy lock is of the lower end of the Witex brand, and although it is still good, there are some precautions you wanna take to ensure a long lasting floor.
Have it installed correctly (over 80% of lam failures are due to install).
Buy area rugs to help protect it.
Use the right cleaner and mop recommended.
Take your shoes off.
trim any dogs nails often.
this of course still applies to higher end laminates as well, but on lower end, they could use the extra help for sure.
I know not of the other brand you spoke of, so stick with a good company such as Witex.
Make sure after shipping, you are not paying anymore for the floor than you would at a good full service flooring store in your area. I would hate for your State to lose money abroad without a chance to compete.
good luck and keep us informed!

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Oscar

Hello,

I am also looking into purchasing the witex laminate for my whole house. A store in my area is running a special on the Speedy version. What is the difference between the Speedy and LocTec? On the witex website it shows that there is a difference in warranty (15 to 20 respectivaly) as well as what its suitable for but does anyone know why? Statest that the Speedy is "Suitable for light to medium traffic areas" and the LocTec is "Great for medium to heavy traffic areas". I am concerned with this since I am planning to put this in high traffic areas such as a hallway, living area, master bedroom and kitchen. Has anyone had any experience with either of these products? Any information you could provide would be helpful.

Thank you in advance

Floorwizard

The heavier version has a thicker finish and therefore is more durable. Some people can make the cheaper stuff last, but some people need the extra protection. It all depends on how hard you are on your floors, The choice is yours.

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Oscar

I have never owned a laminate wood floor and from what it sounds like is that you have to be extremely careful with the lower end products. Is this true with the thicker products?

When you say some can make this last, is that based on having to cover it up with a rug and never walking on it? I really dont want to have to worry about it too much and would rather get a quality products that doesnt require you treat like your walking on egg shells.

The reason that I ask about this particular brand and model is because they are currently running a special locally and its hard to find any good information unless someone has actually used or tested it.

Kim1181

After reading the answer to my post about the Speedy Loc I decided it wasn't for me and started shopping for Witex Loc Tec which seems to be a much better product. I was able to secure my purchase for $1.99 a square foot. My shipment came in Monday and I'm waiting for my brother to come from GA. and help me install it. I also purchased a moisture barrier/cushioned padding. If I remember correctly the Loc Tec also has a built in moisture barrier in the core. I felt that this, along with the AC 3 rating would make this product more durable in my kitchen.
Oscar - I did my internet homework on laminates. I bet I went to a thousand websites before I finally made a decision. Check the Witex website for more information on their different brands. After listening to Florcraft and doing some more checking I would have to agree that I personally would not put Speedy Loc throughout my entire house. Like my papa always told me "You get what you pay for".

Floorwizard

your right, you do get what you pay for, unless you get a sale price like Kim did. Usually 2 bucks a sq foot doesnt get you much, but apparently its an inventory blowout.

I have to be real careful when explaining durability on floors. I could sell you the highest brands in the industry, and if you don't take care of it, you will destroy it. A higher quality product will just give you more insurance on milling, moisture resistance, scratch resistance, staining, gauging, denting and such, but I would never say "you bought a high end product, you can treat it like hell!"
Think of it like a car, if you buy a Lexus, you will still need to drive it respectfully, and still get oil changes, and still wash it, and keep up on the regular maintenance, just like a Toyota or a Pinto, But the Lexus will be much better to live with and probably last longer making it a great investment. But I have seen some Pinto's that still run great.
So basically what I am trying to say, is no matter what you buy, it is all up to the owner to decide how well they will live on their flooring, and how long it will last.

I have 3 kids, I need all the help I can get, so high quality is the way to go.

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

SouthernBelle

Hi everyone! I am looking for wood flooring. Is laminate wood? I do not know much about it. 2 of our 4 children are really rough on the floors and I want something that can withstand their traffic. Florcraft, what kind of laminate flooring would you recommend. There are so many that it is very overwhelming. Kim, where did you get yours? Did you say Ebay? Thanks,

Kim1181

I don't know the restriction on giving out website addresses so I hope I don't get in trouble here. I tried to send you a private email but it wouldn't let me??? I bought my laminate from Dalton flooring out of Alabama, however they gave me an exceptional price to match the price I found on DIYflooring.com to get my business.

Floorwizard

Pergo, Wilsonart, Armstrong, Quickstep, Witex.

Kepp in mind there are 3 levels of these manufacturers. At LEAST go with the mid range or higher.

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"