Laminate advice

No, I don't have any advice. I'm looking for some.


I do not like making decorating decisions. Den and I really do love the floors we had but we found out they were discontinued last year. 

The company we bought it from, Wilsonart, also quit making laminate entirely, just last year also. When we chose that flooring in 2005 (the day after our last son left on his mission),  I just asked the company what their top seller was, and went with that. It really worked well for us and went well with everything.


I also liked the shine on our laminate. It looked like I waxed it which of course I didn't. People would say my house looked clean even when it wasn't.


Now the ones I look at either are so glossy they look plastic and outdated, or they look like real wood with no shine at all. I guess most people would like the wood look right? 
I'm trying to. 
Laminate has really changed in 6 years.


We are in the process of getting quotes on what it would cost to replace our flooring. And what our insurance is willing to pay remains to be seen. We should be seeing those figures in the next day or 2. Of course we are hoping the replacement quotes/Insurance figures will match somewhat.

Here's what I'd like to know. Do you prefer this look in laminate? 

I think it's called the beveled look. The samples we've seen truly look like wood, no doubt. The way I understand, this is more modern looking. But one carpet representative told us today, he sees it as a fad 


Or do you like the more traditional look? It all just flows together.


You can tell me, I won't be hurt.


Seriously I want to know what you think. I'm not just looking for someone to agree with me. We are definitely still in the looking stage of all this. I'm open to learn.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm very curious about the advice people will give you. We are needing to get a new floor in our kitchen and I have no experience with laminate. I just don't like how loud it is to walk on. Which of the two choices is easiest to clean? Is one thinner than the other? More spongy? Shows water spots more?
darlene

Dad and Susan said...

Oh Jill, I feel for you having to choose new flooring when you had the absolute perfect kind before. I really envied the shine and/or gloss you had. I like the wider planks and the darker wood. But this is an individual choice. I also like the more even color with the least variation. Again, personal choice. Good luck. Love, Dad and Susan

P.S. I'd be doing some research on HGTV.com.

Grandma Honey said...

Susan~ I've been watching lots of House Hunters on TLC but didn't even think of HGTV. I will check that out!

Darlene~ What I've learned so far, from 6 years of having laminate....is darker colors are harder to clean. They show everything. I've heard a lighter floor (but not too light like a basketball court) shows less. We've been throwing dust and dirt on samples and see how they look.

One bit of advice one of the salesmen told us...buy one box of the laminate you like (about $40. a box) put it together and just live with it for awhile to see how you like it. If you decide not to go with that color you will be out the $40. but at least you won't be making the wrong choice.

Rebecca said...

Hummm....hard choice.
I like the first one. But I have also learned that for me, the older I get the less I like change, so if you are like me, maybe you should go with the one that is most like your old floors? The cleaning thing is something to keep in mind.

Heidi Garvin said...

I would think that the traditional laminate flooring in a medium color would be what I would prefer. The apartment I live in now has beveled, very light, laminate wood floors. I personally do not like the beveled floor as it is slightly more difficult to clean, in my opinion. To clean floors, I like to give it a good clean with a traditional mop about once a month and maintain in between cleanings by doing a quick clean with a swiffer mop. With the beveled floors, the swiffer just pushes all the dirt into the those spaces between the pieces of laminate! You really have to be committed to cleaning your floor often and well with the beveled laminate.

Heidi Garvin said...

Also, with my current very light wood floors and my dark hair, I can see every piece of hair that I have shed on the floor. I imagine the dark wood would have the opposite problem and that light hair and dust would be very visible.

Susan Anderson said...

We have the first type of laminate in our home. People always think it's real wood, and we love it. We go the hickory color, which hides dirt very well.

=)

Ammy said...

I don't know too much about wood flooring, even though my brother in law (sisters hubs) lays in every so often. I LOVE the more traditional look. That's what I want....ONE DAY!

grandmapeg said...

Nick has the real wood floor which looks like your first darker laminate. It is hard to keep it looking clean but maybe the dark laminate wouldn't. Becky has a medium shade of laminate and it always looks nice. I guess it depends on if you like the darker or lighter shade. I know you loved your floor before so it's a shame thatit isn't available anymore.

Grandma Honey said...

Heidi~ SO glad you mentioned about the beveled one trapping dirt. I wondered about that so now I know. Suddenly I don't want that one.

grandmapeg~ I think med shade is the way to go. I like the look of dark wood but I think it would show too much.

Sue~ We are actually looking at a Hickory color right now. Good to know you like yours.

C Dawn's bucket said...

have you checked out Sam's Club or Costco? We found the laminate we put in our house at Sam's Club. It was the highest quality, thickest and best made laminate for a fraction of the price of the home improvement stores. It might be worth checking out....

