Laminate flooring is made from panels of multi-layered composite wood, pressed together under great pressure and heat, with an image of wood on top to form the laminate.
Laminate flooring comes in a wide variety of looks, colours, thicknesses and grades. The most popular choice is a natural-wood look, such as oak or walnut, but an increasing number of homeowners are choosing dark or light greys with a wood grain to give their room a fresh, modern feel.
What’s more, laminate flooring wears well over time, it’s easy to clean and is usually cheaper than solid or engineered wood. But there are some differences that you need to bear in mind. Read on below...
How does laminate compare to wood?
The inability to sand and refinish laminate is perhaps its biggest drawback when compared to solid wood. That means that if the laminate receives particularly heavy scratches, dents or continuously heavy footfall, the panels will need to be replaced - sanding them down or refinishing them (like you can with solid wood) won’t be possible. It’s always a good idea to buy extra panels, just in case you need them later on, particularly if you have young children or dogs, who can speed up the wearing process.
The other drawback is that some laminate brands and types don’t look like real wood. You have to be careful with which brand and type you choose. At Wood Floor Solutions NW, we only choose leading manufacturers in laminate flooring panels such as Quick-Step®, Elka, EGGER, Balterio®, Licheer® and FINSA. We can advise you on the best option, and you can see many samples for yourself at our showroom in Kinmel Bay, North Wales.
But laminate flooring has great advantages too.
Firstly, you may want a look that can only be achieved with laminate, such as a slate-grey or light-grey look, with a wood grain to it. There are now beautiful laminate flooring panels for property owners to choose from, and you may need a look that only laminate can provide.
Secondly, laminate flooring is usually cheaper to buy and install, sometimes significantly so, especially if the room is large.
Furthermore, laminate doesn’t scratch as easily as wood, so its appearance will not change as much over time. Laminate flooring is also easier to clean.
Contact us for a no-obligation, no-pressure quote
At Wood Floor Solutions NW, we have fitted laminate floors of all kinds across North Wales, Wirral and Cheshire. Scroll down to see a selection of laminate floors we have installed. All of the laminate we source is from leading manufacturers in laminate flooring panels such as Quick-Step®, Elka, EGGER, Balterio® , Licheer® and FINSA.
If you require us to supply the laminate floor panels, or have already sourced the panels and require only the fitting, we would be delighted to help you. Just get in touch with us for a free quote today.