A common question among many individuals is how much does laminate flooring cost?

One of the top five reasons homeowners choose laminate over hardwood flooring is because it is cheaper so this is not a bad question at all.  Unfortunately its not one that is easy answered.

Why?

Desired quality, area of the country you live in, and if you are installing it yourself or having a flooring professional do it for you all play a part in the final cost.  But, the follow is a guide you can use in making your preparations.

Keep in mind that most people are not “do-it-yourselfers” so you not only have to factor in the price of the laminate flooring itself but also of the installation of it.

Price of the Product + Installation Charge (Shipping and Labor) = Total Cost

Average Price of Laminate

$0.99 to $6.00/ square foot

• The more realistic the laminate pieces look the more expensive they will be.  Fake looking laminate (and we can all tell the difference) will be the least expense and there are some places you can find a nice supply for $2 a square foot.  Though you can find some types of laminate for under a dollar I would caution that you might not like the end result.
• The thicker the pieces are the more expensive they will be.  They range from six to twelve millimeters in thickness.
• The more higher end laminates have large amounts of melamine in its core which vastly improves its ability to resist moisture.  Expect to pay more for ones with this substance.
• Different installation systems demand different prices
• There are some brands that come stocked with an attached underlayment.  If so you can plan to pay up to two dollars more per square foot.

Cost of Installation

This price varies so much depending on where you live.  Depending on the local economy, number of builders/ floor installers, and demand you will pay anywhere from $1.00 to $5.00 per square feet of laminate flooring installation.

I have done some helped a friend do some flooring jobs in Anchorage where we got a little over five dollars a square foot because that is what the market bears but then I some people I know in Portland do the same work and they receive less than two dollars a square foot.  Granted I do not know how they bid and I am sure many people are getting more than that but you see the difference.

I went into one of the top flooring store in Portland, OR a week ago (Paulsons) and asked one of the tops salesman (Carrol) what she believed was better: laminate flooring or hardwood flooring?

She thought laminate floors were a much better buy in the long run. Her reasoning was they are easier to maintain, keep their look over the long run, are cheaper, and look just as good as hardwood floors if you buy the quality laminate.

Carrol explained that she has two dogs.  She has hardwood flooring and her dogs have scratched it up pretty bad.  That was her major know again hardwood.  Its scratches extremely easily.  All it takes is for you to have dogs or cats with any sort of claws to run over it, furniture being moved, or rocks in people’s shoes and your nice finish will be ruined.

She explained to me that if you do decide to go with solid hardwood flooring get a lighter shade because the darker your floors are the more the scratches will show.

Additionally, spills can stain hardwood floors.  This is something to think about if you have kids.  I did not know hardwood could stain but it can.  Laminate flooring on the other hand does not.

Laminates are really hard to scratch and do not stain.  Those were the huge selling points with her.  She said that while she does sell more hardwood than laminate they are almost neck and neck.  Laminate has become really popular these days and in her opinion it is better than hardwood. Many people still prefer the real thing though no matter what you tell them.

It was also mentioned that if you buy the quality laminate flooring it looks 99.9% the same as hardwood.  You cannot  tell the difference if you get the more expensive stuff. She showed me samples and I had to agree.  You can tell if a person has laminate installed if they buy the cheap material.  It just looks like a picture of hardwood.  But when you start paying at least $5 a square foot for the good material you get virtually hardwood flooring.  The only person who will know is you.  And it will last longer.