Things to Consider When Thinking About Buying Laminate Flooring

Laying laminate flooring is in the top 10 of easiest things in the world to do, providing that you can do things like using a saw and a measuring tape. I like to think of myself as a man about the house, capable of turning his hand to anything, and I am, most things. But when it comes to using a saw then you better make sure you get me plenty of extra wood, because boy am I gonna need it.

So, when it comes to putting up a home-made shelf, that is okay, just buy a couple of planks instead of one, for me to get my groove on with the saw; I’ll be cutting straight and just about have enough wood left to use as a suitable shelf. But when it comes to laminate flooring, even though it is less expensive than hardwood flooring, it is still too costly to be having to buy tons extra for cutting mistakes.

If you are the same as me with a saw then you are left with three options: a: hire a professional to come in and lay the floor for you, b: hire a power saw that will ensure straight cuts, or c: buy one of them new handheld saws that supposedly practically lay laminate flooring for you.

Option A: a diy’ers worst nightmare is actually one of the best options when it comes to laying laminate flooring. A professional floorer can lay several hundred square meters of laminate flooring in a working day. This means that, while their time is expensive by the hour, to have your laminate floor laid professionally, quickly, hassle-free and worry-free is well worth the price.

Option B: hiring a power saw is a good option for a diy’er. Of course you need a bench with something to grip the plank, and/or someone to help hold it, but draw a line across the wood and a strong monkey could cut the line across the plank straight with a power saw.

Option C: I have seen the infomercials and boy is that new fangled saw perfect for laying laminate flooring. Do you know it actually has a disc adjustment that you can set to the exact thickness of your laminate flooring planks, “so you can cut in situ”? No? Neither do I really. What I do know is that the products bought from TV infomercials are rarely as good as the sellers’ make out.

Of course there is still the good old handsaw for those who are more saw-friendly than I.

Whichever option you choose will not alter the fact that laminate flooring is very easy to lay. It clicks, sits or glues together straight on to the floorboards (underlay attached to floor on most brands), no nails and no hassle. And therein lies the next choice: glue together, tongue and groove, or click-lock (AKA quickstep).

If you are going it alone you will want to use one of the latter-two as these are the easiest to lay. But if you are just buying the floor and having a professional in to fit it then you may want to consider glue together, as it is more resistant against moisture.

Now that you know the choices that lie before you in your decision to buy laminate flooring, then you can make an educated guess and I can go home happy.