Becky Jane said...

We are birds of a feather. i have the same picture (the last one) saved in my new house folder for ideas for flooring!

Lighter color is better because the dust doesn't show as easily. I like the beveled if it's not too deep (catches too much dirt when trying to clean). I have both the beveled and the flat in different rooms in my current house and I like the look of the beveled.

I think I missed something...why are you replacing your floor?

Darlene said...

I'm not much help but I actually like both. I love the color of the beveled floor, but think it might be harder to clean. Can't you get the other one is a slightly darker color.

I wish we had laminate. They didn't recommend it here in the desert. Don't ask me why. We ended up getting tile that looked like wood. I have a friend that loved mine so much that she got it only in a little darker color than mine and her grout was darker. I am so jealous because after a year or so, hers still looks gorgeous while my grout is impossible to clean so my kitchen looks bad. We are going to try to get it professsionally cleaned and then if it works, seal it better. Be sure to take pictures when you get it done.

Anonymous said...

The real estate agent in me says the darker wider plank. However, you are not selling your home anytime soon.... so it is whatever makes you happy. I do think that you were right the lightewr one looks like a basketball court. The darker color with your current decor and wall colors will look more homey and comfortable. I am a fan of teh wider plank and darker. as for the salesman comment about a fad, yes he is right to an extent. I think that it would be more appealing that the lighter choice and would have a buyer be more inclined to look further with that and pay more for a home. I dont see that floor going out of style anytime soon.

True hardwoods are always my favorite.. but very expensive.. alos.. have them check the kickplate of your cabinets for damage. you may also have them do a moisyture reading in your walls for future mold problems. I have had this on homes before and the moisyure reading is a needlike device they push into the wall and see if there is moisture there and where the baseboards need replaced. Best of luck to you .. I so enjoy your blog and while I was recovering from surgery I was online more than usual, it was interesting watching your holiday adventure unfold. Your attitude was awesome.. I respect you tons.. best to you and Dennis Jay

Eileen said...

I love the look of the first one, it definitely looks like hardwood flooring.
We have the look of the second one, I feel that it is kind of boring, not great for resale, BUT so easy to keep clean! So I'm happy with it.

'Can't wait to see what it all looks like in your home!
Love and Prayers,
Eileen

Heidi Garvin said...

I can't help but think of the time you were re-carpeting your house (also after a water damage disaster, I believe?). My mom and I came over to look at carpet samples and give our opinions. I distinctly remember putting the samples on the floor and SITTING on them! I also laid on my tummy and put my elbows on them. You see, those were the ways I usually interacted with your living room carpet, so I wanted to make sure the new one could stand up to it, as well! I distinctly remember one carpet showing the dent of my elbows longer than the other one. In my opinion, that one was the lesser of the two.

Maybe you should have grand babies over to roll around on some samples of laminate and decide that way. :-)

Grandma Honey said...

Heidi~~I think that was 1997. Our only other "flood." A toilet was running over for 3 hours while we were at a friends' house for dinner. We came back to more than 1/2 of the house soaked in water. What a memory you have!

Anonymous said...

Go with the darker flooring so you know you are a great housekeeper. Seriously, by the time you notice dirt/dust on the light floor, that's way too much filth for good health!!

threelittlebackseatdrivers.blogspot.com said...

Ok, we've had both real hardwood floors and now laminate in this house. We have the first option with the slit in it...it's very pretty if it never got dirty. I think this lighter color would help, ours are dark and it shows every speck of dirt and crumb. But also, if anything spills on it, you have to get down on your hands and knees and clean the slit out too. If you don't mind that, then I would go with the top because it looks trendier. BUT for cleaning sake, I would go with smooth and shiny....something that always looks clean even if it isn't. Is there an option to go with just a shade darker in the smooth option? This blogger I read just went through a smiliar problem...their refrigerator broke and they had to replace their wood floors. I'll email you the links. She has a lot to say about the process of choosing. :)

Grandma Honey said...

Yes Natalie, I would LOVE her link. I've been doing all sort of googling on how to choose flooring and haven't found much help yet. I've been watching HGTV but I think it's just random when they will talk about flooring...hasn't happened yet but I'm still waiting. I was really hoping to find a personal blog where someone was on the hunt for flooring...so yes, please do share. :)

Ashley said...

I don't know much about flooring, but I just went to Andrew's grandmothers new house and she had something i had never seen before: hardwood looking tile. It looked really nice. I thought it was a great idea if you wanted the hardwood look without all of the upkeep that wood requires.

kelly said...

I like them both, but I think I prefer the beveled, I also like the distressed look, mostly because I feel like if I had nice floors, someone would mess it up, and that way, it's already "messed" up and it's supposed to be that way!

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