Wood laminate floors

For many, wood floors are the only way to go. Their warmth and beauty is inviting, and cleaning is a breeze. What’s not to like? Well, for one thing, price. The price of quality hardwood flooring is not cheap by any means. But if you’re on a budget and wood floors are the only way you’ll consider going, laminate floors are an affordable alternative that come in a variety of nice finishes.

Pros and cons

Among the pros would be variety, price, quick and easy installation, and it won’t ruin the floors you’re installing it on. The cons would include the fact that laminate floors are not nearly as durable as hardwood floors and they won’t be a selling point for your home or add to the resale value as much as hardwood, nor are they the best choice for bathrooms and kitchens.

You can lay laminate floors in any room of the house, including the kitchen, but you have to be “on it” if you spill water on them. Otherwise, they bloat and stain. This is why the use of them in bathrooms is usually not recommended.

Not all created equal

Know what you’re getting. Not all laminate floors are created equal. Some scratch and ding far more easily than others, and if you have children or pets they could get destroyed in no time. As with most things, you get what you pay for, so do your homework on the flooring that’s available to you before you purchase it.

This will save you time and money on costly repairs or throw rugs to hide the scarring in the long run.

Installation

Installing laminate floors is relatively easy. You’ll need to purchase a roll of padding to install first.

Also, if you’re installing laminate over sub flooring that contains a crawl space beneath it, you’ll probably need to lay some type of Visqueen or Tyvek as a barrier before you install the pad and wood. Check with coding in your area.

There are a lot of how-to books out there and just as many Internet tutorials on the subject if you’re considering DIY. Stores like Home Depot and Lowes offer brief tutorial-type classes you can take that are really helpful for deciding whether or not this is something within your skill level. They can also advise you on the tools you’ll need to complete the job.

Finishing touches

Once your new laminate floors are laid, you’ll want to install some type of baseboard. The reason for this is twofold: one, it hides any differences in length where the ends of the boards meet the wall and, two, it keeps them from shifting and moving about, ensuring they are snugly in place for years of regular use.