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Flooring Education

Laminate 101

What do you need to know about Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring is an exceptionally durable and practical solution for your home’s floors, especially if you lead an active family lifestyle.

Eliminating the need to choose between beauty, function and affordability, laminate brings the best of all worlds together by providing photorealistic hardwood and tile looks and textures in a versatile, damage-resistant form.

The Benefits of Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has a host of features that set it apart from other types of flooring. Here are just a few:

  • Laminate resists damage from stains, dents, scratches, moisture and more thanks to its layered construction
  • Laminate is easily to install, often featuring click and lock construction that’s perfect for DIY
  • Laminate beautifully captures the look and feel of real hardwood, stone and ceramic tile flooring at a fraction of the cost
  • Laminate can be installed in virtually any room in your home, on, above or below grade, including basements and other humid, moisture-prone areas
  • Laminate in available in a huge number of styles, colors and sizes

How is laminate flooring made?

Laminate flooring is a layered product, with each layer serving a distinct and important function that contributes to the performance of the floor. From top to bottom:

  • Protective wear layer to help prevent stains, fading and other types of wear
  • Photorealistic design layer to give the floor the look of fine natural wood, tile or stone
  • Inner core of high-density wood fiber, providing stability, durability, resistance to moisture and cushion for comfort and sound insulation
  • Backing layer to lock out moisture and keep your floors from warping

Thanks to this layered approach to construction, laminate is one of the most versatile and durable types of flooring on the market today. It’s perfect for homes with kids or pets, as well as for commercial spaces that see a ton of foot traffic on a daily basis.

Style & Design information

Colors: Laminate is available in a huge variety of colors, mimicking many popular wood species and varieties of stone. Whatever color scheme you’re trying to match, there’s likely a laminate product to fit your vision!

Sizes: You’ll find laminate products in many of the same lengths and widths as hardwood planks or ceramic tiles. Most planks are at least 4 inches in width, while tiles range from 12 to 15 inches, generally. Width of individual planks can have a dramatic effect on the look of a room!

Finish: You’ll find laminate products in both high-gloss and matte looks. These variations are purely aesthetic, and will not impact the performance of your floors!

Rooms: Laminate can be safely installed in living rooms, kitchens, hallways, finished basements and more! If you plan to install your floors in a bathroom or other area subject to lots of potential moisture, consider opting for a waterproof laminate product such as Mohawk RevWood.