Hard-wearing laminate planks on the right underlay, with proper expansion gaps and matched scotia, so the floor stops sounding hollow, the joints stay tight, and it earns the lifespan on the box.
Click-fit laminate flooring supplied and installed, from value-priced 7mm planks for landlord refits to 12mm AC5 boards with built-in underlay for busy family homes. We carry wood effects, herringbone laminate and a smaller range of stone effects.
Homeowners replacing tired carpet in living rooms, halls and bedrooms; landlords who need a tough, neutral floor that survives tenant changeovers; builders and developers fitting out plots ready for sale.
When you want the look of real wood at a fraction of the cost; when carpet won't survive the room (kids, mud, pets); when laminate is failing at the joints and the whole floor needs lifting and re-fitting properly.
Laminate is the easiest hard floor to fit badly. Skipped underlay, no expansion gap, planks hammered tight against skirting, the floor still looks fine for two months, then squeaks, peaks at the joints, and starts lifting near the doorways. Done right, the same product lasts 10–15 years.
Without an expansion gap, laminate expands into itself in summer and pushes the joints up. Once peaked, the only fix is to lift and re-fit, the planks themselves are usually fine.
Cheap or missing underlay leaves the floor sounding hollow underfoot. Proper acoustic underlay is a small cost that completely changes how the room feels.
Standard laminate is not waterproof. Used in a kitchen without a water-resistant range, the joints take on moisture and the MDF core swells. We specify water-resistant laminate or steer you to LVT for wet rooms.
Laminate amplifies a squeaky timber sub-floor. We screw down loose boards as part of the prep, DIY fits usually skip this step.
We measure, check the sub-floor, talk through how the rooms are used, and recommend an AC rating that suits, not always the most expensive plank in the showroom.
Laminate, underlay, doorbars, scotia and fit itemised in one fixed price. Uplift and disposal of the old floor priced separately so you can decide.
Old floor lifted, boards screwed and checked for squeaks, concrete cleaned, damp-proof membrane laid over screed where required.
Acoustic underlay rolled out, planks click-fit with staggered joints, proper 10mm expansion gap kept around the perimeter, doorbars and scotia trimmed in.
Floor swept, off-cuts cleared, room walked with you. Walkable immediately, full furniture back the same day.
Indicative supply and fitting prices for laminate. Acoustic underlay, beading and doorbars are itemised separately on every quote.
| Item | Price (from) |
|---|---|
Laminate supply AC4 and AC5 ranges, water-resistant options available | from £9.99/m² |
Straight-lay fitting | £12/m² |
Herringbone fitting | £25/m² |
Prices shown are 'from' guides only. Final pricing depends on the product range chosen, room shape, sub-floor preparation, access and quantity. Book a free no-obligation home measure for a fixed written quote.
AC4/AC5 ratings handle kids, pets and mud without scuffing or denting the way budget laminate does.
Photographic embossed finishes are genuinely convincing and a fraction of the cost of engineered or solid wood.
Most rooms are lifted, prepped and re-fitted inside a day. Whole houses typically 2–3 days including prep.
Sweep, damp mop, no oiling or re-finishing. Replace damaged planks individually rather than re-doing the floor.
On proper acoustic underlay, laminate is no longer the drum-like floor it had a reputation for in the 2000s.
Neutral wood effects appeal to almost every tenant and survive multiple changeovers, a strong cost-per-year number.
Laminate has moved a long way since the early click-fit days. Modern AC4 and AC5 ranges, with proper underlay and a competent fit, are an honest mid-range hard floor. Here's how to spec it well.
AC3 is light domestic, bedrooms only. AC4 is heavy domestic and light commercial, the right minimum for lounges, halls and stairs. AC5 is heavy commercial, used domestically where children, dogs and grit will test the floor. Spending up to AC4 is almost always worth it; AC5 is a sensible upgrade in halls and hard-use family rooms.
7mm is fine for budget bedroom fits. 8mm is the residential standard. 10–12mm boards with pre-attached underlay feel solid underfoot, mask minor sub-floor imperfections and are typically the right choice in living rooms and open-plan spaces. Thicker boards are not automatically better, the AC rating tells you more about wear life than thickness does.
On a timber sub-floor we use 3mm acoustic underlay. Over concrete or screed we use combination underlay with a built-in damp-proof membrane to stop residual moisture migrating into the laminate core. Where the laminate already has integrated underlay, we still add a DPM layer over concrete.
Several modern laminates use a water-resistant HDF core and tighter joints that handle splashes and short standing water. These are the right pick for kitchens, utility rooms and family bathrooms where you want the laminate look but need real-world water tolerance. For full wet rooms we still recommend LVT.
For homes we lead with comfort, look and the right AC rating. For offices, salons and light commercial fits we move to AC5 with reinforced joints and confirm the warranty supports the use class. Heavy public-facing commercial is usually better in LVT or commercial sheet vinyl, see our commercial flooring page.
Over a flat, sound vinyl or laminate, sometimes, but we usually recommend lifting first so we can address the sub-floor properly. Fitting over an unsound floor is a short-term saving with a long-term cost.
Water-resistant laminate ranges handle splashes and short standing water in kitchens. For wet rooms and bathrooms we steer customers to LVT instead.
Yes, with proper stair-nosing profiles bonded and pinned in place. We don't recommend click-fit laminate on stairs without nosings; it isn't safe.
A quality AC4/AC5 laminate, fitted with proper underlay and expansion gaps, will routinely last 10–15 years in a busy home. Budget AC3 in a hallway might only manage 4–5.
Yes, laminate is walkable as soon as the fitter leaves. Furniture goes straight back.
Not on proper acoustic underlay. The hollow drum-sound reputation is a legacy of underlay being skipped or under-spec'd. We don't fit laminate without it.
Yes, uplift and disposal can be added to your quote. We also handle basic furniture moves on the day.
Free home or site measure. Written quote with everything itemised. No pressure, no salesperson follow-up, just the price and what it includes.
