Flooring: bathrooms and elsewhere

Re: laminate flooring.
Amtico is 100% vinyl "laminate", put down in strips ("Planks") or squares depending on what it is faux of. According to the area rep, it is good for ANY floor except one with a drain in it! Because it is all vinyl it will not
buckle like P---- even if water were to puddle on it and get between pieces. Edges properly sealed no doubt.

Also, it has a thicker color layer than most laminates. The "Expo" store in our area put it on all the floors and then they run the forklifts etc all over it. It is very tough!

The pieces (squares, planks) are cut randomly from much larger pieces so you do not get the "repeats" like in "linoleum" (i.e. sheet vinyl) or most tiles.

Now, before you think I am on commission to these people, let me say IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. Probably less than granite, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could put in generic marble for less! (Not that I would recommend marble for the bathroom floor.)

Finally, about 2-3 years ago, several new technologies revolutionized the sheet vinyl industry. This is reflected in the new long warrantees you will find on the higher-end products. We wound up doing the whole house in sheet vinyl, three patterns in all, with the main one being a hardwood floor look. I cannot count the people who have said: "This is vinyl??? This is SHEET vinyl???"

The three products' manufacturers --Congoleum, Mannington, Armstrong-- all have websites as does Amtico (and I'm sure other manufacturers too). I believe all have galleries, and some have the kind where you can try different patterns in different rooms.

This is long enough message. If you want to know more about our experience, ask away!
~spin!~