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If you’re interested in installing laminate flooring but don’t know where to start, you’re at the right place. Laminate flooring is a durable option for any home, providing a realistic hardwood look at a cost-efficient price. You can also style laminate to resemble tile or other flooring styles, so you can tailor the material to suit your exact preferences.

Consisting of four synthetic layers, laminate flooring is sturdy and stain resistant. Compared to other floor materials, laminate flooring exceeds at resisting wear and tear, fading, stains and more. These qualities make it perfect for high-traffic areas in your home, but it could fit anywhere.

50Floor is dedicated to providing high-quality flooring for customers across the country. Our attractive and durable laminate flooring is an excellent option for any home. To help you get started with laminate installation, we put together a guide on our laminate flooring resources.

Laminate Flooring 101

What is laminate flooring? If you’re brand new to the laminate flooring type, be sure to check out our Laminate Flooring 101 guide. This article gives an overview of laminate flooring for beginners. The resource includes:

  • An explanation of the four layers of laminate flooring
  • Installation options
  • Styles and types
  • Pros and cons of laminate flooring

You can use this guide to understand laminate flooring basics before an installation

Kitchen with Light Waterproof Laminate Flooring

There are many types of laminate flooring available. Choosing between the options depends on your preferences and home style, and it’s important to understand the differences so you choose the best type for your home. The types differ by durability and cost, so selecting a type without full understanding might impact your wallet.

Laminate floors can vary by material, surface type, thickness and pattern. 50Floor offers a few material types of laminate flooring, including:

bedroom with wood floors and light blue walls

Plastic Laminate Flooring

The most common laminate floor type, this option is popular for many homes. Plastic laminate flooring is the same as luxury vinyl plank flooring, another popular flooring type. The two use the same four-layer design in their construction. These four layers of synthetic composites include:

  • Back layer
  • Fiberboard core
  • Decorative layer
  • Wear layer

The four layers solidify the floor, reinforcing it and ensuring its durability.

This laminate type can mimic styles like wood, stone, and tile.

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Wood floors under table and chairs

Engineered Wood Laminate Flooring

Engineered wood laminate combines the durability of laminate with the aesthetic of hardwood. Its attractive appearance will fit nicely in any area of your home. You can refinish it or replace it as needed, elongating its life span. You’re sure to love laminate wood flooring’s durability, attractiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Wood laminate construction is available in these two options:

  • Wood fiber core: This durable material gives your floor added strength and helps provide a genuine hardwood appearance.
  • High-density fiberboard (HDF): HDF is made from wood fiber chips and pulped wood waste. Glue binds the components under intense pressure and heat to create a highly durable material.

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Apartment with light floors and gray cabinets

Waterproof Laminate Flooring

50Floor’s waterproof laminate flooring is perfect for high-traffic areas in your home. Its design takes typical laminate floors to the next level with waterproof features. The specialized, four-layer design ensures your floors stay protected from liquid spills. From the water-resistant film overlay to the HDF board core, the plank’s joints prevent liquids from seeping through. With dent and fading resistance, you’re sure to enjoy this flooring type for many years.

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Laminate Flooring Color Options

Learn how to choose a laminate floor color

You can choose from a variety of laminate color options, making it easy to implement in any room of your home. These are some of the colors 50Floor offers:

Laminate Flooring Installation

At 50Floor, we understand the necessity of a proper flooring installation. The installation process determines the aesthetic, usability and durability of your floor. The correct floor installation ensures safe and attractive laminate floors. Here, installation is part of the buying process.

Our installation process follows these steps:

  1. In-home consultation: After you schedule an in-home appointment with 50Floor, one of our expert consultants comes directly to your home. After inspecting the area, the consultant can provide you with personalized flooring solutions. They bring samples of flooring options, allowing you to picture the flooring type in your home.
  2. Order guidance: Next, the consultant helps you finalize your order. We help you through any questions and guide you to the best flooring solution based on your needs. Then, we can handle all the order preparation and installment arrangements. We strive to make the installation process hassle-free. Our team quickly sizes and orders your installation materials.
  3. Complete installation: Our dedicated team arrives at your home on the scheduled installation day. Most installations are completed in one day. The installers handle everything, from moving your furniture and clearing out old floors to installing new floors and completing the final cleanup.

