Laminate flooring continues to increase in popularity. While many homeowners desire the look of solid hardwood floors, they don’t enjoy the hefty price tag that comes with it. Those looking to add the warmth and beauty of natural hardwood for a better price point often choose to go with laminate flooring. Laminate is one of the top-selling styles of flooring, and it’s easy to see why when you review these benefits that come with choosing laminate floors for your home, office, or business.
Laminate floors are better for your budget
Natural wood floors are beautiful, but they can be a budget-buster. Not only is the material pricier (it’s often 50% more than laminate!), but also the installation is more expensive. Thankfully, much of the laminate flooring available in today’s market is nearly indistinguishable from solid hardwood. With laminate, you can achieve the look of real hardwood for half the cost, and you won’t have to sacrifice style or durability to do it.
Laminate flooring is more durable than hardwood
Laminate flooring may offer the look of solid hardwood, but laminate actually outperforms it in terms of durability. Hardwood is very susceptible to dings, scratches, and dents. Heavy traffic will lead to visible wear. Laminate floors, however, are resistant to scratches, impacts, and stains. Made with a protective aluminum oxide top coating, laminate is also fade-resistant, which means that even in rooms that see a lot of sun and natural light, your floor’s beautiful color will not fade or change. Laminate flooring is a good choice for many environments, and it holds up great in homes with kids and pets.
Laminate flooring is easier to install
Especially when compared to solid hardwood, laminate flooring is easy to install. Most laminate flooring uses some type of interlocking or tongue-and-groove system, meaning that the boards are meant to fit and click together. Laminate flooring also allows for a “floating installation,” which means that it can be installed over many types of floors without having to rip out the existing floor, and it does not need to be nailed or glued down. The relatively easy install makes laminate a top choice for DIY homeowners, but make sure you’re up to the task before you decide to forgo a professional install.
Laminate floors offer a variety of styles
While laminate is celebrated for its ability to look like natural hardwood (for a fraction of the price), laminate flooring can also be made to look like many other materials, including stone, ceramic tile, or slate. Of course, if you want the classic wood-look, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from, whether you want a light, blonde wood, or a rich, mahogany wood-look for your floor (or any color in between!). Depending on the product, you can also choose from a variety of plank styles and thickness.
Laminate floors are easy to maintain
It’s simple and straightforward to care for a laminate floor. You don’t need any special cleansers or fancy cleaning products. Simply sweep, dust-mop, or vacuum your floors to keep them looking like new. If using a vacuum on your laminate floors, make sure you use the “bare floor” setting. While laminate flooring is resistant to moisture, you should not wet mop your laminate. For any tricky spots of grime your floor may encounter, you can employ a laminate-friendly cleanser, but a little window-cleaner on a cloth can also be used to buff that sticky stain right off!
Laminate flooring is moisture-resistant
Hardwood flooring and any amount of water is a recipe for disaster, but laminate flooring, while certainly not waterproof, offers a resistance to moisture that hardwood does not. Laminate is well-sealed, which means that it’s not quite so easy for water to penetrate the wear layer. However, if water makes its way into the seams and under the floor, it can lead to swelling and buckling. For this reason, you should not choose laminate for a wet area, like a bathroom or kitchen, but it will work for most rooms of a home or business, provided that any large spills are always cleaned up in a timely manner.
Laminate is hypoallergenic
Carpet makes it easy to trap dust, pet hair, and other allergens in your home. With laminate floors, dust particles and allergens can’t get stuck and hang around as they don’t penetrate the laminate’s hard surface. Additionally, the underlayment (the material between your floor and the subfloor below) can prevent mold from forming.
There you have it! These top benefits are yours when you choose laminate flooring for your home.
Are you interested in using laminate flooring for your next home project? JC Floors Plus has a large variety of laminate to choose from. If you have questions, the experts at JC Floors Plus are ready to help. Come and talk to us at either of our showroom locations in Florida, or call us at:
Lauderdale Lakes Flooring Store – 954-735-4005
Pompano Beach Flooring Store – 754-205-6196