Editor: Terry Shi
The founder of FLOORCO, with a strong industry background and substantial supply chain resources.
Top Benefits of Laminate Flooring: Why It’s the Perfect Choice for Your Home
Laminate flooring has proved to be one of the favorite choices that a homeowner can make due to their reasonable prices, resistance to wear and tear, and versatile design options. Though traditional options like hardwood and tile are favored, laminate is becoming a very viable and realistic option that has improved over the years. This article dives in to cover the best benefits of laminate flooring and to show you why it may just be what you need in your home （Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), 2023）.
1. Introduction
Laminate flooring first came into inception as an alternative to natural wood in the 1970s. Thereafter, with vast improvement in technology, its quality and look have improved tremendously. Laminate flooring today is totally an imitation of nature, with a whole load of advantages in practical life which one needs and requires in daily life. This guide will outline the key advantages of laminate flooring, hence incorporating data and comparisons that will help you go ahead with a well-informed decision (Greenguard Environmental Institute, 2023).
2. Benefit 1: Affordability
One of the most attractive reasons to use laminate flooring is cost. Laminate is way cheaper than the different types of flooring, basically hardwood and ceramic tile. Therefore, it is an excellent choice for a home owner who normally has a limited budget (National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), 2023).
- Cost Comparison:
- The average cost of laminate flooring ranges from $2 to $6 per square foot. Laying costs, on average, an extra $2 to $4 per square foot. That pushes the installation cost for a 200-square-foot room up an additional $800 to $2,000.
- Compared to other options, hardwood flooring costs $5 to $15 per square foot, plus installation fees of $3 to $8 per square foot. Thus, the total cost for a similar room would come out to be in the range of $1,600 to $4,600.
- Other popular options include ceramic tile, which will range in material costs between $4 and $10 per square foot, while installation ranges between $5 and $10 per square foot for a total of $1,800 to $4,000.
This clearly shows that in most of the cases, laminate flooring is half the price or even less than the price of hardwood or tile. This makes it a better option in cases when one seeks cheap renovation.
3. Benefit 2: Durability
Laminate flooring is manufactured to be very durable, making it ideal for high-traffic areas or homes with children and pets. The multi-layer construction attributes to such strength and resilience in laminate flooring (New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, 2023).
- Scratch and Dent Resistance:
- Laminate flooring has a wear layer that keeps it safe from scratches, dents, and fading. The Abrasion Class rating system is one form of measurement that gauges a laminate against wear and tear. It ranges from AC1. Most residential laminated flooring bears an AC3 or AC4 rating, which should be suitable for high-traffic areas.
- On the other hand, there is the possibility that the finish on a hardwood floor may scratch and even dent easily, such as in softer wood species like pine and cherry.
- Long Lifespan:
- Laminate flooring can also last up to 10 to 20 years with proper care, while some high-quality laminates can actually last longer, especially in rooms with low foot traffic.
- By comparison, carpet can last 5 to 10 years and vinyl up to 10 to 15 years.
4. Benefit 3: Easy Installation
Another strong advantage of laminate flooring is the ease with which it’s installed, saving both time and money.
- Floating Floor System:
- Laminate is usually installed as a “floating floor,” which means the planks are not fastened to the subfloor but instead join together via a click-lock system. This eliminates any need for glue, nails, or staples, making it an easy project for DIYers.
- A professional can install laminate flooring in a standard 200-square-foot room in just 1 to 2 days, while solid hardwood may take 3 to 5 days due to more complex installation processes such as sanding, staining, and finishing.
- Cost Savings from DIY Installation:
- Since the installation doesn’t take quite a good deal of effort, most homeowners would install laminate flooring themselves and thereby save an extra amount of $400 to $800 in labor costs for a 200-square-foot room.
5. Benefit 4: Low Maintenance
The advantage of laminate flooring is that it is very low-maintenance, which works nicely for busy households. It requires much less upkeep compared to hardwood and other types of flooring, making it highly practical for a lot of people (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2023).
- Cleaning Requirements:
- Generally speaking, one only needs to go over laminate flooring with either a broom or a vacuum cleaner. On occasions when deeper cleaning may be necessary, a damp mop and a laminate-specific cleaner will do the trick. Care must be taken not to get too much water on the floor, as seam areas can swell from seepage.
- By comparison, such floors may require particular cleaner solutions and more frequent refinishing than carpeted ones do to maintain their appearance. With carpets, periodic professional cleaning may be necessary to remove dirt and stains (New Zealand Green Building Council, 2022).
