I'm trying to carpet my living room but I've discovered something surprising: there are two layers of laminate flooring! The layout looks like this: underlay > laminate > underlay > laminate. I'm considering whether to remove the second layer of laminate or just go ahead and lay the carpet over it. I'm unsure about the condition of the laminate underneath and would love some advice on the best approach!
3 Answers
It really depends on what kind of laminate you're dealing with and the type of underlayment. If it's sheet laminate, check if you're using something like lauans or a moisture barrier. None of these actually support the floor but could help keep things flat. Plus, how old is your house? That might play a role!
As a general contractor, I usually don't recommend covering over existing floors since it prevents you from checking the subfloor. But if you're just putting carpet over two layers of linoleum and you don’t see any soft spots, it could work! Just make sure the levels match with your other floors or consider trimming doors if needed.
I’ve heard from several shows that instead of removing flooring, it’s often better just to cover it up. It sounds crazy, but sometimes you just want to avoid extra work. When I redid my kitchen, I covered the old linoleum instead of ripping it up, and it turned out fine!
Thanks for the advice! Just to give more context, my house is from 1904 and I’ve attached some photos of the laminate. I’m leaning towards burying it as you mentioned, but I worry about the carpet height in relation to the hallway laminate. What does everyone think? Should I tackle it or cover up?