Laminate flooring... should you?

[iamwhatiseem]

We have all seen it. Watching a House Hunter show and the buyers asks "is this real wood or laminate?" - and the realtor answers back in an apologetic tone "no it is laminate... but look at these great curtains!"
So what about it? Is laminate flooring that bad?
The answer is not a simple yes or no.
Yes it is that bad if you choose the cheaper laminate options and less than 10m thick.
No it is actually a good and even BETTER option than hardwood if you choose a higher quality and 10m+ thickness in some cases.
In short, laminate flooring doesn't deserve the bad rap it has. If it is a high quality option installed correctly it not only looks great, is very water resistant, doesn't scratch nearly as easily as wood, doesn't warp or crack. And it will last between 20 - 30 years. Much longer than carpet. And probably much longer than you will live there.
There is no question hardwood flooring, in ideal conditions, will outlast laminate perhaps double or even triple the lifetime. Not only last longer than you will live there - but last longer than you will live anywhere. If you have the money, and it is NOT in a room with a water source, it is the better choice hands down.
But if you can't afford to spend 5 figures on flooring, or need flooring in a kitchen/bathroom - don't be afraid of quality laminate flooring. It will look great and last for decades.
Today's modern engineered laminate has a especially hardened surface that will stand up to even large breed dogs... something no hardwood floor can stand up to. It is very water resistant, almost waterproof. If you are a pretty good DIY'er and take the time to learn how to install it correctly, it is VERY easy to lay. One of the more easier DIY projects there are.

So go ahead. Choose laminate. But choose wisely. You DO get what you pay for. Choose the better brand, choose at least 10mm thicknes and put down the Pergo underlayment. It makes it so much easier to fit the pieces and makes it even more moisture resistant than it already is.

 

[MarathonMike]

We had stained cement floors and I got tired of the cold hard surface. So we redid the floors with high quality wood laminate. A hundred percent improvement, everyone loves how it looks and it feels great under your feet.

 

[Donald H]

Unfortunately, it's a cheap substitute for wood and it won't pass the critical eye that is looking for quality.

But it's a durable alternative for those who are happy to at least fool the average American.

 

[MarathonMike]

Unfortunately, it's a cheap substitute for wood and it won't pass the critical eye that is looking for quality.

But it's a durable alternative for those who are happy to at least fool the average American.

You are incorrect, but to each his own tastes.

 

[Donald H]

You are incorrect, but to each his own tastes.

No, I'm not incorrect.
It's good enough for most Americans but it's not good enough for me and other discerning homeowners.

I would suggest an engineered hardwood floor that can be had for about the same price as the high end laminate. It won't glare back at you to remind you of your cheap choice.

But I would still recommend getting above the low end in wood.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Unfortunately, it's a cheap substitute for wood and it won't pass the critical eye that is looking for quality.

But it's a durable alternative for those who are happy to at least fool the average American.

Someone who knows what they are talking about would never say that.
Like I said, if you have the money, and are choosing a floor in a room that does not have a water source - and is above ground level - hard wood is a better choice hands down. No contest.
But - in basements/bathrooms - AND - kitchens - laminate is a better option. It will look and last longer in those conditions.
Putting down hardwood, particularly solid wood hard wood, in a room with a water source is just stupid.
My daughter bought a home that was built in 2006. All hardwood downstairs including the kitchen. Their kitchen drain started leaking and they didn't know it. Unfortunately, how they discovered it was she was cleaning the floor and noticed there was a split in the wood in front of the sink. Upon further inspection they realized the wood was warped and split open when pressure under the cabinets wouldn't allow the wood to swell - so it busted in half.
That is what happens when people choose hardwood in a kitchen or bathroom.
And don't even THINK about laying it in a basement.

 

[Donald H]

Someone who knows what they are talking about would never say that.
Like I said, if you have the money, and are choosing a floor in a room that does not have a water source - and is above ground level - hard wood is a better choice hands down. No contest.
But - in basements/bathrooms - AND - kitchens - laminate is a better option. It will look and last longer in those conditions.
Putting down hardwood, particularly solid wood hard wood, in a room with a water source is just stupid.
My daughter bought a home that was built in 2006. All hardwood downstairs including the kitchen. Their kitchen drain started leaking and they didn't know it. Unfortunately, how they discovered it was she was cleaning the floor and noticed there was a split in the wood in front of the sink. Upon further inspection they realized the wood was warped and split open when pressure under the cabinets wouldn't allow the wood to swell - so it busted in half.
That is what happens when people choose hardwood in a kitchen or bathroom.
And don't even THINK about laying it in a basement.

It's you who doesn't know what you're talking about. You're trying to introduce wetness or dampness qualfications and not accepting that isn't good enough for the more discerning homeowner.

In any case, laminate is subject to the same problems. You're thinking of the cost to replace the water damaged floor.