To learn more about 50Floor’s laminate flooring installation process, read our complete installation guide here.

bedroom with wood floors and light blue walls

Laminate Flooring Care

Once you get laminate floors installed, it’s essential to care for them properly. A new laminate floor is an investment, and you should follow the proper maintenance techniques to keep it looking clean and lasting longer. The right care can also prevent costly replacements.

Laminate floors differ from regular hardwood because you can’t apply a refinish. Because of this difference, you should use the proper maintenance techniques, which are supplied by the floor’s manufacturer. If you get a laminate floor installed by 50Floor, our teams will provide you with detailed maintenance instructions to ensure your floor maintains its quality.

These are some other essential laminate flooring cleaning tips:

  • Wipe up stains quickly: If a liquid spills onto your laminate wood floor, clean it up immediately. If left for too long, the liquid could seep into the material and damage it. Use a mop or cleaning rag to clean, and make sure you get all of it.
  • Use laminate-safe products: Whenever you buy cleaners, make sure they’re labeled as safe for laminate material. Don’t use wax, polishes or oil-based cleansers on laminate flooring, as they could stain the material. Instead, use laminate-safe products and apply them directly to the mop or cloth.
  • Add protective elements: You can add further protection to your floor with shielding tools. For instance, you could put furniture pads on the bottom of your furniture. These prevent the pieces from scratching the floor. You could also place down floor mats or rugs to help minimize wear and tear.

For more information on caring for laminate floors, read 50Floor’s guide here.

Laminate flooring in apartment

Laminate Flooring Color Inspirations

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Color plays a big role in choosing the best laminate flooring. After all, a floor’s color impacts can impact the entire mood of the room it’s in. How do you pick the best color for your laminate flooring?

Here are some tips for selecting floor color:

Apartment with light floors and gray cabinets

Consider your room’s lighting:

Before choosing a floor color, consider the natural light in your room. Bright rooms often have big windows and light-colored paint. If you already have a bright room, you might consider choosing a darker color for your laminate flooring, like dark brown. However, if you want to brighten a dark room, think about adding light-colored floors. You could choose a light wood color to give the room a brighter mood.

Laminate Flooring

Think about your room’s size:

The room’s size should also impact your color decision. Colors can affect the way we perceive a room’s size. For instance, a lighter floor gives a room a more open look, making it seem larger, and a darker color gives a room an intimate quality. If you want to make a room seem bigger or cozier, your laminate flooring’s color can help.

laminate floor in kitchen with gray cabinets

Fit it into an existing style: 

While differentiating between flooring works in some cases, like installing tile in the bathroom and carpet in the hallway, you likely want connecting rooms to flow together seamlessly. If you have an existing style of laminate or hardwood in your home, think about whether you want your new laminate flooring to look similar.

Up-close photo of wood floors
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Laminate vs. Other Floorings

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Installing a new floor in your home is a process. As you decide whether to install a laminate floor, comparing laminate to other floor materials can help you select the best option for your needs.

Here’s a basic breakdown of laminate floors when compared to other common floor types:

hardwood floors for kitchen

Hardwood

Hardwood is another popular flooring option. Laminate and hardwood have several key differences:

Laminate and hardwood have several key differences:

  • Material type: Laminate is manufactured, while hardwood comes from natural sources.
  • Cost: Hardwood flooring can be more expensive than laminate, depending on the tree and finish types.
  • Maintenance: Hardwood typically needs more maintenance than laminate. You also must ensure it avoids exposure to direct sunlight and moisture.
Compare laminate & hardwood flooring
Tile Flooring

Tile

Tiles are durable and attractive, commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms.

When considering the two options, here are some of their key differences:

  • Appearance and feel: Tile is known for having a sturdy, colder material. A laminate floor can be softer to walk on.
  • Maintenance: The two also differ by maintenance frequency. Tile might require more upkeep to prevent mildew formation.
Compare laminate & tile flooring
Floor Carpet in Living Room

Carpet

Carpet is cost-effective, versatile and cozy.

These are some variations between laminate and carpet:

  • Maintenance: Carpet requires steam cleanings or replacement pieces, while laminate just requires careful cleaning and water avoidance.
  • Versatility: Laminate flooring is slightly more versatile than carpet. For instance, most homeowners and renters don’t prefer carpets in their kitchens or bathrooms. Laminate flooring suits most rooms without issue.
Compare laminate & carpet
LVP flooring in kitchen and living room

Luxury Vinyl

Luxury vinyl flooring is popular for kitchens, bathrooms and other water-resistant areas.