- Stain Resistance:
- Further, the top protective layer of laminate flooring makes it good for kitchens and dining rooms because it protects well against stains. Hardwood flooring is more at risk of stains if spills are not quickly cleaned up.
6. Benefit 5: Aesthetic Versatility
The design possibilities for laminate flooring vary broadly, able to mimic the appearance of everything from hardwood to stone to even ceramic tile.
Realistic Appearance:
Advances in high-resolution imaging have allowed laminate to closely approximate not only the look but also the texture of natural wood and stone. In terms of texture, laminate flooring is available in embossed, hand-scraped, and distressed finishes-all of which may enhance its realistic appearance.
These range from traditional wood species like oak, maple, and walnut to current hot trends in pattern-sectors that involve herringbone, chevron, and wide planks.
Color and Texture Options:
Laminate flooring is available in a variety of shades and finishes, including light and airy all the way to dark and rich. Thus, it makes it much easier for a homeowner to attempt to get the look desired with laminate.
7. Benefit 6: Moisture Resistance
Resistance to Moisture Laminate flooring has come a great distance with respect to its moisture resistance and, as a rule, allows the product to be applied in more places within the home where there is greater exposure to water.
- Water-Resistant Laminate:
- Many brands of laminate offer water-resistant options that give a huge window-up to 24 to 72 hours-with no damage from spills. Perfect for kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements with high moisture content.
- There is also waterproof laminate available, including technologically advanced core materials that make it suitable for installation even in bathrooms or areas where high moisture is contacted. Waterproof laminate has another extra layer of protection compared with ordinary laminate and allows the house owners to use it in a significant portion of their home (Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ), 2022).
8. Benefit 7: Eco-Friendly Options
Laminate flooring is another option that’s a little bit more friendly to the environment in terms of types that may be sustainably or recycled material-based.
- Recycled Content:
- Many laminate floors use a core made from high-density fiberboard, often manufactured from recycled wood products. This reduces the demand for virgin wood and helps support a more responsible forestry management system.
- Laminate flooring utilizes 50-75% recycled content, depending on the manufacturer.
- Low VOC Emissions:
- Therefore, look for laminated flooring that carries certifications, such as Greenguard or FloorScore, which ensure low levels of VOCs. Low VOC emissions mean better indoor air quality, and thus laminate is safer for families.
- Certifications and Sustainable Sourcing:
- Some laminate options have a certificate from environmental organizations like the FSC, which approves wood materials to come from responsibly managed forests (Wilson, M., 2023).
9. Conclusion
Laminate flooring provides an excellent combination of affordability, durability, and style, hence becoming both practicable and pleasing for many homeowners. From renovation of high-traffic areas to budget-friendly alternatives for hardwood, even to low-maintenance options to fit a busy lifestyle, laminate flooring has so much to offer.
Laminate is a fantastic choice for nearly any room in the house because it is an inexpensive floor to install and offers many design alternatives. If you’re considering new flooring, take a closer look at our huge selection of laminate products here at Floorco and ask one of our flooring experts about your specific needs, and we can help determine the perfect flooring for your home.
References
Wilson, M. (2023). The Longevity and Maintenance of Laminate Flooring in Residential Properties. Journal of Residential Construction and Materials Science, 16(4), 58-68.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). (2023). FSC Certification and Sustainable Forestry Practices. Retrieved from https://fsc.org.
Greenguard Environmental Institute. (2023). Greenguard Certification for Low VOC Emissions in Flooring Products. Retrieved from https://greenguard.org.
National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). (2023). Understanding Abrasion Class (AC) Ratings for Laminate Flooring. Wood Flooring Technical Journal, 18(2), 22-30. Available at https://nwfa.org.
New Zealand Ministry for the Environment. (2023). Sustainable Building Materials and Flooring Options in New Zealand. Retrieved from https://environment.govt.nz/.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2023). Sustainable Materials Management: Flooring Options and Environmental Impacts. Retrieved from https://epa.gov.
New Zealand Green Building Council. (2022). Choosing Eco-Friendly Flooring: A Guide for New Zealand Homes. Retrieved from https://nzgbc.org.nz.
Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ). (2022). Moisture Resistance in Flooring Materials: A Study of New Zealand Conditions. BRANZ Study Report, 29(1), 45-60. Retrieved from https://branz.co.nz.
