Laminate Reviews

Laminate flooring offers an excellent and affordable solution to your flooring needs. In most cases it can be installed in all areas of your home including areas that hardwood and tile could not be due to various subfloor conditions.

You can find laminates that simulate hardwood, ceramic tile, marble or granite and for the do-it-yourselfer they offer a faster and easier installation.

In general laminate flooring is more durable and more easily maintained than its authentic counterparts. The wear layer is often over 10 times harder. They resist uv rays from the sun and as a result are much more resistant to fading. Because they are non-porous, they are much easier to keep clean, can be cleaned with a dry mop and most will have significant stain warranties.

Cheaper, easier and more durable. Sounds like a no brainer doesn't it? Laminates however, are not fool proof and as a smart consumer you need to do some research. Read reviews and ask questions because..

- most laminate floors look great the day you install them. It's what they look like after a few years of foot traffic that matters.

When the average person only shops and buys flooring a couple times in their life and with so many different flooring products available, it's hard to know where to begin.

So where do you begin your search for laminate floors? Do you browse the isles of the nearest big box hardware store? Drive to the nearest flooring liquidator? Maybe you prefer to do the bulk of your shopping right here on the internet? Regardless of how you gather your information you'll probably find...

Finding knowledgeable help in retail stores is next to impossible.
When you do find it, it's biased and unconvincing.
You'll probably never have a chance to meet and talk with anyone who actually owns the laminate flooring you're interested in.

Working for a major flooring retailer has given me the opportunity to visit hundreds of homes with laminate flooring. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Or maybe I should say, the beautiful, the just okay and then the down right depressing. So what's the difference anyway, aren't all laminate floors basically the same?

No, all laminate floors are not the same! The laminate flooring industry is huge and just like any other industry with a demanding market base your options are mind boggling. Some laminates have stronger, denser core boards than others. Some have tighter and stronger locking systems than others. Some are thicker than others. Some have more moisture resistance than others. Some just simply look better and have a more realistic appearence than others.

Not convinced yet? Then imagine this... after some due diligence you find a retailer you trust, they have a nice laminate and most importantly they have a great price. Upon completion you're happy because...

That old nasty carpet is finally gone!
Your new floor looks great!
With the big fancy warranty your new floor came with you'll never have to worry about flooring again!

Then, just one year later, your floor is falling apart. The seams, where the boards lock together, are swelling, the boards are buckling and in some area's where the tongue and groove locking system has failed the boards are separating. The installer doesn't answer your calls, the flooring retailer passes the buck and refers you back to the manufacturer, the manufacturer, as luck would have it, filed for bankruptcy and now your iron clad manufacturer warranty is, well... useless.

Sound far fetched? I can't tell you how people I've met in similar situations. Is it typical? No it's not. The right laminate with a proper installation can look amazing, stand up to high traffic and maintain a new-like appearance years longer than other types of flooring. So how can you be sure your laminate doesn't just end up being another horror story for me to write? How can you know for sure the laminate you choose will stand the test of time? How can you be sure that once installed your laminate floor will look realistic and not cheap or like plastic?

Well, you're doing it now. You've come to the right place!

The purpose of laminatereviews.com is to give consumers a chance to research various brand name laminate floors. Here you can learn the ins-and-outs of laminate flooring, read reviews written by actual consumers, post questions in the forum and eventually, when your selection is made and your flooring is installed, give back to the community by writting your own review! Or, see what's new with the site at our Laminate Reviews blog!

Check out the Grand Finale Flooring Company