[leediy]

Beware of the quality differences in laminates and also the manufacturer "guarantees". There are huge differences that the DIY'er needs to know.

We got a guaranteed laminate by Moderna and it was supposed to be better than wood for high traffic and pets. It peeled and puckered and the "gaurantee" did not cover us because "our lifestyle was too hard on it and washing it was not covered! We went to court and they got an attorney in and "experts" in to deny it.

You need to know the company your using is reliable and that they have good products. Get a recomendation from someone who has used it before and it will save you lots of headaches. We would not recomend anyone use Moderna products or trust their "guarantee".

 

[emperor_black]

thanks for the tip. What do you mean washing? were you mopping the floor with a wet mop or something? How long before it started peeling? I'm planning on laminating my kitchen floor with products that I buy from home-depot. But if water is a big no-no, then its out of the question because my 2 yr old is always spilling water in the kitchen!

 

[poppameth]

I'm not familiar with that brand but from your description of the problem and how you treated it, my first though is that you caused the problem by over wetting it. No laminate floor is meant to be wet mopped. At the most you can damp mop it. Excessive water will always cause such issues.

 

[Floorwizard]

yea.....I bought a new truck that had dent proof doors so I drove it into a brick wall and there were dents!
What's up with that!

 

[HABSFAN2006]

yea.....I bought a new truck that had dent proof doors so I drove it into a brick wall and there were dents!
What's up with that!

:laughing::laughing:



But on a serious note, I would like more information from the OP as to how the floors were maintained exactly, and this might prove to educate some current laminate floor owners (myself included)from possible bad situations...

 

[Floorwizard]

We would not recomend anyone use Moderna products or trust their "guarantee".

read other manufacturers water guarantee.......same stuff I am sure.
Best to find a salesperson at a local retailer who will point you in the best product you need, and also spell out warranty and maintenance issues immediately.
Sounds to me like you were told "waterproof" or you were told nothing at all, and now you are blaming the manufacturer for the laminate performing exactly the way it was expected to.

I take complaints with a grain of salt.

 

[leediy]

Moderna-BHK products problems

We did get a referral, from a reputable dealer, for what was supposed to be the best item for high traffic areas with pets and kids. Afterwards is when we found out that the best thing is hardwoods for that.

As far as Moderna-BHK was concerned, "excessive water" was my damp mop with Murphys soap. The website only said that to clean the flooring it was "recommended" to use their cleaning products.

On top of the floor peeling, separating and areas popping up, they also claimed that even though the floor swelled up when damaged by water, water would also be the reason for other spots that shrank and gapped. There was no logic to that one.

And by the way, this was in ALL the rooms of the house, bedrooms, living room-family room, and kitchen. So even if you think there was too much washing of the kitchen floor, how often do you think it was wet mopped or flooded under a bed?

Moderna-BHK had manufacturing problems as far as we can see. Our high traffic areas with tile we installed are doing great and we will see about getting hardwoods in the other areas. I don't know anyone who had problems with hardwoods and high traffic/kids or pets but have heard many a story now about laminates not being all they are touted.

 

[HABSFAN2006]

We did get a referral, from a reputable dealer, for what was supposed to be the best item for high traffic areas with pets and kids. Afterwards is when we found out that the best thing is hardwoods for that.

As far as Moderna-BHK was concerned, "excessive water" was my damp mop with Murphys soap. The website only said that to clean the flooring it was "recommended" to use their cleaning products.

On top of the floor peeling, separating and areas popping up, they also claimed that even though the floor swelled up when damaged by water, water would also be the reason for other spots that shrank and gapped. There was no logic to that one.

And by the way, this was in ALL the rooms of the house, bedrooms, living room-family room, and kitchen. So even if you think there was too much washing of the kitchen floor, how often do you think it was wet mopped or flooded under a bed?

Moderna-BHK had manufacturing problems as far as we can see. Our high traffic areas with tile we installed are doing great and we will see about getting hardwoods in the other areas. I don't know anyone who had problems with hardwoods and high traffic/kids or pets but have heard many a story now about laminates not being all they are touted.

