As we are now embarking on the countdown to summer, this is the perfect time of year to freshen your home up with some new interior design touches.

To that end, we'd like to introduce you to our featured product for this week: Westco 8mm Barn Oak Laminate Flooring! With its perfect mixture of light and dark shades, this grey oak laminate flooring design is an ideal way to brighten up your room in the summer and enhance its cosiness during the winter months.

This particular grey oak laminate floor is a fantastic choice for any room, not least because it boasts an authentic textured effect that makes it look like an authentic solid oak floor. Laminate flooring is a great choice for rooms such as your living room, dining room, kitchen and hallway due to its ability to withstand heavy footfall; the Westco Barn Grey Oak laminate flooring even comes with an express glueless 'clic' installation system, making it incredibly easy for even DIY newbies to lay!

If you need any further persuading that grey oak laminate flooring is perfect for your next project, you should know that grey also matches beautifully with thePantone (the global authority on colour) 2017 spring colour of the year: Greenery (15-0343). As you can see for yourself in the video below, a beautiful grey oak laminate would wonderfully complement a home that's decorated with Greenery.

To browse our laminate flooring collection in full, simply click here!

You may have considered using tile effect laminate flooring in your home, but are you aware of all the unique and unusual design options this category has to offer? We have a wide range of tile-style laminate flooring in stock here at Floormaker, including a variety of breathtaking looks that will make a statement in any room.

Laminate flooring is a great choice for kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms due to its robust nature and its ability to cope with heavy footfall. Tile effect laminate flooring also has the wonderful quality of being able to look like another material (such as stone or ceramic) without the hefty price tag and fiddly installation process.

Here are some of our most unique tile effect laminate flooring products:

8mm Mosaic Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

This statement mosaic-look laminate floor is completely eye-catching in any room. The mosaic style dates all the way back to the 3rd millennium B.C. and has been a popular choice of interior decoration ever since. Though it has its roots in ancient history, the multicoloured mosaic design of this tile effect laminate floor is ideal for luxurious, modern-looking spaces.

Buy or order a FREE sample >

Kronotex 8mm Naxos Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

At first glance, this Naxos Tile Effect Laminate Flooring may look like a normal ceramic-effect product. However, upon closer inspection, you will see that each tile includes delicate touches of different colours, making every part completely unique.

Buy or order a FREE sample >

8mm Palazzo Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Grace your home with a touch of the Mediterranean with this Palazzo tile effect laminate flooring. In beautiful monochrome colouring, this floor is thoroughly unique, with different patterns adjoining throughout the tiles. This tile effect laminate flooring design is sure to impress all of your guests and will look lovely for years to come.

Buy or order a FREE sample >

Westco 8mm Granito High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Without the expense of genuine granite tiles, this Granito High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate Flooring provides the exact look you want, but with the ease and affordability of a laminate. This particular product is completely unique in that it combines a mixture of different colours, as well as mixing a stone design with a high gloss finish.

Buy or order a FREE sample >

Visit our main Laminate Flooringpage for more products like these!

Faus Commercial Laminate Range

Lately our weekly blog posts have been about our influx of new beautiful rugs. But not today. Today we are going back to our traditional floors of the week. Bet you’ve missed it? Or at least you can pretend you have! As of last Friday, we have 8 new lines of laminate flooring. Each of them outstanding in their own special way.

We’ll talk you through the range of 8mm laminate flooring in next week’s post. This week is all about the three ranges of 12mm laminate we have in and the value they add to the home and in particular the commercial world. If you cannot wait then you can see the other Faus laminates here

Bretagne Oak

Kicking off with the Faus 12mm Bretagne Oak Laminate Flooring. This represents the stylish era of the Palace of Versailles. Enhancing the quality of a room instantly with its palatial aspect and theme of flooring. The lighter tones open up a room to give a more expansive feel and spacious look.

Bretagne Oak

Natural Parquet

The Faus 12mm Natural Parquet Laminate is another lightly toned flooring that embraces the space too. The multi directional flooring creates a varied and refreshing pattern to the flooring and gives texture and effortless style to a room. Different shades of the alternatively aligned planks ingratiated in the pattern building a theme replicated throughout a room.

Natural Parquet

Natural Herringbone

Our final instalment for this week’s update is Faus 12mm Natural Herringbone Laminate Flooring. A realistic herringbone pattern embedded in the planks and slewed across the room creating a mesmerising effect. Each splint on the wide plank is individually and expertly bevelled to create a traditional look.

Natural Herringbone

All of the floors are of 12mm thickness. Meaning they are extremely durable and will look equally as great in the office or factory as they are built to last. Substance and style wrapped up in great package.

