How to Choose the Best Laminate Flooring

If you'd love to have hardwood flooring without the hefty price tag, laminate flooring is an affordable alternative. But the benefits don't stop there. We'll explain why laminate flooring is a smart choice for your home.

Key Benefits

• Durable and scratch resistant
• Easy to maintain
• Available in waterproof and water-resistant options
• It's a great option if you have kids and pets.
• Realistic hardwood visuals
• Would you prefer to install it? Laminate flooring is a DIY-friendly project.

Laminate flooring is a synthetic product made of several layers that are sealed together in the lamination process. Designed to be affordable and durable, laminate flooring consists of four distinct components:

Wear Layer
The wear layer helps resist scratches from daily wear, creates an easy-to-clean surface and maintains a fade- and stain-resistant appearance.

Décor Layer
The décor layer is a printed image that recreates the natural look of wood, tile or stone.

Core Layer
The core layer gives laminate its structure and dent-resistant properties. Laminate flooring is much more resistant to dents than real hardwood flooring.

Backer Layer
The backer layer provides additional support and stability.

As a result of this construction, laminate flooring now provides more durability and stability than ever before.

Laminate flooring's layered technology provides several key benefits including:

Scratch Resistance
Laminate flooring has a durable surface that's more resistant to scratches than hardwood flooring, making it an ideal selection for busy households, high traffic areas and homes with children and pets. However, this doesn't mean it's scratch proof. Sharp objects can still cause damage to this scratch-resistant flooring. When you're moving heavy furniture, pick it up rather than drag it.

Dent Resistance
Laminate's core layer and hard wear layer protects the surface from everyday dents, but similar to scratching, a sharp object dropped with enough force can cause damage.

Fade Resistance
Most laminate products are created with technology that resists fading. Over time, long-term direct sunlight may cause some fading. To minimize this, we recommend using blinds, curtains and area rugs.

Stain Resistance
Laminate’s wear layer has a nonporous surface, so spills and stains are easy to clean up. Just make sure that you wipe them up promptly and always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your particular product.

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The Abrasion Class (AC) rating represents wear resistance on a 1 to 5 scale. The higher the AC rating, the higher the durability and the more activity the flooring can take. AC 3 and AC 4 laminate floors are the most common for homes.

By pairing this rating with a product's scratch resistance, level of water protection and the warranty, you'll be able to make the best selection for your needs. Consult the chart below to understand the ratings and the recommended rooms for each type.

There are more design choices with laminate flooring than ever before. Laminate flooring is available in various wood looks, widths, colors and textures. Let's take a look at the options available, so that you can select the type that'll work beautifully in your home.

Wood Species
Laminate flooring has several different finishes and wood grain textures that mimic white oak, hickory, walnut, maple and more.

Widths
Laminate planks are available in three sizes.

• Narrow planks aren't as common these days, but they vary in width from 5-6 inches.
• Standard planks vary in width from 7-9 inches. If your subfloor isn't completely level, this is typically considered to be your best choice.
• Wide planks are popular these days and exceed nine inches in width. These work best if your subfloor is almost perfectly level. Check the product specifications for tolerances.

Colors & Shades
Laminate flooring is available in a wide array of colors. The most popular choices are brown, gray and white, but you can also find blue and black tile-look laminate. The shade of the laminate flooring affects the look of a room. If you want to keep things light and bright, opt for a light shade. A medium shade is the most popular choice and looks good in most households. If you prefer something dramatic, opt for a dark shade. Keep in mind that the darker the shade, the more dirt and pet hair will show.

Textures
Laminate flooring is available in many types of textures and finishes to simulate the look of real hardwood flooring.

• Embossed or Embossed in Register (EIR): A general, all-over texture, EIR better simulates the natural look of real hardwood flooring by adding depth and texture in alignment with the design of the décor layer.
• Handscraped: Though not actually handscraped, the laminate is pressed to look just like a real handscraped hardwood floor.
• Smooth: Smooth laminate has a more polished look and can be easier to clean than textured flooring.
• Wire-brushed: If you prefer a more rustic, realistic look, wire-brushed laminate has a textured appearance that feels more like a real hardwood floor.
• Matte: This has a low-shine finish that's less likely to show dust, footprints, and minor surface marks than polished floors.

Laminate flooring is usually a floating installation, meaning it isn’t fastened to the subfloor by glue, nails or staples. This makes installing laminate flooring a very DIY-friendly project. Here are some other considerations you'll need to keep in mind.

Underlayment
Some products already have an acoustical pad attached to make installation easier. If not, you’ll need to install underlayment first. Underlayment provides moisture protection and thermal insulation, reduces sound and evens out minor subfloor imperfections.

Underlayment with a moisture barrier is necessary when installing laminate over concrete subfloors, as moisture passing through the subfloor can cause your floor to expand. Always follow the flooring manufacturer’s instructions for moisture protection. Keep in mind, attached underlayment on planks isn’t designed to be a moisture barrier.

Moulding
Matching and coordinating moulding and trim pieces are available, including quarter round, T-moulding, thresholds, reducers and wall base. Replacing your existing moulding with these pieces helps complete the look of your room.

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Caring for laminate flooring is simple. To keep your floors looking their best, vacuum or sweep them once a week. Ensure that you clean up spills quickly and only use cleaning products that are safe for laminate floors. In some cases it's safe to use a damp mop, but check the manufacturer guidance for your specific product.

The wear layer on laminate flooring helps to prevent stains and scratches. But here are some other tips to prevent damage.

• Use felt pads on furniture legs.
• Don't drag furniture. Ask someone to help you lift it.
• Use area rugs with a rug pad that's designed for use with laminate flooring.
• Avoid harsh cleaners, waxes or polishes that aren't designed for laminate.

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Laminate flooring is an ideal choice if you'd like an affordable alternative to hardwood flooring. It gives the appearance of wood, while also being easy to install and maintain. Laminate flooring has a scratch-resistant and durable surface that works well if you have pets or children. Water-resistant and waterproof options are also available. If you're ready to purchase laminate flooring for your home, shop online or visit your local Lowe's store.