How to Choose Laminate Flooring: The Complete Guide for Homeowners

Finding the right laminate flooring for your home requires knowing your options. Here is the complete guide for homeowners on how to choose laminate flooring.

Laminate flooring tends to cost around $2.70 to $11 per square foot for a home. This doesn't include labor, but it is still considered to be quite affordable.

Many choose laminate flooring because it is durable and affordable. Although other options like hardwood floors are preferred, laminate has gained more popularity.

There are all different types of laminate flooring to choose from. Giving you plenty of options to find the perfect flooring for your home.



Keep reading to find out how to choose laminate flooring and what your options really are.

What Is Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring is a flooring option that you may not quite understand. This is a kind of flooring that comes in a snap-together style for easy installation.

There are two different kinds of laminate flooring that you have to choose from. Engineered wood flooring is made from layers of wood with high-quality wood on the surface.

The other kind of laminate flooring is completely artificial, made from plastic and other materials. Both types of flooring are made of layers to create durable and sturdy floors.

Plastic laminate is what most people think of when they hear about laminate flooring. This is the cheaper option of the two when you are comparing laminate flooring costs.

Engineered laminate flooring is preferred for its long-lasting qualities and appearance. While plastic laminate is more realistic for wear and tear and affordability.

Whichever option you choose is going to depend on your home and lifestyle. You may need to choose plastic laminate if your floors get a lot of wear and tear as well as damage.

While engineered laminate is more eye-pleasing if your budget is bigger. It is also preferred if you plan on reselling your home in the future.

How to Choose Laminate Flooring

If you are going to choose laminate flooring, you need to know about laminate flooring features. There are many options to choose from, and you will need to do your research.

There are not only different types of laminate flooring; there are other details to consider. One of the best things about laminate is that you have a lot of options.

You can pick and choose the features that will be most suitable for your lifestyle. This is especially useful for those with children or pets that create wear and tear on floors.

Thickness

Most laminate is going to be between 7-millimeter to 12-millimeter in thickness. There are several reasons why thickness is important for the finished product.

No matter how thick the flooring is, most laminate is equally dent resistant. Because of this, you don't have to worry too much about choosing thicker options for this kind of damage.

Most people choose the thickness based on how uneven their floors are. Thicker laminate is better for uneven floors as it is more resistant to any bending or fluctuations.

Thicker laminate is also ideal for noise prevention and for creating a firmer and less noisy floor.

Finishes

Even when you choose laminate flooring, you need to consider the color. The color of laminate is considered to be the finish that goes on the surface that you will be seeing.

Laminate flooring colors give you plenty of options depending on your home. Some common options are oak, cherry, chestnut, hickory, maple, pine, and walnut.

You should choose the color based on the rest of your home. The floors will make a huge impact, so make sure you test out these colors to find the right option.

AC Rating

The AC rating stands for Abrasion Criteria which measures the wear resistance on a scale of 1 to 5. This is important as it indicates just how heart resistant the flooring is to damage.

The AC rating is measured in a way that makes it easy to choose the right option for your home.

• 1: Areas with minimal foot traffic
• 2: Areas with medium foot traffic
• 3: High foot traffic areas
• 4: Commercial foot traffic durability
• 5: Heavy commercial foot traffic

Texture

There are also different textures of laminate flooring to choose from. These create a specific feel as well as appearance for your home.

Embossed or Embossed in Register are usually very textured floors that replicate wood floors. While Handscraped laminate is pressed to look like real wood floors as well.

High Gloss laminate is smooth and glossy, not meant to replicate the look of real wood floors.

Resistance

When choosing laminate flooring, you also have water-resistant options. There are waterproof and water-resistant flooring options that you can decide on.

Waterproof laminate can be bought but needs to be installed in a specific way to work. Because of this, it may be a good idea to hire a laminate flooring installer.

Water-resistant laminate is common and usually includes all kinds of laminate floors. This means that the floor is water resistant as long as the water is cleaned within 30 minutes.

Warranties

Different laminate options come with different warranties. This is something to consider depending on your situation.

Laminate can last anywhere from 10 years to 40 years with a warranty. Or you can find commercial or lifetime warranties if you plan on being in your home for a very long time.

Choosing Laminate Flooring for Your Home

If you have decided to choose laminate flooring for your home, you may be trying to decide on your options. There are many laminate flooring features worth considering.

Do you want to install laminate flooring in your home? Contact us today at Eagle Flooring West for the best laminate flooring options.