As a general rule of thumb, you should buy extra laminate flooring that covers around 5% to 15% of the room's floor area. So, if you're installing laminate flooring on a room measuring 10 square feet, you should buy at least 10.5 to 11.5 square feet worth of flooring.
Generally, a higher quality of flooring will need only 5% extra overage, while a more affordable option might be better with 15%. Because laminate is engineered, it usually has a consistent coloring, pattern, grain, and is free of inclusions. Only a 5% overage is usually recommended.
Buy the amount of flooring needed, plus another 20-percent. This number is comprised of the 100-percent of flooring needed to cover the area, plus as much as 15-percent to account for installation wastage and 5-percent to account for defective materials.
The square footage of your room largely determines how much you'll pay for laminate flooring and installation because it's priced by the square foot. The material generally costs between $0.70 and $2 per square foot, and the installation typically costs between $0.60 and $4 per square foot.
Cost by Labor
Labor to install laminate flooring costs between $4 and $8 per square foot, depending on the project's difficulty. Thinner laminate is more expensive because it's more difficult to apply and usually requires leveling the subfloor and putting down underlayment.
Labor Cost for Floor Installation
Typically, professional flooring installation rates vary from $0.60 to $4 per square foot.
The labor cost to install vinyl plank flooring is around $36 an hour. This averages out to $3 to $10 per square foot, not including the cost of the flooring materials. Labor prices can vary from the norm due to the cost of labor in the area where the home is located.
High-end laminate flooring holds up well against scratches and scuffs that are common in high-traffic areas of your home. The outer layer of high-end laminate flooring also prevents noticeable wear and tear as well as staining. Another popular feature of laminate flooring is its ability to resist water.
Lowes Laminate Flooring Installation Cost
On average, Lowe's charges between $1 and $3 per square foot to install the flooring. Hence, the total costs of laminate flooring range between $1.99 and $9. If you have a 500-square-foot area that needs new laminate floors, you'll pay $995-$4,500.
We recommend starting in the left corner of the longest wall in the room and to install the planks in the same direction as the main light source (e.g. the main window). Planks are always installed from left to right.
If you're wondering what's the best underlay for laminate or wood flooring, Fibreboard is a brilliant choice. It helps smooth uneven floors, reduces noise and acts as an excellent thermal insulator. Not to mention, it's also the number one choice of underlay for laminate and wooden floors.
But variations can occur from one batch to the next, so buy all the flooring you'll need at one time, and shuffle boards from multiple packages when installing. That tactic also works to reduce pattern repetition in laminate boards from the same box. Measure to avoid mistakes.
Laminate flooring can hold up to general wear and tear as long as you take proper precautions. Tightly seaming the boards to protect them from moisture is one such precaution. Installing padding is also necessary for laminate flooring in most cases.
Benefits of Thick Laminate Flooring
One of the benefits of thicker laminate is its higher sound dampening performance. This is simply because it contains more of the high density fiber (HDF) core and provides less sound transference through the plank.
The direction you install your flooring makes an immense impact on the flow and spatial feel of a room. We recommend placing the planks parallel to the widest wall. This will create an elongated look by drawing attention to the longest portion of the space.
Not 100% Moisture Proof:
Although laminate flooring is moisture resistant, it is not moisture-proof. A major spill or excessive water exposure could seriously damage your floor. This can lead to warping and even the need to replace flooring planks or a complete floor re-install.
Pergo laminate floors are created to be tougher than most other laminate options. These incur minimum scratches and are also very much close to being waterproof. You get around 30 minutes window to clean up any spillage and maintain the finish. Pergo laminates come with some of the best warranty plans.
Most laminate flooring can be purchased for about $1-5 per square foot. The price will depend on the thickness of your flooring materials and the design styles you choose. Vinyl floors start at around $1 per square foot for simple glue-down sheet vinyl. Prices can reach up to $5 per square foot for luxury vinyl planks.
$3 – $8 per square foot
The average cost to install laminate flooring is $3 to $8 per square foot including labor and materials. Laminate flooring costs between $1,411 and $3,395 with most homeowners paying around $2,352 for professional installation.
Laminate flooring is a floating floor material that isn't attached to the subfloor or underlayment. Laminate installation is much like putting together a large puzzle and should take no more than one day for almost any room.
To do so, use a tape measure to determine the room's length and width. Then multiply the length by the width to get your square footage. For instance, if the room is 12 feet wide and 12 feet long, you will need enough flooring for 144 square feet (12×12=144).
Vinyl is one of the most affordable types of flooring, at a cost of just $1 to $2 per square foot for vinyl sheet flooring and $2 to $3 per square foot for vinyl planks. Professional installation for vinyl floors costs another $1 to $2 per square foot, which is an exceptionally low price for flooring labor.