Why are some decorative laminates expensive than others?

‘If you have 50 different plug types, appliances wouldn’t be available and would be very expensive. But once an electric outlet becomes standardized, many companies can design appliances, and competition ensues, creating variety and better prices for consumers.’ – Bill Gates

As rule of nature goes, everything better is more valuable and hence pricier.

Well, that’s true. For most of the things at least!

Laminates are a commodity that are used to make your house look much prettier, presentable or are sometimes used just out of convenience. The reason there is a price difference on laminates is usually a result of a couple of factors such as the style, brand, material quality and its quantity used.

Originally laminates gained possibility as the best possible alternative to the-then most popular material – hardwood. Laminate flooring entered the fray around the 1970s; individuals were swooning over the fact that they can own a floor that is both durable and visually appealing. Those days, the factor of style was clearly sacrificed for affordability. However, today thanks to the advent of technology, manufacturers and brands have forged an arsenal of laminate types, styles and designs which leads to the first and foremost factor of differentiation in price of laminates which is – Versatility!

1. The versatility in types and brands of laminates available

Laminates come in thousands of shades, finishes and thicknesses, styles and patterns. Glue-less Click, Pre-Attached Underlay, Glued Laminate, Pre-Glued, Smooth, Embossed and/or Textured, Distressed/Hand scraped, Wood Laminate, Tile Laminate, Stone Laminate, designer laminates, decorative laminates, a premium high-gloss option, Acrylic finishes such as matt, glossy, ultra-high gloss are just some of the abundant varieties. There are abundant Laminate Manufacturers in India who sell laminates for a price range of INR 300- 45,000.

2. Installation procedures

The next step post choice of material is the, cost of producing the materials used in making the basic or a designer laminate such as  Underlayment, mouldings, transition pieces, base moulding, end moulding, etc. Better the quality, naturally, more would be the cost of the final product. Furniture removal and replacement for installation convenience, removing the old floor, accessories/additional material/tools to install laminate properly, etc. prove to be factors that would certainly add to the final price in complete installation of a laminate.

3. Durability and Maintenance

The acrylic-styled finishing does often tend to wither away in due time despite being scratch resistant in nature; however, they don’t lose their striking appearance which is aesthetically pleasing on the eyes. However, one important thing to note here is the fact that it leaves finger print and becomes prone to stains. Hence, periodical cleaning is the need of the hour, which is why the price bracket becomes higher. Naturally, the cost of a decorative laminate/ designer laminate would cost much more than a basic laminate.

4. Purpose and Cost

The cost of laminates also varies due to the purpose of the laminate installed for. Given some key aspects like easy to maintain, clean and the overall appeal, cabinets which have been acrylic-finished are placed in the higher price bracket as compared to laminates. However, that doesn’t discount the merits of owning laminates; they offer durability and a range of options at a lower price, making them top picks if you have a narrow budget. However, a higher priced laminate used as a decorative laminate/designer laminate would cost much more due to the contents used in making the final laminate.