Laminate just isn't good enough for my home! Apparently it's good enough for you.

In a kid's bathroom on the ground floor, I may agree with some other option other than hardwood. May? But it sure the hell won't be laminate put down in an attempt to fool somebody.

 

[Donald H]

For the less discerning American with a basement bathroom, ceramic tile is a reasonably good way to fake the real natural product if one has to go cheap.

For the sake of saving a few bucks on 100 sq. feet of floor, I would spend the few dollars more and put down slate.

 

[hjmick]

10m thick? that doesn't sound right...

10m = 32.8 feet...

Did you mean 10cm?

 

[Likkmee]

No, I'm not incorrect.
It's good enough for most Americans but it's not good enough for me and other discerning homeowners.

I would suggest an engineered hardwood floor that can be had for about the same price as the high end laminate. It won't glare back at you to remind you of your cheap choice.

But I would still recommend getting above the low end in wood.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

10m thick? that doesn't sound right...

10m = 32.8 feet...

Did you mean 10cm?

Well obviously not... mm

 

[Donald H]

View attachment 703592
View attachment 703592

Instead of you posting silly videos, let's just agree that laminate is good enough for you but it's not good enough for me.

However, in fairness, I don't live in Florida in a reclaimed swamp.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Instead of you posting silly videos, let's just agree that laminate is good enough for you but it's not good enough for me.

However, in fairness, I don't live in Florida in a reclaimed swamp.

 

[evenflow1969]

Laminate is easier to clean and maintain. I have it in my lake home. My winter place( recently bought) has hardwood under neath the crap people installed over it over the years. I will pull all the crap installed over the hard wood this winter sand and stain it. They both have their benefits. I would nit change the Laminate in the lake home. It is perfect for the situation. I do not have the time for cleaning and maintenance of hardwood during the summer. Don't know how many more tears I have in the sun. During the summer I want to be on that lake not cleaning and maintaining my floors. I am excited about the property I recently purchased. It is circa 1940. I have never owned a home older than 1972. I will modernize the kitchen and baths but everything else will be restored to its original period. The hardwood floors and woodwork are the things I am most excited about. The location is also really awesome. A very short walk through a small wooded area and you are standing in the elementary school play ground. I will create a path through that and be able to walk my grandchildren to a playground. My front yard is very close to the high school football stadium. Can see half the field from the front yard. Also looking forward to being able to walk the grandchildren to that or sit and watch a good percentage of the game from my front yard. Can't wait to see how this house turns out.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Laminate is easier to clean and maintain. I have it in my lake home. My winter place( recently bought) has hardwood under neath the crap people installed over it over the years. I will pull all the crap installed over the hard wood this winter sand and stain it. They both have their benefits. I would nit change the Laminate in the lake home. It is perfect for the situation. I do not have the time for cleaning and maintenance of hardwood during the summer. Don't know how many more tears I have in the sun. During the summer I want to be on that lake not cleaning and maintaining my floors. I am excited about the property I recently purchased. It is circa 1940. I have never owned a home older than 1972. I will modernize the kitchen and baths but everything else will be restored to its original period. The hardwood floors and woodwork are the things I am most excited about. The location is also really awesome. A very short walk through a small wooded area and you are standing in the elementary school play ground. I will create a path through that and be able to walk my grandchildren to a playground. My front yard is very close to the high school football stadium. Can see half the field from the front yard. Also looking forward to being able to walk the grandchildren to that or sit and watch a good percentage of the game from my front yard. Can't wait to see how this house turns out.

Congratulations... building memories!
I have flipped 8 houses in the late 90s, early 2000s and bought and sold 3 apartment houses in that times also.
Nothing worse than seeing a destroyed original hardwood floor because maniacs in the 1970s laid linoleum and or carpet over it.
The worst ever was a craftsman built in the 40s with really nice oak floors with inlaid on the perimeter. Beautiful floor. But idiots put carpet over it in the 70s and got mad crazy with the staple guns while laying the underlayment. Ruined the floor completely. You can't fix a 1000 staple holes. Crazy good floor, and I had no choice but to put carpet right back over it. People in the 70s with their carpet and drop ceilings!

 

[evenflow1969]

Congratulations... building memories!
I have flipped 8 houses in the late 90s, early 2000s and bought and sold 3 apartment houses in that times also.
Nothing worse than seeing a destroyed original hardwood floor because maniacs in the 1970s laid linoleum and or carpet over it.
The worst ever was a craftsman built in the 40s with really nice oak floors with inlaid on the perimeter. Beautiful floor. But idiots put carpet over it in the 70s and got mad crazy with the staple guns while laying the underlayment. Ruined the floor completely. You can't fix a 1000 staple holes. Crazy good floor, and I had no choice but to put carpet right back over it. People in the 70s with their carpet and drop ceilings!