That’s all for this weeks floors of the week, and if you’re missing the rugs then you can catch up with last week's post here. If you have any comments on our flooring that you would like to share then please let us know on our Facebook page or tweet us.

Thanks for reading. Until next week……..

New 8mm Laminates from Faus

Furthering our floors of the week range we are back with Faus. We highlighted the 12mm laminates last week, this week we will be talking about our Faus range of 8mm laminate flooring. These are also suitable for commercial use but are also appropriate for domestic use too.

Night Black Slate Laminate Floor

Delving into our dark laminates is the Faus night black slate. This is a sleek and stylish flooring that creates a moody, hued effect. The random placement of the planks emphasise the abstract design and multi directional specifics.

Aventino Slate Laminate Floor

The aventino slate offers a contrast in colour and subsequently a different effect to the black slate. The light tones open up a room while giving it a fresh, sprightly effect. Again, as with the other Faus range, the planks extend in 4 different directions which prove pleasing on the eye. A broad, beige colour makes this flooring suitable for many rooms, with it being able to blend in with a variety of home décor.

Faus 8mm Aventino Arena Slate Laminate Flooring

Imperial Oak Laminate

The Imperial Oak laminate offers the same visual and space enhancing benefits due to its similar lighter tones and effects. It has a multi width plank effect with each plank having 3 different sizes across its breadth. This varies the visual effect the flooring creates and the extra wide planks are ideally suited for larger rooms which can handle and help illuminate the extended flooring.

Traditional Slate Laminate Floor

A traditional flooring this Faus laminate has mosaic and minimal one tone flowery designs impressed on the planks. Bringing tradition back to tiling this flooring is timeless and scales the contemporary and classic design in one floor. A visually appealing vintage flooring.

Faus 8mm Traditional Tile Laminate Flooring

Palantino Vesuvio Slate Laminate Floor

Last of the 8mm Faus range is the Palantino Vesuvio slate laminate. It’s a stand out flooring all arranged in a organised chaos multi directional and sizing design. Enabling it to be laid in such a manner that it is truly original and it cannot be replicated elsewhere. Orchestrating originality with planks makes this flooring a winning choice.

Faus 8mm Palatino Vesuvio Slate Laminate Flooring

All of the 8mm laminates come with an AC rating, which basically means they are of commercial grade and durability. They can withstand a lot of pressure and heavy footfall – in domestic or commercial atmospheres. So if it’s style or stability you’re looking for, or even both; then these laminates are for you.

You can let us know what you think of our 8mm range on our Facebook page or just send us a tweet to our Twitter account.

If you liked this post you'll like our:-

Floors Of The Week: Tiled Authentic Looking Laminates

Laminate Installation Tips

staggered flooring planks

In all of Floormaker’s products you’ll find in Instructions and for most laminate floors we’ll tell you to ‘stagger’ it. But, what does that really mean? If you want your laminate floor to look gorgeous but you’re unsure what we’re instructing you to do and you’re a bit too scared to call us up and ask (though you shouldn’t be!) here’s a blog to explain what we mean.

With many laminate floors Floormaker will instruct you to ‘stagger’ the planks as this way you get both a more attractive looking floor and it’s far, far more durable.

So let’s get staggering. Make sure you’ve let your packs of flooring acclimatise to the room’s temperature for 72hrs. Then get all the planks up and simply start shuffling them about, just like a pack of cards. Shuffle and mix them up as much as possible so they’re in a completely different order to how they came. Once you’ve finished doing this, you can begin laying, making sure you’re taking all the necessary precautions.

Shuffling the planks like this means when you begin to lay the planks, all the joints will be at different levels across the room. You don’t want the joints of laminate planks being side by side right the way across your room as they won’t have any room to expand and contract and will soon begin to buckle. And that’s why and how you stagger! So you see it’s actually quite simple.

All you’re aiming to do is make sure the joints of each and every one of the planks are 12mm away from the next plank’s joint. Leaving a 12mm gap is simply a precaution to make sure your floorboards have plenty of room to expand and contract with bumping into each other and start to buckle.

If you’re still unsure what we mean when we say ‘stagger’ your laminate, call us on 02920 344 358. We want your flooring to look beautiful so we’ll be more than happy to talk you through the process.

Updated: 5/7/16

Floormaker's Flooring Favourites For August 2016

Well, well, well. It’s September 2nd - technically summer is over, though being based in Britain – does it ever start!

August was a busy month at Floormaker. With holidays here, new flooring there, last of the rugs put on-line everywhere, it has been non-stop! Reminiscent of this is the continuous conveyor belt of our most popular flooring. It’ll come as no surprise that the laminate section has dominated proceedings. Its classic mix of aesthetics and affordability make it a winning combo. A gold medal achievement of the flooring world (knew I could crowbar a relevant Olympic comment in there somewhere).

