Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has been popular in Europe for many years and its popularity has caught on in the US.  Laminate floors are extremely durable and can be used in a wide array of applications from a simple bedroom in your home to the showroom floor of an automobile dealership.  Most of the laminate flooring manufacturers have some pretty impressive advertising campaigns. We recommend that you read all of the details of each product before you make your decision based solely on advertising you have seen on TV, in a magazine or in your local home improvement store.

Laminate flooring is a plank type floor, constructed of different layers.  Most people think of “Pergo” when they think of laminate.  Usually, the top layer or “wear layer” is clear.  Although it is similar to a counter top laminate, it is almost always 10% to 40% stronger than counter tops, and more resistant to scratches, burns, chipping, dents, etc.  The second layer is usually the design or decorative layer which gives it the unique look of wood, or in some cases, tile.  Some manufacturers add a third or “base” layer for greater stability. All of these layers are fused by heat and pressure to a high density core.  Some cores are constructed of high density fiber and some are constructed by wood particles.