Are you looking into renovating your floors and wondering about what type to choose? Or maybe, any dilemmas have already been resolved and you’ve decided to go for the popular laminate flooring option? Good choice. Relatively easy-to-install, durable and inexpensive, laminate is a floating type of flooring that usually resembles timber or sometimes, stone.
It is made of several synthetic layers that are glued together, with the top one offering protection against scratches, spillages, and general wear and tear for years to come. Also, the good news is that laminate flooring cost doesn’t need to break the bank.
Right then, this post will elaborate on how budget-friendly is the laminate installation process, explore the benefits of selecting this type of floor material, as well as cover any additional expenses to consider in more detail.
So, if you:
You’ve come to the right place.
Known as a DIY-friendly option, fitting your home with laminate floors has an array of advantages. Add the fact that it comes in a variety of designs and colours, as well, and you’ll simply find yourself lost for choice, as soon as you enter your local flooring supplies store.
But there are even more pros of going for a laminate floating floor:
Laminate flooring cost per square metre depends on the type of material used and its quality. For instance, engineered timber looks and is installed very much like laminate but it’s far superior, in terms of the materials involved to produce it.
The price can range between $15 and $45 per sq. m., where the thickness of the board and its finish also play a role. For instance, 6mm-thick floorboards will be naturally cheaper per sq. m. than boards that are 12mm thick. And when it comes to finishes, a hand-scraped brushed or textured-looking laminate finish that appears more realistic may also come with a higher price tag than laminate flooring that offers the standard smooth look.
Going back to the quality of the material, we can note here that the more durable and costly engineered timber floating floor is made of layers of plywood, where the top layer is also made of real prefinished wood. In contrast, the more affordable laminate flooring is made of thin pressed wood boards with the top layer being a photographic applique layer that only looks like wood.
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These calculations are to be used as a cost guide only. They do not take waste into consideration. For more information on our flooring range, please consult a team member at your local Bunnings Warehouse.
What is the cost of installing your laminate flooring, you may wonder. And what prices are we looking at for other labour job aspects if you hire a professional floor installation company?
Depending again on various factors, laminate flooring installation cost per sq. m. in Australia comes in the range of $35 – $50 per sq. m.
Let’s see now what goes into the formation of the final price.
As you can see, a lot comes into play when considering the cost to install laminate flooring or a similar floating floor material. Well, you may be tempted to try to save money by trying to renovate your floor by yourself, but trust us, a lot can go wrong in the process.
For example, a badly levelled floor surface or incorrect spacing between the laminate floorboards and the skirting boards can easily result in gaps forming in a month or two. Not to mention dealing with complex design finishes that require artistic skills to form an eye-pleasing and aesthetic-looking overall floor pattern.
Need professional help with your laminate floor installation? Get in touch with a Fantastic flooring expert now!
Naturally, there’s some preparation to do, as well, before the actual floor installation takes place. So, consider the following when you try to budget for your floor renovation project.
Although it’s not unheard of to install laminate on a perfectly fine floor surface, such as vinyl or tiles, most people go ahead with their floor renovation project if the old floor or floor covering is damaged. So, be it a worn-out, stained carpet or old and warped laminate floorboards, removing those also comes at a cost of $10 to $35 per sq. m., depending on the type. Lifting a carpet is naturally cheaper than dismantling a wooden, tile or wood-like flooring. This is probably where you can save money by removing the old floor and clearing the debris yourself.
This usually applies when you’ve removed an old wooden or damaged tile floor and underneath you’ve got a concrete subfloor to prepare and level. Leave this job to an expert, as the success of your laminate installation project will depend highly on how well the above has been executed. Peaking, gapping, warping will be all unwanted “extras” if your subfloor is badly prepared. The levelling job will come at additional cost, of course, in terms of materials and labour.
Then, comes the waterproofing of the sub-surface with an appropriate material that will ensure that issues like dampness are dealt with properly. Again, this applies, especially, to concrete subfloors. On the other hand, if you’re using an existing subfloor (vinyl or tiles), you have to ensure that it’s in good condition and water-resistant. This means that any needed repairs (fixing cracks, regrouting, replacement, etc.) to the surface should also be considered and factored into the total cost.
Even if you have a perfectly waterproof subfloor, an underlay is always fitted under the laminate floorboards to insulate against sound and to secure better the whole interlocking system. Prices for the underlay start from as little as $2 per sq. m. for a low-quality material and can reach up to $10 per sq.m for high-quality floor insulation. Finally, let’s not forget the skirting boards that need to be purchased and installed, too. Your professional laminate installer will incorporate the labour cost for installing those in the final quote for the job, too.
Did you find our post helpful enough to share with your friends? Have you tried to install a laminate or another type of floating floor by yourself? Then, tell us how you did in the comments below!
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