8 Great Tips for Choosing Laminate Flooring

  1. Select a look that complements other design elements in the room, such as the colors, textures, and patterns already there. If the room has dark, rich colors to create a warm and cozy feeling, choosing a light colored floor will break the ambience.

  2. Speaking of ambience, your flooring choice will create a large portion of the ambience you want, so decide what kind of feel you want the room to have. For a light and airy feel choose lighter colors. For a rustic and casual feel choose natural materials like wood or stone in earth tones. Whatever the mood you want, your flooring professional can help you choose the colors and textures you need.

  3. The floor is a large area of a room, so choose a color and style you're comfortable living with while staying attuned to practical matters:

    • Patterns with graining or multiple shades will not show soiling as much.
    • Very light and very dark colors will need cleaning more often.
    • Embossed surfaces may look more realistic, but may be more difficult to clean.

  4. While laminate flooring is stunningly realistic, it is man-made and doesn't usually butt up against the real thing very well. For example, if you choose a ceramic tile look in laminate, it will most likely be disappointing if the adjoining room has real ceramic tile.

  5. How the laminate flooring looks under store lighting and how it looks in your home may be two different things. Always take samples of your final choices home to examine in the room where you'll be using it and examine it in both daylight and artificial light at night to be certain it will be the look you want under your room lighting conditions.

  6. Choose a pattern with the proper scale for your room. A pattern of long wood strips placed lengthwise in an already long, narrow room will make it seem even longer and skinnier. Too busy a pattern in a room with many furniture pieces, decorative items, and wall hangings can make it seem cluttered no matter how tidy the room is kept.

  7. For high traffic areas such as entry ways, kitchens, and bathrooms, be sure to choose the most durable product you can afford to ensure a long lifespan for your new floor.

  8. Remember, laminate flooring will last for many years, often for decades. You would be wise to avoid anything trendy or with such a strong pattern that it will be difficult to redecorate. Choosing classic patterns such as natural wood, stone, or ceramic, will provide the versatility you need to change wallpaper, furniture, and other major room elements when you're ready for something different.