How many years should a laminate floor last?

Whether you are planning on fitting a laminate floor in rooms around your home or styling up a commercial office space, prior to purchase you might be wondering how long your new flooring will last. Laminate flooring is readily available for a wide range of prices to suit different budgets and can provide an attractive alternative to more expensive hardwood solutions.

Created from multiple thin layers, pressed together, laminate flooring is topped with printed paper which is covered by a clear protective coating. When this top layer becomes worn, unlike the surface of a wooden floor, it cannot be refinished with sanding and must be replaced. It therefore will not outlast a wood floor, but can still serve your home for a long time if well looked after.

The expected lifespan of a laminate flooring

While it is unable to match the durability of a hardwood floor, a quality laminate floor can still last over two decades. The average life expectancy for laminate flooring can be anywhere from 15 to 25 years but it can vary greatly from as little as 10 years, to as much as 30 years depending on many different factors.

It is worth bearing in mind, however, that no matter how high-quality the laminate flooring you choose to purchase is, while it may last for 25 years, it will never look the same as it did when it was first installed.

Factors affecting the longevity of laminate

How long your laminate floor can last will depend on several different factors. The quality of the flooring you select will have an impact on your floor’s longevity, with expert installers advising that cheaper products will start to show wear and tear far earlier than others. Whether your flooring is installed by a professional can also have an important bearing.

The amount of footfall your flooring receives will obviously affect how long it holds up for. If you install laminate flooring in a small home office, it will no doubt weather better than one that is fitted in the hall of a busy family house.

How you care for your new laminate floor can drastically increase or decrease how long it maintains its appearance. Neglecting to mop up spillages immediately can reduce the life of your floor and too much water used when cleaning is never a wise idea. Built-for-purpose, laminate cleaners are a far more suitable choice and easy to come by as many cleaning products that you might be able to use safely on other surfaces, such as vinyl, may prove too harsh for laminate, subtracting years off your floor’s life.

Enjoying a return on your investment

While laminate flooring that is used regularly will definitely wear over the years, by the time it needs replacing, it will likely have more than covered the cost of how much you initially paid. If you make sure to choose a quality product, have it fitted by a professional installer and make sure you take proper care when maintaining it, you will be able to enjoy your laminate flooring for many years to come.

What is the best flooring for a kitchen?

One of the busiest rooms in any house, a kitchen’s floors sees a lot of action. Unlike other flooring around your home, the solution you choose for your kitchen needs to tick many different boxes.

Kitchen flooring must be stain-resistant and simple to clean, but it also needs to be comfortable for walking on and look stylish. There are other factors you might take into consideration too, like whether your flooring choice works well with underfloor heating and how does it suit different floor constructions and surfaces already in place.

You also may have budgetary concerns that affect your choice and even if you don’t, you will want to make sure the style of floor you choose is designed to last, to avoid the inconvenience of replacing it often.

In the following sections we explore our top two options for kitchen flooring and discuss their individual advantages.

Vinyl flooring

Vinyl can be an ideal option to consider for your kitchen. The latest generation available Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is water-resistant and easily cleaned, making it a perfect choice for kitchen spills. It is also comfortable underfoot when you need to spend time cooking or cleaning up.

Vinyl flooring can reflect a wide range of sought-after surfaces, from gently contoured wooden floors to smooth ceramic tiling. This versatility of vinyl’s appearance is one of the characteristics making it best suited for kitchen floors. If you want the look of a stone floor without the chills or a warm wooden-style kitchen without timber boards getting damp, vinyl can offer you the style you seek without any negatives.

High quality vinyl will include a specially designed “wear layer” that protects it from scratches and other damages, so as long as it is professionally installed, your flooring will last for many years. You can avoid dents from kitchen furnishings like tables, chairs, and stools by fitting them with rubber pads to safeguard your floor. If you are using underfloor heating in your kitchen, you will also find many vinyl products are fully compatible.

Laminate flooring

Another flooring that is a great fit for the kitchen is laminate, but it can pay to invest. Although a variety of lower budget options exist, they may not always be as hardwearing or resistant to water when you need to clean up or suffer spills and splashes.

