If you’re in the market to buy a beach house (or already own one), one of the most important features of your home will be the flooring. It’s a great way to add to your interior decor’s functionality and aesthetic, but is laminate flooring good for a beach house?
Laminate flooring is suitable for beach houses because it is an incredibly durable surface that resists moisture, stains, fading any other wear and tear at a low cost. Laminate flooring also offers a wide selection of styles that can mimic other flooring styles like hardwood.
Selecting flooring for your beach house can make a huge difference to your property value, your comfort, and your decor. But there are many things that you need to consider that could affect your choice. Read on for more details on why laminate flooring might be suitable for your beach house.
Does Laminate Flooring Suit Beach Houses?
While laminate flooring may have a bad reputation due to the association with out-of-date 1960s-era homes, laminate flooring has come a long way over the years. Today, laminate flooring comes in various beautiful styles that can imitate the look and feel of other flooring styles like hardwood, tiling, and much more.
Made from several composite layers, laminate flooring is affordable and one of the best options for beach homes due to its ability to withstand the elements. It is moisture resistant, doesn’t stain easily, and isn’t slippery.
These features make it perfect for a beach house, frequently covered with sand and water, tracked in from the beach, and hot, humid air, depending on the climate you live in.
For the warm, comforting, classic hardwood look at a lower cost, laminate flooring is one of the best options for beach house flooring. And, because the durable, easy-to-clean panels are seamlessly put together, there is no room for sand to get caught up in your floors every time you go outside.
What To Consider When Choosing A Flooring Type
Many people struggle with deciding on which option is best for beach houses. There are a few options out there, and deciding on which is best for your home will depend on several factors to consider.
So, while most people would love to get hardwood flooring, it is a very expensive endeavor and may not fall within your budget. You also want low-maintenance options because beach houses can get messy very easily, and water damage is always a present threat to your flooring’s aesthetic. So, you want flooring that not only looks good but is also practical and suitable for your specific lifestyle and will not be affected by the elements.
Another option is to select different flooring styles for different rooms. Perhaps you want something more durable in the entryway, beach access area, or basement but would prefer hardwood flooring for the living room and entertainment areas. There are plenty of ways to mix things up, maintain a certain aesthetic, and have something durable that isn’t a mission to clean.
Alternatives To Laminate Flooring In Beach Houses
Perhaps you don’t like laminate flooring, regardless of its qualities, and don’t mind paying a little bit extra for a flooring style that would better suit the look you’re going for.
Hardwood (Solid or Engineered)
This is the gold standard of flooring, sought after by everyone, and a very pricey option that will set you back quite a bit, which is hard if you’re working on a budget and have a lot of flooring to install.
Real hardwood flooring is made from a solid piece of wood, with a dense grain that makes it strong enough to walk on. Alternatively, you get engineered hardwood, which comprises several component layers to make it as thick as you want it to be and more resistant to wear and tear.
Hardwood flooring is the classic choice for a coastal home, turning your beach house into a cozy, polished, and elegant sanctuary that is low maintenance and easy to clean.
Tile
Another popular option for beach house flooring is to install tiles. Perhaps the greatest advantage is how cool they feel underfoot, adding some much-needed relief from the summer. It is especially welcome after a long day at the beach, and tiling is very easy to clean and maintain. It also holds up well against moisture, which is a common concern if you have a beach house in a climate with lots of humidity.
Not to mention, tiles are classic. They have been used in our homes for centuries and can be used to achieve any look from a Tuscan villa to a modern minimalist home.
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Much like laminate, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring has made a comeback, despite its reputation for more than its fair share of interior decorating disasters. LVP is made up of synthetic materials, which are combined with heat and pressure to achieve a natural wood or stone-like finish.
In other words, LVP can be made to look like any style of flooring that you desire, be it hardwood, tiles, or almost any flooring style that you can think of. That beautiful look and endless customizable options for a fraction of the price of real hardwood flooring has made LVP an incredibly popular option among home renovators and builders alike.
What’s even better is that vinyl is practical, durable, and easy to clean. Furthermore, it’s water-resistant, making it perfect for a beach house, where water and mud will frequently find its way onto your flooring, no matter how hard you try – especially if you have kids.
What Not To Get: Carpets
It may be obvious to some, but wall-to-wall carpets are simply not suitable for beach houses. Not only will the moisture and water spoil it, but cleaning sand out of the carpets will be incredibly hard and time-consuming and you’re probably never ever going to get rid of some of it, which will be incredibly annoying.
If you insist on carpeting, area rugs would be a far better idea. They will add a bit of versatility and the carpet aesthetic, but you don’t need to overhaul your home to clean them completely.
Conclusion
So, if you’re a proud new owner of a beach house or if you’re renovating and you need to make a decision about which style of flooring to use, the good news is that laminate flooring is a good, beautiful, practical style that will fit in with coastal beach house decor, withstand the elements and won’t be hard to clean. You need to consider factors like durability, look, feel, and practicality. However, if you don’t like laminate flooring, you still have other options such as hardwood flooring, luxury vinyl plank flooring, or tiles.
Sources
- What is the Best Laminate Floor for a Beach House | Best Laminate
- What’s the Best Flooring for a Beach House Vibe? | Flooring America
- HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT FLOORING FOR YOUR BEACH HOME | Marnie Custom Homes
- BEST FLOORING FOR A HOME AT THE BEACH | 50 Floor
