If you’re redecorating a home and want the look of real wood on your floors, but you’re not so keen on the added cost, then laminate flooring could be a great alternative for you. Laminate flooring is a synthetic floor covering created from multiple layers of fibreboard, with a high-quality printed image to mimic real wood or stone, as well as a hard-wearing and durable clear top layer.
It’s a very economical and flexible choice for homeowners with many advantages and benefits over other types of flooring. In this blog we’ll outline the pros and cons of using laminate flooring when it comes to installation, cost, general aesthetics, and cleaning and maintenance – even how pet-friendly it is. Laminate can be used in most rooms within the home, including kitchens, hallways, living rooms, bedrooms.
Other alternatives for flooring include solid hardwood flooring, LVT flooring (Luxury Vinyl Tile), carpet, tiling and much more.
Best Options for Aesthetics & Comfort
There are many styles and colours available in laminate flooring ranges, with high-quality digital prints that can mimic wood, stone and other materials depending on the desired look. Wood effect laminate flooring is probably the most common option, with choices ranging from rustic oak effect planks to contemporary grey, black or white finishes.
You can even opt for natural stone or concrete effects, too. It can be smooth, textured, embossed or hand scraped to further mimic the feel of real wood as well as the look. LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) flooring is like laminate flooring in its style options but is made from a plastic composite instead of wood fibre.
Depending on the texture, laminate flooring tends to be more comfortable to walk on when compared to harder floor coverings such as hardwood and tile, due to its soft foam underlay. Other floor coverings such as solid hardwood might not be available in as many colours, although they might have a more natural beauty in their authentic wood with knots and colour variation.
Hardwood is a smooth but hard surface, which is why many people will opt for rugs and runners over the top. Other materials such as tiles also have a hard surface but might be available in a wider selection of colours, patterns and textures. Carpets can be a much softer and more comfortable option but might have disadvantages when it comes to cleaning.
Best Options for Cleaning & Maintenance
Laminate flooring is especially easy to clean when compared with other floor coverings. Alongside LVT, laminate floors are smooth and flat with minimal grooves and texture. This makes daily cleaning, such as mopping and vacuuming, a very easy task. If seen to immediately, stains and spillages can be easy to get up. Unless you’ve opted for a specifically water-resistant laminate, you’ll need to keep it dry and not let water or other spillages pool on top.
Carpet, on the other hand, is a little more difficult to clean and requires special shampoos and machinery for a deep cleanse. Tiles can be easier to clean because of their smooth surface, but you’ll need to pay special attention to getting in between all the joints and grooves. Solid wood flooring is limited to dry or slightly damp mops or brooms and might require specialist wood cleaning chemicals.
Best Options for Durability & Lifespan
Once installed correctly, laminate flooring is a respectably durable and hard-wearing floor covering. If maintained properly, laminate can last you from anywhere between 10-30 years. It’s a “floating” floor, meaning it’s never glued or nailed down, and the planks can range from 6mm to 12mm in thickness. While it’s resistant to fading, scratches and dents, other flooring options might be a better option if longevity is the most important factor to you.
Hardwood flooring and tiles can last for many more decades, even up to 100 years, when maintained properly. LVT flooring is water-resistant, making it a better option for bathrooms and areas where the build-up of moisture might be an issue. You’ll find longer warranty periods on flooring like LVT when compared to laminate, because of their expected durability.
When it comes to heat, laminate flooring is a fantastic choice. When installed with soft foam underlay it can provide good thermal insulation and soundproofing, and laminate is also very compatible with underfloor heating for an added luxurious feel. Both laminate and LVT flooring handle high room temperatures well.
Best Options for Cost & Installation
Laminate flooring is a popular choice for projects with lower budgets as it is extremely cost-effective. Laminate, when compared to LVT, tiling and solid hardwood, is almost always the more affordable option in the short-term. While it typically costs less per square foot, it might need to be replaced more often than other floor coverings as it might not have the same levels of durability.
Laminate also takes the lead when it comes to ease of installation – it is incredibly lightweight, requires no specialist tools or equipment, and can be installed on top of an existing floor. It’s a floating floor covering, meaning it’s not stuck down to any subfloor with adhesive. The boards are designed to interlock, with grooved edges that simply ‘click’ together with ease.
Best Options for Pets
If you share your home with furry friends, they should probably influence your decision when it comes to your flooring. Flat, smooth surfaces such as laminate, LVT and hardwood are much better options than carpeting, which will hang onto pet hair and is difficult to clean. Hardwood is easy to wipe down, but it can stain easily if spillages and accidents aren’t cleaned up properly. Laminate and LVT are more stain resistant if cleaned immediately, but LVT may have slightly better water-resistance and scratch-resistance.
Overall, laminate flooring is a stylish modern floor covering option that is very cost-effective and low maintenance. If you want something that looks good and is easy to install and clean, laminate flooring is a great choice. However, if you’re looking for a similar style flooring with better hardiness and resistance to water and damage, LVT might be a smarter choice. Or, if you’re looking to invest in something that will last many decades, and don’t mind putting in the extra effort and cost, then tiling or solid hardwood floors might be the way to go.
