Laminate floors are an excellent alternative for people who would like stone or hardwood floors but are worried about tricky installations, maintenance, and cost. A piece of laminate flooring is made from a synthetic material that is covered with a decorative appliqué to give it the appearance of stone or wood.

Laminate flooring was invented in Sweden and was very popular throughout Europe for 10 years before it was first marketed to customers in America in 1994. Since then, laminate floors have become very popular due to their durability, easy installations, attractive styles, and attractive prices.

Most laminates are quite realistic. Wood-grain styles tend to have textured grains, and many of the stone varieties have textured grout lines, sometimes even real grout!

Laminate floors are a great choice for do-it-yourselfers due to the ease of installation. With the majority of laminate floors, the edges of the planks or tiles click together easily, eliminating the need for glue, staples, or nails..This type of installation is called “floating.” With some laminates, the installer moistens the edges with a sponge to activate glue already applied at the factory, and with a very few laminates, the installer must glue the edges of each piece before putting them together. Typically, the laminate is installed on top of a foam underlayment that helps absorb noise and moisture.

The aluminum oxide top coat of most laminate flooring lends it incredible durability and wear-resistance. Most manufacturers offer long, sometimes lifetime, warranties.