In a very particular order the most popular flooring of August 2016 are: -

1. Westco | 8mm Richmond Oak Laminate

2. Westco | 8mm Bottocino Cream High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

3. Westco | 8mm White High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

Richmond Bottocino High Gloss

Not only are they all laminate, they are all manufactured by Westco – this clean sweep of the top sellers seeks to re-enforce what a quality brand Westco are. We have a wide and wonderful selection of Westco Flooring that has never failed to deliver total satisfaction to our customers.

High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

Coming in at a well-deserved #3 is the white high gloss tile effect laminate. The sheen on this laminate is what makes it stand out amongst its peers. Glitz and glamour exuded from every plank. Replicating the tile effect perfectly, with the several coats of protective layers adding grit to the gloss!

Bottocino Laminate

Not quite the bride but at least the bridesmaid – the silver medal of flooring goes to the Bottocino laminate. Basically an ever present on our floors of the week, it is no surprise that it is once again scaling the heights of the Floormaker world.

You can keep up to date with our most popular floors of the week on Twitter

Creating an expansive look, these ceramic tile effect laminates open up a room by reflecting any natural light. The sleek and smooth tiles adding a sophisticated look to its surroundings. Easy to maintain, completing the simple and stylish qualities of this laminate.

Westco 8mm Bottocino Cream High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

Richmond Laminate

At #1 is the Richmond 8mm laminate. Its superiority over the others could lead to a flooring complex amongst our flooring. Maybe with some nice touches of couches (other home décor aids are available) we can get them past it.

A resplendent, resilient flooring has almost as many admirers as it has purchasers. The Richmond is every bit as beautiful as a genuine oak product. Rich with swirls and knots the design fits in well with a variety of home décor.

You can get these laminates delivered direct to your door, with free** and fast delivery– what are you waiting ‘floor”

Last but not least the all important prices*:-

Westco 8mm Richmond Oak Laminate

£5.99 per m² (inc VAT)

Westco 8mm Bottocino Cream High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

£19.93 per m² (inc VAT)

Westco 8mm White High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

£18.31 per m² (inc VAT)

There above lie some of Floormakers Finest Flooring. For the flip side or just to truly appreciate the nicer things in life by seeing ugly flooring - check out our Pinterest undesirables.

*Correct prices at time of publication.

** With orders over £100 net

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A lot of laminate floors are designed to look just like solid wood flooring, and that's great - wood effect laminate flooring can be an affordable, hard-wearing alternative to hardwood, and some of those wood-look products really are indistinguishable from the real thing. But you don't have to have a laminate with a simple wooden floorboard design. If you're in the mood for something a little more eccentric, modern laminate floor manufacturing techniques mean that you can absolutely have it!

We stock a wide variety of unique and unusual laminate flooring designs here at Floormaker.co.uk. It doesn't matter what sort of effect you're attempting to achieve in your living space - whether you're after a bright, colourful look or something classy and understated, we're bound to have an exquisitely unconventional solution for you here.

Read on to see some of our most unusual laminate flooring products, or click hereto browse our full range of competitively-priced laminate floors.

8mm Mosaic Laminate Flooring

This mosaic effect laminate floor will bring an explosion of colour to your living space. The pattern has a classical feel, and yet the wild colour scheme makes this design equally ideal for bold, contemporary interior designs.

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

10mm Bliss Art Cumbrian Maple Laminate Flooring

These delicious dark laminate planks are separated by aluminium strips. The metallic colour contrasts magnificently with the flooring itself, creating a strikingly modern look with rich, elegant undertones.

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

Playground laminate flooring for a child's bedroom

8mm Playground Laminate Flooring

As you can see, this design is utterly perfect for a young child's bedroom! The playfully scruffy-looking white boards are decorated with cute pictures of animals and toys - your little one is sure to love it!

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

8mm Wine & Fruits Laminate Flooring (Brown)

This is one of the most popular products in our entire catalogue, and it's not difficult to see why. Designed to look like it's made of old shipping crates, this fabulous floor is of course just as sturdy and well-made as any of our other laminates. Oh, and it's also available in white.

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

8mm Black & White Laminate Flooring

Lastly, we come to this funky monochrome design. Its wavy black lines emulate the appearance of a genuine hardwood grain, but the unusual colour scheme (or should we say lack-of-colour scheme?) really sets this product apart from other flooring materials!

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

Visit our Laminate Flooring department to see more unusual floors like these!

Laminate flooring is one of the most popular flooring materials on the market right now. In fact, it may well be the most popular, a position it's occupied for quite some time now. Homeowners and landlords alike seem to love laminates, and it's not difficult to guess why - laminate flooring is hard-wearing, cost-effect, and it looks great and performs brilliantly in a wide variety of different spaces.

