Making laminate floring more waterproof

twistzilla · Post by **twistzilla** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:00 am

Hello

I'm putting laminate flooring down in a cloakroom and downstairs loo. I'm a bit worried about water from wet coats and splashes damaging the floor.

I've read that you can use a joint sealant on the click joint to waterproof the joints but I cannot find it for sale anywhere. I've tried wickes b&q and online.

Do I need to use sealant and if so can somebody point me at some for sale?

Cheers!
~Brett

Hoovie · Post by **Hoovie** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:10 am

B&Q definately sell it - I bought some there.

I also saw it on line on the B&Q website at www.diy.com, but their search is rubbish. You'll need to trawl though the site a bit more

skiking · Post by **skiking** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:11 am

If there is going to be the chance of standing water i.e water dripping from coats then laminate is the WRONG choice. Water needs mopping up straight away - even on the so called Aqua laminates.

twistzilla · Post by **twistzilla** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:33 pm

Hoovie: can you remeber what it was called or what it looks like? I saw some in wicks 2 weeks ago but now they say they have stopped selling it :-(

Skiiking: I think you're probabilly right but we have done the whole downstairs in the same laminate and would like it to match. the room is only 3 sqr meters so its not a massive expense if I end up having to bin it.

twistzilla · Post by **twistzilla** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:39 pm

Its not this stuff is it?

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.j ... earch=true

Hoovie · Post by **Hoovie** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:54 pm

The stuff I bought was "Gap Sealant" made by Stikatak.
It cost about £2.50 for a 125ml tube.

I know it is on the B&Q site as I searched for it for a friend who was having a laminate floor fitted and sent her the picture I go off it - it took ages to find, which is why I have not looked for it again for you

Oh.. here you go ... Floor Pro Wood & Laminate Floor Gap Sealant Light 125ml

- £2.48 at B&Q

Or ....

This is the light verison - £2.49 at Focus (hate Focus though

)

I have seen on-line a better looking product which I am tempted to buy myself.....

Click the pic and go to the bottom of the page and you will see that product (Clickseal). It looks ideal.

Suitability of laminate .... I personally think laminate flooring is a lot more water resistant then people give it credit for - the main problem is that it never recovers from a soaking, unlike real wood does.
FWIW, I am doing my downstairs WC in a laminate flooring that is unsuitable for it as not only is it not 'bathroom' grade, it is grooved as well, but I - like you - want to match up the flooring, it is using offcuts, so is effectively free (and even if have to buy it, it would be like £20-£30 only anyway) plus I think the sealants will add protection to keep it looking ok for 5 years at least.

As an aside, I would be inclined to put some lind of mat to catch the drips from wet coats in your scenario, no matter what flooring I had down

joiner_uk · Post by **joiner_uk** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:15 pm

Or use this and lots of it

Just remember to wipe any excess off with a damp cloth.