Laminate flooring has become an extremely popular flooring option for homes and offices over the past few decades. Offering the look and feel of more expensive flooring materials like hardwood, stone, and tile at a fraction of the cost, laminate flooring provides a versatile and affordable flooring solution.
This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of laminate flooring, including:
- What is laminate flooring and how is it made?
- The pros and cons of laminate flooring
- Tips for installing laminate floors properly
Whether you’re considering this for your home remodeling project or are just curious to learn more, this article covers everything you need to know about this popular synthetic flooring.
What is Laminate Flooring?
Laminate flooring (also called “floating wood tile” in Europe) is a versatile, durable, and affordable multi-layered synthetic flooring product that replicates the look and texture of pricier flooring materials like hardwood, stone, ceramic tile, and more.
Unlike solid hardwood or engineered wood floors, laminate flooring contains no actual wood. Instead, laminate flooring is made up of 4 layers fused together under heat and pressure:
Layers of Laminate Flooring
- Wear Layer: A transparent melamine resin layer that protects against scratches, stains, and fading.
- Printed Design Layer: A patterned image layer that replicates materials like wood grain, tile, and stone.
- Core Layer: Dense fiberboard (HDF) core providing stability and structure.
- Backing Layer: A stabilizing layer made of melamine resin-impregnated kraft paper.
The inner core layer gives laminate flooring its rigidity and moisture resistance, while the printed decorative layer gives it its realistic visual appearance.
Many laminate floors have tongues and grooves along the edges which fit together in a “floating” click-lock installation without being nailed or glued directly to the subfloor. This is often referred to as a “floating floor” installation method and allows the boards minor movement.
Now that you know the basics of what laminate flooring is and how it’s constructed, let’s look closer at the pros and cons of choosing laminate flooring.
Pros of Laminate Flooring
There are many benefits that make laminate a popular flooring choice among homeowners:
Durable & Scratch-Resistant
The dense fiberboard core and a protective melamine wear layer of quality laminate flooring makes it very durable and able to withstand heavy residential foot traffic over time. Laminate stands up well to impact and scratches better than many carpets or even solid hardwood floors.
Most laminate flooring products come with warranties of 15 years to a lifetime for residential use.
Pet & Family Friendly
Unlike natural wood or bamboo floors that can be easily scratched, laminate is resistant to scratches, impact damage, and moisture. This makes it a great flooring choice for homes with kids or pets. The durability and scratch-resistance also make laminate a popular option for basements and recreation rooms.
Affordable Pricing
Quality laminate flooring can be purchased for $1 – $5 per square foot installed. This puts laminate at one of the most budget-friendly price points for attractive and durable synthetic flooring.
Easy Maintenance & Cleaning
Routine cleaning and maintenance for laminate flooring is simple compared to wood floors. No waxing or refinishing is required! You can sweep, dry mop, or use a damp mop with laminate cleaner as needed.
Routine Cleaning Tips for Laminate Floors:
- Dry mop frequently to remove dust and dirt from the wear layer
- Use a damp mop and laminate floor cleaner to remove stuck-on grime
- Immediately wipe up any liquid spills
- Use carpet-style area rugs in high-traffic areas
- Don’t use conventional wood floor cleaners on laminate surfaces
Wide Range of Realistic Designs
From beautiful hardwood looks to natural stone and tile designs, laminate comes in an almost endless variety of colors, textures, plank widths, and visual styles.
Most laminate boards mimic traditional tongue-and-groove hardwood with attractive beveled edges and very realistic wood grain variations, knots, and other details printed on the design layer and textured into the wear layer for a convincing visual effect.
Popular laminate wood flooring styles:
- Oak
- Hickory
- Maple
- Exotics (like Brazilian Cherry)
- Coastal looks with whitewashed finishes
Stone and ceramic visuals are also trendy laminate looks right now.
Easy “Click-Together” Floating Installation
One of the things DIYers love about laminate is how quick and easy it is to install without any nails, glue, or mess. Most laminate flooring boards feature an ingenious built-in tongue and groove system that simply clicks together snugly with the previous board in the row.
