Everyone wants to save money, so naturally you would be interested to find discounts on laminate hardwood flooring if you are planning a home improvement project. It is important to realize, however, that laminate hardwood flooring is not actually hardwood; it is a man-made flooring material that simulates the look of wood.
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Why pay anymore than you have to when you are able to find the flooring you want at discounted prices? Keep in mind that you want to purchase quality hardwood or laminate flooring at a cheap price and not cheap poorly made flooring that will need to be replaced in a few short years. When you look at it from that angle, buying poorly made flooring in order to save money now will not pay off in the long run.
There are many different varieties of flooring that will meet your budget if you just know where to look for it and from whom to buy it.
Actual Hardwood Flooring
Actual hardwood flooring is made of solid wood and is usually more expensive and somewhat more labor-intensive to install than laminate flooring. In addition to being more difficult to install, you will need to provide more of a commitment to maintaining your flooring for years to come in order to protect your investment. Once it becomes worn, you can always re-sand and refinish.
If you want to purchase hardwood flooring, you do have several options available to you. You could purchase:
- Traditional hardwood flooring, which will need to be nailed or glued during installation to a subfloor system or prepared concrete slab surface.
- Engineered flooring that consists of several layers in which the top layer is actual hardwood and will need to be glued during installation to the subfloor or prepared slab surface.
- Click lock flooring, which is similar to engineered flooring in that it consists of several layers with the top layer being actual wood. Instead of gluing, the boards snap together and float above the subfloor or prepared slab surface and are held in place by molding.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring, on the other hand, is manufactured from wood fiber, paper and resin–not actual wood. The simulation of wood that you see is actually a textured photograph of real wood that is laminated to the top layer of the plank, as shown in this illustration on the European Producers of Laminate Flooring’s website. When one refers to laminate hardwood flooring, they are most often referring to laminate flooring.
Today’s laminate flooring comes in many varieties that simulate hardwoods such as oak, cherry, and hickory, and is often mistaken for the real deal. The benefits of this type of flooring are often the ease of installation in addition to the care and maintenance. Most newer varieties of laminate flooring are manufactured for click lock installations; however, some older varieties exist that require gluing.
Laminate is often more durable than wood and is more tolerant to moisture. However, once the laminate surface is worn, the floor will need to be replaced because, unlike actual hardwood, laminate cannot be resurfaced.
Shop Online
Many websites out there say they offer laminate flooring at a discounted price, but buyer beware! While there are many reputable laminate dealers, you may come across some that may be questionable.
You want to make sure you are buying from a reputable source.
You can do your due diligence by checking out the supplier through a consumer rating agency such as the Better Business Bureau to see if it has a history of complaints and misleading the public. Check out other review sites on the Internet and see what customers have said about their dealings with that particular company.
Shopping online can be a great way to find discounts on laminate flooring without the hassle of traveling from store to store in search of a great deal. Many online floor retailers and wholesalers offer direct-from-manufacturer pricing and you can save potentially hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars with the discounts that may be provided.
Many flooring websites will offer rebates or coupons to further discount their already low prices. Social media sources are also a good way to find out about discounts from online suppliers, so be sure to friend the suppliers you come across so you will be privy to any special deals they may offer their fans. When you are planning a flooring project, be sure to check these sites often as you never know when an unexpected bargain may be offered.
A benefit of shopping for flooring online is the availability of so many different varieties of flooring at your fingertips where you can easily compare the pros and cons of each type.
Reputable sites will also offer full manufacturer’s warranties with their flooring, so you can rest assured you will receive the same protection as if you drove to the store, purchased your flooring in person, and brought it home.
Start Cruising the Home Improvement Stores
If you don’t mind doing a little traveling, you can always head out to the home improvement stores and check out what they have to offer. Often you may come across some great deals if the company has recently purchased a closeout of a particular brand or type of laminate flooring. When the store makes a deal with a manufacturer to purchase in a massive quantity, the savings are passed on to their customers.
These deals may vary from store to store within a chain, so you may want to check out additional locations if they are not too far from one another. Be sure to purchase a sufficient quantity of flooring to complete your job because, if you are purchasing manufacturer’s closeout flooring, you may not be able to obtain additional pieces if you run short when installing.
Check Out Flooring Stores
Some flooring retailers may run unannounced specials on laminate flooring. This could be because they had to place a special order for a customer who may have ended up not taking the flooring. Now the retailer is stuck with the flooring and wants to move it out. Alternatively, they may have had to place a special order that required a minimum amount, so they want to move that stock along.
Because store space is often a commodity, flooring retailers will want to move out older stock as new designs come along. This means discounted prices for you! Many stores will have a section devoted to discount flooring, which may be available in limited quantity, so be sure before you purchase that enough is available to fully complete your job with the extra needed in case of bad cuts or other mishaps.
Check Out Warehouse Clubs and Stores Specializing in Closeouts
If you belong to a warehouse club, you can often find great deals on flooring, but keep in mind this too many be in limited quantity. Warehouse clubs purchase products in large quantities and pass the savings along to their members, but if the flooring is a closeout, once the supply is gone, it is gone. Therefore, be sure to purchase enough, including extras.
If you return a few days later to purchase an additional amount, you may find yourself disappointed if it is all gone.
Stores specializing in purchasing manufacturers’ closeouts or overruns will also pass the savings along to their customers. Again, be sure to purchase a sufficient quantity to complete your job with extras because these bargains are often in limited quantities and will go quickly.
Buy in Large Quantity and Reap Additional Benefits
You may be planning to only put laminate flooring in one room, but as is the case with most purchases, if you buy in large quantities the savings can be quite significant. A retailer will be more willing to give you a larger discount if you are buying in large quantities. So you may want to reconsider the scope of your flooring project and expand it to include other rooms within your home. This may not only be beneficial to your wallet, but also to the general environment of your home and the well-being of your family.
Switching to laminate flooring from carpeting will improve the air quality in your home by cutting down on the accumulation of dust and pollen that occurs with carpets. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends choosing flooring instead of carpeting to help alleviate severe allergy and asthma symptoms. This is because bare floors are easier for controlling the accumulation of dust mites within your home that are unseen to the human eye and hiding in your carpets. So if you or your family suffers from these conditions, you may consider putting flooring down throughout your entire home.
Choosing to install laminate or hardwood flooring does not need to be an overly expensive proposition if you plan accordingly and shop wisely. These days, with so many options of where to shop for flooring, you will be sure to find discounts from the various sources that have been mentioned.
A little time spent shopping around will add up to savings in the long run.
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