Busting Laminate Myths

Laminate flooring has changed. But have consumers' perceptions changed with it?

New research commissioned by Quick-Step among 1,200 UK consumers has revealed that some long-standing misconceptions about laminate are still influencing how people view the flooring, from concerns about water and noise to the belief that it simply isn’t as beautiful as other flooring types.

The findings present an opportunity to challenge outdated perceptions and show just how far laminate flooring has come.

The online survey, which explored consumers’ attitudes towards different types of flooring, revealed a mixed picture for laminate. On the positive side, many respondents associated it with being easy to clean and good quality, while some also felt it could give their home a classy look.

Yet the research also uncovered several barriers. Concerns about water, noise and heat resistance were among the reasons given for not considering laminate, alongside perceptions around its appearance.

For Quick-Step, many of these concerns belong firmly in the past. Advances in product design and technology mean today’s laminate can offer a very different experience to the floors consumers may remember. So, it’s time to bust some of laminate’s biggest myths, one floor at a time.

MYTH #1: Laminate flooring Isn’t waterproof - BUSTED

There may have been some truth to this decades ago, but laminate technology has moved on. Quick-Step introduced its first waterproof laminate collection without the need for joint seals in 2014. Twelve years later, almost all Quick-Step laminate floors are waterproof and suitable for use in bathrooms and kitchens.

That means consumers who automatically rule out laminate for rooms where splashes, spills and moisture are part of everyday life could be overlooking a flooring option that’s more than capable of handling them.

MYTH #2: Laminate is noisy and sounds hollow underfoot. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO.

The floor itself is only part of the story. What goes underneath it matters too.

Every laminate floor should be installed with an appropriate underlay, but different underlays deliver different acoustic performance. Quick-Step Silent Walk is designed to significantly reduce footstep noise, helping create a quieter, more comfortable floor underfoot.

MYTH #3: Laminate is difficult and messy to install. BUSTED - A LONG TIME AGO.

Quick-Step introduced the world’s first glueless installation system in 1997. Since then, its Uniclic technology has helped make laminate flooring quicker, cleaner and easier to fit without the need to glue individual planks together. And even more intricate looks have become easier to achieve.

Quick-Step’s Impressive Design herringbone collection features the Unizip system, taking much of the complexity out of creating one of interiors’ most enduring flooring patterns. The result? Statement flooring without the installation headache you might expect.

MYTH #4: Laminate is ugly and doesn’t look like real wood. IT’S TIME TO LOOK AGAIN.

For some consumers, the word ‘laminate’ may still conjure up images of glossy, artificial-looking boards with obviously repeated wood patterns. Modern laminate can be a very different proposition.

Quick-Step uses true-to-nature designs, deeper and more varied surface textures and matt finishes to create floors that capture the character and detail of real wood with remarkable realism. The result is a floor designed not only to look like natural timber, but to feel convincing too. In fact, at first glance, customers might find it surprisingly difficult to tell the difference.

Seeing laminate differently

With these myths busted, today’s laminate makes a compelling proposition for those looking for a floor that combines great design with everyday practicality.

It can be easy to install, simple to live with, suitable for demanding areas of the home and impressively realistic, all qualities that make it worthy of a place on interior project shortlists.

The research is also a reminder that some people may have perceptions of laminate based on what the flooring used to be, rather than what it is today.