Laminate....

[mumblejumble]

is it always rubbish? Which is a good choice, if I was to spend circa £22 per m2. Would go for engineered wood floorng, but fitting costs put it outside of my budget.
So which one is good, and looks like real wood?

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are you sure engineered will cost more to lay? Why? £22 sounds very cheap.

laminate is hardboard with a picture of wood stuck to the top, so will never look as good or be as strong. IMO the tile-effect laminate looks better than fake wood

here are some engineered boards there are ALWAYS offers on. I like the Parawood (from Rubber trees)

And here are solid ones

I have been thinking about this also. I think the quality of laminate has improved a lot since it started becoming popular.

Piglet - your advice is always helpful on this board. Do you have any thoughts on 3mm v 6mm top layer on engineered wiid? Big price difference but is the former less durable?

I had it years back, and inherited it in this house, it's ok, not something I would get again and pay for.

3mm should last a long time. 6mm is a quarter of an inch, I find it hard to think how you could ever wear it down that far, but I suppose you could sand and revarnish it several times. Before you get that far, you or the next owner will probably have remodelled the house and carpeted or put down tiles as fashions will change. For appearance, there should be no difference.

Personally I prefer solid hardwood, though, especially when you can buy it for a similar price. Engineered flooring is basically ply, with cheap middle and bottom layers, and a fancy top layer.

Laminate is basically rubbish.

If you are laying a new floor, consider what is underneath it. Chipboard is awful stuff, and is at its best when laid on a bonfire. It will not securely accept nails, and is often swollen, cracked or broken.

Thanks piglet! Are you based on London? If so and if you are onterested in some work, PM me.

Well we had Quickstep perspective 4 laminate in our old house and have just moved and I was SO impressed with it we are putting it everywhere here too.
I am very fussy and like a real wood look. The flooring in our last place was great, one of my best ever buys.
It's also easy to lay. We are putting it down at the moment partly ourselves & a bit of help from a Handyman & he is also impressed.
We chose Harvest Oak but there are lots of choices. It's about £18 a metre online.

sometimes, but no.

Wow thanks for all the replies. Almonzo, am thinking of 'quickstep perspective', have heard good things about it.
I'm still considering engineered, plus think dh prefers it to laminated. I think he has found a joiner to fit it.
The house has solid floorboards, have just had them prepped for laying flooring.Piglet John, solid wood floor is something to consider, but worried about looking after it.

solid, and engineered, should be much the same. The top layer will be the same wood.

A good joiner should do a very nice job. I'd suggest also taking the skirting boards off first, and fitting new ones, to tone or match, after the floor is down. That way the cut edges of floor, and the expansion gaps, will be under the skirting, out of sight, instead of needing to be concealed with beading or strip (it is also possible to draught-proof better). A good joiner can make nice corners in skirting, especially internal corners which will open up if mitred.

if you are going for engineered wood then go for 6mm if it is within your budget
yes it should last a long time but accidents happen and it's better to be able to have the option of sanding it back

I have parawood floor in my living room which has an outside door and it is scratched to buggery from stones being carried in on people's shoes etc and I put it i specifically because it has an outside door, I thought it would be hard wearing

also you need to consider which room it's going in (you haven't said) as laminate is suited to some rooms better than real wood