Choosing the right and the ideal laminate bedroom flooring doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. In fact, laminate flooring would be ideal for the bedroom.
The appealing quality of the flooring and the nature of laminate floor itself would make it perfect for bedroom installation. Laminate floor is resistant to moisture and humidity, but it isn’t waterproof to them.
Since bedroom is dry and not sensitive to moisture, it would be a perfect pick for bedroom installation.
But before you decide to go on with the installation, you should know the advantages and disadvantages of the laminate floor.
About Laminate Flooring for Bedroom
Laminate floor is different from hardwood. The first one is the engineered type of flooring, while the latter one is made from natural elements.
So, what is laminate flooring?
It is a synthetic (or engineered) floor made from layers of printed (plastic) material that is bonded to the core layer.
The layers themselves will be then covered with wear layer (usually the transparent one).
Laminate floor has become one of the most popular flooring options for homeowners, especially the budget conscious ones.
Sure, nothing can beat the beauty and natural feel of hardwood or stone flooring, but the affordability of laminate flooring is one thing that home owners love.
Laminate floor is inexpensive, so it is low cost. It is also easy to maintain and care at least it is easier and simpler than hardwood.
And most importantly, laminate floor can be installed in various areas at home except for some areas that are sensitive to moisture or humidity (such as the basement or bathroom).
In most cases, laminate floor is perfect for light foot traffic which is the characteristics of a bedroom.
If you want to create an expensive, exclusive, and luxurious effect in the bedroom with inexpensive material, then laminate floor would be the perfect pick.
Today’s laminate floor comes with exclusive and high-end quality. Some brands are able to imitate the look of natural elements just perfectly such as ceramic, stone, or hardwood.
The laminate floor is DIY-friendly, thanks to its modified and simple tongue and groove click-and-lock mechanism. It is super easy to implement and install.
And when you have to install the laminate bedroom flooring, you won’t take a very long time to complete the process.
Read Also: Waterproof Plastic Laminate Flooring
Bedroom Laminate Floor Advantages
When you deal with laminate bedroom flooring, there are several basic perks to enjoy from the floor.
First of all, the floor is inexpensive and it is quite affordable. Plastic laminate is inexpensive especially when compared to the more expensive hardwood or stone floor.
As a non-porous floor, plastic laminate is truly economical, especially when you compare it to other materials, such as cork, ceramics, hardwood, and even carpet.
For a laminate floor, you may spend around $0.50 to around $2 a square foot. Even when compared to the (sheet) vinyl flooring, laminate flooring is more economical.
Second, the floor can imitate the look of more expensive materials just perfectly.
Thanks to today’s current modern technology, laminate can imitate the look of hardwood, stone, or ceramic perfectly.
In most cases, it would be difficult to differentiate laminate floor from the real thing for instance, it’s not easy to differentiate laminate floor with hardwood pattern on it from the real hardwood.
Of course, when you stand on it, it would be obvious. But not if you can only look at it.
Third, laminate floor in general is easy to care and clean. Unlike hardwood, laminate floor is easy to clean and maintain.
You only need a regular broom and a damp mop to remove the small allergen, dust, dirt, and stain.
You can also use a regular vacuum cleaner that is especially designed for hard floor as long as you don’t use the hard bristle or the beater bar.
Removing the tiny particles would maintain the shine and protective nature of the wear layer. If you want to deal with stubborn stain, use natural vinegar or mild detergent mix.
But if you mop the laminate bedroom flooring, make sure to remove extra splashes and drips with a dry cloth.
You don’t want to soak or flood the (laminate) floor with water as it can lead to serious damage.
Next, laminate floor is super easy to install. When you have to perform installation for laminate bedroom flooring, you can do it by yourself.
That’s why laminate floor is considered DIY-friendly floor because of this nature. Laminate floor usually comes in planks with the so-called click-and-lock system.
Basically, you only need to fit the grooves, making sure that they fit to one another. It’s like the puzzle, you ensure that it clicks and sits on its place.
Aside from the inexpensive nature, the floor itself can save home owners a lot of money for the installation.
With such floor, you won’t have to hire a professional installer saving you thousands of money in the process.
Fifth, designs and styles are limitless. As it was mentioned before, today’s laminate flooring is modern and sophisticated in design. You can still look good and stylish without having to spend a fortune.
