Laminate Floors & Floor Coverings

Get The Look You Want with Laminate Flooring - An Easy Option for Achieving That Fantastic Floor You've Always Wanted

Many of us dream of improving a part of our living space with a wood, stone or slate floor covering. Such floors possess an unmatched natural beauty that is not only pleasing to the eye but sure to last a lifetime too. The problem is that these types of floors usually come at very high cost, but the great news is that there is an alternative that will give you the classic look you desire without the need to fork out a fortune to get it...Enter Laminate!

Laminate flooring is available in a broad range of looks to suit any preference. There are laminate floors that look like authentic wood, stone and slate. Wood is a fantastic choice if you want a warm, traditional look and it's easy to find any kind of wood pattern imaginable available. Stone and slate patterned floors add a sophisticated flair to any room and are offered in a choice of shades from light to dark. These floors look like the real thing but offer benefits not found with real slate, wood and stone flooring.

Float On Air With A Floating Floor

One of the best features of this type of flooring is the installation. The two most popular types of laminate floors are glueless floating floors and pre-glued floating floors. Glueless floors require no glue whatsoever and click together so easily a novice can install them. Pre-glued floors are glued at the factory. This type of floor is installed by moistening the plank tongue and gently fitting it into it's adjacent plank. You wont ever need complicated tools to install your laminate flooring planks, as they simply click together.

Because laminate flooring uses what is known as floating installation, it does not need to be secured to the subfloor. Instead, the flooring simply rests on top of it. You can apply laminate flooring over your existing floor to save yourself the hassle of removing it first. This makes installation easy and time-efficient.

Laminate flooring was first invented by Pergo and was widely used in Europe for many years before being brought to the United States in 1996. Customers immediately took to laminate flooring because of it's beauty, durability and ease of installation. Laminate was first used as a coating for counters and tables, but was soon discovered to be a fantastic flooring material. Packaging is yet another convenience of laminate flooring. Packaged in small, easy to handle cartons, laminate flooring proved lightweight and easy to transport as compared with traditional wood flooring.

The cost of laminate ranges from cheap to expensive depending on the brand and type that you choose. There are a wide range of options available to fit every preference and price range. Here are just a few of the most popular laminate floor manufacturers and some basic information about what they offer:

Pergo: The pioneer of the laminate flooring industry, Pergo has the distinction of the Good Housekeeping seal of approval and offers an extensive array of wood, slate and stone pattern choices. You'll never need to wax or shine your durable, beautiful Pergo floor!

Mannington: Mannington offers easy no-glue installation, a durable finish and a wide variety of choices including exotic woods, traditional woods, stone and slate. Choose from the Exotic Click Collection, the Natureform Tile Click Collection, or the Traditional Click Collection, as well as at least seven other gorgeous ranges.

Westhollow: Westhollow floors feature 90% real wood and come in lots of gorgeous choices in all patterns and shades of wood imaginable. This brand is an environmentally friendly choice, as the wood is collected only from sustainable, protected domestic forests.

All of these companies, along with many others, offer great warranty packages that cover your flooring in the event of staining, scratching, fading and wear. Although laminate flooring is prized for its lasting durability and scratch-resistant, high shine finish, these warranties offer extra protection.

Now that you know more about laminate flooring, why not give it a try for your residential or commercial space? The right floor covering can add beauty and give a whole new look to any home or office. With so many beautiful patterns and textures from which to choose, you're sure to find something that you love!