But what is laminate flooring? How are those sturdy, low-maintenance boards made? And what makes them such a winning choice for the home? If these are questions you've pondered to yourself, read on to learn the answers!

Is laminate flooring the same as wood flooring?

Not exactly. Laminate flooring is primarily made out of wood, but when people talk about 'wood flooring', they're usually referring to solid wood flooring. A solid wood board is just one solid piece of wood (most commonly oak), whereas the construction of a laminate floor plank is somewhat more complex.

How is laminate flooring made?

Laminate flooring is essentially a photocopied image of a floor placed atop a piece of hard-wearing wood and covered (or 'laminated') with a durable wear layer to protect it from damage.

The 'decorative paper' (as it is termed in the diagram above) is often designed to look like solid wood, but technically you can use any photo you want when constructing a laminate floor. There are laminates that look like ceramic tiles, stone slabs, and patterned mosaics; there are also a whole host of out-there laminate flooring designs that look unlike any natural flooring product you could imagine!

The advantages of laminate flooring

The great thing about laminate flooring is the fact that it allows you to emulate the flooring material of your choice - be it solid wood, glossy tiles, et cetera - without any of the difficulties. Laminate flooring is:

Attractive
Durable and low-maintenance
Easy to install
Suitable for a wide range of rooms
Very reasonably priced

Few (if any!) other types of flooring tick all five of these boxes, so laminate flooring stands more or less alone as the product of choice for busy households on a tight budget!

Click here to browse Floormaker's full range of laminate flooring products >

For a cool and chic-looking room, white laminate flooring is a truly wonderful option. White laminate flooring has remained a popular choice for decades thanks to the timeless nature of these designs and their ability to match almost any style of interior design; the reflective quality of white laminate flooring is another attractive feature, ensuring that light fills the room. This versatility, alongside the all-around sturdiness of laminate flooring products generally, is what makes white laminate such a winning choice.

Here at Floormaker, we stock a range of high-quality, budget-friendly white laminate flooring in a variety of different styles. From high gloss to white wood effect, these durable white laminate floors are certain to transform any room into a bright, stylish, and fresh-feeling space.

Here are just a few of the white laminate flooring designs we stock here at Floormaker:

Kronotex 8mm Kamala Tile Effect Laminate

For a beautiful white finish, this Kamala tile effect laminate is a simple but very effective choice. Manufactured in a ceramic style, this white laminate flooring has all the elegance of a real tile floor but with the affordability and practicality of laminate. Versatile and easy to install, this flooring is big on style and small on hassle.

Click here to buy now or order a FREE sample >

Westco 8mm High Gloss White Tile Laminate Flooring

Looking for a white laminate flooring design that will really make a statement? This high gloss white tile laminate flooring is sure to attract attention wherever you place it. Perfect for modern interior design schemes, the light and breezy design of these tiles will look stunning against bold statement colours. This white laminate flooring is incredibly durable and low-maintenance, meaning your floor will stay looking shiny and fresh for years to come.

Click here to buy now or order a FREE sample >

Egger 7mm Riffel Oak White V-Groove Laminate

With all the beauty of solid wood flooring but the affordability of laminate flooring, this Riffel Oak White V-Groove Laminate is breathtaking in any room. White wood flooring is another popular choice, but real white wood flooring requires constant maintenance. This bright and stylish wood-style laminate flooring combats these issues with its easy-to-install, low-maintenance qualities.

Click here to buy now or order a FREE sample >

To browse Floormaker's full collection of laminate floors, just click here!

High gloss laminate flooring is a popular choice amongst homeowners due to its unique look, its longevity, and its low price. Its highly reflective appearance means that high gloss laminate flooring is an attractive option for all kinds of different spaces - it is difficult to think of another material that produces quite the same effect, and so it's probably safe to assume that high gloss laminate flooring will remain very popular for many years to come.

Here at Floormaker, we stock a wide range of high gloss laminate floors in a range of styles and designs. If you think high gloss laminate flooring might be the perfect solution for your latest project, this list should provide you with some home decor inspiration!

White Tile Effect High Gloss Laminate Flooring

Westco 8mm White Tile High Gloss Laminate Flooring

Glamorous and bright, this white tile high gloss laminate flooring is sure to freshen up any room. Its high-shine quality will make any room glow. The best part about the flooring we stock here at Floormaker is its hard-wearing durability, and this high gloss laminate flooring is guaranteed to keep your room looking lovely for many years with barely any maintenance.

