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The Pros and Cons of Laminate Flooring

There’s a lot to consider when shopping for new floors. Each product has its own unique features, benefits, and even drawbacks. Laminate can be a great choice for a variety of rooms, homes, and lifestyles. If you’re considering putting laminate floors in your home, here are some pros and cons to weigh before you make a decision.

Table of Contents

Pros

It’s budget-friendly

There’s a definite disparity between cheap and quality laminate products, but even the high-end products are going to be more affordable than a lot of hardwood options.

It holds up to active lifestyles

Laminate is a great choice for families with kids or pets, as it resists scratches, denting, and stains well.

It’s available in a variety of visuals

Most laminate products on the market right now mimic the look of hardwood, offering oak, maple, hickory, walnut and even exotic visuals. It can even emulate the appearance of woods that look beautiful, but might be too soft to be a practical choice for flooring, or heavily distressed and reclaimed looks that are cost-prohibitive for a lot of homeowners. Laminate is also available in stone and tile looks as well.

It’s easy to install

Whether you’re a seasoned DIYer or you’re having a professional install your flooring, laminate is going to be less of a challenge than something like hardwood or tile.

Cons

It’s not waterproof

While manufacturers are making strides in offering water-resistant laminates, thanks to innovations in locking systems and wear layers, the product is still not ideal for areas that get a lot of moisture, like full bathrooms.

It can be loud

Laminate isn’t the quietest flooring option – if you use a thinner product or don’t use an underlayment, it can be creaky, clicky or hollow-sounding. Using thicker laminate with an attached pad or underlayment can help with this.

About The Author

Lauren Moore

Proud flooring aficionado and office dog mom, "Flauren" has been a professional writer and editor for more than a decade (though she still maintains her magnum opus was "The Day it Snowed Slurpees," written at the age of 6).

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