An innovation from the Swedish company Perstorp, laminate floors were invented in 1977 as an alternative to linoleum and expensive hardwood. Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood with a photographic appliqué layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fibreboard materials.

Regular laminate is water-resistant, in the same way that engineered wood is water-resistant. When liquids are cleaned up quickly, you’ll have no problem. That’s because laminate’s wear layer is durable and resists moisture, which is great for the occasional minor spill or pair of wet boots.

Your options are endless when it comes to choosing the look of laminate flooring. Advances in high resolution printing mean that there are very few types of flooring that laminate can’t imitate these days. So all in all, laminate is a fantastic timber look alternative.

Where can you install laminate flooring?

Laminate can go anywhere hardwood can, and can often be the more durable option thanks to its wear layer. It can also be installed in places that hardwood can’t. Laminate can now go places even water-resistant wood flooring can’t, like busy kitchens and bathrooms.

Laminate flooring durability

Maintaining new floors isn’t always easy, even when you don’t have kids or pets. Laminate, however, is one of the toughest floors. Its wear layer is very difficult to penetrate, so it’s hard to stain, scuff and gouge.

Laminate is great for high traffic areas such as hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, and staircases.

Laminate is also kid- and pet-friendly. Does your dog come barrelling around the corner at the smallest sound of a food wrapper? Are your kids prone to spontaneous juice spills and messy explosions? Laminate.

We love our kids and pets… but not every type of flooring does. When you’re deciding which floors to place in your home, you’ll want to know how well they’ll work for all the members of your household.

For new pets or kids who are slightly older, you’ll love laminate flooring’s high durability and easy-to-maintain surface. The best wood flooring for dogs has nothing on laminate’s scratch-resistance.

Advantages of laminate flooring

  • Affordability
  • Extreme resilience
  • Stain, fade and moisture resistant
  • Easy to clean and maintain