How to Design a Floor Using Laminates

Design

• Measuring the area you want to cover with laminate and then drawing a floor plan to that scale on paper is beneficial when planning the design. Some laminate tiles include border pieces, which provide a polished, visually satisfying edge to the laminate design, and the borders measurements are important to keep in mind. How samples of laminate tiles from showrooms and manufacturers work with your home's decor and its various qualities of light is another consideration.

Uniformity

• Using laminate planks or tiles in the same uniform color and design gives a home a traditional ambiance, and laminates in the style of wood, stone or painted porcelain tile provide the look of those materials at a fraction of the real materials' cost. Using a single type of laminate flooring from a specific manufacturer also saves times and money. The uniform size and shape of the tiles install quickly and rarely require an outside contractor to handle the installation as long as you install them carefully, using generous amounts of the manufacturer-recommended adhesive.

Mixtures

• Mixing colors and styles gives a home a one-of-a-kind appearance and, depending on the laminates, an arty, modern or quirky ambiance. Because laminate flooring tends to have a uniform thickness, you can easily match tile looks that would be exceedingly difficult to achieve using natural materials. For instance, mixing hardwood and granite tile can be tricky because often they are cut into different thicknesses and a pieced floor base is necessary to get an even finish between them. When using laminate planks and tiles from different manufacturers, however, ensure that they are in the same, similar or complementary sizes. Otherwise, you may have to do quite a bit of trimming to get the pieces to fit together as desired.

Tips

• Going overboard with laminate patterns and designs can overpower a room easily. Use bold colors sparingly, and choose no more than three colors or patterns for one room. Keeping patterns in scale with a room is another consideration; large rooms can handle large patterns, tiles and planks, while a small room is better suited for more subtle patterns and smaller tiles. Long and narrow spaces such as hallways do well with checkerboard laminate patterns of alternating colors or styles, which helps to give the illusion that the space is wider and more open than its actual dimensions.