Is Nuvelle laminate flooring something you’ll want to show off to your neighbors or will you have to hide it under area rugs after a few years?
While there are a lot of deciding factors, a select few laminates stand the test of time in both style and durability.
Nuvelle laminate comes in a wide variety of styles and has some other impressive features as well. All while not necessarily breaking the bank.
So, hold off on those strategically placed area rugs. Hopefully, you won’t be tripping over them for a while.
Style and Appearance
The sheer variety of Nuvelle laminate is impressive. You have 48 different high-definition patterns categorized into six different collections to choose from. The collections are based on style, plank width, and finish texture.
The Acacia 800 collection, like the name implies, features four acacia patterns in a 5” wide plank with a lightly hand scraped texture and four-sided micro bevel.
The Baby Grand collection comes in three species patterns: koa, cherry, and another acacia. Like the melody played on a baby grand piano, the texture of these 5.5” wide planks are smooth. While neither trendy nor too old-fashioned, this collection provides the most classic look above the others.
In the Hidden Valley collection, you will find four very on-trend styles. These feature a 7.5” wide plank with a micro-beveled edge each in a wire-brushed white oak look. This collection would be best suited for a more contemporary or modern interior.
The Thomasville collection has a 6” wide plank with a painted contrasting micro beveled edge. The patterns range from light to dark brown in a variety of rich nut wood species such as hickory, walnut, rosewood, and mahogany.
If you are after a more rustic-modern look, the Vienna collection has character-grade wood patterns in a variety of species. Each knotty 6.25” plank is beveled and finished with a light antiqued texture.
Last, but not least, let’s look at the Wild River collection. At the standard 5” width and rich brown color palette, it has all the vintage charm of your grandfather’s study. The heavy hand-scraping and semi-gloss finish complete this classic look.
Nuvelle’s style variety is notable and has something for just about everyone. However, the color palette doesn’t venture outside of neutrals and they do not offer anything but wood patterns unlike some other brands that manufacture stone and tile pattern laminates.
Construction and Durability
Like most other laminates, Nuvelle laminate is constructed with a high-density fiber board core and finished with aluminum oxide. Therefore, this floor is stain, fade, and wear-resistant. This laminate is not water resistant or waterproof.
Except for the Thomasville 8mm collection, Nuvelle laminate has anywhere from a 10mm to 12mm overall thickness. This ensures exceptional dimensional stability and overall better noise reduction compared to its thinner competitors.
Nuvelle laminate also features the Uniclic locking system. This is the gold-standard for laminates for both joint integrity and ease of installation.
Nuvelle offers a 50-year warranty on all their laminate products. The warranty covers things like delamination, buckling, and warping provided that the floor was installed completely under manufacturer recommendations. It’s important to note that the warranty does not cover things like damage, scratching, water damage, or product failure due to improper installation.
So, how long can you really expect Nuvelle laminate to last? All things considered, this is a medium to high-quality product and could potentially outlive that 50-year warranty.
However, you should also consider the amount of foot traffic in your home and any kids or pets that may cause more than typical wear and tear on your new floor. These types of conditions could have you replacing your floor much more often.
Ease of Installation
Laminate flooring is a very simple installation for both homeowners and seasoned pros alike. This is a floating type floor meaning there is no adhesive or fasteners required. Basic flooring tools and a circular saw are all that’s needed.
Nuvelle laminate does not offer a pad attached option and this may be a deal-breaker for some. It does take extra time to lay out your underlayment before installing the floor.
Mentioned above, the Uniclic locking system makes Nuvelle laminate even easier to install. The benefit to Uniclic is that it can be installed with either an angle-tap or drop and lock method. The latter method is particularly useful in narrow or tight spaces and when speed is a necessity.
However, for the novice DIYer, you may want to use the angle-tap method. While the fiber board tongues are sturdy, it’s still easy to break or chip them if you use too much force when clicking them together
A bonus is the satisfying clicking sound upon locking the planks. This is how you know they are properly situated locked into place.
Attempting a DIY home renovation project is not without risk. Keep yourself out of urgent care with some of these excellent DIY home construction safety tips.
Cost
You can purchase Nuvelle Laminate from several online retailers, such as fastfloors.com and regalfloorcoverings.com. Your local flooring dealer may also be able to order it for you. If you aren’t sure, you can contact Nuvelle customer service to locate a retailer in your area.
Nuvelle laminate is a mid-quality product and has the price tag to match. Online, the price is $1.25-$2.75 per square foot depending on the collection.
Since this product does not have an attached pad, you will need to factor this into the laminate cost as well. A laminate foam underlayment can cost anywhere from $0.25 to $0 .75 per square foot depending on the quality and features you want.
Whether ordering online or special ordering from your local flooring retailer, you may also pay shipping and/or delivery costs. This can range anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars. They determine it by freight carrier, weight, and distance the flooring will travel.
Fortunately, laminate is a simple flooring installation compared to a hardwood or tile install, so hiring a professional to install the laminate won’t break the bank. However, as a handy homeowner, you can potentially save thousands by tackling the install yourself.
If you must hire a pro, always make sure they are licensed and insured. Check out your state’s contractor’s board website and https://www.nascla.org for up to date information to protect yourself against fraud.
The Verdict
Nuvelle laminate is a good value product if you are looking for something mid-grade with a wide range of wood style options.
The other great selling point is the Uniclic locking system makes installation a snap for your DIY floor and will be just as simple for your hired pro.
However, the lack of attached pad can add extra time and cost to your installation. Plus, this product isn’t readily available at most big-box retailers and shipping costs and lead times could put a strain on your pocketbook (this isn’t a budget-end flooring) at renovation timeline.
All things considered, there are better value laminates on the market in terms of quality and price. Unless you really love one of the styles offered by Nuvelle, you may get better bang for your buck elsewhere.
What about you? Do you have a Nuvelle laminate floor in your home or office? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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Looking for 2 boxes of Nuvelle Baby Grand Brazilian Cherry B5 in Florida.