May 31, 2022
With its easy installation and maintenance, as well as its simple but posh design, laminate wood flooring has recently become a preferred material for many homeowners’ floor decor. But, being drawn to its aesthetic visual appeal may blind and avert you from the disadvantages you may not be aware of. In this blog article, we will discuss the pros and cons of laminate flooring and how you could remove them if you are willing to change your mind.
Now, this isn’t to say that you should avoid acquiring such flooring material for your household. In all things fair, there are some perks that one could acknowledge.
For one, as mentioned from the beginning, installing them to the floor is easier and cheaper than their other counterparts, a favorable characteristic for those who love DIY furniture and construction! Unlike others that require glue or concrete sealants, most laminate floors can be clipped down and snapped together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Once attached to the floor, you do not have to think of keeping it spick and span, because of two other advantages: its low maintenance and durability. A simple wipe and sweep would suffice, with little to no mopping or chemical cleaning required. In addition, this is a preferable type in homes with high walking traffic and even with wandering pets, and it can last between 15 to 25 years.
Another notable benefit of laminate flooring is its variety in design and look. Thanks to its synthetic build, laminate wood can appear just like almost any other wooden material such as hardwood and oakwood and can come with different patterns.
With all these positive sides to laminate materials, however, they also come with some negatives to ponder on.
At face value, it may seem that the practical and visual benefits of the laminate floors may convince you to keep them, but it is with time, distance, and use that you start to see some problems at hand.
For one, authentic wooden floors can be durable if homeowners care for it diligently through refinishing efforts (i.e. adding paint, lacquer, or varnish). Unfortunately, these methods cannot be applied to laminate flooring, and any scratches and stains can be harder to remove than on traditional wood.
In relation to stains, another disadvantage of laminate flooring is its vulnerability to water or excessive. Although there are water-resistant types in store, that may not always be the case for others. Hence, it is most recommended that these are not installed in outdoor areas or places that may get it wet.
Lastly, many brands that sell laminate flooring may market their product as an environmentally-friendly alternative to wood. However, as with the water-resistant qualities, this may not be applicable to all types. In fact, some of them are made of volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which can be released through off-gassing and likely make you feel nauseous. Therefore, it would be best to choose those with low or zero traces of VOCs instead.
Now that you weighed in the best and worst qualities of laminate flooring, it’s time to make that final decision: to remove or not to remove. If you choose the latter, then get ready because, while installing them may be easy peasy, removing them from the floor is a whole different challenge.
Firstly, assess how your floors are made. Is there a point where the tiles indicate the transition of one room to another? Are there items such as furniture and baseboards that may impede the process of removing the laminate floors? And, lastly, how were the laminate floors installed?
Once you have answered those questions and understood the layout of your room and floors, prepare yourself with the right tools, and clear away the room from furniture and paraphernalia. Have the following at hand: gloves to protect your hands from scratches, masks & goggles to prevent irritation from dust particles, pry bars to remove baseboards and flooring, and pliers to remove nails.
Getting the planks off the floor may depend on the kind of laminate flooring itself.
For the simple clamped type of laminate floorboards, make sure that they are not stuck to baseboards. If so, carefully remove them first with your pry bar and remove the nails safely with pliers. Then, you can start detaching the laminate floors, sometimes with no pry bar required due to how easy it was to install.
Besides the click-and-lock type, laminate floors also come glued-down, making it harder to remove. To start, soften the glue by dampening them through moping. Then, if possible, carefully use a heat gun or any heat source to melt the glue off the tiles. Afterwards, you can start prying them off.
And there you have it. You finally paved the way for new tiling so your home can start anew with a fresher and more beautiful look. Still, you are probably wondering what tiles will best fit your room.
Fuel your creativity, curiosity, and construction know-how by visiting your nearest AllHome branch or go to www.allhome.com.ph to conveniently shop online! AllHome features a wide variety of items made just for your home-related needs, from homeware to building tools to furniture to hardware!
Additionally, more deals and promos are in store for you, so be sure to follow AllHome’s official social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay informed!
We’ll see each other next time in another informative blog entry!