Whereas a hardwood floor may cost you $10 to more than $20 a square foot, you only spend a fraction of it with high-quality and premium laminate floor.
If you want a perfect and uniformed look, you can achieve it perfectly with laminate floor.
Bedroom Laminate Floor Disadvantages
Of course, nothing can be 100% perfect. Despite all of the positive traits, there are some flaws to expect about the flooring.
First of all, laminate floor can be noisy. Keep in mind that laminate is rigid and it is made from plastic. If you install the floor directly on the subfloor, it would be noisy.
If it is installed on the second level, the sound of the footsteps would be transmitted to the areas below. The best way is to use a certain kind of pad.
You can place rugs or carpets to absorb the sound. If you have a fresh installation, then you should install an underlayment over the subfloor. Afterwards, feel free to install the laminate floor over the underlayment.
Not only it insulates the floor (and affects the comfort feel of the floor), but it will also reduce the impact sounds. Some products and brands may have laminate planks with already attached pad.
Such laminate bedroom flooring surely helps in delivering effective installation as you won’t have to buy a separate underlayment and you won’t have to deal with the extra work of underlayment installation.
Second, laminate floor can be scratched by your pet claws or dented by the furniture. Over time, the floor will lose its shine dents and scratches will eventually mark the floor.
Informal repair may include a special (putty) repair kit especially designed for the floor, but these kinds of repair would be obvious and visible.
Of course, you are able to remove the individual plank and then replace it with the new piece.
But such a practice itself will cost you although it may not be exorbitant. And keep in mind that laminate floor isn’t as durable or hard as ceramic tile or hardwood floor.
Third, laminate flooring is generally hard. This won’t be the perfect laminate bedroom flooring for kids and elderly adults.
Whenever there are risks of falling, the laminate floor can be super risky. But you can consider having area rugs to minimize the risks of falling and being injured.
Fourth, laminate floor isn’t great against moisture. It is resistant to moisture, but it isn’t waterproof.
Keep in mind that laminate floor isn’t suitable for wet areas or areas that are sensitive to humidity, such as the bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements.
This may be a problem if the bedroom is joining with a bathroom. If there is spill or moisture on the laminate floor, make sure to wipe it off right away.
Never allow the moisture to get into the inner part of the floor and cause damage to the inner core.
Fifth, sunlight is one of the main enemies of laminate floor. The UV radiation can lead to discoloration or fading, especially if it happens for a long time.
It would be a good idea to install the floor in areas that won’t get direct sunlight exposure. Or, you can always consider rugs or carpet to cover the floor. It will block the sunlight exposure.
Another option is to have a good window treatment with curtains, shades, or blinds or even glass film to filter out the sunlight. If you have laminate bedroom flooring, you may need to take these extra precautions.
Sixth, laminates are often considered cheap. Unlike hardwood, they don’t add the value of the house.
In fact, laminate floor may reduce the value a bit because home buyers often prefer up-scale and advanced flooring materials.
Moreover, laminate isn’t recyclable easily. Remember, they are synthetic plastic and plastic isn’t easy to recycle.
If the manufacturing company isn’t dedicated in providing proper recyclable process, the floor may end up in landfills and they will remain there for many years to come.
Plus, most manufacturing process may include dangerous chemicals. But this was more like a problem of the past where formaldehyde was still present and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) was found.
In today’s modern laminate floor, such an issue no longer exists. However, it is possible that those shady and unpopular floor manufacturers still produce cheap quality with those contents.
That’s why you need to be extra careful when choosing a brand. If you want to choose laminate floor that is safe and ‘green’, choose those with GreenGuard certificate or with low VOC label. Check the manufacturing label you should be able to find it before the purchase.
Read Also: Laminate vs Engineered Wood Flooring Comparison Details and Facts
Final Words
Everything has its own positive traits as well possible downsides and laminate floor isn’t different.
It is one of the most inexpensive types of flooring that is easy to install and simple to maintain.
It is able to imitate the look of premium materials, such as stone, cork, or hardwood quite perfectly.
It is also one of the best floors for DIYers with easy-to-find nature. However, the floor itself won’t be able to add up the value of the house. And it isn’t easy to recycle.
It is water resistant but not waterproof, which means that you still need to be careful about the installation.
It’s up to you to decide whether laminate bedroom flooring would be your pick just make sure that you have thought about everything thoroughly and carefully.