Westco 8mm Red Tile Effect High Gloss Laminate Flooring

Strikingly eye-catching, this red tile effect high gloss laminate flooring will attract attention wherever you place it. The high-shine quality ensures that light bounces throughout the room, stopping it from looking too dark with such a bold colour.

Bottocino Black Tile Effect High Gloss Laminate Flooring

Westco 8mm Bottocino Black Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

This black tile effect high gloss laminate flooring has intricate details patterned throughout, making each tile completely unique. These beautiful details and the high gloss effect make for stunning results in any room of your house. However, something to make note of is that high gloss laminate flooring tends to retain its quality better if it is placed in a room without heavy footfall.

Westco 8mm Loft Tile Effect High Gloss Laminate Flooring

Creamy and filled with beautiful detail, this loft tile effect high gloss laminate flooring is ideal for contemporary designs. With the look of polished cement, this flooring will make a unique addition to any home. Its bright colour and reflective quality will also provide the illusion of space in rooms that are slightly smaller.

We've got loads more products like this in our Laminate Flooring department!

As we are now embarking on the countdown to summer, this is the perfect time of year to freshen your home up with some new interior design touches.

To browse our laminate flooring collection in full, simply click here!

Here are some of our most unique tile effect laminate flooring products:

8mm Mosaic Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Buy or order a FREE sample >

Kronotex 8mm Naxos Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Buy or order a FREE sample >

8mm Palazzo Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Buy or order a FREE sample >

Westco 8mm Granito High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Without the expense of genuine granite tiles, this Granito High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate Flooring provides the exact look you want, but with the ease and affordability of a laminate. This particular product is completely unique in that it combines a mixture of different colours, as well as mixing a stone design with a high gloss finish.

Buy or order a FREE sample >

Visit our main Laminate Flooringpage for more products like these!

Kronotex laminate flooring is one of the most popular brands in our laminate range, and so we've decided to showcase some of our favourite Kronotex laminates here on the blog. So pour yourself a nice cup of tea, pull up a chair, and let us lead you through some of the beautiful designs to be found in our collection of Kronotex laminate flooring:

Kronotex White Rip Oak Laminate Flooring

Kronotex 12mm White Rip Oak Laminate Flooring

This gorgeous white Rip Oak floor is one of our best-selling Kronotex products. With its superior thickness and high density, it's not hard to see why so many Floormaker customers choose this stunning flooring for their homes! Durable yet still wonderfully attractive in any room, the Rip Oak floor has everything you could ask for in a laminate.

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

Kronotex 8mm Senia Tile Effect Laminate

Next up we have this subtle and stylish 8mmm Senia Tile Effect Kronotex Laminate Flooring. Black laminate tiles have always been a popular choice for interior design, but this product takes things to another level with its detailed, patterned design. The tiled effect opens up even the smallest of spaces and looks spectacular in most rooms - perfect for adding a touch of class to your home!

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

Kronotex White and Black Laminate Flooring

Kronotex 8mm Black & White Laminate Flooring

Beautifully unique and eye-catching, this Black & White laminate flooring has been another very popular product for us. A darker shade of oak embossed with white detail makes for a stunning floor in any room you choose, and this flooring is supremely easy to install, too. Even those who hate DIY will be able to lay it with ease!

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

Kronotex Kamala Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Kronotex 8mm Kamala Tile Effect Laminate

The most popular product in our Kronotex laminate flooring is the simple yet classic Kamala Tile Effect design. Capable of brightening up just about any space, this ceramic-style product is perfect for freshening up a home that feels slightly stifling with its current decor. A true classic, tiled white laminate flooring is not one to go out of fashion and will still look stunning for years to come.

Buy now or order a FREE sample >

Be sure to visit our Laminate Flooring department to browse more products like these!

Thinking of using black laminate flooring for your next big interior design project? Every colour has different associations when used in home decor, and more often than not, the colour people associate with the word 'sophistication' is black - perhaps that's what makes Floormaker's black laminate flooring range so popular!

Available in a wide range of different styles and textures, our black laminate flooring will allow you to achieve the exact look you want in your space. Black flooring is ideal for most rooms, especially if you're looking to pair it with bold-coloured furnishings; its dark nature means that it does not detract from the details you've worked so hard to put together, instead making them more prominent instead 'pop' and look all the more prominent. Of course, laminates come with lots of benefits too - a black laminate floor is not only stylish but also resilient, hard-wearing, easy to install, and excellent value for money.

To provide you with some inspiration, here's a look at some of our best black laminate flooring products:

Kronotex 8mm White & Black Laminate

Beautiful and unique, this white & black laminate flooring from Kronotex is sure to make a subtle statement in any room. The black boards are swirled with white detail, giving this sturdy laminate an attractive and authentic wooden effect. One of our most popular products, this design is perfect if you want your black floor to stand out rather than serve as a simple base colour for the rest of the room.

