I'm looking into laminate flooring, specifically the lock type that DIYers often use to save costs. However, I've heard that to maintain consistent color and pattern throughout my house, I need to buy all the flooring at once from the same batch. This is tricky since I want to renovate one room at a time, and it also means a bigger upfront cost. I'm mainly considering options from Lowe's or Home Depot, and I'm wondering if the risk of a product being discontinued is lower with those retailers. Any advice or experiences you all have would be appreciated!
3 Answers
A lot of people worry about batch colors, but the bigger issue is that if you buy one room now, the product might not be available when you're ready to do the next room. I had a similar issue: did two rooms, but by the time I got to the third, it was discontinued. Thankfully, I found the same product on a liquidation site. So yeah, it's best to buy enough for one room at a time to avoid color variations, but you'll want to check availability wherever you purchase from!
Never thought about liquidation sites, that’s smart! Also, opening multiple boxes and mixing them while installing can help with color differences.
Buying one room at a time should usually be fine, especially if you're using trim pieces at doorways. The differences between lots probably won’t be drastic. Just keep in mind that your desired color or style might go away before you finish, so it could be a gamble. It's a lot about how you manage your time and materials.
Good point. I guess if you don't mind mixing styles a bit, you can save yourself some hassle.
Exactly! Plus, if you find something that’s ‘close enough,’ the difference might not even be noticeable.
You're right to think about discontinuation more than color. It might just be easier to handle it all at once if you can manage the time. It’s less hassle than making multiple trips to the store. But if you're working solo and have a busy schedule, tackle it one room at a time; just be prepared for a possible change in styles.
Totally hear you—I work nights too, and I can only do one room at a time. Makes it so much easier.
Yes! Don't overwhelm yourself. It’s not worth stressing over just to save a few bucks.
Totally get that! I had that happen too. I managed to finish my basement with an old style floor since I only had a few boxes left.