Laminate Flooring is Durable
Laminate flooring’s big claim to fame is ease of installation and durable, highly scratch-resistant finishes that stand up to active households. Laminate flooring has been around since the 1970’s and has undergone many improvements over time, making it one of the most durable residential floors available. Laminate floors are constructed with a stabilizing back layer, high density fiber core, picture layer, and scratch resistant wear layer. Laminate flooring installation involves clicking the planks together to form a complete floor system that floats above the subfloor rather than being attached. This allows the laminate floor to expand and contract freely as a whole unit, minimizing the likelihood of gapping and peaking with seasonal fluctuations in humidity. Higher quality laminate floors will have a tighter-fitting locking mechanism, making them less susceptible to separation.
Laminate flooring has many advantages:
- Laminate floors are one of the most affordable ways to incorporate a durable wood look
- Higher scratch resistance than real hardwood flooring
- Laminate flooring installation cost is more affordable than real hardwood floors
- Laminate flooring is more scratch resistant than luxury vinyl flooring
- Lower price points than comparable quality waterproof luxury vinyl flooring
- Waterproof laminate options are available for bathrooms, mudrooms, basements
- Consistent board lengths – no short boards, which are typical of many real wood floors
- Easy “click-together” laminate flooring installation for DIYers
Visit Our Vancouver Laminate Flooring Showroom
When you visit our laminate flooring store in Vancouver, Washington, your project manager will take the time to learn about your home, lifestyle, and priorities so they can help you find the right flooring for your space. Laminate flooring offers the look of natural wood with durable, scratch resistant finishes that make it a great choice for busy households. With a wide selection of styles, colors, textures, brands, and price ranges, we can help you find a laminate floor that fits your needs, your style, and your budget.
Select Laminate Floors the Easy Way!
Laminate floors are available in a wide range of visuals, qualities, and price points, so you are sure to find what you’re looking for when you visit our Vancouver flooring store. Your new laminate flooring will serve as a connector in your home, so it is important to consider what mood you want to set, and how your new laminate floor will relate with other elements in your home such as cabinets, wall color, countertops, adjacent flooring, and furnishings. Do you prefer a smooth and consistent wood visual, high variation between boards, or perhaps a rustic/weathered look? Do you want light, medium, or dark laminate flooring? Regardless of the look and color you choose, your new laminate flooring will provide a sense of natural continuity.
Laminate Flooring Considerations
Style
- Contemporary laminate flooring has clean and smooth visuals with consistent coloration throughout the floor.
- Rustic laminate floors often mimic natural wood knots and appear to be hand-scraped or even composed of reclaimed barn wood. For additional variation, some laminate floors are available in multiple widths that can be installed together.
- Some laminate flooring imparts a coastal feel with a driftwood-like visual.
Color
- Light-colored laminate flooring is helpful for reflecting light and can provide an expansive feel to your space. Lighter colors can be paired with dark cabinets for high contrast or medium-colored cabinets for a soft transition.
- Medium-toned laminate flooring provides a soft contrast with both light and dark cabinets.
- Dark laminate flooring provides a dramatic grounding feel. If you choose dark laminate flooring, we recommend selecting a product with a matte finish, so it is less likely to show dust and scratches over time compared with higher sheen finishes.
- Laminate flooring with color variation throughout the floor, such as a hickory visual, can provide additional interest and better camouflage for the wear and tear that comes naturally in an active household.
Waterproof Options
In our Vancouver flooring shop, we showcase the best water-resistant and waterproof laminate flooring options from the most reputable brands. It used to be that laminate floors were not recommended for bathrooms with showers because the core was vulnerable to steam and moisture. Since waterproof luxury vinyl flooring has been capturing market share in recent years, the best laminate flooring brands now have water resistant and even waterproof laminate flooring.
Most laminate flooring is made with a moisture-resistant core, and some waterproof laminate flooring also has an edge coating around each joint to further delay moisture absorption. Waterproof laminates can typically withstand 70-100 hours of continuous moisture exposure. Be aware that any flooring material, even if considered “waterproof”, will likely need to be replaced in the event of actual flooding, such as an ice machine, dishwasher, or toilet leak. For bathroom, laundry room, or mudroom laminate flooring installations, it is recommended that caulking be applied around the perimeter of the floating floor to prevent moisture from seeping under the flooring.
Speak with a product expert at our Vancouver flooring store to discover which type of waterproof laminate flooring is best suited for your bathroom, laundry room, kitchen, basement, and other areas throughout your home.
Durable Finishes
The wear layer of laminate floors typically contains aluminum oxide, which is the most scratch-resistant mineral besides diamonds. If high resistance to pet scratches and everyday wear is particularly important, look for a floor with an AC4 rating or higher, which means the surface layer will hold up in high-traffic residential and light commercial applications. In typical residential settings an AC3 rating is usually sufficient.
After considering the aesthetic and durability priorities for your new laminate flooring, discuss quality and price ideals with a project manager at our Salmon Creek flooring shop to narrow down the options and choose your color. Your project manager will also help you determine additional options, such as baseboard moldings, vents, and cold air returns to complete your laminate flooring installation.
Laminate Stairs
Yes, laminate flooring installation can include stairs! Laminate flooring can be installed on stairs a couple of ways – laminate floor planks can be installed on the treads and paired with a coordinating overlap stair nose at the front edge, or custom-made flush stair treads can be installed to cover the entire tread surface. For the risers, we can either install the laminate floor planks or a white riser. If you want to add a carpet runner to your laminate stairs, you can have one customized from any of our wall-to-wall carpets in our Vancouver store. Simply select your carpet, backing, and edge binding. Then we’ll measure your laminate stairs to determine the exact size and get it made!
You can trust Macadam!
Here at Macadam Floor and Design, we have been providing flooring, countertops, tile, and window coverings to the Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR Metro area since 1984.
We are continually improving our showroom offerings, industry knowledge, and professionalism to provide excellent service and value for our customers. Whether working with our Vancouver flooring store or our Portland store, you will be paired with a project manager or designer to help you navigate your options with confidence. Work with our experts to be sure you purchase laminate flooring that is right for your project at the best value in Vancouver—we coordinate installation too!
Our Brands Include
- Evoke
- Mohawk
- Shaw
- TAS
- Cascade
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Macadam Floor and Design offers an extensive selection of flooring, countertops and window coverings for your next project.
