Laminate flooring are very popular these days. It offers durability and is available in a wide range of styles at an affordable price. With laminate floors, you can transform the look of your home or office for better. However, deciding on the right kind of laminate is pretty difficult and obviously you don’t want to get it wrong.
Guidelines for choosing the right laminate floor for your home renovation project
- Check the Thickness of the Board
A good quality laminate product will always be thick. Apart from being durable, it also helps in enhancing the look of the interior. A thicker laminate will look more convincing than the thinner laminate. You should look for boards which are about 8mm-12mm thick.
- Consider the Kind of a Look You Want to Give to Your Room
You must be having a rough sketch in your mind regarding the kind of a look you want in your room. For instance, if you want a small room to appear large, you will have to use wider laminate planks for creating a visual effect. This will help in making a room appear big. You will be able to achieve the same effect just by using lighter color shades. The added brightness will create an illusion of a spacious cabinet.
- Consider the Volume of Traffic in the Room
Good quality laminate floors have the capacity to withstand a large volume of traffic. However, it is a reliable option for high traffic areas. You need to consider the kind of traffic that the floor in that zone will be getting. Floors that are light in shade appears dirty in a short while. Whereas, pet hair and dust get easily highlighted on dark floors. If you are worried about both then you should go for mid-range colors. You can also get a textured appearance with laminate that appears like stones or ceramics. However, do not forget to clean the mess immediately.
- Take the Surrounding Rooms into Account
You need to consider the flooring of the adjacent room. You will have to purchase laminates which will be close to the surrounding floors or the ones that will compliment them. This is particularly important if you have a home with open floor plans.
- Check the Warranty
High-quality laminate flooring is usually resistant to stains and they also don’t get easily damaged. However, it is still important to check if the product has a proper warranty. The best brand of laminate will offer a 30-year warranty. This guarantees that the floor will not stain, peel, or fade, or have any other kinds of defects.
Benefits of Using Laminate Floors
The benefits of laminate floors are awesome. Some of the benefits have been mentioned below.
- Laminate floors are strong and are scratch-resistant. It is protected by robust external layers and has a resin coating. It is a suitable flooring option for high-traffic areas.
- Laminate flooring is much easier to install than other kinds of materials. This is because the boards are designed with an interlocking system. This makes it easier to work with.
- It is less expensive than conventional hardwood floors but is equally good when it comes to quality and aesthetics.
- This is known to be versatile and thus, it can be installed on any kind of floor or subfloor. If hardwood floor is not compatible with the subfloor then you can opt for laminate floors.
- Laminate floors have a stain-resistant surface. Thus, it becomes easy to clean the spills. You need no special cleaner for maintaining the laminate floors. You just have to sweep on a daily basis.
Laminate might be versatile but is not without limits. You should install it in your bathroom or laundry room. This is because the leakage of water might cause serious damage to it. It is also less recommended for kitchens.