Should I acid stain my concrete floor or install laminate flooring over top?

Question

Which of these is easier, cheaper, better looking, etc? If you have done it yourself, your feedback is especially appreciated!

Answer 1

Depends on the state of the current floor and what you want at the end of it. If the floor is of poor quality concrete ( and they usually are inside houses due to too fast drying when laid) then overlay with a good quality high flow screed topping and allow to cure properly, i.e keep damp when set for at least a week. Consult the concrete society if you live in england for brochures. Then cover with the approved underlay and a good quality planked floor. Shop around the warehouses and the likes of Makro where you should be able at certain times be able to pick it up for about £14.00-£20.00 a sq m.

Acid etching is nice but you would need to seal it with an epoxy sealer of some description and they are not particularly cheap. I used to sell them. Look in trade journals or national directories under epoxy flooring suppliers. Also look for Construction Chemical Suppliers, They will help a lot and for free.

Answer 2

You could protect the flooring for with Abzorb Mats (we use these in dog and other tough-traffic areas):

http://www.cleanupstuff.com/garage-floor...

Cheap and sturdy stuff!!

Good blog source to bookmark & subscribe (free):

http://www.myhomeimprovementtips.com

http://www.cleanupstuff.com/Articles.asp...

Answer 3

acis staining is cheap but it doesn't really hide any defects you might want to check out modular flooring or laminate flooring at lowes or home depot

Answer 4

I was faced with making this decision a few month ago. First to get a good acid stain , the floor must be relatively free of any cracks. Any cracks on the concrete will need to be filled and this product will always show , and not take the stain. They typically grind the concrete surface prior to staining. It is messy ( concrete dust) and time consuming . This grinding ensures a consistent stain , but adds to the cost. Unless you have new concrete this is an important step.

Laminate will be cheaper than the concrete stain( unless you can skip the grinding).

  I had my basement floor done with a concrete stain and seal , love it !!! If i choose I can put laminate over it , sometime in the far future. I just sweep and use a dust mop. Also, dirt is not as apparent on concrete , laminate shows dirt more!

Answer 5

I am assuming you have whats called a "slab" house.  It was built on a concrete slab.  If so, You could acid wash it if your looking for a dark grey, or white surface.  Obviously the acid wash is less expensive but doesn't have the "home" effect on the room.  In order to lay vinyl you would need to lay luon down for the laminate has something to bond to.  They both will take about the same amount of time, but i tend to like the vinyl look alot better