How to Select Laminate Flooring
- 1). Price flooring options and choose your budget. Laminate flooring is available through home goods stores and speciality flooring shops. There is a wide range of prices available, but beware that you get what you pay for. As of 2010 quality laminate flooring will cost between $1.50 and $6 per square foot. (ref 1)Decide what you are willing and able to pay for your new floor.
- 2). Research different brand names. Some brand names, that are well known will also offer expensive (and over priced) flooring. Visit the websites of different brands and look for customer feed back to try and find a name that you trust. Don't be afraid to go with a lesser known brand that has good ratings, their prices will likely be more competitive. Visit the Floor Facts website to get a list of laminate manufacturers. (ref 2)
- 3). Choose a flooring design. With your budget, and brands, in mind look at the options for design, they are numerous and there will be a lot to go over. Start by picking out each design that catches your eye. The process can begin by looking at photos, but when you are narrowing down your options make sure you get to see an actual sample of the laminate designs you are particularly interested in.
- 4). Look at warranties, while considering your traffic requirements. Each floor comes with a durability rating, from AC1 to AC5. AC1 is for light traffic whereas AC5 is for commercial use. The highest traffic area in a residential home will require no more than AC3. Look at the warranties of your narrowed down choices. Try to choose a warranty that is at least fifteen years long. Make sure that the warranty covers premature wear, staining and fading. Some warranties will protect against accidental moisture damage too.
Source...