How Long Does Laminate Flooring Last?

Many homeowners like laminate flooring because it can add beauty and durability to their homes. Your laminate floors should last between 15 and 25 years on average, or even longer with proper care and upkeep, depending on the flooring’s quality. However, the main factors that determine how long your laminate flooring will last are flooring materials, installation process, maintenance, and amount of foot traffic.

Laminate Flooring Materials

The layers of elements that make up laminate flooring, including bonding agents, make it tough and long-lasting. It comes in different thicknesses, with thicker laminate costing more but being more resilient. The laminate is more fade-resistant than vinyl flooring since the graphic is printed and embossed across the entire surface. The thickness of the laminate flooring’s wear layer is an important consideration. If your wear layer is worn down, the surface of your laminate flooring could begin to become scuffed and lose it’s wood look.

Laminate Floor Installation

In order to ensure your laminate flooring’s longevity it is important to install your laminate floors correctly. We always recommend to remove any previous flooring and start your installation from the subfloor. If your subfloor has major imperfections you will want to fix these before installation. For any smaller imperfections, install a flooring underlayment. A high quality underlayment will protect your flooring from minor subfloor imperfections affecting the finished floor. Underlayment also helps absorb impacts from foot traffic helping support the planks click-lock-systems.

We created QuietWalk underlayment for this very reason. It is made of dense recycled fibers that cover subfloor imperfections and support your new laminate flooring.

Laminate Flooring Maintenance

To extend the lifespan of your laminate flooring, it’s critical to adhere to the proper cleaning and maintenance techniques. Use a moist mop rather than one that is entirely soaked, and avoid using acidic cleaning products like vinegar and ammonia. Pets should have their nails cut, and sofa and table legs should have protected furniture feet placed under them to prevent scratching. If you routinely sweep your floors with a broom and dustpan or vacuum them with a soft-brush attachment, they will continue to seem brand-new. Here is a more in depth guide for cleaning your laminate flooring.

Laminate Flooring Foot Traffic

Foot traffic can have a major impact on how long laminate flooring lasts. The higher the foot traffic, the lower the lifespan of laminate floors. Places like bedrooms will last much longer than kitchen and hallway areas.

Another factor is how many people are living in the home. For example, for a busy household with kids and pets, your laminate floors may only last a decade. On the other hand, if you live alone or just with your significant other your laminate flooring could last up to 25 years.

Your Laminate Flooring’s Future

While there isn’t really a single correct response to the question “how long does laminate flooring last,” you can count on this hard flooring to last at least ten years. Your laminate flooring will reward you with many years of delight if you take proper care of it.

Always go for laminate flooring that is covered by a warranty and produced by a reputable company. Your new floors will last for many years if the proper installation procedures are followed and they are well-maintained.