How Much Does Laminate Flooring Cost?

Laminate is the most affordable of the popular wood-look floors, which is a big part of why it is so widely used. Exactly what it costs, though, depends on the range you choose and the size of the room, so a single headline figure would be misleading. Prices also move with the market and vary between designs. Rather than quote numbers that quickly date, this guide explains what actually drives the cost of laminate flooring, sets out the value you get at each tier and shows how to get the most floor for your money.

At Grosvenor Flooring every laminate range is available to buy online with free UK delivery. Current pricing is shown on each product page. We stock three collections – Quick-Step, Evergreen and Lignum – which between them span the budget, mid-range and premium tiers described below.

Key Takeaways

• Laminate is the most affordable of the main wood-look floors, but the exact cost depends on the range and room size.
• Thickness, AC rating, water resistance, format and brand are the five things that drive the price.
• Think in tiers: budget (7mm to 8mm, AC3), mid-range (8mm to 10mm, AC4) and premium (12mm, up to AC5).
• Budget for underlay, trims and a ten per cent waste allowance; delivery on our laminate is free.
• Best value comes from matching the spec to the room, not from buying the cheapest or the most expensive board.

What Drives the Cost of Laminate Flooring?

Two boards that look similar on screen can sit at very different prices. The reasons are usually down to a few specifications. Understanding them helps you judge whether a floor is good value or simply cheap.

Thickness is the most visible cost factor. A 12mm board uses more material and feels more solid underfoot, so it sits above a slim 7mm board on price. AC rating works alongside it: a harder-wearing AC5 surface costs more to produce than an AC3 one. Water resistance adds cost too, as the water-repellent surface coatings on kitchen and bathroom ranges are an extra layer of technology. Format matters as well: herringbone and parquet layouts usually sit above a standard plank because of the smaller boards and more involved manufacturing. Finally, brand and finish play their part: a deeply embossed, realistic surface from an established name carries a premium over a flat, entry-level print.

The Laminate Cost Tiers Explained

It helps to think of laminate in three broad tiers rather than exact prices. Each buys a different level of thickness, durability and realism.

Budget laminate is typically a 7mm or 8mm board with an AC3 rating. It is the most affordable way to get a fresh wood-look floor and is a sensible choice for a quiet bedroom, a guest room or a large project where cost is the priority. The design quality of budget laminate has improved enormously, so it still looks good; it simply feels a little less solid and is rated for lighter traffic.

Mid-range laminate is the sweet spot for most homes. Usually an 8mm to 10mm board at AC4, it balances a realistic finish, a solid feel and enough durability for busy family rooms without stretching the budget. This is where most buyers land. It is where the Evergreen collection and the middle of the Quick-Step range sit.

Premium laminate means a 12mm board, often AC5, offering the deepest textures, the best water resistance and the longest warranties. It is the closest laminate gets to the look and feel of real wood. It is the tier to choose for a hallway, an open-plan living space or anywhere you want the floor to be a feature. Quick-Step’s 12mm Impressive Ultra is a good example.

Laminate Cost vs LVT and Engineered Wood

Part of the appeal of laminate is where it sits against the alternatives. Laminate is generally the most affordable of the three main wood-look options. Luxury vinyl usually costs more, as it is fully waterproof through its construction and warmer underfoot. Engineered wood is the most expensive, because it is real timber that can be sanded and refinished. If your priority is a convincing wood look at the lowest cost, laminate is hard to beat. Our guides to LVT vs laminate and engineered wood vs laminate compare the three in full.

The Extra Costs to Budget For

The boards themselves are only part of the picture, so it pays to plan for the extras before you order.

Underlay is essential under laminate and is a modest but real cost. It softens footfall, reduces sound and helps with minor subfloor imperfections. An underfloor-heating room needs a low-tog version. Trims, beading and thresholds finish the edges and doorways neatly and are easy to forget. Delivery is free on our laminate across mainland Britain, so that is one cost you can leave out. If you are fitting it yourself, budget for a few basic tools such as spacers, a pull bar and a tapping block, most of which are inexpensive and reusable. Finally, allow for a little waste: order around ten per cent more than the exact room area to cover cuts and the odd mistake.

Laminate is designed for straightforward DIY click-fit installation, which is why many people lay it themselves and save on labour. If you would rather have it laid, an independent fitter’s labour is a separate cost to factor in. We supply laminate on a supply-only basis, so the price you see is for the floor delivered to your door.

How to Get the Best Value from Laminate

Getting value is not the same as spending the least. A cheap board in a busy hallway that needs replacing in a few years is a false economy, while overspending on a premium floor for a spare room is money you did not need to spend. The aim is to match the spec to the room.

Buy the right AC rating for the traffic and no more, choose a thickness for the feel you want rather than the highest number and measure carefully so you order the correct amount with a sensible allowance for waste. Buying online with free delivery keeps the total down. If you have found the same product cheaper elsewhere in the UK we will do our best to match it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does laminate flooring cost in the UK? It varies with the range, the thickness and the size of the room, so there is no single figure. As a guide, laminate spans a budget tier (slim boards for lighter-use rooms), a mid-range tier (the sweet spot for most homes) and a premium tier (thick, hard-wearing boards for busy and feature rooms). Current pricing for every range is shown on the product page. Delivery is free.

Is laminate cheaper than vinyl or LVT? Generally, yes. Laminate is usually the most affordable of the wood-look floors. Luxury vinyl costs more for its waterproof construction and warmer feel. Engineered wood costs the most, as a real-timber product. If the lowest cost for a convincing wood look is your priority, laminate is normally the answer.

Is cheap laminate flooring any good? It can be, in the right room. Modern budget laminate looks far better than it used to and is perfectly suited to bedrooms, guest rooms and lighter-use spaces. The trade-off is a thinner board and a lower AC rating, so it is less suited to a busy hallway or a family kitchen. In a low-traffic room, a quality budget board is often the sensible best buy rather than a compromise.

What extra costs should I budget for? The main extras are underlay, which is essential, plus trims, beading and thresholds to finish the edges. Allow around ten per cent more material than the exact room size for cuts and waste. Delivery on our laminate is free. If you are fitting it yourself, a few basic tools are the only other outlay.

Does Grosvenor Flooring fit laminate? We supply laminate on an online, supply-only basis with free UK delivery. We do not offer a laminate fitting service. Laminate is designed for straightforward DIY click-fit installation, so many people lay it themselves, or you can arrange an independent fitter. You can preview any floor in your own room using our AI room visualiser on the product pages before you order.

Further Reading

To choose the right floor for each room, see our best laminate flooring buyer’s guide. For help matching board thickness to your rooms, see the laminate thickness guide.

For brand-specific pricing context, see the Quick-Step laminate prices guide. To compare laminate against other floor types on cost, see LVT vs laminate and engineered wood vs laminate.

Or browse the full laminate flooring range online.