Laminate flooring advantages

Why so many people are now choosing laminate floors

Laminate flooring is durable

Laminate flooring is an extremely durable flooring surface designed for high traffic areas and is an excellent choice for homes with children or pets.  All laminate

floors have an incredibly hard and durable wear layer finish, and provide better scratch and dent resistance when compared to solid hardwood floors and vinyl floors.  Laminate flooring is a very livable flooring solution, with most good manufacturers providing a 25 year warranty against wear and damage. 

Laminate floors are stain resistant

Laminate floors also offer improved stain resistance qualities over solid hardwood flooring and carpet options.  The flooring segments come pre-finished with a stain-resistant wear coat on the surface.

Fade resistant

Unlike hardwood floors, laminate flooring will not fade over time with repeated sun exposure.

Moisture resistant

Laminate floors can be installed in environments with higher than normal humidity and moisture levels.  Conversely, it is not recommended that solid hardwood

floors be installed in these areas due to concerns of cupping, warping, and gaping from the wood expansion and contraction.

Variety of colors and styles

The range of colors, styles, species, and designs available in laminate flooring is enormous.  There is a color and design available to suit every interior style and environment.

Economical

Compared to other flooring solutions, laminate flooring may offer the best value proposition over the longer term.  If we compare flooring options over a 25 year period; carpets will need to be reinstalled 2 - 4 times, solid hardwoods will require 3 - 5 refinishing treatments, and vinyl will require replacement at least 3 times. 

Ease of installation

Laminate floors are a floating floor system that are not designed to be secured to the sub-floor, but actually float to adjust to the temperature and humidity levels of the interior environment.  They can be installed over an existing floor, sub-floor, or even concrete.  The most popular brands now on the market feature a glueless click system that easily snaps together. 

Easy maintenance

Regular vacuuming and wiping with a damp mop or rag is all that is required to keep the floors clean.  Although a scratch-resistant product, sharp pebbles and debris under the appropriate weight may scratch thought the wear layer, and leave a visible and exposed scratch.  Laminate floors are not designed to be sanded.  Minor scratches are repaired with special color coordinating pencils, seam gaps can be fixed with fillers, and larger chips may require the use of color burn-in sticks.  All of these fixes are relatively simple, and if large damage occurs, you can take apart that section of the floating floor and replace the damaged board.

Health benefits

There is a growing body of literature that suggests hard flooring surfaces provide a healthier living environment when compared to carpeting and mats.  Larger accumulations of dust, debris and dust mites are often observed in carpet environments.  Some allergists have also started recommending carpet removal to patients that suffer from acute dust allergies.