What flooring options for living areas on a concrete slab base?

[sunnyuaf]

I am removing carpets from my home from louche and preferably from the bedrooms as well. Currently I have I have tiles in hallway, kitchen and toilets. 
What are the DIY flooring options I have in Victoria Australia on a concreate slab base? if I leave the tiled area as it is. What would be my best options for flooring for living area and bedrooms? Thanks

[EricL]

Hello @sunnyuaf 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your flooring.

You have a couple of options in regards to flooring, your available time and budget will play a factor in your choice. You have the option of installing laminate flooring, vinyl flooring and hybrid flooring. Between the three, the fastest one to install would be the vinyl flooring.

It comes in large rolls which you basically just roll out into the room and glue the corner into place. Once you place your furniture on top it will keep the vinyl in place. Laminate flooring and Hybrid flooring are very close in assembly methods. They clip onto one another to keep their assembly secure, 

However, laminate flooring needs to have an underlay installed before placing the flooring on top. Whereas hybrid flooring already has the underlay attached to it and has the advantage of being 100 percent waterproof.

Between the three, my recommendation would be to use Hybrid flooring. It's not difficult to install and you get the look and feel of timber with the advantage of having a waterproof flooring. 

Let me call on our experienced members @diy_hausdesigns, @redbournreno and @homeinmelbourne for their recommendations. 

Here are some fantastic flooring installation projects our Workshop members have shared:

• D.I.Y. floating laminate floor installation by @mich1972 
   
• D.I.Y. flooring using adhesive vinyl over tiles by @diy_hausdesigns 
   
• Apartment makeover using paint and vinyl flooring by @RenoRach1 
   
• Hybrid flooring installation over tiled floor by @WoodenGregsWood 
   
• D.I.Y. hybrid flooring installation by @RAW

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[RenoRach1]

Thanks for the mention, @EricL !  I'm a big fan of the luxury vinyl planks - for ease of installation, convenience, durability and value for money.  I've laid them in a rental property as well as my own utility room. The Senso Ceruse Blanc self-adhesive planks are so easy to instal and really lift areas such as living and dining rooms, but work so well in wet areas such as laundries and bathrooms, too.

Redoing your flooring will make a world of difference to your home - you'll wonder why you didn't make the change earlier!  

All the best!

RR

[redbournreno]

Hi @sunnyuaf ,

New flooring is such a great way to modernise a whole area in the home and make it more practical and clean.

Laminate or hybrid are probably your best bets here, they are similar in look and installation but have slight differences.  If the flooring is extending into a kitchen or laundry space then I would recommend Hybrid because it is more water resistant on the surface. There are new laminates that have extra water resistant qualities now though.  Maybe @EricL can suggest which ones at Bunnings are best for that.  Hybrid is also tougher against chips or gouges than laminate.

Hybrid comes with it's own underlay, but it is easy to add the underlay role when installing laminate, just keep in mind that you need to get the underlay separately for the laminate.  Being a more 'natural' product, made from wood fibres, laminate is a little more forgiving and easier to work with because it isn't as brittle as hybrid.  Most floor installers seem to prefer laminate for this reason.

Also remember when trying brands to take your shoes off and feel it underfoot, because different brands and qualities do have a different feel and coldness, especially if using in bedrooms. Think ahead about how you will finish off the edges too - will they tuck under skirting or will you need to use matching scotia?  Because both hybrid and laminate need some space at the edges to allow for expansion in weather, hybrid less so than laminate.

Another important consideration is the floor levels.  Will you lay the planks over your existing tiles or remove them?  If you have them removed then you will need to overlay the irregular concrete with self levelling compound.  You will need that if your floors are not level too, so check with a long spirit level. Will the bedrooms and hall floors then match up in height?  You may need to find solutions to that using some edging strips.

Good luck - it will be a great improvement I am sure.

