What is laminate? Is it durable? Looks like hardwood but it is not.?
Question:The house we are looking to buy has laminate. Is it better or worse than real hardwood? What are the advantages or disadvantages of laminate?
Answers:
The advantage of laminate is that is doesn't scratch and mar as easily as hardwood and is less expensive. Once it's down, it doesn't require any special maintenance, such as refinishing.
The disadvantage is that it is not water friendly. If it gets wet, such as from a leak or a spill that isn't cleaned up, the laminate can lift and separate, causing a gap between planks or curling on the edges. So, if you come in from outside soaking wet or full of snow, the water has to be cleaned up right away. If you have an accidental leak from a burst pipe, etc. you will have damaged floors.
My washing machine overflowed and we didn't notice it until our sunken living room had an inch of water in several areas, which we immediately cleaned up. It was only a couple of months old, and it was ruined. It was a top of the line laminate, but the planks separated and the edges of each plank curled. Just a freak accident, but we lost quite a bit from the damage.
Yes
It's easy to keep clean, but it isn't very durable. Mine started coming up after about four months. Really, if you are up to relaying sections about every six months, it's okay. Otherwise, I would go with real hardwood.
the closest thing to it as far as description is that it is basicly plastic. it is good because you will never have to refinish it or sand it. problem is well its plastic.
Laminate is a material, much like linolium, that is covered with a sort of skicker on it that makes it look like wood
Durable is relative. Questions to ask yourself. Do you have pets??? Do you live in the city??? Do you have a lot of sand? If you can answer no to these laminate may be for you. Can you install it yourself? Laminate may be for you. It's easy to keep clean, just like cleaning your countertops. Most countertops are laminate. Formica is a brandname and is good countertop.. Pergo is a brandname for laminate flooring and they are both laminates. not as durable as wood, and you can't refinish it , but you can install it yourself and you will be satisfied if you don't have sand, pets or extremely heavy traffic
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