Is Costco's Laminate Flooring A Good Buy? Here's What We Know Based On Reviews

There's a lot to love about laminate flooring. From its durability in the face of heavy foot traffic to its water resistance, it's a hearty floor material that is quite affordable when compared to hardwood or specialty flooring options. While you may know a lot about installing laminate flooring, you may be surprised that Costco offers this product to their members, but are their laminate floors any good?

Costco has several different laminate flooring products available on their website, all from the manufacturer Mohawk. For their most popular package, colors range from a light hickory to a dark oak, in addition to a variety of other shades in between. Currently, 75% of the reviews are 5 stars for the Mohawk Home 12mm Laminate Plank Flooring, with only 5% being highly critical 1-star reviews. Negative reviews mention that the flooring is not as water resistant as anticipated, with some citing that the brand did not stand behind their product when it underperformed. One particularly negative review mentioned a common laminate flooring issue, saying, "Mohawk will not accept our warranty claim after the floor swelled after getting wet. Costco also said they won't take it back unless we tear it up and bring it back to the store. Not a good product and even worse customer service." On the other hand, the majority of customers highly praise the flooring for its performance, appearance, and the ease of installation as a whole. One customer writes, "You can find cheaper flooring at some discount stores, but the quality will only be a half of this material. I have installed multiple floors, and this is my #1 recommended EVER."

While you can learn a lot about a product from reviews, specifications truly matter to the discerning homeowner. The Mohawk flooring is only $2.59 when broken down to price-per-square-foot. Each box contains nine planks, each measuring 6.14 inches by 47.25 inches, and costs $46.99. The 12mm thickness of Costco's laminate flooring is highly desirable for those who are wanting to replicate the experience of authentic hardwood floors. The Mohawk laminate planks are designed to be extra durable, no matter your lifestyle's needs, with a lifetime limited residential warranty, as well as an all pet protection and warranty. The flooring is meant to be water resistant with SplashDefense technology that is made to be waterproof on the surface level while also keeping moisture out of the joints.

Like most laminate flooring, the one offered by Mohawk promises to be an appropriate DIY project. The planks click together, so you know that they have locked properly into place. Of course, there are still many finer points of laminate floor installation that should be taken into account before you go whole hog and try to do it on your own (particularly if you have existing floors to remove first). Whether you're planning to install the floors yourself or hire it out, you'll want to remember to measure your space appropriately and purchase the corresponding laminate floor accessories. If you choose to outsource, remember to weigh the cost of laminate flooring installation, and to reach out to a reputable contractor who specializes in it, which will help you to avoid any unnecessary hiccups.