Laminate flooring

[gary955]

Planks aligned across the boat or down the boat. which would look best?

Also I was thinking that, as a narrowboat is such a small space, I could reduce the expansion gap around the edge, for neatness.

[Titus]

I did my old boat some years ago and fit them across, looked nice and much easier to fit

 

Dave

[Ally]

Just to throw a spanner in the works...sorry...I'd fit it down the length of the boat.

[Barry]

I had my house fitted with wood floors recently. The fitter explained that having the joints run withe long axis of the room will make the room look longer and thinner. Aligning the joints across the long axis makes the room look wider.

 

Joints along the long axis means more trimming the long edges of the boards to fit the long sides of the room. Joints across the long axis means cutting more ends of boards to fit the long edge of the room. second option is quicker, especially in a long thin room

[bottle]

Diagonally, best if both worlds.

[bowten]

Either way but solid wood would be better if you can price it economically.

[loubyscooby]

I would say fit them across the boat to make it wider.

 

However on my exes boat we bought laminate flooring called zebrano from B&Q and fitted them at a 45 deg angle. It looked gorgeous, made the space seem bigger and was a feature that everyone commented on.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[gary955]

Either way but solid wood would be better if you can price it economically.

Yes I agree, laminate never looks really convincing in comparison. Trouble is I'm laying this as a floating floor on top of the existing floor and the 18mm thickness of a good quality real wood floor would reduce the headroom of my boat enough for me to bump my head on light fittings! also I wold have to remove all the doors to trim the bottom off for clearance. 7mm laminate will fit under the doors and not rob me of too much headroom.

[STUBAG]

Yes I agree, laminate never looks really convincing in comparison. Trouble is I'm laying this as a floating floor on top of the existing floor and the 18mm thickness of a good quality real wood floor would reduce the headroom of my boat enough for me to bump my head on light fittings! also I wold have to remove all the doors to trim the bottom off for clearance. 7mm laminate will fit under the doors and not rob me of too much headroom.

Don't forget your inspection/water-sucking/maintenance access panels!

[cl@rkey]

Planks aligned across the boat or down the boat. which would look best?

Also I was thinking that, as a narrowboat is such a small space, I could reduce the expansion gap around the edge, for neatness.

My preference is lengthways planking - it just looks right to me.

 

What I do have an aversion to is diagonal planking of the linings and bulkheads. Again, not sure why, just looks totally wrong to my eyes.

 

Can't you just lay the stuff out and decide what looks best to you?

Edited August 30, 2012 by cl@rkey

[Guest]

I had my house fitted with wood floors recently. The fitter explained that having the joints run withe long axis of the room will make the room look longer and thinner. Aligning the joints across the long axis makes the room look wider.

 

Joints along the long axis means more trimming the long edges of the boards to fit the long sides of the room. Joints across the long axis means cutting more ends of boards to fit the long edge of the room. second option is quicker, especially in a long thin room

 

 

Did your fitter use one of those cutters like a tile cutter to fit it. We had our kitchen done professionally a few months back (I've always done an 'OK' job previously but used a jig saw).

 

I was extremely jealous of the piece of kit he used to cut the boards - one quick snap and they were neatly cut to length...

[Phil Ambrose]

Yes I agree, laminate never looks really convincing in comparison. Trouble is I'm laying this as a floating floor on top of the existing floor and the 18mm thickness of a good quality real wood floor would reduce the headroom of my boat enough for me to bump my head on light fittings! also I wold have to remove all the doors to trim the bottom off for clearance. 7mm laminate will fit under the doors and not rob me of too much headroom.

 

Ye Gods, how tall are you?

 

Phil

[Barry]

 

Did your fitter use one of those cutters like a tile cutter to fit it. We had our kitchen done professionally a few months back (I've always done an 'OK' job previously but used a jig saw).

 

I was extremely jealous of the piece of kit he used to cut the boards - one quick snap and they were neatly cut to length...

 

No mate - he used a chop saw for the ends and a jig saw to cut the lengths to fit the walls

 

It was a fascinating procedure to watch and I learned a lot

[Guest]

No mate - he used a chop saw for the ends and a jig saw to cut the lengths to fit the walls

 

It was a fascinating procedure to watch and I learned a lot

 

I agree and there is no doubt one of the best things to get a good result is use good quality flooring - I did one of our bedrooms at home with stuff from Focus before they went belly up and TBH it's a poor job - all the other rooms I've done have been with the better quality stuff that B&Q sell and it fits together much better.

 

For a boat I'd be definitely inclined to use the thicker moisture resistant stuff as we fitted in the kitchen - even that though is not water 'proof' just 'resistant..'

[Barry]

I agree and there is no doubt one of the best things to get a good result is use good quality flooring - I did one of our bedrooms at home with stuff from Focus before they went belly up and TBH it's a poor job - all the other rooms I've done have been with the better quality stuff that B&Q sell and it fits together much better.

 

For a boat I'd be definitely inclined to use the thicker moisture resistant stuff as we fitted in the kitchen - even that though is not water 'proof' just 'resistant..'

 

My insurance payout wouldn't run to real wood so I went for the best engineered wood floor I could afford. 18mm thick with the top layer as 6mm oak and the base is 12mm ply. But that ply has 9 layers in it. The fitter was very impressed with it. Said it was the best floor he'd fitted and went together beautifully.

 

6mm top layer will allow for re-finishing with an industrial sander on three occasions. Should outlast the house apparently

[gary955]

Ye Gods, how tall are you?

 

Phil

Not over tall.......but I do like crystal chandelliers

[ditchcrawler]

Not over tall.......but I do like crystal chandelliers

I have only come across one Narrowboat with a chandelier and I can't remember the name.

[gary955]

I have only come across one Narrowboat with a chandelier and I can't remember the name.

Errr.....actually that was a joke! in response to suprise that an 18mm floor would compromise headroom.

[ditchcrawler]

Errr.....actually that was a joke! in response to suprise that an 18mm floor would compromise headroom.

Maybe, but I am now racking my brains trying to remember the boat.

[casper ghost]

Errr.....actually that was a joke! in response to suprise that an 18mm floor would compromise headroom.

I too want to fit wood flooring, and 18mm would certainly leave my head hitting the ceiling, if I stretch up I can put my head on the ceiling as it is and i'm only 6'2".

Casp'