Buy now or order your FREE sample >

Faus 8mm Night Black Slate Laminate Flooring

Also distinctly stunning, this black laminate floor provides a slate tile effect that will look breathtaking in any room. With a depth of colour in each laminate tile, you're sure to find yourself lost in this design whereever you place it. Deliciously detailed, yet subtle enough to allow your furniture to stand out, this black laminate flooring is a mixture of everything that makes a floor perfect.

Buy now or order your FREE sample >

Westco 8mm Black High Gloss Tile Effect Laminate

Glossy and sophisticated, this high gloss tile effect laminate is everything you could as for when seeking something sleek and stylish. This floor will surely emphasise all the details of your room and perfectly complement whatever other colours you have in there. Although it is dark, this floor's reflective quality will also flood your room with light, making it feel more open and airy.

Buy now or order your FREE sample >

Kronotex 10mm Bliss Art Cumbrian Maple Laminate

If you're looking to really make a statement, this Kronotex Bliss Art Cumbrian Maple laminate flooring will ensure that no one can take their eyes away from your floor. The black wood-effect planks are separated by strips of aluminium, creating a totally unique effect.

Buy now or order your FREE sample >

Click here to browse our full range of high-quality laminate flooring products >

Laminate Flooring is a fantastically versatile and hard-wearing material, but is it suitable for use in the bathroom?

The short answer is no, you shouldn't install laminate flooring in bathrooms. The high moisture and humidity levels in the average bathroom can cause laminate flooring to become warped and degraded over time. Laminates may also become excessively slippery when wet.

But isn't laminate flooring waterproof?

Though that laminated top layer is fairly moisture-resistant and will cope well with, say, food and drink spills, laminate flooring is not truly waterproof, for two reasons:

Most laminate flooring is made out of recycled hardwood, which is quite absorbent and thus susceptible to water damage.
Laminates are typically installed as 'floating' floors (i.e. not nailed down), meaning that water can seep underneath the boards.

As you search the market, you may come across products that are explicitly marketed as 'waterproof laminate flooring'. These products are made entirely out of plastic; however, even they are still not entirely waterproof.

So what's the best alternative to laminate flooring for bathrooms?

We all want a beautiful bathroom, but the humidity and moisture levels make this space a difficult one for budding interior designers to get right. Fortunately, we at Floormaker stock a range of flooring products that are capable of coping in bathrooms and washrooms. Here are a few great alternatives to laminate flooring for the bathroom:

Vinyl Flooring

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Hard-wearing, practical and stylish, our Luxury Vinyl Flooring range is ideal for bathrooms. Available in a range of beautiful wood-effect finishes, Floormaker's luxury vinyl flooring products allow you to have all the beauty of wood in your bathroom, without the maintenance issues that arise when solid wood or laminate floors are used in bathrooms. This flooring material is easy to clean and maintain, alongside being slip- and water-resistant.

Cork Bathroom Flooring

Cork Flooring is a great option for bathrooms due to its waterproof qualities. Alongside being water-resistant, cork is also highly resilient, meaning you won't see signs of wear and tear on this great bathroom flooring choice. Cork is one of the most eco-friendly flooring materials you can get due to it being a natural insulator of heat - a cost-effective cork floor will save you money in more ways than one!

If you have any further questions about which flooring products can and can't be installed in the bathroom, feel free to contact Floormaker today.

With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start looking for some summer interior design inspiration. When it comes to home decor, nothing seems to exude summer vibes more than rustic laminate flooring. A rustic-looking floor design can provide a natural, outdoorsy feeling, and you don't have to get a hardwood floor to achieve this effect. Easy to install and affordable, rustic laminate flooring is an ideal choice for those not looking to spend above their budget on that earthy wood look.

The rustic style is synonymous with nature and outdoorsiness, making it precisely the right choice for any homeowner looking to capture the feeling of summer in any room. Fortunately, rustic laminate flooring also has the ability to look exceptionally cosy in the winter months, too - especially when warmed by the light of a roaring fire.

Here at Floormaker, we stock a selection of rustic laminate flooring products in a range of different shades and effects. Here are some of our favourites:

Painted Black Laminate Flooring

Westco 8mm Painted Black Laminate Flooring

A fantastic combination of modern and traditional, this rustic yet contemporary laminate flooring design is utterly unique. Though maintaining the sophistication of dark wood flooring, this floor is something a little different with its rustic-looking paint-effect boards. With different details in every board, this product is ideal for those looking to make a statement in any room. Due to its unrefined appearance, this rustic laminate flooring will look stunning matched with modern statement furniture, thought it can also be used to freshen up rooms of a more traditional nature.