Watching a few online video tutorials is all you need to learn the steps of installing a floating laminate floor yourself in just a weekend. No need to rip out old floors either in many cases if they are smooth and flat enough. The floating installation method goes right over the top of most existing floor surfaces.
Let’s look now at some of the downsides and drawbacks associated with laminate flooring that you should be aware of.
Cons of Laminate Flooring
While laminate has seen many major improvements in durability and realism over the years, there are still a few limitations and disadvantages to be aware of before purchasing:
Avoid Very Wet Areas
The density of quality laminate flooring wood core layers protects well against surface moisture damage. However, it’s still important to note that laminate should NOT be installed in bathrooms, laundry rooms, or other areas prone to prolonged moisture exposure.
Liquids that seep between board joints and sit for too long on the subsurface can cause fiberboard core swelling and damage over time. If you’re set on installing laminate flooring in areas prone to frequent moisture or spills, be sure to lay a moisture barrier product first.
Can Feel Hollow Underfoot
With low-density fiberboard or poor joint connections, some cheaper laminate floors will loudly click or clack when walking across them. Higher quality laminate floors feel quite solid underfoot, but no laminate feels as luxurious and solid as real hardwood when stepped on.
Using good-quality underlayment padding beneath your laminate planks can help minimize any hollow or clicking sounds.
Cannot Be Sanded or Refinished
A key distinction from real unfinished hardwood is the inability to sand away scratches or stains that occur in the wear layer over time. Light scuffs can often be hidden with laminate-specific touch-up markers. But if the damage is extensive enough, boards may need complete replacement.
Not Environmentally Sustainable
Laminate flooring is made from synthetic materials and the fiberboard layer cannot be recycled or renewed like solid hardwood floors can be. However, many companies are improving efforts to use recycled and sustainably harvested materials during manufacturing.
If environmental sustainability is important to you, there are some great cork laminate floors now available made from recycled materials.
Now that you know the pros and cons, let’s get into the best practices for how to install your new laminate floors for the best durability and aesthetics.
Installation Tips for Laminate Flooring
Installing laminate doesn’t require advanced technical skills, but getting the prep work right is key to a successful DIY project. Follow these top tips:
Choose a Good Underlayment
High-quality underlayment is essential beneath laminate floors in order to:
- Smooth out minor subfloor imperfections
- Provide sound-dampening and insulation properties
- Allow slight subfloor movement without damage
Some products like Thinsulate offer moisture protection as well. Follow the laminate flooring manufacturer’s recommendations for the best type of underlayment materials compatible with your flooring choice.
Allow Proper Acclimation First
It’s crucial to store laminate flooring boxes unopened in the space where they’ll be installed for at least 48 hours beforehand. This allows the boards to acclimate to the proper humidity and temperature levels of the home to prevent later shrinkage issues.
Carefully Check Door Clearances
Measure the height of your laminate flooring with underlayment stacked, then check clearance under doors. If a door clearance issue exists, use a handsaw to carefully trim bottoms of door frames to allow enough space.
Start From Wall With Longest Run
When beginning the installation, lay your first row of laminate boards along the longest straight wall run possible. Use spacers along the wall to allow proper expansion room. Work outward row by row from there.
Stagger End Joints Between Rows
When clicking boards together into place, be sure to stagger the end joints between each sequential board row by at least 6 inches. This helps the flooring stay tightly locked together and minimizes obvious seams.
Use Transitions at Doorways
Install attractive T-molding transition strips between adjoining rooms anytime rooms will have vastly different floor levels. This allows independent slight floor movement between rooms without compromising planks.
Weighing the Benefits and Considerations of Laminate Flooring
Laminate floors provide homeowners great durability, visual appeal, and installation simplicity at very wallet-friendly price points. Just be aware of the limitations laminate has regarding moisture and potential hollowness compared to solid wood.
Armed now with all the information this guide provided on the pros, cons, and best installation practices, you should feel fully prepared to consider laminate flooring for your own remodeling or new construction project!