Laminate

Whether you are remodeling or building a new home laminate floors have become a popular choice for active areas within the home. If you love the look of real hardwood but are concerned with the upkeep then laminate floors could be your answer. If you are concerned with tearing up your old floor or you don't want to spend the additional money for a real hardwood floor than a laminate floor may be a great alternative for you. Laminate floors are also a great product for do-it-yourself installations.

Originally from Europe, laminate floors have become a major flooring category with North America consumers. Today, consumers can find a wide selection of laminate flooring brands in many different designs, sizes and colors. The floors come in many different plank widths and square tile sizes. The stylish designs range from realistic stone, tile and hardwood visuals.

Laminate flooring manufacturers use sophisticated, computerized technology to create realistic designs. The top wear layer is incredibly durable and easy to care. It is also impervious to most stains, spills, burns and extremely scratch-resistant.

Laminate floors are installed by floating the planks over most substrates including plywood, OSB, concrete slabs and some existing floor coverings. The planks and tiles have tongue and groove edges that lock them together. These floors are never secured directly to the sub floor.

Most laminate floors require no glue to secure the planks and tiles together, they just snap together. Glueless installation makes these floors quick and easy-to-install and ideal for do-it-yourself installations. Some other laminate floors are pre-glued at the factory and only require a damp sponge to re-activate the adhesive along the tongue edges. While a few other laminate floors do require a specially formulated glue to be applied to each of the plank edges.