Forget the orange and avocado-colored shag carpet of the 1970s and the expensive Italian marble tiles …homeowners are discovering today’s hottest alternative trend in flooring is laminate.

For busy families whose floors need to stand up to kids and pets, laminate flooring can be the perfect choice. Laminate flooring has been a fashionable option in Europe for more than 20 years, and its rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. The most common designs have a wood grain appearance; some are even made to look like stone or marble. One of the most attractive factors of laminate flooring is that it is designed to retain its appearance for many years with a minimum amount of maintenance.

What it is

But what in the world is laminate? Laminate flooring consists of four main components that are bonded together:

A wear resistant decorative surface made of resin-based melamine/aluminum oxide is bonded to a moisture resistant wood composition-based core. A balancing backing is bonded to the underside of the core. On the top is a clear cap sheet of aluminum oxide, which provides the protection and stain resistance. Since the resin-filled wear layer is so dense, it becomes extremely difficult to stain, scratch or burn.

Ease of installation is one key reason for the popularity of laminate flooring among busy homeowners today. It uses a tongue and groove interlocking system, which can be installed over the top of an existing substrate. Plywood, concrete slab, sheet vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring or virtually any other basically flat hard surface is a suitable base for laminate.

Most brands of laminate flooring require that the joints be glued with specially formulated, water-resistant glue placed between the tongue and grooves of every plank. However, there are some that offer a glueless interlocking system that provides strong, tight joints without messy glue or special tools.

Because installation is so simple, and because you can walk on your new floor immediately (no waiting for glue to dry), beautifying your home with new laminate flooring is truly a project you can do in a weekend. And to make it even easier to obtain, many home improvement stores, as well as local flooring and tile centers offer a variety of laminate flooring to choose from.

No matter what your dйcor or your lifestyle; you can find a laminate floor to fit your needs. Laminate flooring is also one that can be used in virtually any area of your home, including the kitchens, living room, and dining room and even in bathrooms.

Easy Care

One of the best things about a laminate floor is that it is so incredibly easy to take care of. In fact, many homeowners say caring for a laminate floor is even easier than installing one. Some of the best ways to keep it looking in tip-top shape and looking like new and to avoid unnecessary scratches is to simply vacuum or dust mop regularly to remove loose dirt or grit. Glides or cushioned bottom protectors under chairs and table legs also help prevent possible scratching, and floor mats at all outside doorways keep dirt from coming inside.

As you can see, laminate flooring is one of the easiest and perhaps one of the most affordable flooring styles to choose from for those homeowners who want style, versatility and manageability. So, get rid of that awful shag carpet in exchange for the beauty of laminate flooring, you’ll quickly thank yourself.