High-quality versions are readily available, however, and like vinyl can mimic a wood grain, tile, or stone surface. Laminate flooring is constructed from a melamine backing, a High-Density Fibreboard core topped with a high-res image of wood or stone and then covered with a protective transparent “wear layer.” This last layer makes laminate flooring highly resistant to scratches and scuffs in daily use. Even at the high-end, laminate is still a relatively affordable option for your kitchen floor and is equipped with the latest waterproofing technology, which means it will not require sealing.

If you are planning to lay a new floor in your kitchen, consider these two innovative options for your home.

Dye maker warns against DIY carpet dyeing

Do-it-yourself carpet dyeing is a trend popular on social media, but dye maker Dylon has warned that carpets can be ruined by using the wrong dyes.

A good carpet is expensive, which is why people consider dyeing their old carpet to change the look of a room rather than buy a new one. However, using ordinary dyes can ruin the carpet. The Brand Manager of Dylon, Rachel Ferreira, says:

“Dylon Machine Dyes are only to be used in a front-loading automatic washing machine and cannot be used by hand or painted onto fabric. The all-in-one formula has a ratio of dye too elevated for the hand dye process.”

Quality carpets are contain a special substance that makes the carpet last longer and resist stains. This coating will also resist dyes and prevents them from colouring the carpet evenly.

Material dyed with Dylon dyes has to be machine washed thoroughly after applying. Since carpets cannot be put in a washing machine, Dylon dyes are not suitable for them.

There have been several reports in newspapers revealing how bad a carpet can turn out when someone has attempted a DIY dye job. In the majority of cases, the carpet owner has had to buy a new carpet.

If your carpet in your Wrexham home looks worn or you want a change of colour or pattern, it is time to buy a quality new carpet that will last for many years. Don’t be tempted to dye the carpet yourself.

Lockdown increases demand for artificial grass

According to Google Trends, online searches for the keywords “artificial grass” increased by 185% in May 2020 compared to May 2019. This suggests that people in lockdown have been focusing on their gardens and how they can be improved with artificial grass.

With mostly fine weather during the lockdown, people have been spending more time in their gardens. They appreciate having a lawn but are concerned about maintaining it. Higher than normal temperatures on some days have caused patchy grass, and homeowners are conscious that a grass lawn needs regularly watering and mowing in summer.

As people return to work after the lockdown, they will have less time to spend gardening, but still want to enjoy a good looking garden. Artificial grass is the solution for a low-maintenance lawn, since it can be used in all weathers and does not become muddy in wet conditions.

Additionally, the coronavirus outbreak has caused families, especially those with pets and children, to be more concerned about hygiene. Artificial grass is hygienic, non-toxic and easy to keep clean. Installed correctly, any rainwater is drained away from the artificial grass so that it never becomes waterlogged or muddy.

Households that do not want to spend time cutting grass and tending to their lawn are increasingly turning to artificial grass to enjoy a low-maintenance garden that looks and feels like the real thing. Artificial grass in North Wales homes will stay green and will last for many years, even under heavy use by adults, children and pets.

The growing carpet trend of animal prints

Animal-themed rooms are becoming increasingly popular, with animal print carpets very much a part of this trend.

Many fashion designers have featured animal print fabrics, so it is not surprising that this trend has reached the home. Manufactures of bedding, cushions, crockery and lampshades have added animal images to their products.

Carpets with animal prints add impact to a room, and while they may not be to the taste of the traditionalist, they certainly appeal to those who want to add a sense of adventure to their rooms. Included in the animal print ranges are zebra patterns and leopard prints. The patterns are bold, but the colours used are more muted, with grey patterns on natural tone beige backgrounds. They are for people who love animal prints but in a stylishly understated way.

Animal prints add vibrancy to a room, but they are best used with plain walls and furniture to prevent a room looking too busy and cluttered.

Animal print carpets made from polypropylene are functional as well as stylish. They are easy to keep clean and resist spills and stains. Households staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic are advised to clean their carpets at least once a week to help protect themselves from infection. It is also a good idea to remove outdoor shoes when entering the home. Animal print carpets are soft for walking on without shoes.

Not everyone choosing carpets for their Chester home will go for animal prints, but for homeowners who like a more bold decor style for their living rooms or bedrooms, why not?