5 things to consider when buying laminate flooring
If you’re considering updating the flooring in your home, you have a lot of options! You can put in carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, or just stain the concrete. A good, durable yet affordable option is laminate flooring. Laminate flooring has come a long way from that lovely orangish pattern everyone had in the 80s. Modern laminate floors can actually imitate the surface that they look like! There are some things you should consider when buying laminate flooring though:
Board thickness
The thicker the laminate, the more realistic it looks. Thicker laminate is also much more durable. At a minimum, you want it to be 8mm thick. A good, high quality flooring will be anywhere between 8 and 12mm thick. You definitely don’t want a paper thin flooring, as it will wear away quickly and it will be much harder on your feet.
Atmosphere of the room
What do you want to accomplish with your new flooring? Do you want the room to feel bigger? If so, aim for laminate with wide planks or light colors to brighten up the space and make it feel larger. Conversely – dark, dense patterns will make the room more cozy.
Foot traffic
Are you having the new laminate installed in a very high foot traffic area? Is it a place where children and pets will enter – possibly tracking in dirt? Consider the footwear of the people moving through the room, as well as the location in the home. And keep in mind that while dark-colored laminates will show less dirt, pet hair stands out against dark floors. A nice wood laminate would balance both of these issues nicely. A textured stone laminate is also a great option.
Attached rooms
When you’re only replacing the flooring in one or two rooms, take a look at the surrounding flooring. You don’t want to choose a laminate that clashes against your existing floors. Pick a color that matches or compliments the attached rooms.
Warranty of the flooring
Ideally, the flooring you choose will stand up to whatever life throws at it. In the event that it doesn’t, you’ll want to have chosen a laminate that’s backed by a warranty. Most of the good ones come with a 30 year warranty that covers peeling, staining, fading, and other defects. If you choose a flooring that does not come with that, you may want to make another choice. Because that means that they know their product isn’t going to last that long, so they don’t stand behind it.
Laminate floors are an excellent, affordable choice to breathe new life into your home. Consider these five factors, and have fun shopping!
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I would love to get new floors in my home and I was considering laminate, but I don’t know how to look for a good laminate. That’s good to know that the thicker the laminate the more realistic it looks. I would love to have flooring that lasts and look good for a long time! Sounds like I will have to look for thicker and wider laminate to get the look I want. Thanks for the help!
Also consider if floorboards have sides coated with wax to prevent water getting through and reduce the chance of having gaps happen after sometime of installation.
Thanks for this advice for getting laminate flooring. You mention that wide planks could help a room feel bigger. I’m interested to learn if this is ideal for a small room or if a large room can have wider planks, if that’s what the owner wants.
I am looking to install laminate flooring in my home, and the section I am most worried about is right next to the front door. This area has a lot of foot traffic with all the kids and friends coming in and out. How do I choose the right one to keep it protected? You mentioned to pay attention to the thickness, do I want closer to the 12mm in that area?
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