How Clean Is Your Floor Before Laminating

[Bubsbunny 0]

I have a question and need advice from pple who have laminate flooring. How clean is your floor (cement screed) before laminate is laid? My rooms were still dirty with sand-like particles on the cement screed. I touch the floor and its seem like they never clean it after the major work. Asked the worker and he said no need to clean. He said the foam will absorb sound. But i check installation instructions which said floor need to be absolutely clean and even before laminating. When we walked on the flooring later, there are "griik griik" sound. Is this normal? Is it due to the particles or the planks itself?

[raincole 0]

With cement screed, is it still considered as overlay?

[Bubsbunny 0]

I'm not sure abt the overlay term. Generally they will just lay the laminate on top without using any adhesive. So the idea of clean floor from instructions is to make sure there is no unevenness. But my concern is the giirk giirk sound heard and with particles at the bottom, it might compremise the durality of both the foam and laminate.

[lawry 3]

Mine was old tiles from previous owner, they just swept it clean and they started to do the laminated flooring. Acceptable cleanliness.

[johncbh 0]

I'm not sure abt the overlay term. Generally they will just lay the laminate on top without using any adhesive. So the idea of clean floor from instructions is to make sure there is no unevenness. But my concern is the giirk giirk sound heard and with particles at the bottom, it might compremise the durality of both the foam and laminate.

Hi Bubsbunny,

The clean floor means no debris of any sort. it does not really mean that you're able to lick the floor kind of clean. The sand particles is ok( most floorings are a bit dusty when laminate are done). The sound you heard definitely comes from the laminate itself. Its not possible to hear Sand rubbing against the laminate. There is a layer of foam to cushion the laminate already. Unless the workmanship of the laminate co is so bad that the flooring can still moves about, basically , the sound will goes off over time. Sleep well.

[bullet 0]

I have a question and need advice from pple who have laminate flooring. How clean is your floor (cement screed) before laminate is laid? My rooms were still dirty with sand-like particles on the cement screed. I touch the floor and its seem like they never clean it after the major work. Asked the worker and he said no need to clean. He said the foam will absorb sound. But i check installation instructions which said floor need to be absolutely clean and even before laminating. When we walked on the flooring later, there are "griik griik" sound. Is this normal? Is it due to the particles or the planks itself?

Yes, it must be clean and mop dry before installation. the sound you mentioned could be due to the loose sand which raise a portion of the laminate floor creating a hollow in between and hence rubbing sound between the wood. If this is the case, your floor should pop up in no time. Didn't you put a thousand dollar note on the floor before the installation and ask the worker if they need to clean the dirty note away too?... LOL.

With cement screed, is it still considered as overlay?

No. The term is call lay-on. Cement screed is the non finish base element to level floor. Overlay means laying a floor finishes over another floor finishes like tile on tile or laminate or parquet.

Hi Bubsbunny,

The clean floor means no debris of any sort. it does not really mean that you're able to lick the floor kind of clean. The sand particles is ok( most floorings are a bit dusty when laminate are done). The sound you heard definitely comes from the laminate itself. Its not possible to hear Sand rubbing against the laminate. There is a layer of foam to cushion the laminate already. Unless the workmanship of the laminate co is so bad that the flooring can still moves about, basically , the sound will goes off over time. Sleep well.

Why should you allow them to sweep dust under it when there is an opportunity to keep it clean? Sand particles is not ok; depend on the size of the sand. the foam is only 5mm think, don't ever expect it to do mirical. The purpose of foam is to minimize the sound but not as sound proof. The sound of laminate floor do not goes off over time and the general term of laminate floor is know as float floor which mean it is not bonded to the floor but floating on it. So how can you expect the sound to goes off.