There are many different types of flooring products on the market today including vinyl, hardwood, carpet and laminate flooring. Laminate flooring has recently experienced a surge in popularity due to its benefits, durability and beauty. If this is your first home improvement project then you may be asking yourself, "what is laminate flooring?" Laminate flooring is basically a floor covering that is constructed by laminating several layers of materials together to create a plank. Each layer has a specific job to do. Some layers are for shock absorption, while others are intended to produce the productÕs decorative appeal. Laminate flooring offers several benefits. The first benefit is that it is very affordable. You can find laminate flooring for about a third of the cost of a hardwood plank. The second benefit is that the installation process has been simplified. You do not have to sand and finish these planks, you do not have to nail down each plank and you do not really need any special training to install a laminate floor. Another benefit of laminate flooring is that it is great if you have allergies. It does not hold in dust mites and dander like carpet does, and it can be cleaned easily to remove particles that could cause an allergic reaction. The final benefit is that laminate flooring is very durable. It resists stains, moisture and damage due to traffic and drops better than hardwood floors.
Flooring is a very expensive home improvement item to buy. Prices for flooring can range between $ .75 per square foot and over $ 5 per square foot. If you would like to find a flooring product that will produce an aesthetically pleasing floor surface without breaking your bank account then you may want to consider discount wood flooring.