Benefits of Laminate Flooring

Revitalize your home with a modern makeover using laminate flooring! Say goodbye to outdated and dull interiors, and hello to fresh, contemporary vibes. Laminate flooring offers a versatile and budget-friendly solution to revamp any room, providing the elegance of hardwood without the hefty price tag.

One of its most remarkable features is its ability to authentically mimic the look of natural wood, providing the warmth and charm of hardwood without the hefty price tag.

Laminate flooring boasts exceptional durability, and easy upkeep making it the perfect choice for bustling households and high-traffic commercial spaces alike. Unlike carpeting, which is prone to staining and wear, laminate resists scratches, stains, and fading, making it ideal for areas like living rooms, hallways, and kitchens. With laminate, you can enjoy a beautiful and long-lasting floor without the hassle of constant maintenance.

Furthermore, laminate flooring stands out for its versatility, with a wide range of colors, patterns, sizes, and finishes to suit any home decor style. Whether you're drawn to the timeless appeal of classic oak or prefer the sleek sophistication of a modern grey finish, do you prefer the standard laminate size or prefer a size that complements your room, there's a laminate option to match your aesthetic preferences perfectly.

laminate flooring offers swift installation, especially in the hands of seasoned professionals. As a "floating" floor, it can be effortlessly laid over existing smooth surfaces without the need for adhesives. This efficiency streamlines projects, allowing for timely completion, much to the delight of floorlayers and clients alike.

Which laminate flooring to choose, thicker is better, right?

Not necessarily, It is easy to get wrapped up in many key selling points such as board thickness, but do you really need a12mm laminate? ever questioned why?

Every shop, every product always has selling points and the thickness of the laminate is probably one of the most heavily advertised, yet least important aspects.

The thickness of laminate generally applies to the aesthetic, with deeper ridges, or stronger lines for a more authentic feel, however this isn't a rule and you will find some cheap 12mm boards much less aesthetically pleasing than a good quality 8mm.

There are some points to consider which are true but there is generally minimal difference such as

• sound insulation, both in "echo" and footstep

• Stability, if the subfloor is a little uneven a thicker board is a better option, this is also true of unstable floors such as squeaky floorboards, but this is something our consultants will look at.

• impact resistance. Generally the thicker the board the stronger it is however some really cheap boards are made with low quality HDF if something seems cheap ask why.

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So what should you look for?

Like vinyl flooring laminate is made up of several layers, the 2 important ones are the substrate, which we covered in thickness and the wear layer. The wear layer is without a doubt the most important aspect. This is the part that you walk on, drag furniture on, kids play on etc. It takes all the abuse, if you have a thin wear layer then it will be more prone to damage. Good quality manufacturers such as quickstep, and balterio have developed special layers that outperform their cheaper competitors. This doesnt mean others are terrible but you should definitely be wary of budget laminates in heavy traffic areas.

Tips for Installing Laminate Flooring:

Laminate flooring can be an exceptional DIY product if your take your time.

Preparation is key to a successful laminate flooring installation. Prior to laying the planks, ensure thorough cleaning and leveling of the subfloor. Acclimating the laminate to room conditions beforehand is crucial for optimal performance.

During installation, leave adequate expansion gaps around the perimeter of the room to accommodate fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Staggering seams and utilizing spacers maintain a uniform appearance while allowing for natural expansion.

When you open your packaging you will find basic instructions, however these are generic and add to some of the most common DIY mistakes seen including by some "professional" installers.

Incorrect staggers can cause failure

Instruction 1 will tell you to use the end cut piece to start the next row. This will inevitably lead to a "step" effect instead of a more random stagger which is more natural. In some laminates an even stagger can lead to a weak point that can cause the flooring to come apart.

You should also ensure there is a minimum of 30cm between each boards end. This is for structural stability. As laminate expands and contracts any smaller and it can create a weak point that can separate the flooring. This is also why uniformed staggers (H pattern, step etc) should be avoided at all costs. As a professional we ensure that across 4 boards no 2 board ends will be within 30cm which creates a strong lock and a more natural random appearance.

Selecting the right tools is paramount. Choose a saw with a fine-toothed blade for precise cuts, and employ a tapping block and hammer to snugly fit the planks together. Consider investing in a laminate cutter for efficient plank sizing. Other than that all you need is a ruler/tape measure, and a pencil.

Always undercut door frames to allow the board to slide underneath. Allowing for expansion and contraction, there is no clean and tidy way to cut around a door frame and leave the adequate expansion. You can buy a specialised saw but if only doing 1 doorway you can also do it with a regular saw.

Ok, too much, you need a professional.

Not everyone has the DIY skills to take on every task, everyone's time is valuable and a professional will complete the task in a fraction of the time you could, without risking costing you alot of money if it went wrong.

We offer a fantastic range of carefully selected products as well as a professional installation service(yes we will fit products you bought elsewhere).

But, if you are shopping around please look at installers socials and portfolios to look for common mistakes by DIY installers advertising as professional, it didn't take me long to find adverts with bad staggers on companies socials that should know better, if they cant get that right can you trust what you cant see? If you see any of these warnings walk away and contact us.

step stagger leading to H

insufficent space between joints

in line cuts, well almost

H pattern, not even uniform