AboutJohn Michaels Expertise All questions pertaining to all indoor floor coverings regarding best products to choose, proper installation techniques, and proper maintenance techniques.
Experience We are a nationwide floor covering inspection service. We inspect all types of indoor floor coverings in every city and town in all 50 States and in all the Provinces of Canada. We see where errors in choice of product, improper installation, and improper maintenance lead to complaints being registered and we are then called upon to inspect those products and issue certified reports indicating from where those complaint issues eminate. We have done this type of work for over 40 years.
Education/Credentials Carpet, vinyl, and hardwood manufacturing, installation, and maintenance, prior to just inspecting, and a division of our Company specifies proper floor covering choices for residential and commercial uses.
Question I have an enclosed 14x20 porch which is unheated and not used in the winter months (Pennsylvania). The enclosed porch is above ground about 8 feet with total air circulation on the underside. The floor construction is 3/4 plywood over 2x8 floor joists. Can laminate flooring be used in an application such as this?
Thank you.
Answer Hi Chuck;Laminate or hardwood would not be prudent choices. What ever types of floor coverings you consider, simply obtain the name of the manufacturer of the product, visit the website of that exact manufacturer, and download the free installation specifications and maintenance manuals for the product. In those publications will be found numerous important information items including acceptable underlayments, temperature and humidity levels that MUST be in effect before delivery, during acclimation, during installation, and forever after the installation. You will also find important maintenance information such as negative effects of harmful UV sunlight, proper furniture leg protectors that must be used, proper cleaning agents, the need for proper walk-off mats, allowable footwear (some hard surfaced flooring cannot be traversed in high heels), etc. If you consider any type of flooring and have difficulty in obtaining that important information, please feel free to get back to me. Oops, I forgot to mention that any type of adhesive that is to be used to install hard surfaced flooring should also be investigated the same way, to see if the adhesive will remain stable in the type of temperature ranges your home would sustain year round. If you have any other questions, please feel free to get back to me.
