Dream Home Lam
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Who in the heck is it made by?
Flor,
I forget the name of the manufacturer. It is the same company that makes what is sold at BJ's. BJ's handles the low end stuff. Company starts with an S I'm sure but the brain just doesn't have the memory it use to. The product sounds good 8 mil thick, made in the US. Has a attached pad that will supposidly wick water down to be dissipated. Sound deadening.
I forget the name of the manufacturer. It is the same company that makes what is sold at BJ's. BJ's handles the low end stuff. Company starts with an S I'm sure but the brain just doesn't have the memory it use to. The product sounds good 8 mil thick, made in the US. Has a attached pad that will supposidly wick water down to be dissipated. Sound deadening.
I just used some of that, not the top end but their middle grade. Only 7 mm, no backing pad. The LL guy said they didn't recommend the one with the attached backing pad for going directly over concrete, which was what I was doing. Instead I layed down a separate underlayment with a vapor barrier (cost ended up about the same).
Anyway, I wasn't that thrilled with it. It went together fine as you'd expect, but I noticed that the gaps between boards on the butt ends seemed to grow a bit over the few weeks that I was still in there after it was installed. Not all of the seams, but just some, and it's next to impossible to close a gap in the very middle of the floor, particularly once the baseboard is in. It also seemed to chip a little easier than I'd like.
I haven't done a lot of lam flooring, but I'm comparing it to some Alloc that I have in my own kitchen that has held up much better for 3 years now - I haven't noticed any gaps showing up. Course, Alloc was pricier by at least 50%.
Anyway, I wasn't that thrilled with it. It went together fine as you'd expect, but I noticed that the gaps between boards on the butt ends seemed to grow a bit over the few weeks that I was still in there after it was installed. Not all of the seams, but just some, and it's next to impossible to close a gap in the very middle of the floor, particularly once the baseboard is in. It also seemed to chip a little easier than I'd like.
I haven't done a lot of lam flooring, but I'm comparing it to some Alloc that I have in my own kitchen that has held up much better for 3 years now - I haven't noticed any gaps showing up. Course, Alloc was pricier by at least 50%.
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Made in America and still cheap?
well, usually there are more variables to consider besides thickness.
such as Density, Milling, And glues used to adhere the sheet down.
8 mil is great if all other variables are tended to as well.
well, usually there are more variables to consider besides thickness.
such as Density, Milling, And glues used to adhere the sheet down.
8 mil is great if all other variables are tended to as well.
Thanks Flor,
BigE, Was the flooring left in the home to adjust properly prior to install? I wonder wh onl some end joints became seperated while others did not. I think I will give this product a try. It's going in my home so I can watch it well. I generally like to experiment on my own before using new products. No call backs except the wife.
I will post what I find.
BigE, Was the flooring left in the home to adjust properly prior to install? I wonder wh onl some end joints became seperated while others did not. I think I will give this product a try. It's going in my home so I can watch it well. I generally like to experiment on my own before using new products. No call backs except the wife.
I will post what I find.
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10,471 Posts
Did you open up the boxes? I open all of the boxes and rick everything for at least 3 days. This is also a good time to sort your repeats if you are putting down a pattern.
Teetor,Teetorbilt said:
You have mentioned this repeats before and I don't understand howw you go about making a pettern of this. Are you just saying not to place the same pattern next to each other or is this something more. Out of say 25 boxes on average how much would be identicle pattern wise. I know it probably depends on brand and such. I guess what I'm asking is how many plates do these printers use.
Thanks
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The repeat generally is confined to highly figured woods or those with knots. The most common # of prints is from 6-10, much of this is based on price, cheaper having fewer. I learned to sort them on my very first Pergo floor, it was a wide plank antique oak pattern with a repeat of 7. I was just popping open the boxes and putting the stuff down as randomly as possible when I noticed that 2 patterns were beginning to pile up. Time to fall back and regroup.
I was already out about 6 ft. from the wall, so I had a place to begin sorting. As we sorted, we also gave them names to speed things up, Big Knot, Long Knot, Crooked Knot, Clear, etc. This will (figure back in) it is also when we discovered that we had quite a few more of two prints and were a little short on another. Now it's time to get creative, you can use the ones that you have the most of for starting, finishing (they look a little different when cut) and burying under furniture. The trick is that you don't want too many in the same row and definitely NOT side by side, the center of the room is the most important. Art on the walls and furniture will lead the eye away from the perimeter flooring.
As for naming the planks, it really speeds things up when using help. You think ahead like a chess game and yell out, "Big knot, Clear, Crooked Knot!" and that's what gets delivered.
I was already out about 6 ft. from the wall, so I had a place to begin sorting. As we sorted, we also gave them names to speed things up, Big Knot, Long Knot, Crooked Knot, Clear, etc. This will (figure back in) it is also when we discovered that we had quite a few more of two prints and were a little short on another. Now it's time to get creative, you can use the ones that you have the most of for starting, finishing (they look a little different when cut) and burying under furniture. The trick is that you don't want too many in the same row and definitely NOT side by side, the center of the room is the most important. Art on the walls and furniture will lead the eye away from the perimeter flooring.
As for naming the planks, it really speeds things up when using help. You think ahead like a chess game and yell out, "Big knot, Clear, Crooked Knot!" and that's what gets delivered.
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adams, I'd prefer not to install laminate but make good money doing it. If I had my way, I'd be in pre-construction, install the subfloor and solid wood floor. Many people can't afford that. You have to deal with the cards that are dealt.
Well I picked the laminate today. The advertizements state made in america, the box say made in China. The advertizements call it Dream Home, the box calls it Azure. I bought it anyway. I need to get going on this project. I wanted to let you all know of the real deal. I will stil let you know how it works and holds up.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
Well the floor has been down for 2 months now and it is like the day it was installed. All seams are tight, quiet as a rock and looks great. For the record seeing I just read a new post about attached padding. I don't see how this could be any quieter than it is. I dont think the extra cost for some other lams would be worth it.
I'm happy and will use it again.
I'm happy and will use it again.
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10,471 Posts
Paul, You need to wait for a full year (all seasons) before you really know how the product will perform.
I posted here a long time ago about a customer who didn't have any problems until he opened his house up in the spring. The humidity caused it to swell, there wasn't enough margin left and the flooring was humping up 6".
I wish you well and keep us informed.
I posted here a long time ago about a customer who didn't have any problems until he opened his house up in the spring. The humidity caused it to swell, there wasn't enough margin left and the flooring was humping up 6".
I wish you well and keep us informed.
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