Laminate Buyer's Guide
START YOUR FLOORING PROJECT WITH ALL THE
INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR IDEAS REALITY.
Pros
- Ultra Realistic Designs
Provides the realistic look of wood, tile or stone at a lower cost.
- Long Lasting
Extremely durable and far less apt to scratch than wood.
- DIY Friendly
Exceptionally easy to install because interlocking pieces "float" over, rather than attach to, a subfloor.
- Easy Area-to-Area Transitions
Easy to adjoin to other floors, due to its 7 to 10 mm (approximately 1/3") thickness.
- Child and Pet Friendly
Superior durability for households with children or large pets
View Pros & Considerations for all Floor Types
Considerations
- Cannot be Refinished
Unlike hardwood floors, laminate cannot be refinished or recoated.
- Shorter Life Expectancy than Natural Products
Laminate's life expectancy of 15 to 30 years is on par with other types of manufactured flooring, but considerably less
than that of genuine stone, ceramic and other natural materials.
- "Hollow" Sound if Not Installed with Correct Underlayment
Laminate's construction and installation method can create hollow sounds when people or pets walk on the floor. Using the
correct underlayment eliminates or reduces this problem.
- Adds Less Value to Your Home than Natural Products
Laminate does not have the same perceived value of the natural materials it mimics.
