A laminate floor is not real wood but is made of a fiber core with a printed layer to look like wood, tile or various other looks, it is covered with a thermosetting plastic resin called melamine. It has many advantages over traditional flooring. It is less expensive than the real thing. It is highly scratch resistant. It is easier to install. It works well in high traffic areas of the home.
The laminate floor comes in several types. In one type, the installer must put a special glue on the tongue and groove of each plank. In another type the glue is applied at the factory and just needs to be moistened by the installer. The most popular and easiest type to install and requires no glue, in this type the tongue and groove just snap together using a special locking system. All of these types are considered "floating floors", this simply means that the sit directly on top of the sub floor and are not attached to it in any fashion.
A laminate floor can be used in any room of the house. The most popular rooms are kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Due to its high resistance to scratches, water and sun fading, it is a good choice for high traffic areas such as these. Since it comes in a variety of looks it can compliment any decor or paint scheme.
There are a few downsides to the laminate floor as well. If it becomes scratched or broken it is very difficult to repair and repair kits are not always available. One suggestion is to keep some extra flooring so you can replace the entire plank that was damaged. They can also be noisy when walked on. When installing there is available a special thin padding that is put down under the laminate and greatly reduces the noise or almost eliminates it.