I run fishing charters during the summer and typically buy a house or two and flip them during the winter. This winter is about my own place. Plan to keep this place till I die. I am slowing down. Did my time working my ass off. Not going to say I am done flipping but can flat guarantee that there won't be many more. Gunna do this house this winter and get a five acre property to put up a pole barn close by. I wanna have a place to store and work on my boats over the winter. Also wanna buy some 50s autos to restore during the winter. My son and my son in law both graduate college in the spring. I wanna get them going on buying and flipping property but my days of fixing houses are numbered. My favorite cousin is retiring in November. She and her husband are going to start spending winter in the keys. Her husband and his brother are big into fishing. Going to start spending at least a month down there with them. I have several high school friends looking for places up here on lake Erie with me as is my cousin and her husband. This late stage in my life is looking pretty good. Summer on lake Erie and winter in the keys what more can one ask for add my favorite people through out my life have the same vision good times ahead.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I run fishing charters during the summer and typically buy a house or two and flip them during the winter. This winter is about my own place. Plan to keep this place till I die. I am slowing down. Did my time working my ass off. Not going to say I am done flipping but can flat guarantee that there won't be many more. Gunna do this house this winter and get a five acre property to put up a pole barn close by. I wanna have a place to store and work on my boats over the winter. Also wanna buy some 50s autos to restore during the winter. My son and my son in law both graduate college in the spring. I wanna get them going on buying and flipping property but my days of fixing houses are numbered. My favorite cousin is retiring in November. She and her husband are going to start spending winter in the keys. Her husband and his brother are big into fishing. Going to start spending at least a month down there with them. I have several high school friends looking for places up here on lake Erie with me as is my cousin and her husband. This late stage in my life is looking pretty good. Summer on lake Erie and winter in the keys what more can one ask for add my favorite people through out my life have the same vision good times ahead.

I hear you... I am 57 now. I still have that "bug" that wants to flip a house.. but I am not in my 30s anymore. Or 40s. And soon leaving 50s.
It is a monster amount of work to do, under time pressure.. just don't have that jam anymore.
We put in a full kitchen in the walkout basement along with another full bath. I Put down flooring over most the whole downstairs. I was sooo glad when it was done. Then we have a second building on the property that use to be a beauty salon. It looks like a miniature of the main house. It had not been used since the early 90s. It is concrete slab, so I laid a laminate floor down over that, tore out an old kitchenette they had put in, in the 80s. Now it is an awesome little building.

 

[evenflow1969]

I hear you... I am 57 now. I still have that "bug" that wants to flip a house.. but I am not in my 30s anymore. Or 40s. And soon leaving 50s.
It is a monster amount of work to do, under time pressure.. just don't have that jam anymore.
We put in a full kitchen in the walkout basement along with another full bath. I Put down flooring over most the whole downstairs. I was sooo glad when it was done. Then we have a second building on the property that use to be a beauty salon. It looks like a miniature of the main house. It had not been used since the early 90s. It is concrete slab, so I laid a laminate floor down over that, tore out an old kitchenette they had put in, in the 80s. Now it is an awesome little building.

I always wanted that walk out basement. Never did get it. Finished quite a few other people s though. Put a bunch of audio visual rooms in walk out basements in those Mcmansions in southern Delaware County during the 90s and early 2000s. Back when all the rich people wanted theaters in their homes. They wanted those theaters and bars in their basement. Built some really cool basements. Where I spend my time now a days is just to flat for them. Glad you got to experience that. My sister has a nice walk out. They have not finished the basement yet. Some day I suppose. Lol, she better get on it soon if she wants my help doing it.I am going to put a lofted pole barn up mightput an apartment on top definitely putting in a pond out there. My son is talking about moving up here when he graduates. My daughter and her husband are definitely moving up here when he graduates. My son in law is going to captains school over winter break so he can run a boat for me this coming summer. They amount of help I get from my son and son in law will likely determine what happens at the pole barn. I will likely put my daughter and son in law in that apartment on top till we find them a long term home. We will see what happens.

 

[whitehall]

I live in a 150 year old house with beautiful heart pine floors so I wouldn't go near laminate stuff. My wife is sensitive to chemicals and I wonder if the laminates emit fumes until it "cures".

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I live in a 150 year old house with beautiful heart pine floors so I wouldn't go near laminate stuff. My wife is sensitive to chemicals and I wonder if the laminates emit fumes until it "cures".

We had a Victorian that had Cherry floors. I posted a picture of it somewhere on here.
The floors were also inlaid around the borders. I will probably never have a house again that was as ornate as it was. Built in 1895.
Marble fireplace, pocket doors... pretty awesome house.
Again, modern laminate flooring is not what it was 20 years ago. It is far-far better than it use to be... so much it is a better choice in applications where there is water/spillage like kitchen and bathrooms.
We have a 80lb. German Shepherd. She would annihilate hardwood floors. So for us, clearly laminate is better as the surface is considerably harder than hard wood.