If hardwood flooring is not right for you, but you want the look, laminate flooring is an option to consider. The laminate flooring industry has continued to make improvements with the products over the years, and now offers a much more realistic look and feel. Good for busy life styles, laminate is a low maintenance floor, that’s easy to care for. Planks are fit together with an interlocking tongue and groove system. The floor does not get fastened down, rather it floats over a foam underlayment. Laminate is a good choice for drier areas such as offices, dining rooms, and bedrooms.
know – pressure
Laminate does not handle moisture well. It is not recommended in areas that have a potential for excessive water exposure or humidity issues. Laminate must remain free floating. This gives the floor a hollow sound that does not appeal to some. Upgrading the underlayment foam can improve the floor’s acoustics. It is important to keep an expansion space around the entire perimeter of the area, so that when the floors moves, it doesn’t get caught up against something that could cause the floor to lift in the middle from the pressure. Laminate flooring should be installed by someone who knows the ins and outs of a floating floor system.