Laminate wood floor pros and cons?
Question:I'm seriously considering putting in a faux wood laminate floor in my kitchen and dining room. Can anyone tell me any pros and cons? I'm a little scared that spills in the kitchen could get between the pieces and heave the subfloor. Is it common to lay a plastic drop cloth between the laminate floor and sub floor for a little more protection?
Answers:
I had Pergo Select (commercial grade) installed three years ago. I have 3 dogs and it is perfect for what they put it through - drool, dirt, shedding hair, blah, blah, blah. I've dropped knives and the stuff is impenetrable. It doesn't fade. It is easy to clean. I use a damp towel on a long Swiffer thing. Works great. The draw back is it has a plastic sound when you walk on it. Also, it REDUCES the value of your house. So if you're not moving, you have no issue there. It cost about the same as hard wood. I hate the baseboard material. It is really cheesy plastic. The color doesn't match the flooring and if it gets bumped, the whitish color plastic shows through.
If I had it to do over again, I would choose hardwood. In fact, when I have $20,000 laying around, I will replace it.
-MM
Laminate flooring installed correctly will not let liquid through the seems. it is a pretty dammage resistant flooring.
Laminate Flooring - Pros
Easy to Install. Pergo says you can install 300 square feet in a weekend. Older types of laminate flooring required you to glue pieces to each other. Newer types of laminate flooring have a "click-lock" design. This "click-lock" design is often combined with a dry glue that is already on the product and requires just a swipe of a wet (with water) sponge or cloth to active it.
Very Durable Surface. Unlike wood, which can dent, laminate flooring is almost impervious to dents and scratches.
Laminate flooring has what's called in the industry a "wear layer" that protects the photographic layer underneath. Some manufacturers, DuPont in particular, give very generous 10+ year warranties on this wear layer.
No Bad Pieces. Unlike real hardwood, which comes with many imperfect pieces that need to be thrown out or re-engineered, there are no defects in laminate flooring.
Good for Moist Places. Laminate flooring can be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, and other places where you encounter "topical moisture" (as Mannington calls it). But it will not tolerate standing pools of water. However, let's be clear that neither solid hardwood nor engineered wood can tolerate standing water, either. For heavy moisture, you need a very impervious surface like vinyl or tile.
Easy to Clean. Just use a vacuum or broom. Mop with a slightly damp mop. No floor waxing needed.
Resists Stains. Laminate flooring's tough surface resists stains. And if you do get a stain, it's easy to clean off.
Laminate Flooring - Cons
Not Real Wood. Some people are bothered by this, some aren't. Technically, there is wood in laminate flooring--a wood chip base layer. But, for all intents and purposes, laminate flooring isn't wood.
Hard Under Foot. Foam underlayment helps dampen this feeling, but it's still there.
Slippery. Traditionally, laminate flooring has been very slippery. More currently, though, manufacturers have been developing slip-resistent wear layers.
Lower Resale Value. Good hardwood or engineered wood gives better value when selling your house.
Not Sandable or Refinishable. This is probably the biggest disadvantage of laminate flooring. If laminate flooring is heavily worn, deep scratched, or grooved, it cannot be sanded or refinished like solid hardwood: it must be replaced.
You've already got the pros and cons...so I will not repeat. If you can afford it, do the hard wood floors. You will never regret it.
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