Where can laminated floors be laid?

Laminate wood floors are extremely versatile flooring products that can be installed in almost every room of a home over wood, concrete or tile. Many laminate floor manufacturers market their laminate wood floors as an ‘install anywhere’ product but... this isn’t really true. Although laminate floors are water resistant they are NOT waterproof so are not recommended for wet areas like kitchens or bathrooms. A consumer would probably get away with using laminate in a kitchen but bathrooms in particular are going to get wet on a regular basis. Over time water seepage will cause swelling of the planks which will lead to delamination and tenting. Rather recommend Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) for these areas. 


Laminate should also not be installed over carpet, parquet flooring or uneven tiles. Carpet is too flexible to provide a stable base for laminate flooring, parquet flooring is notoriously irregular and uneven tiles must be rescreeded and grout lines must be filled in. When laying over concrete that is either prone to damp or has not properly cured it is essential to lay laminate over a damp-proofing membrane.


Laminate can also be installed on stairs but this is a tricky business and a professional installer is recommended.


In general laminate installations should be in climatically stable environments, avoiding extreme temperature variations or excessive humidity. Manufacturer’s installation recommendations should always be followed to ensure a successful installation.

Contact us with any enquiries about laminate or LVT flooring.