Laminate flooring as Wainscoting.

Harley02974

We are getting ready to start work on a restaurant and are looking for a wainscoting thats durable, easy to clean and install, we found a nice mahogany/cherry snap together laminate at a great price, competitive with most beadboard we have found, think it would work ok?

yummy mummy

I like the way you think! Most definintely you can use laminate flooring on walls.

I used laminate flooring on the walls in my basement to create a libraryish feel in a small office.

I think it looks great.
Check out my blog. I have a picture.

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Harley02974

How did you attach it to the walls? We are thinking construction adhesive plus nailing the baseboards and chair rails should be plenty.


Your office turned out great!

joecaption

Not so sure how that's goning to work out long term.
Laminite has to be able to expand and contract. If not it will buckle and cause the glue to reliece.
Read the directions on any laminite flooring, all will say to not face nail. Nailing into the groves counts as face nailing.

yummy mummy

Thanks Harley.

Originally when I renovated the basement I planned on drywalling the office area. So I had studed the whole office area with wood studs. I nailed the laminate boards in with finishing nails right into the studs.

You don't need that many nails, just so long as it holds up, because obviously you won't be walking on it.
Mine is in the basement and sometimes it get humid and the walls have not buckled whatsoever.

joecaption; I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, and I would not nail the boards if I put them on the floor but for the walls it worked for me.

Good luck Harley. If yummy mummy can do it, you certainly can too.

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Harley02974

Thanks for the info! I think I will just drill a medium size hole top and bottom every few feet, use a small screw and large washer so it will still float, cover those with the baseboard and chair rail.

sdsester

I despise cheap laminate flooring and it tops my list even over cheap vinyl siding. I certainly would not spec it for walls and definitely not in a restaurant environment unless I was sure about the thickness of the laminate and its ability to stand up to cleaning, perhaps with health department mandated stuff or a steam cleaner?

Nothing shouts "I am vinyl!" like vinyl.

This is a case where you really have to check the material specs. I don't like it but do not hate nice laminates so much. I see people getting suckered though. Don't be one of them.

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TarheelTerp

Indoor/outdoor carpet on walls can work well too.

KevinPh

I've actually used laminate on a ceiling in a residential kitchen. Just applied it the same way that you would on the floor, and it looks great. No problems after 4 years.