Waterproof laminate flooring buying guide

Moisture is the number one enemy of wood-based flooring like laminate. If water is allowed to sit on traditional laminate boards or tiles, the floor can swell and misshape creating an ugly buckled effect. Worse still, wood floors can have the annoying habit of lifting entirely if they're allowed to swell too much. In this case, the damage is irreversible.

However, using the latest technology, manufacturers have managed to create laminate flooring that is much more water-resistant meaning this type of flooring can now be used in kitchens and bathrooms. Waterproof laminate flooring is therefore able to handle things like:

• pet 'accidents';

• water splashing in the bathroom or kitchen;

• stagnant water from spills, for example.

Laminate flooring that has been specially designed for bathrooms or kitchens is made waterproof in two stages:

• the wood-based support layers of the laminate are strengthened to make them more resistant to swelling;

• a special surface treatment is added to the decorative top layer and wear layer which prevents water from infiltrating the laminate boards or tiles.

But beware – even waterproof laminate won't tolerate being submerged in water for any length of time following events like leaks or floods. In fact, no type of flooring will stand up to this kind of water damage with the exception of tiles.

It's worth noting that waterproof laminate doesn't have to be used in a room with moisture. While waterproof laminate is generally designed for kitchen or bathroom use, it'll certainly be able to cope in a living room or bedroom. In fact, there's nothing stopping you from laying it in any room of the home!

Now we know that water-resistant laminate can be used in any room of the house, let's think about finding a laminate to match our preferences!

To start off, here is a round-up of the main characteristics of waterproof laminate flooring:

• the most common thickness is 8 mm;

• boards will generally measure 190 mm in width and 1200 mm in length on average;

• waterproof laminate has a minimum European wear class of 32 meaning it can be used in any room of the home and is highly scratch- and impact-resistant.

• faux wood laminate usually comes in boards and this is the most common format;

• stone effect floors usually come in tiles though this is a less popular option;

• bathroom and kitchen laminate flooring can feature a bevelled edge.

Laminate flooring is getting more realistic all the time and can look just like a real hardwood floor. It is designed to imitate the features of wood perfectly. Oak is still the most common laminate finish though various colours and effects can be recreated with surprising accuracy, including:

• wood knots;

• colour variations between boards;

• whitewash, grey or dark oak effects.

These are some of the most common options available but all sorts of patterns can be recreated from traditional to modern finishes.

Waterproof laminate flooring is installed just like ordinary laminate and will always form a floating floor. The boards are designed to clip together and must be installed on top of a suitable underlay.

Start in the corner of the room with a full board and carry on until you reach the opposite wall cutting your final board to size to fill in the gap. You can then use the cut-off from the final board in the first row to start the next row. Up to this point, installation is no different from regular laminate.

It is essential to leave a minimum expansion gap of 8 mm around the room. You can use special spacers to ensure this gap is maintained. Laminate flooring mustn't come into contact with any surround surface and should not be blocked in any spot – pay special attention around doors!

The expansion gap is the only part of the floor where water could potentially get in. If you do choose a waterproof laminate, you will have to fill in the gap with a clear sealant. Without this sealant, the floor will lose its waterproof properties.

Quick tip: to avoid having to use too much sealant, you can always insert a foam expansion strip before covering it with sealant. You can then fit your skirting boards over the top and your floor will be completely watertight.

Before you settle on a laminate floor, you should be aware that not all laminate flooring is suitable for use in kitchens, bathrooms or utility rooms. You need to be quite careful when making your choice. Look out for labels such as 'suitable for bathrooms' or 'water-resistant'.

Waterproof laminate flooring used to be more expensive than traditional laminate but this is no longer really the case. What's more, moisture resistance is now becoming quite a common feature of regular laminate flooring and that is no bad thing. Just beware that low-end laminate will rarely be suitable for bathroom or kitchen use.

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