Remodeling With Laminate Floors: Bargain, Beauty, Choice

Stained. Scuffed. Ripped. Marked. Cracked. Battered. An old country western song or an old floor in need of renovation? I’m referring to the latter, otherwise known as “The many sad stories of old carpet or linoleum.” If one of these adjectives describes what lies beneath your feet, you might ask your contractor about laminate flooring.

A Remodeling Bargain

If a hardwood floor renovation is far from budget, you'll appreciate the affordability of laminate. And you'll be surprised at how closely laminate flooring resembles wood. In addition, laminate flooring is actually superior to wood in stain and scratch resistance and resilience to wear.

Laminate floors generally range from $7 to $11 per square foot, contractor installed. In contrast, basic oak floors run around $10 to $13, contractor installed. On a 500-square-foot area, the remodeling savings for laminate versus oak is between $1500 and $3000. And laminate floors look very much like real wood; it takes a hard look to tell the difference.

Renovation with Choice

If you think laminate floors come in just one shade or style, you've missed the past decade. Advances in laminates have made this home renovation like most others: with many, many choices. If you're looking to emulate wood, there is dark, light, and everything in-between. Choices include Maple, Natural Oak, Country Oak, Cherry, and Hickory. Stone looks have also grown in popularity, and include earthly shades of browns, greens, blues, and golds.

A Soothing Renovation

A friend of mine, then nine months pregnant, recently had her contractor install laminate floors in her kitchen. She swore that the smooth feel beneath her feet, in addition to the beauty it evoked, made her labor easier. Perhaps this soothing quality won't be felt by everyone…

But maybe it can soothe the pains of the sad, country-western singing floor beneath that old carpet or linoleum.

Sources:
NALFA
BobVila.com