The Pros of Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a less expensive and more impressive alternative to traditional hardwood floors. Whether you're having a new home built or want to replace that old '70s vinyl flooring, the benefits of laminate flooring are just what you've been looking for. Here at Carpet & Tile Mart, many of our laminate flooring designs utilize Signature Technology to ensure your laminate flooring looks and feels like natural hardwood at a fraction of the cost. This article will discuss the benefits of laminate flooring, the types of laminate, and some things to consider when you purchase laminate flooring.

9 Top Benefits of Laminate Flooring

You don't have to look hard to discover the benefits of laminate flooring. From price point to cleaning, you'll be surprised at the overall value of choosing laminate flooring for your home. Keep reading if you're deciding whether laminate flooring is the right choice for your home.

More Affordable

Traditional hardwood floors will run you anywhere from $8 per square foot all the way up to $20, depending on your wood choice. If you plan to cover more than one room, this will run you a small fortune. On the other hand, this Mohawk laminate flooring starts at just $2.49 per square foot and looks just like hardwood. This will significantly lower the cost of your new home or renovation of an existing one. Here are some of the reasons laminate flooring is typically more affordable:

The materials, including the fiberboard core and other layers, cost less and can be mass produced.
Laminate flooring can be installed quickly, which reduces the installation cost.
Over time, laminate flooring does not require frequent maintenance or refinishing, making it an affordable alternative to hardwood flooring.

Durable

One of the top benefits of laminate flooring is its durability. Laminate flooring is made by compressing many layers of composite timber material making it highly sturdy and attractive. The top layer includes a coating that ensures your floor can withstand the storm of family and pet life with ease. Stain, water, and dent resistance give your floor longevity and durability you don't get with traditional hardwood. Most manufacturers offer a laminate flooring warranty so that you can purchase worry-free. When maintained to the manufacturers' specifications, laminate flooring can last for twenty years or more.

Looks Great

Laminate technology has improved immensely, giving you the most beautiful flooring that looks and feels like traditional hardwood. For example, Mohawk's Signature Technology incorporates 64 layers of texture and over 1,000 colors in every square inch of a laminate plank. We replicate and surpass the look and feel of almost any type of hardwood floor. If you're going for the look of hardwood at a fraction of the price, consider our laminate flooring selection.

Easy to Maintain

One of the most attractive benefits of laminate flooring is the ease of care. Do you have pets that track in mud and snow? No problem! Simply wipe away moisture and clean mud stains with a simple microfiber cloth. There are no kid stains, dog paws, or kitchen disasters our laminate can't withstand. No expensive hardwood wax or cleaning kits are needed to care for your laminate flooring.

Simple Installation

Laminate flooring has an easy lock-together system, making it a good alternative for DIY-ers. For your boards to acclimate to the temperature and humidity levels in the room, we suggest laying your boards out 48 hours before you start your project. Following the easy-to-follow instructions makes this installation doable for almost anyone!

Subfloor Install

Because laminate is a highly versatile flooring material, it can be installed on almost any subflooring surface. Whether you're installing it on the concrete in your new basement or over the 70's kitchen vinyl that came with your home, laminate flooring makes your installation more straightforward and quick.

Hypoallergenic

Laminate flooring is a hypoallergenic option for those with breathing and allergy concerns. With its self-locking design, laminate flooring leaves no place for dust, dander, and moisture to accumulate. The underlying moisture barrier is an added layer of protection against moisture and leaking concerns and protects your investment.

More Comfortable

Another of the fantastic benefits of laminate flooring is the comfort level you can achieve. Laminate flooring is installed as a floating floor with a foam layer underneath. This gives your floor a warmer, slightly springy feel compared to traditional hardwood floors. This added foam layer also makes laminate flooring a quieter option.

Versatility

Because laminate flooring doesn't expand and contract with the weather like natural wood does, it is a more versatile option for many homes. Laminate can be installed over virtually any type of substrate. These may include concrete, wood, plywood, old vinyl, or OSB. Whatever your flooring substrate type, laminate flooring makes the job straightforward.

Shaw Floorte Pro Endura Plus

Laminate Flooring Types and Finishes

EIR - Embossed in Register

This is a method of embossing a non-natural material that gives it the look and feel of natural hardwood. It ensures your laminate flooring has the texture of a genuine hardwood floor without the hefty price tag. Check out this Mohawk Kingmire laminate with its rich, deep color palate and hand-scraped EIR texture. Built to last and withstand all your life has to throw at it, this flooring is stain, scratch, and dent resistant. With its limited lifetime warranty, this laminate flooring comes in various trendy colors and styles to look great in any home.

Textured

Textured laminate flooring is a great way to get the look and feel of natural wood while remaining environmentally friendly. This will provide you with innovative and trendy looks without the expensive price tag of hardwood flooring. This Mohawk Rivercrest Aged Barrel Oak is a prime example of textured flooring. It gives you aged beauty and warm colors that will last for years. Rivercrest also gives you a Lifetime Limited warranty and comes in various colors and styles to fit your home. Your family and guests will quickly feel at home and welcome!

