She thought laminate floors were a much better buy in the long run. Her reasoning was they are easier to maintain, keep their look over the long run, are cheaper, and look just as good as hardwood floors if you buy the quality laminate.

Carrol explained that she has two dogs.  She has hardwood flooring and her dogs have scratched it up pretty bad.  That was her major know again hardwood.  Its scratches extremely easily.  All it takes is for you to have dogs or cats with any sort of claws to run over it, furniture being moved, or rocks in people’s shoes and your nice finish will be ruined.

She explained to me that if you do decide to go with solid hardwood flooring get a lighter shade because the darker your floors are the more the scratches will show.

Additionally, spills can stain hardwood floors.  This is something to think about if you have kids.  I did not know hardwood could stain but it can.  Laminate flooring on the other hand does not.

Laminates are really hard to scratch and do not stain.  Those were the huge selling points with her.  She said that while she does sell more hardwood than laminate they are almost neck and neck.  Laminate has become really popular these days and in her opinion it is better than hardwood. Many people still prefer the real thing though no matter what you tell them.

It was also mentioned that if you buy the quality laminate flooring it looks 99.9% the same as hardwood.  You cannot  tell the difference if you get the more expensive stuff. She showed me samples and I had to agree.  You can tell if a person has laminate installed if they buy the cheap material.  It just looks like a picture of hardwood.  But when you start paying at least $5 a square foot for the good material you get virtually hardwood flooring.  The only person who will know is you.  And it will last longer.

As I brought out earlier it can completely change the look of a house. One of the nice things about laminate, out of many, is that there are so many choices to choose from!

You can make your house look any style you want.  It can look stone, ceramic, or wood. And there are variations of all kinds of colors and styles within all of those.  The options for you to choose from can number in the hundreds.

This may be a little off topic but most theme parks utilize laminate pieces when they are designing themes and cues for certain rides or areas within their park..  Like the whole “Sword and the Stone” knight theme. Those stones are most likely not real.  They are laminate, although, you never would know it.

It is becoming more popular all of the time because this particular flooring is easy to install, affordable, and its durable also.

I am also a firm believer that its especially nice for families that have kids, pets, and just a lot of traffic in general. The reason for this is that also doesn’t fade in the sun unlike real wood floors and it resists water!  If or when you have kids you will really be able to appreciate that point.  Kids spill drinks all the time and you need a material that you can easily wipe up and not stain.

Good quality laminate has thicker cores and is treated with water repellent chemicals. That makes it able to sustain excessive amounts of water without swelling.  Many people only put it in the living and bedrooms but I think this point makes it  great for bathrooms or kitchens. The top layer is also very dense so it makes it very hard to scratch or even burn!

By the way a lot of companies that make laminate floors give warranties with their products, which make it a little more comforting for your purchase.  Most of them have a five year warranty of them against defects but the top quality ones will usually come with a ten year warranty.

I repeat, these types of floors are made to be easy to install for your typical homeowner with little prior knowledge.  There are so many different laminate flooring companies, with so many different styles, and they are continually coming out with more innovations to make it easier all the time for installing it.

Generally it has a tongue and groove interlocking system to install it, making it go together fast and easy. If you have any sort of carpentry experience at all you can honestly make putting a new floor in just a weekend project. Also all that you need underneath is basically any hard flat surface that is even. The sub floor can be plywood, concrete, sheet vinyl flooring, hardwood floor, etc.

So go on ahead and get started! Quit dreaming and start shopping for the right style laminate floor for you!

So everyone should be jumping on board this trend, right?  Well, as much I am a huge fan of laminate flooring I must admit that along with the great benefits there are indeed cons. I want to take the time to explore the different aspects.

CONS

Some people are Just Into the Real Thing

While laminate is 99% the same, as far as look and feel, as conventional hardwood flooring its nevertheless a replica.  There is in fact some wood in laminate but its more of a base layer and still not genuine.

When you are trying to sell your house real hardwood floors will increase the value on paper a lot more than laminate flooring will because of this. In a recent conversation with a realtor in Georgia, I learned that in Atlanta hardwood floors are a big selling point for many home buyers.  Again, its mostly all a mental thing but then again would you want a real diamond or a cubic zirconium.  They both look and feel the same!

