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.
Normal Wear and Tear on Laminate
Like other types of flooring, laminate floors can show their age through normal wear and tear. The surface may become scuffed and scratched from excessive foot traffic or furniture. Water damage could also cause small patches of mold to form or the laminate to warp or buckle.
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.
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.
Vinyl has a longer lifespan and better overall durability than laminate. Don't forget to factor in your budget, however. Vinyl flooring may be more expensive than laminate flooring, especially if you choose luxury vinyl flooring.
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.
They look anything but cheap, and instead, present the look of wood or stone at a fraction of the price of the real thing. With the proper cleaning techniques and care in place, the laminate flooring options at Greatmats will long outlive traditional, cheaper laminate floors purchased elsewhere.
Bed bugs can't live in laminate flooring, since it's flat. Even with grooves running along it, those ridges aren't deep enough for bed bugs to hide in. The only exception is if it doesn't reach the wall. Bed bugs love to hide inside cracks, particularly around the edges of a room and in the cracks of walls.
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.
At the very minimum, your new laminate flooring should last eight years. However, most laminate can last well over a decade, especially if you take good care of it and keep it protected. The lifespan of your laminate floors may also depend on how much foot traffic is in a particular room.
But do they increase your home's value? Yes, they can. If your current floors are old and falling apart, then almost any flooring is going to increase its value. However, in general, laminate floorings are not going to give you as high an ROI as hardwoods.
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 question is: how long? Carpet generally lasts about 10 years, while flooring types like tile, wood and laminate can last as long as 25-30 years. It all depends on how much damage they face over the years.
You can fix minor chips and scratches in a laminate floor with filler products. But if the damage is severe, you have to replace the plank (you did save a few from the installation, right?). It's a job you can do yourself in about two hours.
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.
Yes, laminate flooring is toxic. The laminate floor is made through wood-bonding adhesives that can be toxic to humans and animals. It consists of melamine resin formaldehyde, cyanuric acid, isocyanates, and aluminum oxide.
The high temperature of steam 212°F (100°C) immediately kills bed bugs. Apply steam slowly to the folds and tufts of mattresses, along with sofa seams, bed frames, and corners or edges where bed bugs may be hiding.
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).
Vinyl flooring, including luxury vinyl tiles (also known as luxury vinyl plank) and vinyl roll, as well as porcelain or ceramic tile are generally considered to be the best flooring options for a kitchen because of their ability to stand up to moisture and humidity. Laminate flooring can be installed in the kitchen.
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.
Underlayment for laminate flooring is a must. Since laminate is a floating floor, it must be evenly distributed across your subfloor. Underlayment is what allows the floor to float, gives it stability, support, noise reduction, and supports the locking systems in between planks to assure the sturdiest flooring project.
Laminate is a stylish, contemporary option – and it's both hardwearing and easy to maintain. But it can be incredibly noisy! And if you have children and pets, or live on an upper floor (e.g. in a flat or apartment), such noise can become a big issue.
Laminate flooring should be between 6-12mm thick. If you find thicker than 12mm, it's an inaccurate measurement–possibly including attached padding. If you want the highest-quality, hardwood feel, you'll want 10 or 12mm. If cost is a concern and you have a smooth subfloor, you can get by with 7 or 8mm.