Flooring
+11
We are picking flooring for entire open concept home Reno. Confused as to what to get. Thinking of laminate. Any suggestions?
14 answers
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If the cost is similar, I would go for real wood flooring, either solid or engineered wood, or snap-together luxury vinyl planks. Laminate is basically hardboard with a paper design on top with a clear layer over that.
Darla
on Jul 31, 2015
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I agree with above answer; one important thing to remember, having seen it firsthand, is that if you were to put laminate in a kitchen and there is ANY kind of leak the laminate will absorb the liquid and swell and buckle. Engineered hardwood is much sturdier and I have seen it survive a flood. Vinyl planks is your safest bet because it is waterproof and individual planks can be replaced pretty easily if they are scratched.
Jacqueline Whittle
on Aug 01, 2015
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On the heels of what both Darla and Jacqueline have said - if you can do it, do real wood floors. It will also be a great selling point (over laminate). Also, the thing about absorbing liquid? Well, if you have pet accidents, that too will seep into the laminate. And we're not just talking about the visual issue, but the smell. It will never go away.
Julie Benson-Grant
on Aug 01, 2015
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I would go with engineered wood flooring, for the cost of putting in real hardwood floors is more expensive and a longer installation as well. You also have so many different finishes and plank sizes than you do with real hardwood floors.
LD
on Aug 01, 2015
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how about bamboo...wouldn't it help to prevent buckling?
JH. Stroschin
on Aug 01, 2015
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I vote for tile. So many beautiful choices. And for a large open space, I would choose large format tile.
Susan
on Aug 01, 2015
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Pergo is the ultimate answer. I have cousins who redid their entire [high-end rental] beach house with it six years ago and it still looks like new. It gets lots of use and the pergo holds up amazingly! Conversely I don't like tile. We redid my dad's house in tile and it is just too unforgiving, hmmm, maybe I should say 'ungiving'. We all have sore heels and ankles whenever we stay there a while.
Jean
on Aug 01, 2015
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I am getting ready to re-do the flooring in my open concept living area, and I am going with a high quality vinyl plank as it is impervious to pets, grandkids and other things that happen in real life. I have ceramic tile in the kitchen and dining area but the pattern has long been discontinued. The existing laminate in a part of the living area was destroyed by moisture, and it too, has been discontinued so is not repairable.
Carol
on Aug 02, 2015
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I have laminate but after 8 years it looks terrible. The tile in my house still looks like new.
Judy Franklin
on Aug 02, 2015
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Over the years i have decided less is better and deoending on your decore and taste of course...i would paint and stencil it all in an amazing art of marketry...chrck out royal design studio website for pics
Moxie
on Aug 02, 2015
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Three of my family members have used Pergo on their floors. My daughter lives on the lake with three boys and a dog; floors marvelous after ten years. Brothers still looks like new after children, dogs and rough use; twenty years. Good luck with your decision.
Fay
on Aug 02, 2015
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An alternative solution is the new ceramic tiles which look like wood planks. You get the durability of the tiles with the wood grain appearance! The big box home stores carry these....go check them out!
Jan Loehr
on Aug 02, 2015
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I've had laminate in two condos, and HATED it. Among other things, it tends to amplify footsteps as well as any other noises. Once it dents or scrapes, there's no remedy as there would be with real wood. My mother just sold her house to a couple who is putting in the ceramic tiles that Jan mentioned ... gorgeous, and will have minimal grout lines, which are my beef with tile. So, I vote totally against laminate and "YES" for the tile (what I saw is ~18" long X 6-8" wide).
Karen
on Aug 02, 2015
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My son has a beautiful honey colored laminate in his house, but I hated the stuff I had. It is great for people with bigger dogs or kids ......wood gets scratched so easily. Love my wood, but it takes a beating.
Robyn Mills
on Aug 09, 2015
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