WHAT FLOORING IS BETTER, CARPET OR LAMINATE?

Making a choice between laminate or carpet in your property can be difficult and time consuming with questions such as ‘Where will you be installing your new flooring‘? ‘Who will be using the room’? ‘Which is better to install carpet or laminate‘? ‘How much will laminate or carpet cost‘? And so on.

Both laminate and carpet provide many benefits but the decision will be based on a personal taste, preference and need. We will give you a breakdown of the comparison of each flooring in hopes that it will help make your decision easier.

INSTALLATION.
Carpet requires a professional Installation for a truly magnificent appearance. For a first time DIY enthusiast making an error can be costly and will most likely make the carpet worthless if wrong cuts are made.
On the other hand laminate can be easy to install and also save you a considerable amount of money by doing it yourself, making it perfect for DIY enthusiasts.
DURABILITY.
Durability is a major criteria of buying new flooring for your property. Both carpet and laminate should come with a manufacturer warranty. Depending on usage and care, an average range carpet should last about 5-10 years while a luxury design can last up to 15 years, before needing replacement.
For an average range Laminate flooring this should last for up to 10-15 years but bear in mind this could be a lot less for cheaper ranges of Laminate floors.
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
With any kind of flooring it is possible that you may burn, spill, pluck (for carpets) or even scratch (for laminate) your floor someday​, while this can happen​Laminate is easy to clean, maintain and is very durable. You can simply replace any damaged plank or even use a repair kit to fix any kind of damage, scratch or chip on it while carpets can be prone to stains in high traffic areas i.e hallway, living room etc.
While in situations like this for carpets, deep cleaning or applying stain remover can be handy to remove stains however, in the worst case scenario it is not possible to cut out the affected areas and replace it with another carpet without it being noticeable.
PETS AND CHILDREN.
Laminate has more advantages with pets and children as pet hairs are easily ​be ​removed from laminate floors, they don’t stain from spillages, doesn’t pluck like carpet, does not retain pet odours.
While carpets on the other hand are softer for comfort and do not chip or scratch easily.
STYLE.
Carpet is very comfortable underfoot and an ideal way to create a luxurious and warm feel in the home while Laminate comes in a different range​, ​effects​ and designs​ including tiles,
While Laminate comes in a different range​, ​effects​ and designs​ including tiles, hardwood and even marble which can make an impact in any room making it look elegant and classy.
COSTS.
The price range for carpets will vary for a number of reasons such as the texture, pile depth, weaves, the brand and the materials used (i.e polyester, wool, cotton, polypropylene etc.). In the current market, LOW BUDGET CARPET will cost around £4 – £7 per square meter, MID BUDGET CARPET will cost around £14 – £21 per square metre and a luxury carpet can cost around £30 and higher while carpet installation will cost around £4 – £8 per square meter. When using a carpet fitter there are various factors to bear in mind such as if the carpet fitter will remove the old flooring and also install new underlay etc.
Laminate flooring materials usually cost between £4 – £35 per m2, depending on the style and quality that you choose, also if you want this installed by a professional you are looking at paying around  £9 – £11 per m2.

IN CONCLUSION

laminate flooring and carpet have their benefits. For affordability and practicality laminate flooring is most likely ideal, however for comfort, luxury and warm feeling a carpet is most likely ideal flooring, it all depends on your preference and what are looking for in your home. IQueue Property Solutions install all kinds of flooring at a competitive price. Feel free to contact us for information.