This material is Really Slippery

By many accounts laminate flooring is a lot more slippery than real hardwood flooring.  I cannot tell you why but if you have kids or toddlers, and especially if the floor is wet, you can expect people to slip and fall. This is not to tell you that you are walking on ice, and I doubt this would be a deal breaker, but just be forewarned.

Not Refinishable or Sandable

This is an actual huge drawback to this type of flooring for someone who is looking at the long term payoff versus one with  short term mindset.

When you have a grooved, scratched, or just worn down piece of hardwood you can sand it down and it will look like new.  You cannot do that with laminate flooring.  You have to totally replace the piece.

Overtime your wood flooring, no matter which kind, will have wear and tear.  So one type allows you to fix the problem while the other type (laminate) obligates you to replace it.

PROS

Costs Less

There are several different companies that make laminate flooring including Armstrong, Wilsonart, and Pergo and the cost you will pay will vary.  You get what you pay for like anything else.  But generally speaking the best quality laminate flooring will be less expensive than the best solid real hardwood flooring you can buy.

Very Easy to Install Laminate Flooring

If you have a friend you can install a couple hounded feet of laminate especially if its Pergo because you will not have to glue the pieces together.  The newer ones like have a click lock design almost like connecting puzzles together.  The glue is already in the product (its dry) and all you have to do is wet it to activate it.  Its a piece of cake!

More Durable

Because laminate flooring is made from synthetic material it usually cannot be scratched or dented easily.  The have a wear layer that is good at stopping that from happening.  Most of the companies that make this particular type of flooring give you at least a five year warranty on the material.

Extremely Easy to Clean

You can use an average broom or vacuum to clean laminate wood floors.  Its that simple.  You can also mop it if you would like.  Hardwood needs to be waxed every so often for it to keep its look.

Laminate also does not stain.  If you spill a drink on it just get a paper towel and wipe it off.  The same cannot be said all the time about hardwood.

So I have presented all the main angles to you.  You now know exactly what you are getting into if you deciding whether to go with the real thing or its shadow.  But let me tell you that I personally think the shadow is a pretty good option.

Common laminate floor manufacturers include brand names such as Pergo, Dupont, Mannington, Armstrong among others. As a synthetic material it is made from thin sheets of paper that have been chemically mixed with melamine.

The upper layer of laminate floor is actually a photograph of wood grain covered in a very strong transparent material. This ensures that it lasts long and preserves it from damages associated with denting, staining, fading or scratching.

The layer beneath the wood grain photograph is made of wood chip composite which is about a half inch thick in size. This material can be made of just about anything to make up a laminate floor. Usually the type of material used determines its cost. Laminate floor are available in thickness varying from six to thirteen inches wide. Thicker floors are more stable and look more like real wood.

This type of floor finishing is available as glue-on or snap-on planks depending on what you want to use. The glue on laminate planks has more defined structures and holds out moisture much better. Snap on planks are easier to install.

The floor is also available in different forms. An example is the entry level laminate wood flooring. It is designed for high traffic portions in the house. This type of floor is made of a thicker inner core to make it more stable and durable to prevent damage. There are others that are more suitable for kitchen or bathroom areas.

Effective laminate floors for such areas are available as high quality planks which have been treated with water expellant materials to improve water resistance. They also have paraffin wax impregnated joints to enhance moisture repellent action. This guards the inner core by preventing absorption of moisture which easily damages the material.

Laminate flooring is also available in a wide range of color, design and cost. This varies with different manufacturers as well as brands. This varies with different manufacturers as well as brands. You can get high quality laminate floor finishing for your house also manufactured to ensure longevity.

Since its introduction in the market in the early 1980s the floor has become one of the most commonly used finishing in homes today. Some of its benefits are that it is visually appealing as it looks like real hardwood. It is one of the easiest floors to install as one portion of your house can easily be done over a weekend. It is very easy to clean and maintain too. Another benefit is that it can last for a very long time when proper care is used on it.