It’s not surprising if you’re looking to laminate flooring to upgrade the flooring in your home. Laminate flooring is affordable, and you can even install it on your own. There is also a wide range of looks you can choose from. You can go with a wide variety of hardwood flooring designs, or you can opt for the laminate to look like stone.
For 2022, these are the trends you should expect for laminate flooring. That way, your flooring won’t look old and obsolete!
Features
Laminate flooring has come a long way ever since it was introduced to the US market way back in the 1980s. It’s still affordable, but now some laminate flooring brands offer new and exciting features.
Stain-Resistant
Look out for the lunch of several stain-resistant flooring options for 2022. Stains have also been a perennial problem for households with laminate flooring. Some stains are so tough to remove, even with the best homemade laminate floor cleaner, that it takes a lot of time and effort. There are times when it’s even impossible to remove a stain, especially a stain that’s already set because you were unable to wipe it down immediately.
It’s always a problem when you have frisky kids and pets who might make a mess on your laminate flooring while you’re not around. By the time you discover the mess, the stain might already have set, and it’s now impossible to get the stain out easily.
But with the stain-resistant laminate flooring, the problem may not be as serious. You may have a longer time to discover the problem so you can wipe down the problem. The stain may also be easier to remove.
Water-Resistant
One of the basic rules of laminate flooring maintenance is that you avoid liquid spills whenever possible, and you never let the water pool over the flooring. That will just lead to damage such as bubbling. Again, it’s not so much of a problem if you wipe down the floor right after the spill. But it is a problem if it’s not addressed right away.
Now with water-resistant laminate flooring, the problem isn’t as serious. The water may pool for a longer time, and you can still save the laminate flooring. In fact, some types of water-resistant laminate flooring may better withstand a flood than regular laminate flooring.
Hand-Scraped
The surface of laminate flooring, in most cases, is quite smooth. It may look uncannily like wood, but you don’t have the indentations and rough texture that may come with real wood flooring. For some people, that’s a good thing.
But others may prefer the authentic feel of real wood, and for that, they may turn to hand-scraped laminate flooring. The tiles have that real texture of grains and indentions, even if they’ve been lightly scraped by a machine. It makes the laminate feel like wood, which is great if you’ve opted for the look of hardwood for your laminate flooring.
Chevron And Herringbone Patterns
For decades, most laminate flooring options offered only the same design that mimicked long planks of wood laid straight. The only differences are the lengths and widths of the planks.
But now, you have more options when it comes to design patterns. You can go with either chevron or herringbone patterns, with their characteristic zigzag effect. Whichever you choose, it’s a more vibrant pattern that makes the home feel livelier.
You don’t even have to set the patterns yourself. The laminate flooring tiles will already be set in the chevron or herringbone pattern, saving you the trouble.
Longer And Wider Planks
If you want a more sedate feel, then the traditional plank design is still a good choice. But you may want to opt for longer and wider planks instead of the shorter and thinner planks.
With longer and wider planks, rooms feel larger and more open. That’s great for most of us, who might feel just a bit claustrophobic these days due to enforced home isolation. It’s also more relaxing, while the look is more cohesive.
Colors
Which color should you go for? The top colors expected to rule for laminate flooring in 2022 are:
- This is a West Coast look that’s becoming more popular across the country. It offers that “distressed” look that plenty of people appreciate, but the design is more relaxed. It’s great for a beach house vibe, while it also makes rooms feel bigger and brighter.
- This still feels airy and bright to dispel the gloom. But it’s more versatile than the whitewashed option. It goes well with rustic interior design, but it doesn’t look out of place if you’re going for a more contemporary look for your home.
- This is a cool color that’s great for modern homes, as well as for those who want a more “industrial” feel. Gray is a nice neutral color that works with any other color. Partner it with bright colors around the room, and it works well as your neutral backdrop. It also works nicely with black and white.
Have fun with your new laminate flooring, and enjoy the new look of your home afterward!