Decisions, decisions… Which will it be – carpet or laminate flooring? If you’re feeling unsure and need us to shed some light on the pros and cons of both, we can do that here at Frank’s!
To start the decision-making process, it’s important to realise that deciding on the right type of flooring really does depend on you and your circumstances. Both types of flooring are fantastic and have many benefits. However, there are a lot of lifestyle factors to consider when choosing one over the other.
So, let’s get started! We’re going to cover durability, ease of installation, maintenance, and how much both will set you back.
Carpet vs Laminate: Durability
Both types of flooring can be very robust, depending on your lifestyle.
Carpet durability can vary considerably depending on the type you buy. For example, wool is stain-resistant but generally tends to be a little less hard-wearing than polyester.
In most cases, nylon makes for the most durable fibre when properly looked after, closely followed by olefin and polyester. The general rule is that the softer the carpet and the higher the pile, the less durable the carpet will be.
Laminate flooring, because of its hard wear layer, is incredibly durable. It’s also scratch-resistant, as well as resistant to chips, dents, and gouges. Even better, laminate is UV-resistant which means it won’t fade in the sunlight the way hardwood flooring would.
It can also withstand water to an extent, but please note it isn’t fully waterproof. If areas of your home will experience high levels of footfall, we’d always recommend laminate flooring over carpet.
Carpet vs Laminate: Ease of installation
Installing carpet can be a challenging DIY. Really, it needs to be done by a professional fitter from Frank’s! Fitting requires measuring, cutting, and nailing, which can all be quite complicated.
Plus, a good carpet needs a good underlay because, without it, it won’t be all that comfortable to walk on, that’s for sure. Doing it yourself is possible; however, it’s usually never worth the headache. Find your local Frank’s store, pop down and see us, and we’ll sort you out!
On the other hand, laminate flooring is usually sold as ‘click-together flooring’, making it much easier to install. This means the planks interlock and don’t require gluing or nailing.
We still usually recommend a professional fitter to install laminate flooring. However, if you’re looking for a more straightforward DIY project than fitting carpet, this is it.
Carpet vs Laminate: Maintenance
Maintenance levels of both largely depend on the quality of the product you choose. However, laminate flooring is considered far easier to maintain than carpet. Purely for the reasons that laminate can be swept, mopped or wiped if there are any marks or spillages.
Heavy vacuuming may be required if the same happens with carpet, or you might even have to steam clean it. Although, we don’t recommend carpet cleaning because it can actually attract more dust and dirt.
When it comes to any necessary repairs, you can simply swap out a plank or two if damaged with laminate. If the carpet is damaged, you’d need to either cut out the affected section or replace the entire carpet.
Carpet vs Laminate: Cost
Most of the time, there is no real difference in cost between the two. Unless you choose a luxury product, then you should be expecting a much higher price.
Installation of both products is generally very similar too.
There you have it! We haven’t decided for you, but you’re now certainly up to speed with why and how both types of flooring make good choices for the home.
Still unsure which you need to transform your home? If you have any specific questions, we’d love to invite you down to your local Frank’s to chat about all things flooring.
Pop on down; we can’t wait to see you!