It can be difficult to choose between laminate flooring and carpet when outfitting a room. It’s important to consider the function of a room and the sort of activities — and people and pets — that will likely be in the space. The cost of carpet is generally much cheaper than the cost of laminate flooring, but laminate flooring has the advantage of being longer-lasting, easier to clean, and less likely to suffer weather damage. If the area you are considering sees a great deal of foot traffic, laminate flooring and an area rug might be a better choice than carpeting, but there are numerous other factors to consider.
Is carpet cheaper than laminate?
Short answer: carpet is usually cheaper to buy and fit, laminate is usually cheaper to own. Carpet costs less on day one, but it wears in walkways, holds dust and is normally replaced every 5–10 years. Laminate costs a little more at the start, survives spills and traffic better, and lasts 15–20 years — but it cannot be repaired or refinished, so when it wears out the whole floor goes.
If you plan to stay in the property, the third option is usually the cheapest over time: engineered oak. It starts at £22 per m² excluding VAT in our sale, lasts decades, and can be sanded and refinished instead of replaced.
Advantages of Carpet
Carpeting adds a softer, warmer feel and look to a room, and it’s a popular choice for bedrooms and living rooms for this reason. Lowes carpet, for example, comes in a vast variety of materials, patterns, and colors, and recent advances in technology have made it more stain-resistant than carpets of the past.
Carpets also create a warming effect in a room which is great if your space is in a cold climate. However, in the hot months, the heat of a carpet can feel needlessly oppressive and somewhat stifling. Depending on the environment you live in, carpet can help make your space seem cozier and warmer, and it can go a long way to helping to tie a room’s color scheme together.
Disadvantages of Carpet
Stain-resistant does not mean stain-proof, and carpet can get destroyed more easily than laminate, especially in high-traffic areas like hallways. It also takes more effort to clean, and ground-in dirt can destroy the fibers. Better quality carpet with stain-resistant treatment will last longer, but will also cost more than a laminate floor.
Like laminate, carpet is made using adhesives and chemicals that people with chemical sensitivities may wish to avoid. Formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and acetone are chemicals that can be found in some carpets. For more information, ask your retailer or the manufacturer for the material safety data sheet (MSDS) available for the product you are installing.
Advantages of Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is very durable and is a good choice for hallways and entryways. It’s easy to keep clean, and doesn’t harbor allergens, odors and pet-borne insects like carpeting can. Regardless of your taste in decor, it is almost guaranteed that you will find a style of laminate flooring to suit your interior style.
Laminate comes in a wide variety of styles, mostly meant to simulate the look of stone or wood; the top layer is a graphic representation of whatever surface the laminate is meant to resemble. If one section of a laminate floor becomes damaged, it’s possible to replace damaged sections without redoing the entire floor. Laminate flooring cost tends to be higher than the cost of carpet installation.
In general, installing laminate flooring is an easier task than installing carpet for the do-it-yourself homeowner. The savings made by installing laminate yourself may reduce the cost of laminate flooring to a comparable level with professionally installed carpet. However, if you don’t have experience with laminate floor installing it might be better done by a professional so you can avoid any of the issues that could arise during a DIY project that might potentially result in additional expenditure.
Disadvantages of Laminate Flooring
The top layer of laminate is easily scratched by furniture or by dust and grime and may lose its luster if not frequently swept. Laminate is also ruined by excess moisture; any spills or standing water must be promptly cleaned up, and wet mopping is a bad idea. Many types of laminate are made with formaldehyde, and off-gassing of volatile organic compounds may be a problem. Some floors are treated to prevent this, but as with stain-resistant carpet, the price will be higher as a result.
Carpet, Laminate and Engineered Wood Side by Side
| Carpet | Laminate | Engineered oak | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical lifespan | 5–10 years | 15–20 years | 30–40 years |
| Can it be refinished? | No | No | Yes, several times |
| Underfloor heating | Poor conductor | Usually yes | Yes, on most of our floors |
| Spills and pets | Stains, holds odour | Swells if water sits in the joints | Sealed surface, wipes clean |
| Effect on resale | Neutral to negative | Neutral | Usually adds value |
| Our price per m² (ex VAT) | — | — | £22.00 – £117.75, 83 floors in stock |
We do not sell carpet or laminate, so treat the first two columns as general guidance rather than a sales pitch. The wood figures are our own current prices, updated with the catalogue.
If You Are Considering Real Wood Instead
Engineered oak is the usual alternative when people compare carpet and laminate on cost. It is real oak on a plywood core, so it behaves like solid wood underfoot but is stable enough for underfloor heating and for London flats with concrete subfloors.
In practice, a fair share of the people who come to us asking about laminate fit engineered wood in the end, and the reason is usually the floor they already have rather than the floor they wanted. Laminate floats on underlay, so it needs a base that is flat and dry: over an uneven one the joints work loose and begin to click underfoot, and once damp reaches a joint the edge of the board swells and cannot be sanded back.
Engineered oak is fitted differently. It can be glued straight onto a screed or fixed down over joists, so an imperfect base is corrected rather than covered over. That matters more in London than in most places — concrete and screed in flats, century-old timber joists in Victorian and Edwardian houses. We look at the subfloor before quoting and price any levelling separately, because what the floor needs only becomes clear when the old covering comes up.
Where our range currently sits:
- Sale and clearance floors — from £22.00 per m² ex VAT, 11 floors while stock lasts
- Engineered oak — 82 floors priced from £22.00 to £83.99 per m², median £47.99
- Herringbone and chevron — 25 patterned floors from £25.99 per m²
Colour is hard to judge on a screen. You can order up to three samples free and see them in your own light before deciding, or send your measurements for a quote with quantities and fitting cost for your rooms.