IKEA’s Tundra Laminated Flooring
If you want to lay down a new floor and want to go cheap, we’ve known quite a few people to reach for IKEA’s Tundra click-lock laminated flooring. At $1.19 per square foot, it beats Home Depots super popular TrafficMaster Allure Vinyl Flooring, but the jury is still out as to which is best.
Tundra is a pure IKEA product so even as you marvel at its price and how useful the idea of having a new laminated floor sounds, don’t think for a second that this is a quality product that you will hand down to your grandchildren with a smile. Tundra is made out of fiberboard, topped with a laminate (melamine foil) and feels warm but slightly artificial underfoot. Think basement, not bedroom…
That said, you can buy it, unpack it and lay it down fairly quickly without glues or adhesives. The problems we’ve seen have to do with getting the planks square in the room, some slight bubbling and the need for molding (which really isn’t a problem, but overlooked when planning). Since the floor looks unfinished at the edges, installing molding to hide this is essential for a nice finish.
Like Allure TrafficMaster, Tundra comes in a number of different finishes from dark to light, most of which tend to be out of stock online, so going into the store (as per usual) is a must.
We’re interested in your experiences with Tundra, so please let us know below.