How Do You Dispose Laminate Flooring?

After a flooring installation, you might wonder how do you dispose of laminate flooring? Which then makes you wonder, can laminate flooring be recycled or burned?

Good news is, it is not a hassle to dispose laminate flooring depending on the extent of your project. The bigger the project, the bigger the debris pile! Here are a few ways to properly get rid of old, unused or cut scraps of laminate flooring.

What To Do With Old Laminate Flooring?

Before you get started with a laminate flooring installation, you may be removing the flooring that was previously there. This could be laminate, tile, linoleum or vinyl flooring. Depending on the size of your project, you may have quite a big pile of debris that is too large for residential garbage collection. 

If you have a large pile of old flooring, you have a few options. You can call a local junk removal company, rent a dumpster, or take it to a local landfill yourself. Be sure to call ahead to make sure these services take the type of flooring you have.

Can Laminate Flooring Go Out for the Garbage?

After an installation, there is typically left over installation materials and parts. These leftovers can be disposed of in your normal household waste collection. If this flooring is in good shape and not damaged, you should keep some leftover laminate from your installation in case you need to replace any planks due to water damage or scratches.

If you have a whole box or just too much leftover, you can always try to sell it online or donate it to a local re-seller, like Habitat for Humanity Restores. You never know who might need a small amount of flooring!

If you have more flooring to dispose of than what your garbage receptacle can fit, you should check with the waste management department in your area and see if they will do bulk pick-ups. If not, you may have to resort to hiring a dumpster or local junk removal company.

Can Laminate go in the Recycling?

Thanks to new technological processes, laminate flooring is even recyclable. Up to 85% of the mass of laminate flooring can be put back into the manufacturing process in the form of wood chips or fibers. You won’t be able to just stick your old laminate flooring in your recycling bin, however. The recycling process of laminate flooring is something most local recycling plants can’t handle. Instead, you will need to check with your manufacturer to see if they offer a recycling program like Armstrong’s. They even come and pick up the old flooring for you!

Reuse or Donate

Flooring can often be reused, upcycled or donated. You can reuse flooring for DIY projects, or even re-doing smaller spaces and walls! Local donation centers or Facebook Marketplace may also be an option to dispose of flooring that is in good condition.

What Not to Do when you Dispose Laminate Flooring

Even though laminate flooring consists of 80% wood, it cannot be safely burned or incinerated like other wood products. The top layer contains an aluminum oxide coating that would burn into the air, which can be harmful if breathed in. It is best to avoid burning laminate at all to keep you and the environment safe.

We hope these tips were helpful! If you have any more questions about how to dispose of laminate flooring, write them in the comments below!

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