Since we have made the decision to move to a less rocky location in our golden years we also decided that we need to do some of those upgrades that we have been putting off. Replacing our living room flooring is one of the very few improvements we will need to do. We looked into carpet, refinishing our present wood floors and a few other options. Most would not suit mountain living. After much research, discussion and deliberation laminate flooring looked to be the best option.
Laminate flooring is a common type of flooring that consists of a layer of materials laminated together to form a very attractive and durable floor. With three pets and living on the side of a mountain we need a floor that is durable yet still attractive. The back half of our home is carpeted with commercial carpet that is easy to maintain. Anything spilled is easily cleaned up and it does not show the wear or traffic. Dog hair is easily vacuumed up. Most people do not fully understand how living on the side of a mountain can be a constant challenge for your indoor flooring. In the winter you can’t help but track in snow even with our mud room. We have never been able to teach our dogs how to wipe their feet so 12 paws do track in a lot of the outside. In the spring time it is more mud or dirt. Other times it is just small pebbles that get caught in the bottom of our boots or dirt.
We need flooring that is attractive, easy to maintain and durable. We have learned that we need to either remove our shoes in the mud room or make sure they are clean when we enter the house. By installing laminate flooring in the living room we have a floor that easily cleans up, is durable and is attractive. The carpeted back half of the house has already proven its durability and effectiveness. Laminate flooring is easy to install as it locks together over a thin layer of closed cell foam under lay material. It is essentially a floating floor that requires little skill to install. We also don’t want flooring that is cold to walk on with bare feet. With the under lay material we have found that laminate flooring is not uncomfortable to walk on. A room-sized rug lays nicely on the floor as the laminate flooring is difficult for the dogs to walk on.
We installed new moldings around the room which really sets off the cherry laminate flooring. Laminate flooring is easy to maintain with either a spray bottle or floor sweep like the Swifter with a wet insert. Kits are available to repair dings or scratches even though it is almost impervious to most things that could damage it. The only real threat to damage laminate flooring is water. Water should not be allowed to stand on it long enough to damage the laminates. It retains its luster and comes with a 15 year guarantee. Some products are not suitable for living in the mountains but laminate flooring is perfect for our kind of living. If I can install it I figure anyone can. We are quite happy with our choice of flooring and our living room looks much nicer than our old wood floor.
For more about Bruce and Carol McElmurray and mountain living go to www.brucecarolcabin.blogspot.com.