What, Exactly, Are Laminate Floors?

So, be honest: how often do you walk in to someone's home that just got a laminate floor installed, stop, and say "Oh my god what is that!?". Okay, so no one does that, but I bet you're wondering now! Not many people think about flooring and laminate floors aren't exactly new, so most really don't give a lot of thought as to what they're made of. However, there are always those of us that are curious so, if you are one of them, keep reading.

Pergo Is A Brand Of Laminate Floor

Contrary to popular belief, there is no difference between Pergo and laminate flooring. Pergo is merely a brand name of laminate floors, and although it does speak for the company that it has made itself into a household name, there are other options. Pergo is to laminate floors as Coca-Cola (or Pepsi, depending on your location) is to soda. When someone says that they "got Pergo installed", they're saying that they had laminate flooring put in, regardless of if they realize it or not.

Laminate Floors Are Not Real Wood

But, at the same time, they kind of are. Although laminate floors aren't hard wood, and there are ways to tell as much, there are some higher quality floors that you really must get down there with a magnifying glass to really be able to tell. There is, to be sure, real wood mixed in there as laminate flooring is based on a wood chip composite material, but that doesn't really tell you the whole story. If you can't tell if the floor is real wood or laminate, use your knuckles to knock on it. Laminate floors give off a plastic sounding tick, and wooden ones are more of a thunk or thud.

Laminate Floors Are Designed To Look Like Hard Wood Floors

In essence, a laminate floor is a picture of a hardwood floor, only pasted on to a much more hardy material. Laminated flooring excels at surviving the same conditions that make owners of hardwood floor hiss through their teeth in consternation. Scrapes, scratches, and scuffs are still possible, but much less likely, and a lot easier to repair if needed. In homes where there is a lot of kid or pet traffic, real wood floors are really becoming outdated and cumbersome by comparison.

Laminate Floors And Your Desk Laminator

Both processes are called lamination. There are many out there who believe lamination is merely wrapping paper in plastic, but that's not the whole story. Technically, you could wrap plastic around your mobile phone, seal it with plastic or heat, and call it laminated, but that would be both silly and expensive. With laminate floor, there is a photograph of real wood that is surrounded by a thick plastic polymer, and then laid atop a wood chip base. In the end, the customer gets none of the drawbacks of wooden floors, yet will enjoy all of the perks.