Laminate Flooring questions.

[NewShockerGuy]

My wife and I would like to turn our basement which has some nasty carpet from the previous owner and put laminate flooring down. My question is does anyone have experience with the Costco brand Harmonics?

https://harmonics-flooring.com/

Comes out to be like $1.49 per foot installed. I need roughly 1400sq ft for our finished basement and my gun room... Everything is finished via, drywall, paint, electrical, etc. Not sure if that matters at all but it's not an empty shell or damp at all, no moisture problems that I can tell or feel and being humid or anything. Piped for AC and heat.

We have actual hardwood in the upstairs but that cost was almost 3 times what this is so I KNOW the quality is not going to be the same obviously but the biggest reason we are looking at Costco for this flooring is because of price and most of all the Costco warranty... If we have a problem there won't be questions or hassles and we'll get refunded if there is a problem. My friend had a foam bed that he bought from them and they told him it had a 10 year warranty. Turns out it was 5. He called them on the 4th year saying that they informed him incorrectly and that he is still ok with the bed even though it had a 5 year warranty but there was a slight problem with one of the edges. They refunded him the entire 2,000 that he spent on it... I like to stand by people that look out for their customers so that's a big reason... another reason also is it states everywhere on the box and product that this is made in the USA...

Just wondering if this can be beat? Seems good and I can go 2 miles away and pick it up and not have to go through the haggle ******** of someone quoting me one price then we go back and forth for the next hour getting it down..etc.

Since this is going in my basement the house is 6 years old I would need a vapor barrier yes? I am pretty sure the carpet has a pad under it but not sure about what else because we haven't pulled the carpet up yet. Anything else that is needed? The laminate flooring already has a pad attached to it.

I've read reviews and they all seem to be good about this, and I doubt Costco would be selling it if it was ****.. I've yet to really find something that is just garbage in their store. I've never done this before and having a friend help me who has done this hundreds of times so I think in that aspect it should go smoothly if we choose this product, just wanting feedback.

I've attached a picture of the exact one that we like.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[jerryd68]

I have installed several laminate floors and have found them to be very durable if they stay moisture free on the bottom side. I would think that the thin foam underlayment that you use with these products would provide some vapor barrier. They go down very easy and quickly. Good luck in your project. I think it would be nice a gun room especially if you are reloading as spent primers would be easily swept up.

 

[mypov]

you can get some excellent products for basements specifically for keeping the finished floor dryer, warmer, and acts as a vapour barrier I believe.

they are made from OSB and foam, the foam sits on the cement, is usually contoured and the OSB is the side you add finish flooring too. Can be carpet, or laminate - but for colder, moist basements, I would definitely suggest this be added before the laminate flooring. The foam underlay for laminate is not made for constant exposure to moisture and may wick some/hold it in/transfer it to the laminate.

Homedepot, or Rona should have this stuff...

check the link:
http://reviews.homedepot.ca/1998/931386/reviews.htm

 

[XAMfed]

I put this in my old house back in 2005. Back then the edges chipped pretty easily, so it is best to use a piece of scrap to use the tools on. Once it was down it held up great.