Laminate flooring in a kitchen

We are looking at getting laminate flooring in our kitchen. I have read numerous posts about the good and bad of it. Can everyone who has it in their kitchen please comment on if any water damage has occurred???? Can you please let us know what you think of it and how long it has been installed for?

Thanks

heya majaca

we got laminate flooring for my mom in her kitchen and downstairs area and whilst i'm no flooring expert i have say that it has help up fantastically... easy to clean and hasn't damaged from any of the odd spills of water... but i guess anything was better than the atrocious lino that she had before

Most kitchen benchtops are laminate!! You'll have no problems unless you are very unlucky or seriously negligent. It's installed in thousands and thousands of kitchens around Australia. Make sure you buy a good quality floor from a reputable retailer though.

anthony - what makes a good or bad laminate... i am clueless and would have just assumed that the differences between them are minimal

Hi majaca,
my in-laws have laminate in their bar area which has a fridge/sink etc and they have had some minor issues with swelling and replaced a couple of planks. Anthony is right - laminate is used in kitchen benches all the time and is a great surface, except the stuff on the bench tops is glued down and has only a minor join (unlike floors). You might notice in old kitchens that laminate benchtops can start to swell and lift usually at the join - but only after a long time of exposure to water.
Laminate flooring is a hardy surface, no problems there BUT you will be placing boards that have quite a lot of joins across the floor. The backing material is usually MDF or HDF which likes to suck up any water that gets in the crack. THIS is the main risk you take when you lay laminate flooring in a 'wet' area. If you're careful and wipe up any spills straight away, and carefully wipe the floor clean (not wet mop) then it should be okay. But if it does get wet, it can cause a bit of buckling as the underside of the laminate swells (like it did for my in-laws).

Some laminate flooring has a better wet area type, I have purchased some from Bigbrands.om.au and have used in wetter areas for a few years and if you wipe up sooner tan later I have had no troubles. I laid it myself for $14.00 pm and have had no troubles (touch wood) I know that you get what you pay for but as I am happy to lay for the savings I can rip up and replace if damaged. Also go for the decent underlay and dont go for the cheap that they offer - 50m roll of good underlay @ bunnings $50.. worthwile as well insulated and soft

We have quickstep 'eligna' laminate (color: light grey varnished oak) in our kitchen - no problems at all, very happy with it.
You get what you pay for, so choose a well known quality brand from a major retailer. Take a sample home if you can and test it out.
eimaj

Many people hesitate about should they choose laminate flooring for the kitchen. Actually, the kitchen laminate flooring is a great solution for the kitchen floor. It allows you to add stone or wood decoration to the floor at the kitchen which will help you to feel better and more comfortable during the dinners at the kitchen. It is one of the most inexpensive solutions for the floor. Also, it could provide all the necessary durability and beauty for your kitchen floor. The laminate floor is easy for take care of and for cleaning which another huge plus for your kitchen area. It is sealed and resists shrinkage and swelling during cold and warm weather conditions and it is not easily damaged by the water.
You should think also which laminate flooring is suitable for your kitchen. And I have some tips for you. Use glue laminate because it is more suitable than the no-glue laminate. It will make your floor at the kitchen stronger; it won’t absorb any accidentally dropped water between the laminate boards because they are filled with glue. Also, it will add some additional years of life to the kitchen laminate. Choose laminate that is composed of different layers such as core level and design level. And don’t forget the design and the colors of your kitchen laminate. By the way in stalling laminate flooring, it needs three days before it is finally laid down. And if you are worrying about how long it will last, I think three to four years.
I hope it will help you. ^^,

I think you'll find it should last more than three or four years