Laminate flooring is an affordable alternative to hardwood flooring or ceramic tile. It is available in a wide array of colors to give the appearance of different species of wood in a variety of finishes. You can also have the look of natural stone in a laminate floor with such choices as colonial brick and granite.
The ease with which you can clean laminate floors is also another reason why homeowners are opting for this choice of flooring material. You can sweep the floor or vacuum it. Washing up requires only a mild cleaner and warm water. The flooring has a wear layer so that it resists wear and tear in high traffic areas and it will not stain easily when such liquids as juice are accidently spilled on it.
Laminate floor looks very realistic even though it is not made from real wood or stone. Along with its long lasting qualities, it is easy to install. The planks or tiles have interlocking features through tongue and groove applications so that you simply snap each piece together. You can choose to either nail the planks to the subfloor or glue them down to give the effect of a floating floor.
You do not have to bother with refinishing laminate floors as you would with hardwood. Neither do you have to take the time to apply grout like you would with ceramic tile. Laminate is not recommended as the material of choice for kitchens or bathrooms because of the high moisture content in these rooms of the house. Neverheless, many people have installed laminate flooring in these rooms with great success.
You do need to use an underlay on the subfloor before you install the laminate planks. This is because the planks can cause hollow sounds when someone walks over them and this can be particularly annoying for anyone on the floor benefit.