Matte Finish

Matte finish offers a grainy or textured finish to your laminate flooring that would be great for high-traffic areas. This flooring finish provides durability and longevity to your floor that you may not get otherwise. This Pergo Elements Original matte option offers the utmost protection backed by one of the biggest names in flooring. The CleanProtect technology contains antimicrobial properties that make your family safer and healthier. With its Lifetime Limited warranty, this flooring is easily one of our most popular.

Mohawk Signature

Mohawk Signature Technology provides an almost indistinguishable product from hardwood. It incorporates 64 layers of texture and over 1,000 colors in every square inch of a laminate plank. We replicate and surpass the look and feel of almost any type of hardwood floor. With 4x the resolution of natural hardwood, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone to tell the difference.

This Mohawk Antique Craft is one of our most popular laminate flooring products, and for good reason. Combining a large plank format with rustic brown and grey tones, this Antique Craft floor looks and feels like natural hardwood. With its 100% waterproof technology and 20-year warranty, you can't go wrong with this choice!

Wire Brushed

Wire Brushed laminate utilizes a technique that leaves the flooring with a soft scraped look that gives the appearance of being lightly scraped with a wire brush. This technique is popular as it adds an aged, worn look. This laminate from Shaw Monarch Plus features exclusive Opticore technology, an environmentally friendly core board designed to make your floor more stable and moisture resistant. The wire-brushed effect gives this laminate an antique look and feel.

Things to Keep in Mind Before You Buy Laminate

You Can't Refinish Laminate

While laminate flooring has come a long way, the finished layer is still the only one with the wood grain image. Traditional hardwood floors can be refinished if damaged, restoring them to a like-new condition. Laminate floors are resistant to stains and water but can still be damaged. If this happens, the damaged plank(s) can be removed and replaced with non-damaged planks.

Not All Laminate Flooring is Created Equal

As with any other product, there are varying degrees of quality regarding laminate flooring. You can't see what's under the beautiful surface. It is highly advised to work with a company that backs its products and ensures the quality of your flooring. With over 50 years of experience in the flooring industry, Carpet & Tile Mart's long history with suppliers ensures that we obtain the best deals on the nation's top flooring brands.

Careful Cleaning

While cleaning your laminate flooring with plain water may seem like an easy, straightforward task, it isn't always that simple. You need to be careful not to soak the floor or give the water a chance to stand on the surface, as this can cause water damage. While floors are water resistant, it doesn't mean they can withstand a flood. When needed, a commercial laminate cleaner can help with those tougher stains.

Always Read Your Warranty

While this can be tedious, we recommend thoroughly reading your warranty. A warranty will cover how cleaning and wear and tear could void your warranty. The manufacturer may also void the warranty for installation mistakes. This wouldn't be an issue if you have your floor professionally installed, but not everyone can afford this option. That being said, a DIY installation mistake could cost you time and money.

Here at Carpet & Tile Mart, you can filter your results according to warranty rating and flooring type. This allows you to only look at options with your warranty needs.

Laminate Flooring Issues & Repair

While laminate flooring is a versatile and durable option, problems can arise. Here are some of the most common disadvantages of laminate flooring, issues we encounter, and how to fix them.

Water Damage: Excessive water or exposure to moisture can cause your laminate flooring to buckle. First, you'll need to pinpoint the source of the moisture and stop it. Next, the damaged planks will need to be removed and replaced. Another issue that comes with water damage is mold or mildew. If you spot any mold when removing the damaged planks, you may need to hire a mold remediation company to ensure you get rid of the mold completely. Mold can cause breathing problems in individuals with asthma or allergies.
Peaking: Also called "crowning," peaking occurs when laminate flooring planks get pushed together, causing raised joints resembling mountain peaks. This can be a common problem with laminate and usually occurs when the laminate is insufficiently glued to the subflooring. It can also happen when there is inadequate spacing between the edge of the flooring and the wall. Laminate can be re-edged to create more space between the wall and flooring edges without too much trouble.
Gapping: If room temperatures drop too low, laminate planks can pull away from each other, causing gapping. Room temperatures should be kept above a certain level during the colder months, even if the room is seldom used. While laminate flooring doesn't expand and contract as much as its natural wood counterparts, it can still cause damage in extreme temperatures.
Noisy or Squeaking Sounds: While less common, squeaks and creaks can occur when planks rub against each other. A significant cause of this type of noise is an uneven subfloor. While a subfloor doesn't need to be completely level, it should be flat. Noise could also occur when there is an insufficient amount of underlayment. The underlayment is a thin layer of foam that helps to absorb sound and create a cushion under your laminate flooring. Another cause of noisy flooring is when the tongue around the edges of laminate planks breaks allowing the boards to move against each other. In this case, you'll need to replace the broken planks.

While issues with laminate flooring are uncommon when professionally installed, they can crop up when you have installed your flooring yourself. Knowing what to look for can improve your installation and prevent these issues.

Carpet & Tile Mart: Your Laminate Flooring Experts!

With over 50 years of industry experience and an excellent Trustpilot rating, Carpet & Tile Mart is your go-to laminate flooring supplier. We've matched thousands of customers with the perfect flooring for their unique needs. Here are some of the things that set us apart from our competition: