Searched all over. Keep coming up with "hardwood vs. laminate" or worse yet, people who can't imagine why anyone would install cheap laminate over nice hardwood.

Let me put it this way:

1. Beautiful 250sq ft oak hardwood floor ( from the 60s) recently refinished in EXCELLENT condition.
2. Property will become rental for several years.

Need i say more? After considering carpet and VCT ( which is in the rest of the house) I have decided on cheap laminate. The laminate will cost me $195 + $75 foam underlay + my labor.

The original hrdwood floor was installed over concrete but dont know if there was any vapor barrier installed in those years. I imagine so since it was over concrete, but don't want or have time to tear up a few planks to find out. Floor has been stable and level for 40 yrs.. The floor was refinished 2 yrs ago with 2-3 coats acid based finish. Property located in southwest with low average humidity 7-12% most of the year to 20-30% for a month or two.

Here's my question: Laminate requires underlayment and I will purchase the 2 in 1 foam. Will this act as a vapor barrier and more important will this trap moisture and/or cause damage to the original floor?

Any help appreciated.

I would not do it. Especially if glued down to concrete directly. Or is it on a sleeper? A sleeper system would be more forgiving.

I went over parquet once. I had everyone sign off on it because I told them it would buckle, sure nuff did. Had to pull up the laminate and relay it. But I got paid for it. Designers don't listen.

Do you mean the original floor would buckle? I think the original floor is on a sleeper system.

Am installing a floating laminate floor on top of the original hardwood to protect it. Have had suggestions to double up on varnish and screen when I want to sell but tenants just shred right through and I have to sand down to wood - expensive! Also tenants never lift carpet after spills and I've seen beautiful floors with horrible stains after the old carpet is removed also expensive.

I figured with our low humidity and the expansion gap around the perimeter and only taping the seams every few feet, there would plenty of breathing for the original hardwood. BTW This is a floating laminate imitation wood flooring.

I don't care if tenants trash the laminate.

Thoughts?

i think the moisture barrior/plastic is why it buckled. if it were me and was dead set on giving it a shot i would just lay it over some of that cheap foam without the plastic laminated to it and keep an eye on it.

Kevin, I believe he did not say there was a buckling problem but trying to avoid one.

If your floor has no moisture issues I would lay a laminate with an attached cushion over it. This will let both floors breathe as an attached cushion in not a vapor retarder in any sense of the word. Then if something does start to seem funny the damage incurred may not be so severe to you beautiful wood floor and you can pull the laminate rather easy if it does.

If in fact it is a sleeper system and properly excuted installation according to standards then it should already have a hefty vapor control system under it, either a combination of roofing mastic and plastic or heavy plastic at bare minimum.

@ floormeintuscon

Correct, there have been no moisture or buckling issues with the original floor in 40 years so I would say the floor is stable. I don't know if a vapor barrier was laid over concrete prior to original install and the only way to find out is rip up the floor which I don't want to do if I can avoid it.

According to Roberts floor who manufactures the 2 in1 foam underlayment, it is NOT a vapor barrier - only moisture resistant and meant for sound deadening and cushion. It has a moisture transmission of .115 grams/100 sq in./24hrs . I have no idea how much that is relative to other barriers but it does imply some moisture transmission which to me means "breathe".

I suppose I could also use 1/8" FELT trunk liner which definitely breathes but is not cost effective.

Anyway, I think I'm going to butt underlayment seams rather than overlap, then alternate taping 3 feet and leave a foot untaped. Also will run the seams of underlay perpendicular to laminate and along with our low humidity will hope for the best.

Thanks for the advice.

If you have to use an underlayment, I'd go the felt route. Even a closed cell foam like they say is not a vapor retarder does hold in moisture. The best like I said is to find an attached cushion. Besides, the rolls of underlayment are a ripoff at box stores. And only come in 100 sqft rolls. So potentially lots of waste.

Returned the 2 in 1 underlayment and found a 1/16 lamdscape felt used under artificial turf. Installed this afternoon and will check on it in 6-8 months.

Thanks for the tips

Trio3B,forgive me for asking this,but are you putting laminate over hardwood just to protect the hardwood floor,assuming you maybe will be living in it again after it's been rented awhile? I'd hate to not be able to use the hardwood floor,but can understand if you don't want other people messing it up.

Not a bad idea at 60 cents a square foot. Beats paying 3 bucks a square foot to have it refinished.

@OlddeadOne

Yes. Circumstances make this a rental for a few years. The original floor is a recently refinished beautiful golden honey oak that needs protecting for a few years.

@ floormeintuscon - you got it! After a new kitchen, new bathrooms, new AC/heater, new paint, new VCT in the three rooms and new plumbing fixtures throughout...I was out of money and this seemed the best alternative. The laminate was .68 / sq ft (250 sq ft) = $170 + $38 for the 1/16" astroturf landscape felt and took me about 1 hr to round up material and 3 hrs. install . Lets' call it $25/hr labor. That's about $1.30/sq ft. installed.