No one wants to go through the hassle of fixing floors on a regular basis, right? By installing laminate flooring on your home, you can have a hassle-free experience for a long time.
Laminate flooring is one of the most durable flooring options due to its multi-layered structure. Apart from durability, laminate flooring can enhance the aesthetic look of your home as well.
While choosing laminate flooring, you might wonder if they are any good and how to install them perfectly. Let’s find the answers to all your queries one by one.
Laminate flooring is quite good since it looks like natural hardwood and provides enough traction for comfortable movement. The laminate floors contain numerous layers of high-quality materials sealed together, making them highly durable and sturdy.
Although laminate flooring is quite elegant and long-lasting, it is not expensive at all. It might be even cheaper compared to installing other types of floors like hardwood and carpet.
The laminate flooring is extraordinarily robust and scratch-proof. So, you can use it in the most used areas of your home. However, you can’t use the laminate floors in your bathrooms since they are not fully waterproof.
Preparing the floor for laminate flooring installation
The installation process of the laminate flooring is relatively easy. You can apply it without having any experience or without help from any professional. However, you will have to prepare the floor before installing the laminate flooring.
First of all, you should check if the floor is level and structurally sound so that all the laminate flooring tiles fit perfectly. Then, you should clean and dry the floor properly. You can start the installation process afterward.
- Can laminate flooring be installed over tile?
- Can laminate flooring be installed over carpet?
- Can laminate flooring be installed over this?
Laminate floor installation tips
Installing laminate floors can be a little tricky at times. Here are few tips to make the installation process easier for you:
Prepare the floor:
Smoothen, level, clean, and dry your floor before starting the installation process to get the best outcome.
Use the right tools:
To have a hassle-free process, you must use the right flooring installation kit, laminate cutter, carpenter’s square, and jamb saw.
Install underlayment:
By installing underlayment before installing laminate flooring, you can keep your floor safe from moisture.
Precisely install laminate tiles:
Measure the floor and carefully place the laminate tiles according to the measurement.
- How much laminate flooring can be laid in a day?
- How uneven can a floor be for laminate?
- How long can you run laminate flooring?
- How soon can you walk on laminate flooring ?
Common mistakes when laying laminate flooring
Although installing laminate flooring is quite simple, everyone makes a few common mistakes while laying laminate flooring. By avoiding these mistakes, you can have the best laminate floor fitting in your home.
One of the most common mistakes during laminate floor installation is laying them on high moisture areas. The regular ones can get damaged due to water and moisture, so this should be avoided.
Another major mistake is laying laminate flooring on uneven floors because it can reduce the durability of the floor. Not using underlayment and vapor barriers are some of the other common mistakes during laminate floor installation.
- Can you stack laminate flooring to acclimate?
- Does laminate flooring need to settle?
- How much do laminate floors expand?
- Should laminate flooring be nailed down?
Laminate floor under appliances:
You can install laminate flooring under any appliances due to the fact that it is quite strong and durable. The laminate floors are also mostly scratch-resistant, so you can easily move the appliance in and out after installation.
Installing the laminate flooring under appliances is quite simple. You should always remove the appliance and clean the floors prior to installing the tiles under an appliance to have the best possible outcome.
- Should laminate flooring be installed under cabinets?
- Can you put laminate flooring under toilet and sink?
What can damage laminate flooring?
Laminate flooring is highly durable and strong. However, like every other type of floor, laminate flooring can also get damaged due to a few elements.
Laminate flooring can get damaged due to dirt as it can dull and scratch the scratch-resistant layer of the laminate tiles. However, you can prevent the damage from dirt by cleaning it off using a vacuum cleaner or using a soft cloth.
Water can damage the laminate flooring as well. Since the laminate tiles are constructed with hardwood, they are not entirely water-resistant. So, spillage of water and moisture can harm the laminate flooring.
- Do laminate floors fade in the sun?
- Does laminate flooring burn?
- Will paint thinner damage laminate flooring?
- Will acetone damage laminate floor?
Water Damage on laminate floor
The regular laminate floors are not water-resistant because they are usually manufactured with recycled hardwood. However, the laminate floors consist of a melamine wear layer, protecting the floor from minor water spills.
Nonetheless, there are a few particular laminate floors that are waterproof. In the upgraded version, the wood-lock synthetic floor is made waterproof.
Let’s look at the factors by which you can identify water damage in your laminate floors.
- Visible mold
- Bubbling
- Discoloration
- Splitting
- Cracking
- Buckling
Scratch on laminate floor
The laminate floors are not prone to scratches at all. This is because the top layer of the laminate floors is built with melamine wear. The coating resists scratches and damage to the flooring.
Even if your laminate flooring receives mild scratches, you can get the scratches out quite effortlessly. You can remove the scratches using wood wax kits, melted crayons, burn-in sticks, touch-up markers, and more.
Cleaning & Maintenance of laminate flooring
Cleaning and maintaining the laminate floor in the right way is essential since it isn’t waterproof. By regularly cleaning and maintaining the laminate flooring, you can enhance its durability.
Mop your laminate flooring every week or two to keep them looking new and fresh. You can use microfiber mops to clean the floor as they are soft enough. While using regular mops to clean the laminate flooring, you should wring it until it is dry.
- Why do laminate floors get so dirty?
- Why does my laminate floor feels spongy?
- Why does my laminate floor look cloudy?
- Why is laminate floor sticky?
- Why does my new laminate floor smell?
Common problems with laminate flooring
Although laminate flooring is better than most other flooring options, it has some common problems. Due to the highly smooth finishing of the laminate tiles, they can become very slippery, which is one of the most common problems.
If the water spills on the laminate floor are not cleaned up immediately, water can leak into the joints between tiles, causing the surface to bubble. The laminate floor can also squeak and creak if not installed on an even floor.
Restoring a laminate flooring
Your laminate flooring might get damaged due to any unwanted reason. You can restore your laminate flooring pretty quickly.
If the laminate flooring has scratches, you can fill it with wax, crayons, or touch-up pens. You should buy a wax pencil or crayon matching the color of the floor.
If the corners of the laminated tiles get chipped, you can restore them using wood filler paste. You can also fix the gaps between the laminated tiles caused due to change in temperature by using sealants.
Are laminate floors durable?
Laminate floors are one of the most durable flooring options out there. Since laminate floors are scratch-resistant, it is not prone to damage caused by pets and high foot traffic.
The laminated tiles are so strong that they can even handle heavy appliances. If there is minimal contact with water, the floors won’t bubble up or crack. So, you can use the laminate flooring for an extended period of time without any issue.
- How much weight can laminate flooring support?
- Why is laminate flooring so cold?
- Are laminate floors good for dogs?
Laminated floors are made with multiple materials, among which hardwood is the primary material. The layers of high-quality materials are sealed using the lamination method to ensure durability and sturdiness.
The top layer of the laminated tiles is usually made of melamine wear, so they are scratch-proof, perfect for high-traffic areas. That being said, the floors are not always water-resistant.
If the laminated floors are correctly installed and proper maintenance is done, they can be used for a long time.