Introduction to Laminate Flooring

We have a lot of experience with laminate flooring. We’re familiar with all of its characteristics and capabilities.

We want to build your understanding of laminate flooring; increase your information about it and decrease any concerns you may have about it. We want you to know.

We want you to know all about the world of laminate flooring. Whether it’s at our store or here within our website, we want you to understand, learn, experience -- know -- as much about laminate products as you need to.

So if laminate flooring is a possibility, you’ve come to the right place and the right people.

You’re certainly in good company. Laminate flooring is the choice for many homeowners.

There are many good reasons why laminate flooring is a popular choice in today’s homes.

But if it’s going to be a possibility for your home, then you need to first understand what laminate is.

Laminate is a manufactured product that simulates the look of hardwood, ceramic tile, natural stone and many other types of flooring.

Now, in the past, laminate floors have been easy to spot, but today’s technology allows manufacturers to create realistic visuals and textures for an elegant and quality floor.

We think you’ll be amazed – maybe surprised -- at how beautifully laminate flooring resembles other premium flooring.

In fact, many of today’s laminate styles consist of extremely authentic wood or natural stone visuals to accommodate any room in your home.

Laminate is well suited to those shoppers who want the look and feel of real hardwood or stone but without the cost or maintenance that can be associated with natural products.

It’s a fact. Laminate flooring costs significantly less than hardwood floors or natural stone tile.

So, laminate seems to be popular among buyers who are looking for a beautiful, durable, yet cost-effective flooring solution for their home.

And laminate floors function well in any space with their many different styles and colors.

You can choose from natural colors and dark wood grains as well as warm or cool color tones to compliment any room décor in your home.

And if the “plank” look interests you, many hardwood plank designs are offered in laminate, including rare, exotic wood species.

Laminate stone and tile patterns will give you the elegant look of tile, but without the concerns of grout cleaning or cracking tile. Something you might want to consider.

And if yours is a busy household or a home with children, a durable, low maintenance product like laminate flooring is a great choice for your active lifestyle.

Because laminate flooring is stain resistant, it doesn’t need to be varnished or waxed. A good thing to know.

Laminate floors are also less likely to fade in direct sunlight, unlike aging hardwood floors.

And don’t worry if you feel a little unfamiliar with this product. Laminate floors are relatively new to this country, but have been used in Europe for more than 25 years.

Why Europe you ask? Since laminate flooring can be installed over many types of existing floors it has made it a natural for old European buildings.

But more and more Americans are becoming familiar with laminate flooring because they have been aware of laminate countertops for years.

By using the countertop technology and adding considerably more resin to the wear layer, some laminate floor manufacturers boast that their laminate floors are now 10 to 20 times harder than laminate countertops.

Since this resin-filled wear layer is so dense, it becomes extremely difficult to stain or scratch.

And here’s something you might find interesting. Laminate floors are never secured directly to the subfloor, instead they are floated over the subfloor.

This allows laminate flooring to be used over a wide variety of subfloors, including wooden subfloors, existing floors and even concrete slabs.

Which may explain why, today, laminate flooring has become one of the best selling floor coverings in the United States.

To recap, you should know that laminate floors offer many benefits to you and your home, including:

• Exceptional durability
• Easy to clean surface
• Superior stain resistance
• Superior fade resistance
• Install in/on all grade levels, even below grade
• Install over many different types of subfloors
• Great impact and indentation resistance
• Exceptional realism at affordable costs
• Easy to replace later on, if desired

We invite you to investigate the other laminate sections to get “in the know” and learn if durable, versatile and cost-efficient laminate flooring is the answer for your home.