Laminate vs. Tile Flooring: What to Know

If you’re preparing to install a new floor in one of the rooms of your home, it’s important to spend some time considering the material that is best suited for that space. In some cases, your choice might come down to tile versus laminate, especially for kitchen or bathroom spaces.

There are a variety of issues you should consider when choosing between tile and laminate floors in Litchfield County, CT. Let’s take a look:

• Waterproofing: There are certain rooms in which it will be important for you to have a waterproof floor or, at the very least, flooring that is highly water resistant. Laminate floors can be designed to be water resistant for up to 24 hours in most cases, while tile, when sealed properly, is waterproof.
• Installation: If ease of installation is important to you, you’ll find it hard to beat laminate. Laminate is extremely easy to install, with a floating installation, and then easy to remove should you ever want or need to pull it up. Tile is permanently attached, which makes it difficult to install and remove. It is also much easier to cut laminate than tile—laminate can, in many cases, be cut with a utility knife, while tile requires a special type of saw.
• Maintenance: All types of flooring need at least some level of maintenance to stay in good shape for an extended period of time. With laminate, there is relatively little in the way of maintenance to worry about, other than making sure you stay on top of regular cleanings. This means sweeping and vacuuming regularly, and occasionally taking the time to wipe the floors with a damp (but not sopping wet) mop or cloth. Tile floors themselves are also easy to clean, but the grout can be a bit of a pain when you’re attempting deeper cleans.
• Repairs: Should floors get damaged, you’ll need to repair them. Laminate can be difficult to repair because the installation process requires them to be interlocking. Tile is easier to repair because it’s easier for you to remove a single tile that’s been damaged and then replace it.
• Lifespan: Tile lasts much longer than laminate. You can expect to get 15 to 25 years out of a laminate floor, whereas tile could last a century if it’s of good quality and well maintained.
• Added value: When installed, how much can you expect the floor to add to the value of your home? In general, you can expect much more resale value to come from tile than laminate, largely due to its durability.
• Cost: How much can you expect to pay for the flooring? This is certainly a factor to consider, and laminate will just about always be cheaper than tile. There is some variance within laminate depending on the kind of floor you choose, though.

Interested in learning more about how to choose between laminate and tile flooring in Litchfield County, CT? We encourage you to contact the team at Green View Building & Design Company, Inc. with any questions you have about our services.

Categorised in: Flooring