Laminate flooring is capable of reproducing the appearance of wood, stone or various other natural materials. While it tends to be one of the easiest to install, there are a couple negative aspects about it that you need to be aware of as well. Explore some of the pros and cons that come from laminate flooring in your home today.

Pros:
1.    It is extremely easy to install. You can easily install 300 sq-ft of this material in just one weekend. Older forms of this flooring often required you to glue all of the pieces together. With the new types of flooring today, you use a simple click-lock design to secure everything in place. Combining that design with the dry glue on the product already and you are good to go. All it takes is a wet cloth to activate the glue.

2.    The surface is quite durable. While wood flooring can end up getting dented, laminate tends to withstand scratches and dents. It has a wear layer to keep it protected. Some manufacturers will even give you a 10-year warranty on their products.

3.    You don’t have to worry about any bad pieces. Unlike real wood that comes with a number of imperfect pieces that have to be re-engineered or throw out, you don’t have to worry about laminate flooring having any defects.

4.    Great for damp places. Laminate works great for kitchens, bathrooms and other moisture-laden environments. It cannot withstand a standing pool of water. However, regular hardwood cannot withstand it either. When you have a large amount of moisture in the room, you need to opt for surfaces like tile or vinyl.

5.    Extremely easy to clean. All you need is a broom and dustpan. Mop with a damp mop. You don’t need to worry about waxing.

6.    Resistant to staining. Laminate flooring can withstand stains like no other material. If you do end up with a stain on the floor, it isn’t all that difficult to clean.

Cons:
1.    It isn’t real wood. While this might bother some people, it doesn’t others. There is wood in laminate flooring, but it is only a wood chip base layer that it contains. For all intents and purposes, laminate flooring isn’t real wood.

2.    It feels hard underneath your feet. While a foam underlayment can help to minimize the feeling, it will still be there.

3.    It is quite slippery. Laminate flooring has always been slippery. Manufacturers are consistently developing layers that are slip-resistant.

4.    It has a lower resale value. When selling your home, hardwood has a better value.

5.    You cannot refinish or sand it. This is the main disadvantage to laminate flooring. If your floors are worn down too much, grooved or deeply scratched, your only option is to replace it.

When looking for new flooring, spend some time going through the information above to make an informed decision on your new floors for your home.