Does Laminate Flooring Make Your House Colder

Despite being around for decades, laminate flooring is still one of the most popular options for families that need fast, affordable, and durable flooring. Laminate flooring is excellent for many reasons, but many wonder if it makes a home feel colder.

Yes, laminate flooring has the reputation of making the floor colder, and it’s unlikely to affect your whole home unless you have laminate flooring throughout your house.

Advertisements

You have a few ways to approach this problem and remedy it. If you want to have laminate flooring in your home, but are worried about the potential consequences of a colder experience, let me give you some ideas.

Table of Contents

Why Laminate Flooring Make Your House Colder

Laminate flooring gets engineered to be durable and long-lasting, so it’s made with materials that do not keep the heat very well, making laminate flooring feel colder than other types of flooring, such as carpet or hardwood.

Laminate floors also have an underlayment material designed to help level the floor, making a room feel colder because it acts as an insulation barrier between the floor and your feet.

Advertisements

Fixes for Cold Laminate Floors

You can try a few solutions if you have laminate floors that make your house feel cold. Here are some of my tips.

Area Rug

One potential fix for cold floors is to invest in an area rug. An area rug can help soften the look of your laminate flooring and also help to insulate the bottom from the cold. Area rugs are available in various sizes, colors, and styles for a fit that meets your home’s design aesthetic.

Heated Floors

Another potential solution is to install heated floors. Heated flooring is becoming increasingly popular, helping keep your house warm while protecting your laminate flooring from the cold.

Different heated floors, such as electric radiant heat or hydronic systems, are available. Electric radiant heat is typically the most affordable option, but you will need to make sure that you hire a qualified electrician to install it.

Hydronic systems are more expensive but efficient and provide better insulation than traditional electric radiant heat.

Benefits of Laminate Floors

Even though laminate floors come with the potential downfall of being cold underfoot, they also come with a slew of other benefits that are sure to outweigh the potential pitfall of cold feet, especially considering there are several fixes to that issue.

Here are some benefits that come along with laminate flooring.

Durable

The main benefit of laminate floors is their incredible durability. They designed laminate to be scratch and dent-resistant for long life.

Easy To Clean

Laminate floors are also effortless to clean, which makes them great for busy households. Laminate floors can be swept and mopped easily and don’t require special cleaners or chemicals.

Design Options

AdvertisementsAnother reason so many love laminate flooring is the various design options available. Laminate flooring is available in multiple colors and styles, so you can easily find the perfect look for your home.

Affordable

Finally, laminate floors are very affordable. If you’re looking for an economical flooring option that won’t break the bank, then laminate is excellent!

Alternatives to Laminate Floors

Here are some alternative flooring options that offer many of the same benefits without the drawbacks of laminate flooring.

Hardwood

Hardwood floors are an excellent alternative for people who don’t want laminate floors because of cold. Hardwood floors are a timeless classic renowned for their beauty, durability, and longevity. Unlike laminate flooring, hardwood is naturally more able to keep warmth without additional insulation, making it an excellent option for those seeking an alternative to laminate flooring.

Hardwood floors have a variety of species, finishes, and textures. Many homeowners opt for easy-to-clean pre-finished hardwoods because of easy installation.

Hardwood floors can last up to 30 years when stained or sealed correctly and require very little maintenance compared to carpets or other flooring materials. They add value to your home, so if you ever decide to sell it, you can expect a higher resale value than if you had opted for laminate flooring.

Hardwoods, while naturally beautiful and durable, also offer excellent thermal insulation benefits because of their high density. Temperature changes do not affect hardwoods so the floor will remain warm underfoot even during colder months. 

For maximum thermal efficiency, add a layer of insulation with low thermal resistance beneath the hardwood floor before installation; however, this should not be necessary with most installs as long as there is sufficient air circulation between the subfloor and the finished wood surface.

Hardwood flooring provides an ideal balance between beauty and warmth that many people struggle to find with other types of flooring, such as laminate options that get cold quickly when exposed to lower temperatures. With its attractive appearance, impressive durability, and excellent thermal insulation qualities, it’s no wonder that so many homeowners have made hardwood their preferred choice over other materials when deciding about their home’s interior design style.

Carpet

Carpet is another option for those wanting to avoid the stark coldness of laminate flooring. Carpet comes in various styles, colors, and fibers, so there’s something for everyone. It’s also very comfortable underfoot and provides excellent insulation benefits, making it the perfect choice for those cold winter months.

You can easily vacuum carpets or steam clean them, making them easy to maintain. Rugs or carpets come in different thicknesses and densities, meaning that you can choose a style that will insulate your home from cold weather. They often manufactured mats with wool, adding additional insulation to the flooring surface.

Although carpets are more expensive than laminate floors and require more maintenance, they provide excellent insulation from the cold. They are a great alternative to laminate flooring. Plus, they come in various colors and patterns, so you can easily find one that matches your decor.

Let’s Recap

Laminate flooring can be cold and uncomfortable underfoot during the winter months. Fortunately, there are several alternatives and options. Now that you know everything about laminate flooring and how to address the problem of it being cold in the winter, you can make the right decision for your home!