Wood laminate flooring and luxury vinyl have some crucial differences:

  • Materials Luxury vinyl uses PVC chips and other synthetic materials. Instead, laminate consists of wood products bonded together with resin.
  • Water resistance: The two also vary by water resistance. Extended exposure to water can severely damage laminate. In contrast, luxury vinyl is highly water-resistant.
Compare laminate & luxury vinyl flooring

Best Flooring for Your Interior Design Style

Picking a flooring type is a big decision for any homeowner. It’s best to choose a flooring style that matches your lifestyle, preferences and interior design. That way, you can enjoy it to the fullest extent and use it as intended.

A house’s interior design consists of its internal decorative elements. Many interior design styles go well with laminate floors, such as:

  • Modern interior style: Modern design focuses on clean lines, geometric patterns and functional uses for space. Laminate floors are a practical choice for any modern home style. You can choose the texture and color that suits your room style best, and its durability ensures a long life span.
  • Minimalist interior style: This interior design style is based on simplicity. It uses neutral or monochrome colors and ensures every piece in a room has a distinct purpose. You could easily implement laminate flooring into a minimalist style by choosing a monochrome color and simplistic texture.

Your home style consists of your lifestyle habits and circumstances that impact buying decisions. These home styles would benefit from laminate flooring:

  • Homes with families and pets: Laminate’s durability and scratch resistance make it an excellent flooring option for family homes. The material is soft enough for kids and sturdy enough to withstand spills, scratches and other harm.
  • Homes on a budget: Laminate is a cost-efficient option, fitting most budgets more than other flooring types. You could redo an entire room or your entire home at a lower price than some other options.
laminate floor in kitchen with gray cabinets

Best Flooring for Your Home Architectural Style

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Your home’s architectural style should also influence your flooring choices. The floor can either enhance or detract from your style and theme.

Laminate floors can suit a wide variety of architectural styles. Here are some examples:

house exterior

Contemporary Homes

Contemporary house architecture focuses on sustainable materials, natural light and functionality and has modern features. You can easily install a laminate floor in a contemporary home, choosing a color that matches the style or mood of the room. Laminate flooring can also be a sustainable option, with many laminate floors containing recycled materials.

Colonial Style Home

Colonial Homes

Colonial homes feature symmetrical windows and doors, a rectangular shape and a gabled roof. Many are older, and replacing the floors can offer a new look. Laminate floors make an excellent replacement option with their cost-effectiveness and easy installation. You can choose a style that matches the rest of the home’s decor.

French Country Style Home

French Country Homes

Laminate floors can also suit French-style homes. These homes are made from brick, stucco or stone. They’re known for steep roofs, large windows and courtyard features like gardens. You could update a French country home with a new laminate floor in a style and color that matches the rest of the home’s design.

Best Flooring by Room Type

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The right floor type might differ depending on the room type. For example, you’re more likely to put tile or laminate in your bathroom than carpet.

Laminate is an excellent choice for many room types, including:

Living room with frieze carpet, gray couch and bookshelf

Living Rooms

Laminate flooring suits living rooms very well. The low moisture levels of a living room are well-suited to the laminate materials, and you can choose a color that matches your existing mood.

Best flooring for living rooms
farmhouse kitchen with light wood floors

Kitchens

You could also use laminate in your kitchen. It withstands spills and is simple to clean after a big meal. And, it’s easy to find a laminate color and style that matches the rest of your kitchen layout.

Best flooring for kitchens
laundry room with wood floors

Laundry Rooms

Laminate is a great option for laundry rooms. It’s easy to clean up small spills from laundry detergent or water. As people move in and out of the room, laminate materials resist scratching and other wear and tear. It keeps its high-quality appearance even after constant use.

Best flooring for laundry rooms
sunroom

Sunrooms

Laminate floors are also an excellent choice for sunrooms. These rooms are full of light, but laminate easily resists fading. In addition, it can withstand heavy traffic levels.

Best flooring for sunrooms
Light wood flooring

Schedule an Appointment for 50Floor Laminate Installation

Feel free to use this hub as often as you need while you get acquainted with laminate wood flooring. 50Floor offers high-quality laminate flooring and hassle-free installations. If you’re ready to get started with a laminate installation, schedule an appointment with 50Floor today.

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