Laminate flooring... should you?

[iamwhatiseem]

And then there is this

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

I installed laminate in our home. Yes, real wood will increase the value of your house, but it also ruins easier. You don't want to get water on it.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

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.

Traditional laminate is SHIT.

The new luxury vinyl plank/tile is freaking incredible shit.

It is 100% waterproof and literally can not absorb water or animal urine. And while many pretend it is "cheap" there are indeed high end lvp and I've put in multi million dollar houses MANY TIMES

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Traditional laminate is SHIT.

The new luxury vinyl plank/tile is freaking incredible shit.

It is 100% waterproof and literally can not absorb water or animal urine. And while many pretend it is "cheap" there are indeed high end lvp and I've put in multi million dollar houses MANY TIMES

Vinyl planks have an even worse reputation, equally undeserved.
The word vinyl is synonymous with cheap. And that use to be true. Old 1990s and before vinyl was notorious for delaminating.
Modern methods have erased that problem, although I have read more than one complaint about delaminating on the cheaper varieties.
And it is the same for "wood" laminate. Before 10 years ago it was simply crap. You would be lucky to get 5 years out of it before it chipped and peeled apart. I have put in high quality wood laminate in KITCHENS 6 years ago for relatives and it still looks like I put it down last week.
I put down a Pergo waterproof wood laminate in the beer house that constantly has spills and messes on it... I put that down 3 years ago - it is spotless.
So sorry, it is not shit.
The cheaper varieties are. But not the high end. And most problems people have with it is incorrect installation. Particularly damage caused during installation by morons trying to hit pieces together with a block of wood and steel hammer. As well as people nailing moulding on the edges and complain of chipping. Well... duh.

 

[gtopa1]

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

10m = 32.8 feet...

Did you mean 10cm?

Millimetres? lol

Greg

 

[gtopa1]

Hmmm...I like the feel of ironbark floors but where we are is sub-tropical. Our verandas are also ironbark and are over 100 years old...nearly 120.

Now our kitchen is uncovered and oiled with tung oil; feels great and no splinters. My wife likes carpet in the living areas; I lost that one. She decided to cover some flooring with vinyl planks. NOT GOOD in a high traffic areas but fine in hallways. Tiles for wet areas. btw; it was SHE who installed it all.

Greg

 

[Blues Man]

Engineered wood floors have a lot of pluses. They don't shrink and swell as much as wood does are far more water resistant and actually hold up better in humid climates the upper end engineered floors can even be sanded and refinished a few times

If you're considering radiant floor heat they are a better choice than wood

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Hmmm...I like the feel of ironbark floors but where we are is sub-tropical. Our verandas are also ironbark and are over 100 years old...nearly 120.

Now our kitchen is uncovered and oiled with tung oil; feels great and no splinters. My wife likes carpet in the living areas; I lost that one. She decided to cover some flooring with vinyl planks. NOT GOOD in a high traffic areas but fine in hallways. Tiles for wet areas. btw; it was SHE who installed it all.

Greg

Carpet... so 1970

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Vinyl planks have an even worse reputation, equally undeserved.
The word vinyl is synonymous with cheap. And that use to be true. Old 1990s and before vinyl was notorious for delaminating.
Modern methods have erased that problem, although I have read more than one complaint about delaminating on the cheaper varieties.
And it is the same for "wood" laminate. Before 10 years ago it was simply crap. You would be lucky to get 5 years out of it before it chipped and peeled apart. I have put in high quality wood laminate in KITCHENS 6 years ago for relatives and it still looks like I put it down last week.
I put down a Pergo waterproof wood laminate in the beer house that constantly has spills and messes on it... I put that down 3 years ago - it is spotless.
So sorry, it is not shit.
The cheaper varieties are. But not the high end. And most problems people have with it is incorrect installation. Particularly damage caused during installation by morons trying to hit pieces together with a block of wood and steel hammer. As well as people nailing moulding on the edges and complain of chipping. Well... duh.

I have a wood laminate in my kitchen. Installed it 16 years ago before lvt existed. If you buy cheap shit you get cheap shit. Same goes for any type of product. How many Yugo's do you see on the road?

 

[Rigby5]

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 is never acceptable to put wood in a kitchen or bathroom.
But you could use cork laminate.

 

[Rigby5]

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.

I put in an Acacia wood floor for a large dog owner, and there has not been a single scratch in 5 years so far.
Acacia is likely harder than laminates.

 

[Rigby5]

Carpet... so 1970

You don't want carpet in New Mexico due to the goat head seeds your shoes pickup and track in.

 

[Rigby5]

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.

Any engineered hardwood floor IS a laminate.
Laminate does not mean the top lay has to be vinyl or other plastic.
Laminate just means layers, like any plywood or veneer.
It can be waterproof since each layer can be saturated with the glue and water proofing compounds.
But it does then tend to outgas of formaldehyde for a couple years.
Although I have heard there are ways to stop that?

 

[Blues Man]

It is never acceptable to put wood in a kitchen or bathroom.
But you could use cork laminate.

There are waterproof engineered wood floors now.

Waterproof Hardwood Flooring | Hydropel | Bruce

Get gorgeous 100% waterproof hardwood flooring that you can install anywhere. Bruce Hydropel is waterproof and comes in a wide range of colors and textures.

www.bruce.com

 

[Donald H]

Any engineered hardwood floor IS a laminate.

Correct.

Laminate does not mean the top lay has to be vinyl or other plastic.

No, it doesn't but the term 'laminate' is not commonly used for an engineered wood floor.

Laminate just means layers, like any plywood or veneer.

Yes, but most would understand that the plastic product is meant.

It can be waterproof since each layer can be saturated with the glue and water proofing compounds.
But it does then tend to outgas of formaldehyde for a couple years.
Although I have heard there are ways to stop that?

This isn't floor laying school but you're very smwart!
There's lamin-ate
and
There's lamin-et.