[sunnyuaf]

Thanks @redbournreno @EricL @RenoRach1 for great suggestions and tips.
After getting a little understanding now the plan is to leave the tiles area as and put the new flooring after removing carpets (lounge and bed).
I could not figure out the difference in Luxury Vinyl planks and Hybrid flooring? Any suggestions for choosing the colours? I have noted in videos people are removing skirtings and than install them but if they can installed without removing skirting and use the scotia will it be easier? Please suggest what is the best strategy. Sorry for too many questions. 

Bundle of thanks. I did contacted the local Bunnings for DIY workshop but unfortunately, they do not run in my town.

[EricL]

Hello @sunnyuaf 

Was there a specific Luxury Vinyl plank you were looking at? If you can tell me which brand your referring to, I can try and tell you more about it. 

The main advantage of the Hybrid flooring is that it is 100 percent waterproof. It can be used in high moisture areas such as kitchens, laundries and bathrooms. Please note that the Hybrid flooring can't be used directly inside the bath or shower area. In regards to strength and longevity this would be the flooring to get.

In regards to colour choice this falls into the category of personal choice. I propose getting a few sample boards from the store and taking them home and see which shade and pattern goes best with your wall colour and furniture. 

If you're not keen on removing the skirting boards, the flooring can be installed next to it. However, you'll need to cover the gap using timber moulding trims. 

If you are keen to install the flooring yourself, it can be achieved with proper planning and preparation. We've had members do their own flooring installation with great success.

Here are some amazing flooring installation projects our Workshop members have shared:

• Hybrid flooring installation over tiled floor by @WoodenGregsWood 
   
• D.I.Y. hybrid flooring installation by @RAW 
   
• Apartment makeover using paint and vinyl flooring by @RenoRach1 
   
• D.I.Y. flooring using adhesive vinyl over tiles by @diy_hausdesigns 

Here are some handy step-by-step guides:

• How To Lay Vinyl Plank Flooring
   
• How To Lay Laminate Flooring

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[redbournreno]

Hi @sunnyuaf ,

Unfortunately the terminology that manufacturers use can be very confusing.  I used to think that luxury vinyl planks was always the flexible kind that usually had to be glued down, and is a quality version of vinyl sold in rolls.  They use this a lot in commercial premises and I have used it in 2 homes and actually love it.  But it usually needs professional installation and a PERFECTLY level floor.

Scotia or timber trims around the edges is very easy and much less work and cost than removing your skirting board and refitting it on top of the flooring. It is acceptable and commonly done that way, it just isn't considered a high end finish.  Not every house needs a high end finish though.

Regarding the colour that you choose, it depends a lot on what your existing furnishing, wall colour and style is like.  If you are following trends then the grey toned timbers are less fashionable than they have been over the last 10 years or so.  I find it is best to choose the most realistic timber look. Grab some samples, they aren't expensive and take them home to see in the light and in the evening at your place.

Good luck.

[sunnyuaf]

Thanks Eric,

I could not find the difference in Luxury Vinyl flooring and hybrid flooring by doing online search, they might be the same thing with 2 different names. 

I probably start looking some hybrid flooring option in Bunnings over the weekend. Preferably, I will remove the skirting for neat look.

Does the removed skirting will be reusable if removed with care or I need to get new?

Thanks.

[MitchellMc]

Provided the skirting is not damaged in the removal process there's a good chance you could use it again @sunnyuaf. MDF skirting is relatively budget-friendly, so depending on what the current skirting looks like, it might be worth replacing it.

Mitchell

[MitchellMc]

Hi again @sunnyuaf,

I thought I'd follow up on the types of flooring we carry. We have self-adhesive vinyl planks (which I believe @RenoRach1 is calling luxury vinyl planks), then we have laminate flooring and finally hybrid-vinyl flooring.

The difference between self-adhesive vinyl planks and hybrid-vinyl flooring is that hybrid-vinyl flooring is much thicker and waterproof. It also uses a clip-together installation method. It can be laid over tiles, timber floors and concrete as long as they are relatively flat and sound. On the other hand, self-adhesive vinyl planks require the substrate to be almost perfectly flat and preparation or underlays need to be used. 

Hybrid-vinyl flooring would be considered the more premium product.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell