Laminate flooring can run about half the price of wood flooring but, as with wood, you'll find a range of varying quality. Some look more realistic than others, and some are less substantial in the thickness of the different layers, making them more likely to wear out sooner than a higher-quality product.
The inability to sand and refinish is a major disadvantage of laminate flooring. If laminate flooring is heavily worn, deep scratched, or grooved, it cannot be sanded or refinished like solid hardwood—it must be replaced.
Laminate flooring is a great choice if you want a high end hardwood look but need something more durable for pets and kids. Laminate is a much better choice against scratches and dents. It is also much more affordable than hardwood.
Not durable
It has short lifespan because of the material quality. If you are looking for the durable materials for your floor, you should stay away from laminate flooring. This product uses materials that cannot stay for long period of time. Some companies may offer money back guarantee for certain period of time.
Laminate is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product. It is designed to imitate the appearance of real wood. The core layer of laminate flooring is manufactured primarily from melamine resin and fiber board material. The top layer has an imprinted textured image made to look like real wood.
Not only are the materials themselves cheaper, but laminate wood installation cost is, on average, 50 percent less than hardwood installation. Laminate flooring can cost $3-$7 per square foot, including installation.
Laminate flooring can be installed directly over hardwood, often with no preparation necessary. If your laminate has a built-in underlayer, you may install it right on top of the hardwood.
As long as you address the overriding concern of moisture, you can install laminate flooring in the kitchen. If you want to eliminate worries about moisture, install sheet vinyl or luxury vinyl plank (LVP).
To keep your laminate floors fresh, mop them every two months. Damp mops (a.k.a. microfiber mops) are gentle enough to use on laminate floors. If you're going to use a regular mop, just wring it out until it's almost completely dry.
Bedrooms are perhaps the best room in your home to use laminate flooring because they are the least prone to moisture. Unlike kitchens and bathrooms, where water is used often, it is rare that you need to bring water into your bedroom.
The laminate flooring business is booming in a big way. Real estate experts call laminate flooring one of the top options for increasing home value, preceded by natural hardwood, stone, and tile. Laminate flooring offers homeowners an affordable way to achieve their dream wood look.
The short answer is that there isn't any laminate flooring on the market that's totally scratch proof. It's just a fact that any flooring material, from natural wood to engineered timber or hybrid flooring, can be damaged.
Laminate Flooring Cost Per Square Foot
Installing a laminate floor costs $8 to $15 per square foot for labor and material. For the flooring alone, expect to pay between $2 and $6 per square foot. Laminate floors can mimic the look of stone or tile, but most have a wood appearance.
Vinyl stands up the best against excess moisture and spills, and it can be less expensive than laminate. However, laminate gives a more realistic wood look to enhance the design aesthetic in your home.
Depending on the quality of the flooring, laminate flooring can last between 15 to 25 years on average, or longer. Choosing the right flooring for your home is about more than just aesthetics, it's also about durability and strength.
Well, Laminate Flooring can be a lot colder than carpet and that might be an issue for you if you're living in a colder country on those bleak winter mornings. Also, you have to consider the noise insulation that carpet provides and that fact that Laminate Flooring can be very loud.
Installation of tile will cost an average of $5.75 per square foot, and installation of laminate will cost an average of $2 per square foot. This means installed tile flooring will be approximately $5 to $13 per square foot, while installed laminate flooring will be about $2 to $8 per square foot.
Can you use a wet Swiffer on laminate floors? Yes, you can use a wet Swiffer or Swiffer WetJet on laminate floors.
Wet Mopping Pads
While Swiffer does not have a laminate-only cleaning fluid, its Swiffer WetJet Multi-Surface Cleaner Solution does include laminate floors.
Water damages laminate flooring by soaking into the layers. Once inside the boards, it causes them to swell and warp. It also weakens the glue that holds them together and they can eventually fall apart.
Laminate, on the other hand, is made out of recycled hardwood, so it is not waterproof. Due to its melamine wear layer, it has a tough finish which resists against scratches and may have minor protection against minor water (quick spills).
The truth is, it is almost always cheaper to refinish your floor than to replace it. When replacing, you must consider the cost of the new wood as well as the installation, plus the cost to haul your old wood floors away.
A wood subfloor is one of the best options for installing laminate flooring. As long as the subfloor is sound and in good condition, the laminate can be put directly over it with the proper pad installed between for sound protection, to soften footfall, and to act as a moisture barrier.
Bottom Line. For a floor covering that looks exactly like solid hardwood, but is easier to maintain, engineered flooring is your best choice. If you are looking to save money on your floor covering, laminate flooring is a better choice than engineered hardwood flooring, especially when coupled with self-installation.