Carpet or laminate flooring in a living room

Carpet and laminate flooring are both suitable for living rooms in the Chester, Wrexham and North Wales areas. One is not better than the other, as such, but when making the choice between the two floor coverings, there are a number of things to consider.

Looks

There are many outstanding areas of natural beauty to enjoy in Chester, Wrexham and North Wales, so it is not surprising that people want to bring a touch of nature into their living room. This is why solid wood floors are popular, but the expense of buying and fitting wood floors is beyond some budgets. Laminate is a less costly alternative.

Laminate floors are made from wood materials, but the wood grain designs are printed. Printing technology has developed since the first laminates were made so that modern laminate planks look remarkably like real wood. Some types use embossed techniques to make the grain stand out like natural wood.

If you are not particular about bringing a wood look to your living room, carpets come in a wide variety of shades and patterns. The interior design of a room can revolve around the carpet colour and pattern, with furniture and wall colours coordinated with the carpet design.

Feel

Laminate flooring is hard, but some varieties are cushioned to give them a spongy feel. The feel or a carpet depends on the pile type. A luxury wool long pile carpet feels extremely warm and cosy, especially in bare feet. For the best of both materials, use laminate flooring with wool rugs to provide cosiness.

Warmth

Carpets have insulating properties that make rooms warmer and can marginally save on energy bills. Some people believe that carpets, unlike laminates, cannot be used with underfloor heating systems. The reality is that they may reduce the heat from existing underfloor heating systems, but new installations with carpeted rooms can be adjusted to make them work well with carpets.

Pets

Dogs and cats should be fine with laminate floors. Good quality laminates have a protective top layer that is scratch resistant.

An untrained puppy that goes into the living room could have accidents. Spills and other dirt are easily wiped up from laminate floors, but carpets are not as easy to deal with. Stain-resistant carpets are recommended for pets, but any carpet can be cleaned with the right cleaning solution and some effort.

Cost

Both laminates and carpets come in a wide variety of grades and prices, which makes direct cost comparisons difficult. As a rule, laminates will last longer than carpets. A cheap carpet will need replacing several years before a good grade laminate reaches the end of its life. This can make the lifetime cost of laminate flooring cheaper. Expect all but the cheaper quality, thin laminates to last longer than a good carpet.

Carpets and laminates are easy to fit, but laminates take a bit longer, so fitting could be more expensive.

Choose a carpet for its look and feel, or laminate for an easier to maintain, long-lasting and stylish looking floor in your living room.