Wine & Fruits White Laminate Flooring

Parador 8mm Wine & Fruits White Narrow Board Laminate

This product is one of Parador's best-sellers and it's not difficult to see why. This laminate flooring design manages to take rustic to an entirely new level - it's made to look like repurposed wine and fruit shipping crates. Completely unique and appealing to vintage and rustic lovers, this floor will make a statement in just about any room.

It is also made to look like it has been repainted making it lighter in colour. The lighter colouring of this rustic laminate flooring design will ensure that it brightens up your living space. If brown is more your colour, we also stock Parador's Wine & Fruits Brown Narrow Board Rustic Laminate Flooring.

Painted White Laminate Flooring

Westco 8mm Painted White Rustic Laminate Flooring

If you're really looking to brighten up your room for summer, this painted white laminate is an ideal way to do just that. Made to look like natural wood flooring which has been painted roughly with white paint, this floor will look stunning in any home as part of a shabby chic design. Matched with some faux-fur rugs or throws, this summer feeling can be transformed into a winter haven in seconds.

We think rustic laminate flooring is the perfect choice for this summer and we hope you do too. Click here to browse our full range of laminate flooring products.

If you're new to the world of flooring, it's natural to feel a little bit overwhelmed when choosing which flooring to use in your home. Nearly every type of floor is described by someone or other as 'stylish', 'durable', 'perfect for any project'...however, there are two floor type that get mixed up more frequently than any other pair, and they are laminate flooring and vinyl flooring.

Both laminate and vinyl are popular choices amongst homeowners due to their resilient, affordable, and easy-to-install qualities. Unfortunately, laminate and vinyl flooring differ in a few crucial ways, and these differences mean that confusing laminate flooring with vinyl flooring (or vice versa) can result in serious consequences.

That's why we've put together this handy 'laminate vs vinyl flooring' guide. Hopefully, this breakdown of the pros and cons of each one will give you an idea of which product is best for you.

Laminate Floors

About Laminate Flooring

Material: 99% Wood Product

Ideal for: Living rooms, hallways, bedrooms, dining rooms, kitchens

Pros:

Cost-effective when compared to real wood flooring
Comes in a huge variety of different styles
Easy to install
Thicker - and therefore warmer - than vinyl flooring

Cons:

Laminate floors do not cope very well in humid, high-moisture environments like bathrooms, as the water can damage the wood content of the flooring.

Read More: What is Laminate Flooring?

About Vinyl Flooring

Material: 100% Plastic

Ideal for: Bathrooms, kitchens, commercial spaces

Pros:

Affordable, can be cheaper than laminate flooring in some cases
Luxury vinylproducts are now available - these are worlds away from the cheap-looking vinyl tiles of the past
Easy installation
Holds up well in any humid or high-moisture environment, such as the bathroom

Cons:

As luxury vinyl flooring is a relatively new innovation, people generally have the misconception that vinyl looks cheap and nasty.

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Say hello to the newest addition to Floormaker's spectacular laminate flooring range: the 6mm Autumn Oak Light laminate flooring from Kronotex! Not only is this floor gorgeous, it's also the very cheapest laminate we sell at just £5.50 per m² (that's a mere 51p per square foot!).

Low Price 6mm Autumn Oak Light Laminate Flooring

Click here to buy or order a FREE sample >

If you're redecorating your home and you need a budget-friendly floor that will offer great visual appeal AND great performance, our new Autumn Oak Light laminate should fit the bill perfectly. This product is:

Easy to install
Low-maintenance
Durable
Suitable for a variety of spaces (including kitchens, conservatories, stairways and even moderately busy commercial areas)

It also boasts a nice wood-effect design that will make your property feel brighter, breezier, and less stuffy. What's not to love?

Furniture & Accessories for Your Autumn Oak Light Floor

Wondering what sort of furnishings would go well with this attractive and affordable floor? We happen to think that the light-coloured oak effect goes very well with greys and blacks - these items, which we've scoured the Internet to find, would contrast very nicely with our Autumn Oak Light laminate flooring:

Black Chesterfield Sofa

Monks Chesterfield Sofa

Image Source: Chesterfield Sofa Company

The Chesterfield is a very elegant and traditional sofa style, but this particular product - with its bold black leather and imposing high back - would make a terrific statement in a more contemporary interior as well. The delectably dark colour would really pop when placed against our pale wood-effect laminate.

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Grey Floor Lamp

Grey Carved Wood Floor Lamp

Image Source: Cox & Cox

This lovely floor lamp has a pastelly grey colour that would complement the light-coloured Autumn Oak flooring very nicely. Like the Chesterfield sofa, this product combines classical elements (the exquisite carved post) with contemporary sensibilities (the muted colour) and would therefore fit a range of different design schemes.

