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Laminate Flooring Frequently Asked Questions: Cleaning & More

by Bestlaminate
Published: Last Updated on 18 comments 4 minutes read

Bestlaminate is here to answer some of the most popular laminate flooring questions. We have 4 new answers to questions that you submitted!

1. As a family with kids and pets, what should we look for when shopping for wood laminate flooring?

Laminate Flooring with Dog

The AC Rating of laminate flooring is something you will want to look at closely. We carry several brands that offer an AC Rating that is recommended for heavy traffic areas, and even commercial areas. The minimum for general residential use, would be an AC3 rated floor. However, if you have large pets and kids that tend to be bouncing off the walls and floors, you may want to consider an AC4 rated floor. AC4 rated floors are rated for general commercial use, such as stores and shops where there will be lots of foot traffic from customers. This slightly higher rating will usually come with a longer warranty too, since you are purchasing a high quality product.

You should read the warranty carefully as it won’t cover some problems, but if you don’t want to pull up your floor in 10 years because it is worn out, consider a floor that offers a 25 year to lifetime residential warranty. If a company is willing to replace manufacturing defect flooring for a LIFETIME you bet they’re sure they have a sound product. Laminate flooring is an investment in your home, one that you will enjoy for many years.

2. Do you have any tips for cleaning my laminate floor?

How to clean laminate floors

Laminate flooring is known to be low maintenance and easy to clean. A quick sweeping or light mopping is all it takes to maintain your flooring. Use a solution of water and vinegar to mop your flooring. This natural method will kill bacteria and mold, leaving your home naturally fresh and clean.

3. How much extra flooring should I get when buying new flooring?

For normal rooms, the golden rule is to purchase 5% extra flooring material due to damaged planks, wrong cuts, and the like. For kitchen installations and when you install laminate tiles, you will want to order up to 10% extra, since flooring may be damaged due to water leaks or other mishaps. Since this wasn’t the first time this question has been asked, we’ve explained what the waste factor is in a previous article.

4. What tools do I need for installation?

Continue installing your flooring

The 5 Essential Tools for Laminate Flooring Installation are:

  1. Measuring tape
  2. Reversed jigsaw blade with teeth pointing down
  3. Dry erasable marker
  4. Undercut saw
  5. Tapping block and Pull bar

Laminate flooring is a DIY lover’s project. Many homeowners feel a great deal of accomplishment upon installing a new laminate floor in their home. Keep in mind, each house and installation situation is different. To get a better understanding of exactly what you need, check out our installation check-list!

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*This post was updated from 2010 to give you a better reading experience!

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18 comments

Carmen November 9, 2019 - 5:44 pm

My laminate floor has lost its shine after 9 years. Is there something i can do to bring it back?

Reply
Alana Kane November 11, 2019 - 4:15 pm

Hi Carmen, thanks for your question. With a laminate’s construction, we don’t recommend using anything with polish or wax, as they can leave streaks. A laminate has a paper decor covered with a protective layer, which means it isn’t like a typical hardwood that you can resurface or bring back to life. I would reach out to the flooring manufacturer and see if they have any suggestions. Beware of laminate polishes, since they can leave it looking worse than before.

Reply
Doug November 24, 2018 - 12:45 pm

I want to laminate my kitchen floor. should I put the laminate under the cabinets or up to and around them?

Reply
Tyler November 28, 2018 - 1:33 pm

Hey Doug, you would never want to put a permanent fixture on top of a laminate floor, so butting right up to it would be the way to go.

Reply
Patsy Rutledge March 20, 2018 - 9:55 am

Hi ! I live in a mobile home I have
Vinyl floor in my kitchen and just got
laminate plank flooring and they said
I would need a pad under it !
But we are laying it right over the other floor .
Well we had it put down last week !
And I told them that I have a portable
dishwasher and wanted to make sure that
I could still move it on this floor ! They said yes not problem. Well it’s only been a week and
I’m seeing dents in the planks where the wheels set on the planks from washing . So I think it’s because of the pad over the other laminate floor . Please help as I don’t want to Ruin my new floor! Should they remove the pad ? I afraid that anything that is
Heavy on it will ruin in the floor !

Reply
Admin March 27, 2018 - 2:05 pm

Hi Patsy, thank you for your comment and sharing your story. Did you purchase the flooring from us? Typically, laminate flooring does not dent beneath furniture or objects placed on top the floor. Since laminate is a floating floor, pad is required beneath the floor to allow it to float. Please give us a call at 1-800-520-0961, and we can discuss the details of your installation, flooring and the portable dishwasher to identify the problem. Thank you!

Reply
Melinda March 15, 2017 - 6:47 pm

Can laminate flooring be installed over industrial commercial grade carpet. The carpet is about 1/8″ with no padding underneath?

Reply
Alana Kane March 16, 2017 - 12:48 pm

Hi Melinda! Great question. Yes, you can install over the carpet. Just make sure you buy underlayment to go over it! Check out this article for more information: https://www.bestlaminate.com/blog/install-laminate-flooring-over-carpet/

Reply
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