u/nightride963

Lately I’ve been working with leather and denim, and I keep running into the same issue - standard needles just don’t hold up. They snap way too often, especially when I’m going through multiple thick layers.

I’ve tried using larger sizes, slowing down, and adjusting thread tension, but the results still feel inconsistent depending on the project.

Curious what you all use for heavy materials. Any tips on how to reduce needle breakage would be really appreciated.

I’m renting out my apartment, and the tenant asked if we could replace the flooring with laminate. So now I’m trying to figure out the best way to organize it and find a contractor.

Honestly, I’m a bit lost because I’ve never done flooring before. Some people say click-lock laminate is super easy and goes in quickly, others insist that without proper subfloor leveling you’ll end up with squeaks, gaps, and uneven spots later on.

The apartment is around 55–60 m2, nothing special, just an older standard unit. I want it done properly, but at the same time I’m trying to stay within a reasonable budget. I’ve also had a bad experience before trying to save money on renovations, and it ended up costing more to fix later.

For those who’ve dealt with this - is it better to just hire a contractor and have it done end-to-end, or is there any point in trying to oversee parts of it myself?