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Black Apothecary Cabinet

Black Apothecary Chest

Image Source: Rose & Grey

Another beautiful black item - this old-fashioned, faintly industrial-looking apothecary chest would cut a very striking figure atop Kronotex's Autumn Oak floor, and those drawers would no doubt come in very handy as well.

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We at Floormaker also stock a range of rugs that would look right at home on the 6mm Autumn Oak Light laminate flooring. Take, for example, our Large Black Sheepskin Rug - wouldn't this make a warm, charming addition to a laminate-floored living room?

Looking for a different laminate flooring design? Click here to browse our full range.

If you're looking to change the flooring in your kitchen, we recommend changing it to Laminate Tiles! If you're looking for high-quality, affordable flooring for your kitchen, laminate tiles is the flooring option for you. Because of its tough wood fibre core, and the fact it's reinforced with a protective layer, the floorboards are very durable and long-lasting - making it the perfect option for your kitchen!

Here at Floormaker we have a terrific choice of laminate tiles, with a huge variety of styles and designs; ranging from high gloss tiles, to more eccentric mosaic designs - whatever your taste may be, we're confident you'll find the laminate tile that is right for you.

Here's a look at some of the Laminate Kitchen Tiles we stock:

Westco 8mm High Gloss White Tile Laminate Flooring

If you're looking for a glamorous flooring solution for your kitchen, look no further than these white gloss tiles. The reflective finish will brighten up your kitchen, and are incredibly hard-wearing; perfect for a busy kitchen. These high gloss tiles are really easy to fit - just simply click the pieces together to fit your brand-new, glamorous kitchen flooring. Click here for more information >.

Fays 8mm Night Black Slate Laminate Flooring

These black slate tiles are perfect if you're looking for a sleek kitchen flooring option. The multi directional placement and the dark shades display its abstract design, and offers a unique design that can't be found anywhere else. If you're after affordable, sleek and unique kitchen flooring, there's nothing more suited for you than these slate tiles. For more information, please click here >.

Faus 8mm Traditional Tile Laminate Flooring

If you're a little more out there and you're looking for a vintage look to your flooring, these traditional laminate tiles from faus is the ideal flooring option for you. It offers both style and class thanks to its vintage look and mosaic flower design. If you're looking for vintage kitchen tiles that are built to last, these tradition laminate flooring tiles, is exactly what you're looking for. Click here for more information >.

You can view our entire range of laminate kitchen tiles here >

The changing face of fashion waits for no one. Although the flooring world may not move quite as quickly as the fashion industry, laminate flooring designers nevertheless work very hard to keep up with the latest styles and trends, ensuring that homeowners have the very latest looks to choose from.

Laminate flooring lends itself to a huge range of different styles and designs, as essentially any photographic image can be fused beneath the protective layer, ensuring that the only limitation is your imagination.

So what are the latest laminate flooring trends amongst fashion-conscious homeowners?

Stone Effect Laminate Tiles

Pictured: 8mm Palatino Vesuvio Slate Laminate Flooring

Enhanced realism

This is probably the hottest trend in laminate flooring right now, with designers continuing to push the limits of what can be achieved. Visually, laminate floors has never looked so realistic, and as practically any look can be achieved, increasingly vivid and interesting products are being produced.

The hardwood look

Replica hardwood designs are a longstanding favourite amongst homeowners, and as manufacturing techniques grow more and more advanced, the products are being produced to a truly superlative standard. Hardwood-effect laminate floors are now available with hand-scraped finishes, nail holes, saw marks, and other attractive features that naturally occur in solid wood. Hardwood designs still monopolise the laminate flooring market, accounting for something like 80 per cent of sales.

Hardwood Effect Laminate Flooring

Pictured: 14mm Longboard Sunset Laminate Flooring

Environmental friendliness

An increasingly conscientious customer base are going green and embracing eco-friendly products, and this often includes flooring. Laminates have a relatively long life cycle, and producing a laminate floor consumes less energy and resources now than ever before.

Bold, bright designs

There are a wide range of finishes available when you're browsing laminate flooring, from high gloss to matte and everything in between. Commercial and residential properties alike are opting for statement flooring more and more often - something that's bold and brightens the mood of a room.

Red Laminate Tiles

Pictured: 8mm High Gloss Red Tile Effect Laminate Flooring

Great value for money

With many people operating on a shoestring budget, consumers tend to look for the very best quality at a price they can afford. Laminate flooring has always been both sturdy and affordable, and high-end looks are achievable at surprisingly low prices.

We have a huge range of laminate flooring products to choose from here at Floormaker - our customers can order up to 3 FREE samples and pay nothing for delivery on orders exceeding £100!