The Differences Between Tile and Laminate Flooring – Pros and Cons of Both

The Differences Between Tile and Laminate Flooring – Pros and Cons of Both

Laminate flooring was invented in the 70s by a Swedish company called Perstop. It was under the brand name Pergo. It was marketed in the 80s and it came to the US in the mid-90s. Pergo later became the flooring division of Perstop. Laminate flooring is a multilayered flooring product. It is considered a hybrid since synthetic product is fused together with a lamination process.

This type of tiling replicates hardwood or stone, but it is clearly not made out of it. The inner layer of the tile is made of fiber board and melamine resin. A lot of people like laminate flooring, but along with its multiple plus points there are a few negatives as well. Here are a few pros and cons of laminate flooring:

Pros-

  • Majority of people like laminate flooring because it is very easy to install. Several hundred square feet of ground space can be installed within a couple of days.
  • Compared to other floor tiling, laminate flooring is very easy to clean.
  • Laminate flooring is impervious to scratches and dent compared to other forms of flooring. There are companies which offer warranties of more than a decade for this kind of flooring. It is known as a “wear layer” in the industry which enables it to protect the photographic layer which is situated underneath.
  • It is a very tough form of flooring, which is also stain resistant. Even if there are stains, it is easy to just clean it up with a mop.
  • Laminate flooring comes with a click lock design which comes with dry glue. So it can be applied on to the floor, just with a swipe of a moist cloth or water.
  • Laminate flooring is good for moist places.

Cons-

  • Laminate flooring looks like wood or stone but it is not. It is made out of artificial material which can bother a few.
  • This type of flooring is slippery in nature.
  • Laminate flooring cannot be repaired and refinished as a replacement is required if there are deep scratches.
  • Tile is manufactured out of materials such as stone, metal, glass and even ceramic. These are all hard wearing material. It can used for any type of covering job e.g. floor, roof, walls etc. Nowadays tiles are also made out of materials such as wood, perlite, mineral wool etc.
  • Tile flooring is considered one of the most popular forms of flooring today. There are a lot of reasons why tile flooring is so popular, but there are a few drawbacks as well. The following are the pros and cons of tile flooring:

Pros-

  • Tile floors are very durable.
  • Tile floors are very easy to clean.
  • Attractive flooring options are available with tile flooring.
  • This type of flooring is easy repairable.
  • Tile flooring is available everywhere.
  • It is stain resistant in nature.
  • It is not damaged by water, so it is an excellent flooring option for bathroom.
  • An excellent option for kitchen flooring as well.

Cons-

  • Cold weather can cause colder underfoot.
  • Tile flooring is a bit slippery in nature.
  • It is very uncomfortable in case someone is standing for a long period of time.
  • Tile flooring does not have any sound dampening qualities.

Donna J. Seymour