With the floors in somewhat decent condition, I turned to making them look a bit better. Dreaming of a day when shoes won't have to be worn in the kitchen.
First came the underlay. I picked up a special kind designed for wooden subfloors with plenty of cushioning, some thermal insulation and most important, an integrated moisture barrier. Laying the stuff was a piece of cake. It comes in accordion form and can easily be spread out and cut to length with a Stanley knife. If your knife doesn't have Stanley written on it - I'm sure it will work too (however not confirmed). I did the floor in sections so that I didn't have to walk all over the underlay with my big size 10 boots.
Next came the laminate flooring. We elected to get a 12mm thick version to provide a much sturdier floor. I have seen way too many springy installations in my lifetime. The flooring was a breeze to put down. Had it not rained, I could have finished the entire job in a day. Cutting laminate flooring in the rain using power tools is not recommended.
The tricky parts were the bits around the corner, around the radiator and under the counters. But after making some skill cuts, everything was fit and click. I left a min 10 mm gap around all the edges to allow for expansion. For the radiator pipes, the secret is to cut the hole and then cut the back on an angle (like a keyhole) to slide it on. The back of the keyhole can then be glued back using a strong wood adhesive and and the holes covered using specialised, well, hole covers. I actually sound like I know what I'm doing. In fact, best place to look is on YouTube - there are tonnes of useful videos from independents and chains like B&Q.
On the annoying side, I had to disconnect the dishwasher and washing machine to run the flooring underneath. This was done to allow easy sliding in and out of the appliances (no ridge) but also to ensure the gap wouldn't be seen. Mostly for the washer as it doesn't have a kicker board (or plinth as the posh Brits would say).
After a rain and pub delay, the work was soon complete. As you can see from the results, it has made a drastic improvement. No more shoes needed in the kitchen.
On to the appliances and cabinets!!!
BTW .. if you like the colour, I won the "discussion". However, if you don't like the colour, then it was a completely mutual, collaborative decision.
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