Although it first rose to popularity decades ago, it continues to be a viable option, thanks to the advancements in manufacturing in recent years. One reason many homeowners choose vinyl flooring is that it provides easy cleaning and minimal maintenance. With simple chores like vacuuming or sweeping and mopping, you can keep your floors looking great. It’s the perfect option for families with children or pets. Take steps to avoid scuffing by placing mats by entry doors and installing furniture protectors. Wipe up water quickly and don’t use a steam cleaner on it. Damp mop, if necessary, with as little water as possible.
It provides stiffness, soundproofing and dent resistance. The top layer is made of hardened, transparent aluminum oxide or melamine resin. It’s what protects the laminates from scratching, stains, spills, scuffs, and daily wear and tear. Leveling the subfloor with a resin embossing leveler can cost $0.13–$0.47/SF, with materials ranging from sheathing paper to fiberglass-reinforced aluminum foil. The subfloor will need to be perfect before installing the laminate or the differences in leveling will show up in the laminate. Real wood costs $5–20/sqft or $12–$20/sqft installed, depending on the availability of the wood you want.
A very efficient and affordable work is guaranteed by us. Laminates are an economical choice for basements — however, many basements are prone to moisture. Waterproof laminate flooring can be installed over the concrete floor. To further prevent moisture from seeping up into the laminate, your contractor may recommend installing an underlayment. Conventional laminates will need a subfloor and underlayment to keep moisture at bay. If the basement floor isn’t level, your flooring installer will need to frame a new subfloor to fix any obvious dips in level.
Most sellers will not even stock AC1/2-rated flooring, hence the lack of pricing for those. Check your flooring specifications to see if a moisture barrier ($0.44/SF) and underlayment (0.28/SF) is added to the base of the laminate. If it’s not, that will be an additional cost for both materials and installment labor. You can only refinish a laminate floor a max of 3 times, depending on the thickness of the top layer. Removing carpet costs $0.50 to $1 per square foot as long as there is no repair work needed on the concrete below. If it’s glued to the concrete, you might damage the concrete floor, which will then need to be patched. Then you’ll need to level and prep the subfloor, which must be flat/level within 3/16” from one end of a 10’ room to the other.
Recent advances in manufacturing have raised the bar on abrasion resistance, great stability and moisture resistance. Finally, factor in the type of subfloor you have when picking which laminate floor to install. Some types need you to install a cork or foam subflooring before laying the planks. Premium models typically come ready to install right on the existing subfloor. Generally speaking though, laminate floorboards can be installed on virtually any existing floor which is one of the reasons why they are so popular. Laminate floors are typically charged per plank and the cost can vary dramatically from one model to another. The only thing you need to understand here is the price speaks volumes about the quality of the product. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should go for the most expensive plank but know that two dollar planks are available but you’ll be back shopping for a new floor in no time. Try to hit the mid-range products if you are on a tight budget.
Affordable or not – you can pick up TrafficMaster for as little as 68₵ a square foot – you’re likely going to be very disappointed not long after installation. If you’re not a regular shopper of Sam’s Club, you’ve likely never heard of Select Surfaces. It’s actually a pretty decent laminate floor manufacturer that holds its own for a few reasons. It’s really quite impressive how well Dream Home’s X20 water-resistant laminate flooring holds up compared to the competition. However, compared to the likes of Shaw’s Repel or Pergo’s WetProtect, X20 is pretty evenly-matched. But even then, they are less expensive than most of the competition.
As with any flooring type, there are inherent advantages and disadvantages that come along with the choice of laminate compared to hardwood. The average cost per square foot of a laminate floor is about $1.00 where the price per square foot of hardwood ranges from $5.00 to $8.00. The installation and material cost of installing a laminate floor is about $3,300 which is much different than the $4,500 average cost to install hardwood. Laminate flooring is simple to keep clean and can handle regular foot traffic with ease, but laminate planks are not waterproof. High humidity or moisture-prone areas can lead to permanent damage of a laminate floor. Spot cleaning should be done promptly using a damp towel. Unfortunately, this means that laminate floors are not a good choice for most bathrooms. Look to vinyl or tile as good alternative flooring options for bathrooms. Quality laminate flooring and vinyl flooring lend a comparable amount of value to a home.
While it’s harder to repair, hardwood laminate better resists scratches. Although you can use a damp mop, never use a wet mop on laminate floors. Moisture can cause the flooring to bubble, swell and buckle. Instead, use a dedicated laminate floor mop with a laminate floor cleaner spray. The best mop for laminate floors is typically made with microfiber, which picks up dirt and absorbs moisture well. Installing laminate floorscosts$1-$4 per square foot for materials and $3-$7 per square foot for installation. Laminate flooring is much cheaper than hardwood or engineered flooring, yet it imitates the look of these more expensive options.
Rather than having to pay for a new floor in 10 to 20 years, this could be the last floor you install in your home. A solid wood floor is more likely a one-time cost, though you have to take revarnishing and refinishing into consideration, as well. Because wood floors do not tolerate moisture, only mop the floors with a damp mop while using a wood cleaner. Expect to resand and refinish your solid wood floor at least a few times in the next 30 to 100 years. Regular sweeping, dusting and vacuuming will be the majority of your maintenance and cleaning work. Every couple of months, at least, mop your engineered wood floor with a damp mop. Keep in mind that too much moisture will damage the flooring.