Should You Use Laminate or Carpet in a Bedroom? [Detailed Pros & Cons Analysis]

When choosing a flooring option for a bedroom, you are going to be presented with a wide assortment of options. Laminate and carpeting are two of the most common choices utilized by homeowners, and even deciding between those two selections can be quite difficult. Today, I am going to help you answer the question that thousands before you have asked: Should I use laminate or carpeting in my bedroom?

Carpeting is easily the most popular bedroom flooring solution because of its warmth, but it comes with drawbacks such as difficulty to keep clean and the potential issue of off-gassing. Laminate is often chosen because it is easy and inexpensive to install, but it is easily scratched and can look worn out after a few years if not properly maintained.

Clearly, the choice between carpeting and laminate is not an easy one to make. You’ve got to consider things like costs, durability, ease of maintenance and what it takes to install the flooring. In this article, I will showcase the pros and cons of both options so that you can make the most informed decision possible as you move forward.

The Pros and Cons of Carpet Flooring in a Bedroom

Carpeting is exceptionally popular in many home spaces, bedrooms most of all. The warmth provided by carpeting, as well as the luxurious look and feel of it, play largely into the reasons why people choose this option. But before you commit to carpeting in any bedroom of your home, let’s discuss the benefits and drawbacks of choosing this flooring solution.

Achim Home Furnishings self-adhesive carpet tiles

Dean commercial carpet tile

Pros

Carpeting is not nearly as expensive as it used to be, with many conventional carpets ranging between $2 and $3 per square foot. Many people still wrongfully believe that carpeting is one of the most expensive on the modern market, but this is simply no longer the case.

Carpet also provides a padded surface, which is incredibly handy in children’s bedrooms and play areas. Seniors and those with mobility issues that leave them prone to falling also benefit from this tremendous “pro” in favor of carpeting. You can even have a pad installed beneath the carpet to enhance this asset.

Another big advantage of carpeting is its soundproofing qualities. Because of the padding provided by carpets, this type of flooring is better at canceling outside noises than other flooring options.

In the winter, heat loss in a bedroom can make sleeping quite difficult. With carpeting, you get the added benefit of its insulative properties. Especially if you install a pad beneath the carpet, the room will retain its heat and keep the sleeper warm and cozy during those long, winter nights.

Of course, carpeting also has a visual benefit for many who prefer it. Carpets can really warm up a room, add a polished look to the room’s aesthetic, and comes in a wide array of colors and materials.

Cons

The biggest downside to carpeting is how difficult it can be to keep clean, especially in areas where spills are more likely to occur (like if you have a toddler or a cat who likes to knock glasses over). Stains have to be addressed immediately with some type of treatment, including steam-cleaning, to be banished from your carpet. To eliminate fur, dust and other allergens from carpeting, vacuuming is a must.

While we’re talking about allergens, it is worth noting that carpets are an allergen trap. Allergens all too easily get caught up within carpet fibers and it can be quite difficult to remove them. If the bedroom belongs to an asthmatic or a sufferer of allergies, carpeting may not be a wise choice.

People with chemical sensitivities should be wary when purchasing carpeting for a bedroom, as some carpets let off-gas chemicals like formaldehyde that can agitate the senses. This isn’t a tremendous issue anymore, as most companies who sell carpeting have worked to eliminate this concern, but not every retailer has.

Carpeting cannot be recycled in most circumstances, which means that it will end up in a landfill. This is true even if the flooring company who installed it is willing to rip it out and take it with them when the carpet has worn out its welcome.

The Pros and Cons of Laminate Flooring in a Bedroom

Laminate floors are made up of panels that have been printed with a design and laminated for a beautiful, high-shine look. The design layer is fused to a high-density fiberboard and topped with a top coat to ensure a long-lasting shine and optimal durability.

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This REXBETI laminate flooring installation kit is great for the ambitious DIY enthusiast who is determined to put in their own laminate floor.

Pros

If you’re an avid do-it-yourselfer, laminate flooring is definitely a project that you can do within an afternoon. It is exceptionally easy to install, especially in comparison to other flooring solutions. The panels join together using a “tongue and groove” system that essentially locks them into place. That being said, it’s not as easy as simply piecing together laminate and then setting it onto your existing floor. Prepping the area is essential.

Few options on the market provide as much variety and versatility as laminate. It can be printed with any number of colors and designs, including those designed to look like the often sought after but very expensive hardwood option. If you want a hardwood look without the hefty price tag, laminate is the way to go.

Like carpeting, laminate is quite inexpensive to buy. The average per-square-foot cost of laminate flooring is about $3.

Laminate flooring is also very easy to keep clean. There is no vacuum required, unlike carpeting. You can simply sweep and mop and be done with it! This makes laminate a great choice for owners of shedding pets and children who love to make their fair share of messes.

Cons

Unfortunately, laminate can easily be damaged. In fact, it’s virtually impossible to avoid leaving signs of daily wear and tear, like scratches, on a laminate surface over time. If you choose laminate because you don’t want to fuss about with a vacuum to manage pet fur, make sure that your pets have their nails trimmed to minimize the damage that untrimmed nails will eventually cause.

Laminate is a hard and unforgiving surface, so it’s not a great option for children’s bedrooms or the bedrooms of others who are more likely to have an accidental fall.

Unlike carpeting, laminate flooring offers absolutely zero soundproofing and insulation benefits. Actually, laminate can increase the sounds coming from outside by echoing the vibrations in a way that is often described as “hollow.”  Because of this, laminate is often not preferred for a baby’s bedroom or nursery.

Laminate is difficult (even impossible at times) to repair if the damage inflicted on it by day-to-day life becomes extensive. You can’t simply rip out a panel and replace it. While replacing an individual panel is possible, it is a very long and difficult process even for the most skilled of DIY aficionados.

While carpeting provides a warm and luxurious feel, some individuals think that laminate makes a space seem cold and “cheap.” This is obviously a matter of personal preference, but it can’t be denied that laminate flooring isn’t very plush or cozy.

Like carpeting, laminate flooring isn’t recyclable. This is because it is made of plastic, which takes eons to break down inside of a landfill.

Carpet or Laminate: Which is the Better Option?

There is no saying that one is inherently “better” than the other. Both have advantages and disadvantages to their use, so it really depends on what the circumstances of the bedroom calls for.

Carpeting is great if:

• The bedroom belongs to a child, a senior or someone else who is more likely to have repeated falling incidents.
• You have no pets or are willing to religiously vacuum the space to keep it free of pet hair and dander.
• The bedroom belongs to someone with no asthma symptoms or allergies.
• You live in an area where winters are bitterly cold, and you need the added insulation exclusively provided by carpeting.

Laminate is the better choice if:

• The bedroom belongs to someone who has allergies or asthma.
• The bedroom will be prone to spills that could stain carpeting.
• You cannot be bothered or do not have the time to routinely vacuum away dog or cat fur and dander.
• You have no worries about somebody falling and becoming injured.

Both options are fairly inexpensive to buy and have installed, so you don’t need to worry that much about the cost when doing your comparison. In reality, they are both great choices. It simply depends on what needs you expect your new flooring to fulfill. It’s important to factor all of the pros and cons listed above before you make your choice.

Have you decided what to put on those bedroom floors? If you chose Carpets, you should check out Bedroom Carpet Inspiration to give you an idea to how Carpets can be utilized in bedrooms.