Laminate Flooring vs. Hardwood Flooring – Attractive and Durable;
Quick and Easy to Install
Benefits of a Laminated Floor
Ever popular hardwood flooring has a competitor; laminated flooring
has grabbed the attention of homeowners for several reasons. Appearance,
durability, ease of maintenance, and cost are all very persuasive
factors for homeowners considering a laminated floor installation:
-
Appearance – like hardwood floor options,
laminated wood floor is available in a wide variety of simulated
wood types and colors. New technology allows for laminated wood
flooring that rivals or exceeds real hardwood in attractiveness.
- Durability – laminate hardwood floor
is manufactured in a process using melamine resins and aluminum
oxide; bonded with high heat and extreme pressure. This process
results in a finished surface that is much harder and durable
than actual wood. Laminated floor surfaces are highly resistant
to moisture, staining, and fading. Many manufacturers offer 10
to 25 year warranties.
- Ease of Maintenance – caring for laminated
flooring is as easy as dry mopping or wiping with a damp cloth.
- Cost – laminated hardwood floor costs
range from about $7 to $11 per square foot, installed. A basic
hardwood floor runs about $10 to $13 per square foot; more for
exotic choices and styles.
Hardwood Flooring or Laminate?
Other deciding factors may come into play when a homeowner is
considering hardwood vs. laminate flooring:
- Installation – traditional hardwood
floor installation is a rather labor-intensive complicated process,
as it is nailed into place with a special nailing tool. Nails
are driven at an angle into the groove side; getting the starter
run properly installed can be tricky. Some substrates are not
suitable for hardwood; such as concrete or particle board. On
the other hand, laminate hardwood flooring “floats”
on the substrate. Traditional laminate is assembled by snapping
tongue and groove strips together using a small amount of glue
in the groove. New innovations in laminate flooring are glueless;
strips simply snap together.
- Finish – traditional unfinished hardwood
flooring requires sanding, staining, and 5 to 7 applications of
finish, such as polyurethane. Laminated hardwood flooring is pre-finished;
ready for use at installation.
- Re-finishing – depending on volume of
traffic, hardwood floor refinishing is necessary to restore luster
and shine periodically; a lengthy time-consuming process. One
further complicated when hardwood floor staining necessitates
sanding to remove the stain. Not so with laminate flooring.
- Maintenance – traditional hardwood floor
maintenance or hardwood floor cleaning involves extra care to
help preserve the finish. Laminate flooring only requires wiping
with a damp cloth; best done frequently to avoid scratching and
dulling from particulate soils.
New Hardwood/Laminate Blends
New innovations in laminate / hardwood flooring integrate a top layer
of actual hardwood onto a laminate core. Installed either as a glued
floating installation or glueless snap-together. Since the top layer
is actual hardwood, the finish is not as durable as melamine resin/aluminum
oxide laminates. And cost can be considerable; especially for exotics.
How to Install Laminated Floor in Your Home
Proper preparation is the first step to successful installation
of any floor covering; beginning with accurate measurements to determine
the amount of flooring material required. For the average laminate
flooring installation, allow at least 10% extra for unusable waste.
Laminate comes in 3 to 8-inch widths, with a standard length of
48-inches; some waste is unavoidable.
Normal laminate installation has boards running the length of a
room. However, some people prefer to have the boards parallel with
outside light entering the room, such as through a large picture
window.
Be sure to bring laminate flooring into the house at least 48-hours
before installation. This allows the material to acclimate to the
temperature and humidity inside the home; helping to prevent shifting
after installation.
Consider purchasing an installation kit, available at most retail
outlets where laminate flooring is sold. A tapping block for assembling
boards, pry tools, and spacers will prove invaluable during the
installation process. Kits run about $20.
Floor Preparation
Prepare the area for installation by removing baseboards, moldings,
and doors. Check door jambs to see if the thickness of the laminate
flooring will necessitate undercutting the jamb. Place a board on
a scrap of underlay foam; if it fits easily under the door jamb,
no adjustment will be required.
Prepare floor surface by removing carpet (if applicable); make
sure the surface is relatively level. It may be necessary to sand
excessive high spots (such as on a joist), or fill low spots with
leveling compound. Remove any nails, staples, or tacks protruding
from floorboards; make sure the surface is clean and free from loose
debris.
Floor Underlayment
Install the underlayment by rolling it out on the floor; edges
should be butted together, but not overlapped. For concrete, include
a layer of plastic sheeting as a vapor barrier first. Be sure to
use the proper underlayment for either glued laminate installation
or glueless. Underlayment is thinner for glued; thicker and softer
for glueless.
Floor Installation
Depending on which way you decide to run the planks, measure from
the wall where the first run will begin to the wall where the last
will end. And then determine if you will need to rip the first plank
lengthwise. If possible, try to end with about the same width plank
in the last run.
Lay the first row of planks with groove side against the starting
wall; if it is necessary to rip planks, cut off the groove side.
Use a ¼-inch spacer to insure proper spacing from the wall.
The runs of planking should be done in threes. Proper spacing is
accomplished by starting the first run with a full length plank.
Begin the second run with a plank cut to 2/3 of its full length;
the third run using a plank 1/3 of its full length.
When cutting laminate, use a circular saw with a fine blade, or
a jigsaw. Always cut with the finish side down. This helps insure
a good clean cut with no tear out.
Finish each run with full planks; use cut to fit planks at the
end of each run. Repeat this sequence in subsequent runs; make sure
no joints are less than 8-inches from each other; from one run to
the other.
Assembling the boards is the same for both glued and glueless installations,
with the exception of a small amount of special glue in the groove
before assembly. Insert the tongue edge into the groove at an angle,
and then press down; the edges will snap together.
Insure planks are locked together by tapping them using a special
block and hammer for that purpose. Always use the block to avoid
damage incurred by striking directly on the plank with the hammer.
Use the special pry tools from the installation kit when working
close to the wall; this will help bull planks into place end to
end. Again, apply the hammer to the tool and not the laminate.
After all floor planking is laid, replace baseboard and molding;
take precautions not to nail through the laminate flooring. The
baseboard should cover the ¼-inch gap around the room perimeter.
DIY Laminate Floor Installation or Floor Contractor Services?
Floating floor installation is a relatively easy project for the
DIY homeowner. However, if it sounds complicated or you simply don’t
have the time, hiring a flooring contractor may be a good option.
An experienced interior flooring contractor or professional floor
covering contractor can usually install an entire room of glueless
laminated flooring in a single afternoon.
Whether installing laminated floor or traditional hardwood flooring,
an excellent resource to find a reliable local hardwood floor contractor
is at HandyCanadian.com
Homeowners sign up and post their flooring project free - with
no obligation whatsoever. Then sit back, relax, and let the bids
come rolling in.
Receive competitive bids from contractors in your area, ready to
provide quick professional installation for your favorite type laminated
or hardwood flooring.
To sign up and post your project, click
here. To search our directory, click
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