Is laminate cheaper than carpet?

Rarely on day one. Once underlay, beading, thresholds and subfloor preparation are counted, laminate usually costs more fitted than a comparable carpet, though it can last longer in the right room.

Can I put laminate on the stairs?

It is possible with stair nosings, but it is slippery in socks and noisy underfoot. Stairs are the one place where almost every fitter will steer you back towards carpet.

Is laminate better for allergies than carpet?

It is often said, but it is not clear cut. Carpet holds dust until you vacuum it while a hard floor lets it circulate, so how often you clean matters more than which floor you chose.

Which is warmer in winter?

Carpet, comfortably, especially with a good underlay under it. Laminate stays at room temperature at best and feels cold on bare feet.

Can I have laminate downstairs and carpet upstairs?

That is the most common arrangement we supply. Hard floor where the dirt and water are, carpet where people are barefoot, with a door bar or stair nosing at the changeover.

Carpet or laminate? Here is how the two really compare

You want a straight comparison rather than a sales pitch for one or the other.

Laminate wins on cleaning, spills and rooms with pets or heavy dirt. Carpet wins on warmth, noise, comfort and cost per square metre. In most British houses the sensible answer is laminate downstairs in the wet and busy rooms, carpet on the stairs and upstairs.

Written for: Anyone deciding between soft and hard flooring for a room they have not committed to yet.

Cost, and the part people forget

Per square metre, budget and mid range carpet is generally cheaper to buy and cheaper to fit than laminate of an equivalent quality, because laminate needs underlay, beading, thresholds and a properly level subfloor.

Where laminate claws it back is over time. A laminate floor in a low moisture room can outlive two carpets, so the ten year cost can land closer than the day one price suggests.

Comfort, warmth and noise

This is not close. Carpet is warmer underfoot, quieter to walk on, softer to fall on and better at absorbing sound in the room. In a flat, in a bedroom, on a staircase and anywhere with children, that matters every single day.

Laminate over a good acoustic underlay improves, but it never becomes a soft floor. If you are converting a bedroom to laminate, be ready for the room to sound different.

Carpet against laminate, head to head

	Carpet	Laminate
Warmth underfoot	Warm	Cold without heating
Noise	Absorbs it	Amplifies footfall
Spills	Needs treating fast	Wipes up
Pet claws	Loops can snag	Scratches show
Wet rooms	No	Only if water resistant
Typical lifespan	8 to 15 years	10 to 20 years
Comfort on stairs	Safer and quieter	Slippery, needs care

Cleaning, spills and allergies

Laminate is easier. A spill wipes up, mud sweeps away, and there is nothing for a stain to soak into. For a kitchen diner, a utility room or a hallway that takes muddy boots, that is a strong argument.

The allergy question is more balanced than it is usually presented. Carpet traps dust and holds it until it is vacuumed, while a hard floor lets it move around the room. Regular vacuuming with a good filter is what actually decides the outcome.

Pets, scratches and moisture

Dog claws scratch laminate, and the scratches cannot be polished out the way they can on real wood. Cats are kinder to it. Against that, laminate handles accidents far better than carpet does, because nothing soaks into the subfloor.

Moisture is laminate's real weakness. Standing water at a join swells the board and the damage is permanent, so a laminate in a bathroom or a leaky utility is a risk unless it is a water resistant product.

The combination most houses end up with

Laminate or LVT in the hall, kitchen and dining area, carpet on the stairs, landing and bedrooms. It puts the wipe clean floor where the dirt and water are and the soft warm floor where people are barefoot, and it is what we sell together most often.

We stock both, so nobody here needs to talk you into one

Come and see carpet, laminate effect LVT and vinyl side by side, and price the combination that actually suits your house.

Compare both ranges 01622 828445

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Questions we get asked about this

Is laminate cheaper than carpet?: Rarely on day one. Once underlay, beading, thresholds and subfloor preparation are counted, laminate usually costs more fitted than a comparable carpet, though it can last longer in the right room.
Can I put laminate on the stairs?: It is possible with stair nosings, but it is slippery in socks and noisy underfoot. Stairs are the one place where almost every fitter will steer you back towards carpet.
Is laminate better for allergies than carpet?: It is often said, but it is not clear cut. Carpet holds dust until you vacuum it while a hard floor lets it circulate, so how often you clean matters more than which floor you chose.
Which is warmer in winter?: Carpet, comfortably, especially with a good underlay under it. Laminate stays at room temperature at best and feels cold on bare feet.
Can I have laminate downstairs and carpet upstairs?: That is the most common arrangement we supply. Hard floor where the dirt and water are, carpet where people are barefoot, with a door bar or stair nosing at the changeover.