Q. We were hoping to put down laminate flooring but have been told we'd have to heat the floor at all times as stepping on it if it's been exposed to freezing temperatures could cause it to crack (shatter?) open. Real hardwood flooring is expensive and we don't really want carpet or linoleom. Any suggestions or advice?

A. Most quality laminates are meant to serve interiors which are not environmentally controlled all year long. You just have to make sure you're getting the good stuff. Ask your seller about the laminate floor's AC rating, to make sure it's likely to be durable enough for what you've got in mind. For a residence, you shouldn't settle for less than an AC3 rating. Generally, the fiberboard core of a quality laminate floor will help it to weather temperature changes. Also, you're going to want to choose a type of flooring which is low-maintenance for a cottage. You don't want to be spending too much time with refinishing and waxing flooring when you're meant to be relaxing. Laminate flooring requires dry or damp mopping or a vacuuming, but otherwise retains its look without too much intervention on your part. Don't ever install hardwood flooring in an area which is not environmentally controlled. The wood will expand and contract radically when in non-controlled conditions. For hardwood, this spells disaster - warping, cupping, the works! The great thing is, laminate flooring has really come a long way in terms of look. You can get laminate flooring which looks almost exactly like solid hardwood - even a "handscraped" look, or a beveled edge effect. And you still get that look without having to worry about the practicalities of maintaining a natural product in a less-than-friendly environment when it comes to extreme conditions. Whatever you choose to do, enjoy your new floor!

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Q. My husband and I are renovating our kitchen and I'm torn about what kind of flooring I want in this room. I love the look of hardwood floors but I've never had them in a house before, are they a good choice of flooring (hard to maintain)? Or what flooring do you have in your kitchen that you love? I'm so glad I asked this question! I hadn't thought about how easily wood floors could be damaged, and I really want something that will last, not something I need to replace in 5 years!

A. I wouldn't use wood in a kitchen, even though I love hardwood floors. There are too many ways to damage one-water leaks, dropping things, etc. I have ceramic tile in the kitchen/mudroom. With the variety of styles available, you should be able to find one you like easily. You can also get grout that matches or compliments the color of the tile. Hope this helps.

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Q. I need to replace the carpet in my master bedroom. The flooring that leads up to the bedroom is a blond laminate. I do not want that in the bedroom. I also don't want carpet again. Would it be strange to do a different color wood floor? All that is under the carpet is plywood. I want to do this myself. Any suggestions?

A. For resale value of the house, you should stick with the same or a similar color. If there is wood in the room, you could match it to that. If you aren't that crazy about the blond color, use some throw rugs. Never buy flooring to match furniture. Furniture is temporary & floors are not usually.

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Q. We have tile looking vinyl flooring right now. I love my floor but it has to go to add new cabinets, extra wall cabinets and a middle cabinet island. What have others did for their flooring that is easy and not too expensive. We have a good solid wood surface under (1) layer of vinyl flooring to work with. Thanks for any help and answers......

A. Dont go too cheap.....home depot or lowes has closeout tile (usually less than 1$ a sq.) really east to install and will last forever, and when you do a project like that yourself you will be proud!

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Q. I have an invalid living in my house. He sometimes cannot control his bowels and makes a mess in the floor. I currently have carpet over hardwood floor. I need the carpet to be taken out and want to find some sort of flooring that can be mopped with Clorox or Lysol in water to destroy odor. I would like to avoid any type of flooring that would have to be glued to the hardwood. It appears that all vinyl flooring has to glued down. Does anyone have any idea what I can put over the hardwood that will stand up to some serious cleaning?

A. Try laminate flooring, it is easy to install by locking the pieces together like a puzzle and it floats(needs no glue). It also cleans like a dream, we just got it and love it. You can get the kind that looks like wood or tile. We have the ceramic tile type and it really looks like tile. GL!

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Q. I am about to have some vinyl flooring fitted in my kitchen and would grateful for any suggestions as to what I can use for cushioning and to try and keep the floor as warm as possible under foot. I have had vinyl flooring before and it is still hard and cold when standing on the flooring. I have even tried cork tiles and this did not seem to make a huge difference. Would a laminate and wood flooring underlay be suitable or would this be a waste of time? I should add that I am in the UK.

A. An idea, There is a product by DRIcore subfloor which is designed to be put over concrete floors in basements, playrooms etc, this may be something you would want to look into, it would serve all your needs. Lowes carries this by the way, here's a link to the DRIcore website http://www.dricore.com/en/eIndex.aspx

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Q. The flooring is vinyl, will it also affect the other areas? It already showed discoloration. The condo was empty for 3 months and when we found out that it was flooded when we decided to do our cleaning. And was shocked to see a puddle! Later we learned the the pipe was busted 8 days ago! The admin of the condo will only pay for half of the floor area of 50sq meters. Should I agree to that or they should change all flooring?

A. It's all gonna come up sooner or later.

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Q. Im remodeling my apartment and my roommate chose white to paint the walls in our entry way and living room? i get to choose the carpet or flooring (hardwood, etc) and color of the trim, does anyone know what color of trim, and what type of floor would go nicely with the white walls?

A. Lucky you! I'd rather be allowed to choose flooring and trim any day! That's a keeper whereas paint can be changed. As for what matched white walls, basically everything! White is not a color in decorating, but the absense of all color and that is why you can match it with anything. So, you can buy whatever pleases you! Do keep in mind that the lighter the floor color, the larger the room will appear and the darker the floor color, the smaller the room will appear. Also, lint, dust, etc., shows up more on dark floors. What you choose to use as material for the floor really depends on your budget. Hardwood floors are definitely the best for getting a return on your money. If you can't afford that, then consider these types of flooring: - laminate wood floor - vinyl soft floor covering - bamboo flooring (my favorite, by the way!) - ceramic tile (did you know that you can get ceramic tile that looks soooo much lilke wood, you have to touch it to know the difference? It's better than hardwood since it doesn't scratch and is very resistant!) Will you be painting the trim or using natural wood? If using natural wood, it is advisable to match the floor. Enjoy!

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