Sounds like there was a problem with the flooring if it happened everywhere, agreed. But I believe laminate that has been saturated with water might dry and shrink more than what is normal from seasonal changes which might cause gaps, or there will be a doming effect on the board causing larger gaps...

now, the reason some laminates are better for pets compared to some hardwoods is because they are more resistant on the surface hardness compared to some varnishes, and some wood densities.
IE. I have prevarnished Oak, which is scratched, deeply by cat's nails turnign around corners. My Kitchen has laminate 1x4 pattern imitation ceramic tiles, which looks as new as the day I laid them two years ago, with no scratches.

a residential home is not considered high traffic, and kids do not dammage or prefer hard wood floors, they dont' care.

another thing people have to realise is if you install wood, it will get chiped, it will scratch, it will dent, it's called character !!!!!!
those people have to stop stressing the small things.

 

[Floorwizard]

for what was supposed to be the best item for high traffic areas with pets and kids. Afterwards is when we found out that the best thing is hardwoods for that.

Laminate is way more durable than any wood out there.
Wood is only better because it can be refinished, but just as HABSFAN said, it will have tons more "character" or damage.

As far as Moderna-BHK was concerned, "excessive water" was my damp mop with Murphys soap.

Damp mop should never be used on anything except Ceramic and sheet Vinyl.
And Murphy's should never be used on lam.
All manufacturers recommend their own cleaners. you should always buy them as well.
that way the REP will not leave immediately on a claim.

water would also be the reason for other spots that shrank and gapped. There was no logic to that one.

your right...however if you knew there was no logic then a good question would be "can you tell me why water creates shrinking and gapping?"

And by the way, this was in ALL the rooms of the house, bedrooms, living room-family room, and kitchen. So even if you think there was too much washing of the kitchen floor, how often do you think it was wet mopped or flooded under a bed?

you do have a point there. although there may be more going on than we know.
how many t-moldings were used to seperate the different rooms?

I don't know anyone who had problems with hardwoods and high traffic/kids or pets

talk to a few more people....that should do it.
But wood is still a great choice.

 

[poppameth]

I disagree about damp mopping. I've seen laminate damp mopped many many times with no problems at all. Of course my idea of damp mopping and yours could vary greatly. Some people think a soaking wet string mop is a "damp mop". However, I definitely agree that Murhpy's is a huge mistake. Murphy's has oil in it, which could be the root of your problems. You could be seeing a chemically caused breakdown of the wear layer due to using a completely improper cleaner on it. Murphy's is for WOOD not for laminate. I don't think you have to use the manufacturer's cleaner per say but you do need to use a cleaner made for a laminate floor.

 

[HABSFAN2006]

I disagree about damp mopping. I've seen laminate damp mopped many many times with no problems at all. Of course my idea of damp mopping and yours could vary greatly. Some people think a soaking wet string mop is a "damp mop". However, I definitely agree that Murhpy's is a huge mistake. Murphy's has oil in it, which could be the root of your problems. You could be seeing a chemically caused breakdown of the wear layer due to using a completely improper cleaner on it. Murphy's is for WOOD not for laminate. I don't think you have to use the manufacturer's cleaner per say but you do need to use a cleaner made for a laminate floor.

agreed. The stuff works wonderfuly on my oak floors, handrails, and stairs.
Some people will simply use warm water with a little vinegar to damp mop their laminate floors with good results. I, personally, don't like the smell of vinegar all over my house for 3 hours, so I use a proper laminate product every once in a while. It really doesn't have to be washed all that often if you vaccum/broom regularly.

 

[Floorwizard]

I disagree about damp mopping. I've seen laminate damp mopped many many times with no problems at all.

I completely understand your point. However I have also went 8000 miles without an oil change before and my car still runs fine.
Damp moping doesn't affect wood and laminate all the time.
But it is the one time you do it, perhaps in winter, or one of the kids are doing a chore and leaves too much water on it near a gap from contraction, and there ya go....delamination or swelling and chipping.
I agree that you can do it and maybe not see a problem.
but it's just a bad practice to do constantly.
Especially when there are better alternatives, like wood floor cleaner and a terry cloth mop.