Pros and Cons of Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring becomes one of the most popular flooring options for homes. This type of flooring is well known for its durability, ease of installation, and attractiveness when compared to solid hardwood. The flooring gets some advanced technology such as advanced seaming mechanism, deeper embossing and sharper HD imaging. However, laminate flooring also has some drawbacks. Following are the pros and cons of laminate flooring you should know before buying.

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Design

When it comes to laminate flooring design, there are lots of designs available. Laminate flooring reproduces the look of natural materials like stone or wood realistically. Unlike real hardwood that comes with many imperfections, you won’t find any defects in laminate floorboards. Every board is of constant appearance and quality. Deeper embossing creates an illusion of the wood grain naturally.

Nonetheless, the similarity of laminate flooring to real stone or wood will eventually disappear particularly if you look at them closely. The pattern repetition makes them identical to real wood. If you don’t install it strategically, it will end up identical with one another.

Repair and maintenance

Laminate floors are typically easy to clean with a broom or a vacuum. You can also mop it with a damp mop easily. It doesn’t need any floor waxing as well. When mopping the floor, avoid excessive water as it can cause swelling. Avoid installing this type of flooring in wet and moist areas such as laundry rooms, kitchens, or bathrooms. Instead, you will need a waterproof surface like porcelain tile or vinyl for such areas. It has a layer that can protect the photographic layer underneath. It makes the flooring resistant to dents, stains, and scratches.

The major disadvantage of laminate flooring is its inability to refinish and sand. If the floor is grooved, deep scratched, or heavily worn, it can’t be refinished or sanded just like the solid hardwood. It needs to be replaced instead.

  

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Installation

The installation of laminate flooring is easy and quick. Older laminate floorings may require glue to glue each piece. Nowadays, the laminate flooring is only using a fold-lock system in which the planks are joined in an interlocking method. It’s easy to fit them with the pieces since they’re manufactured with a particleboard core.

Cost

Laminate flooring varies greatly at the prices. The pricing differences are influenced by the print layer quality along with wear layer thickness. Bearing in mind how cheap it is, it’s wise to invest in the best flooring you can afford. It’s such a great option to inexpensively and quickly renovate a shabby look to your home. Since the quality of the product varies greatly, the life expectancy is also various. Some laminate floors can last up to twenty-five years in a low-light room, while in a heavy traffic area it can only last up to ten years.