5 things to look for when picking a luxury laminate flooring
Are you feeling fed up with your flooring? Maybe you wish you had some luxury kitchen flooring to give your kitchen a boost.
It’s time to start getting spicy with your flooring. But there is so much to choose from out there, so what do you do?
Luckily, luxury laminate flooring for your home is the solution you’ve been searching for. There are so many options for luxury flooring out there these days that you won’t have any trouble finding one you like.
So if you want the perfect laminate flooring to lighten your home, then keep reading to find out five things to consider when choosing your luxury laminate flooring.
1. The type of laminate floor
When choosing luxury flooring, you need to consider what type of laminate flooring you want. The two types include engineered hardwood and plastic laminate. Engineered wood is the better choice and more expensive, but you get what you pay for.
Engineered hardwood is made from multiple layers of fiberboard, hardwood, and plywood. A hardwood veneer is on the top layer, and it seals in the wood leaving it less likely to warp due to moisture.
Plastic laminate flooring consists of a moisture-resistant layer of dense fiberboard typically set with resin. A resin layer is also on top for more durability, and this layer can look like stone, tile, wood, or anything else you want.
If you’re looking for something tough that will last the test of time, then engineered hardwood is your winner. But plastic laminate has come a long way in recent years, so you’ll still find it a worthwhile investment.
2. Thickness of laminate floors
Keep in mind there are different thicknesses to laminate flooring you can choose from, so you need to know what you’re looking for! So how thick should your laminate flooring be?
You’ll see the thickness options range from 7mm, 8mm, 10mm, and 12mm, but the real question is how much difference can 1mm make? It turns out, the thickness of your floor affects the overall durability.
Benefits to thicker laminate flooring include:
• Thicker flooring makes less noise
• Thicker flooring allows for more design details
• Thicker flooring can withstand more of an impact
Ideally, for the highest quality hardwood floor feel, you’ll want between 10mm to 12mm thickness.
If you want to save on costs, you can choose the 7mm or 8mm thickness. But it’s essential to know a massive difference in quality between 12mm and 8mm, so think about the long-term investment when you buy floors that last.
3. Don’t forget the underlayment
So this is where it might get a little tricky. Some laminate floors have the underlayment attached, and some don’t. Most times, you’ll need an underlayment under your laminate flooring unless you have a perfectly level and perfectly dry subfloor.
You can also buy the underlayment separately, which allows you to choose the type of underlayment you want. You can choose from foam, felt, cork, or a combination of foam and rubber.
Most people go with standard foam, but you’ll need to upgrade if you want better moisture resistance and fewer sound problems.
Benefits to having an underlayment are:
• It prevents moisture build-up
• Insulates and reduces energy use
• It prevents your laminate floor planks from coming apart
• Reduces the sound of noisy footsteps
Remember, if your laminate floor already has an attached underlayment pad, you don’t need another! Don’t think using more padding is better, because in this case, it isn’t. You’ll only ruin your laminate flooring installation and cost yourself more money in the process.
4. The AC rating for laminate floors
Any flooring you choose has ratings that specify how durable it is—laminate floors rates for durability based on the AC rating.
You want to pay close attention to the AC rating when looking at laminate floors, so you know you’re investing in something made to last.
An AC rating scale of one to six tells you how durable the laminate flooring is. An independent company performs these tests, and any reputable company uses these ratings. If they don’t, then that’s a big red flag for you to stay far away.
The AC rating scale is as follows:
• Rating 1 is suitable for a dining room or guest bedroom not used often
• Rating 2 is for good a medium amount of traffic
• Rating 3 is for a lot of traffic in the entryway or living room
• Rating 4 is for office settings or a very busy home
• Rating 5 is for commercial use like malls, not for your home
• Rating 6 is not common, but it’s suitable for heavy commercial use
You don’t want to use anything over a rating of 4 for your home, or else the floor will be tough and very uncomfortable.
5. Luxury vinyl vs. laminate flooring
It’s a good idea to compare the differences between luxury vinyl and luxury laminate flooring, so you’re 100% confident in your choice. The last thing you want to do is spend all that time and money on a floor you wish you could change.
Both luxury vinyl and luxury laminate flooring are similar in cost and durability. But premium vinyl is not as affected by moisture, so that it may be better for your bathroom.
Luxury vinyl and luxury laminate flooring will last you an average of 15 to 20 years, though vinyl is thinner and easier to puncture.
Laminate flooring also gives your home a better resale value as people prefer to see laminate flooring overall.
If you’re looking for easier maintenance, cleaning, and installation, then luxury vinyl could be your winner. But if you want a better appearance, aesthetics, sustainability, then luxury laminate might be the one for you.
Luxury laminate flooring
Now that you know what to look for in laminate flooring, it’s time to talk to the professionals at Y’sWay Flooring.
We’ll help you with everything from the decision-making process to the installation process.
So make sure you contact us today for the laminate floor of your dreams tomorrow!
