Undoubtedly the traditional look of hardwood flooring is almost timeless, it’s beauty is unmatchable. However, it’s quite hard to maintain a hardwood floor, not to mention the price you have to pay for it. In fact, even with the most recent floor treatments they will still furrow, fade, dent and stain in a rather small amount of time. Because of this laminate flooring was invented. Laminate has the look and appeal of real hardwood floors because it’s machine-made and it’s top layer is a hardwood photographic laminated surface, yet it’s more durable and it requires less maintenance.

To begin with, unlike real hardwood floors, laminate flooring is more resistant to scratching, soiling , fading and denting. Laminates warranty range from 15 years to lifetime and it covers all of the bad things mentioned above, while entry level laminates come with a 10 to 15 years one, though, they are designed for light traffic areas. I mentioned this because many people bungle and think that they will be the same if used in a high traffic area during the warranty period. Keep in mind that this is not true. The truth is that when used in a high traffic area, they begin to show wear and tear rather quick usually within 3 to 5 years.

You also have to take into account the fact that that choosing the right laminate flooring is not as easy as it seems, but by doing that, you will save money in the long run. Just consider things like the amount of time you are planning on staying in that house or the amount of traffic, because there is no point in buying really expensive laminate flooring with extended warranty if you know that you are moving sometime in the near future. Yet, one more thing you should know is that people generally replace the floor first when moving in a new house, so, with costly laminate with an extended warranty, you will either pay an amount of money for something that would not serve you , or for the people who will move in after you.

Last but not least, a thing you should consider when buying laminate flooring for bathrooms or kitchens is its core. In line with common sense a thicker core is more stable, less damageable and sounds more like the real hardwood floor when walked on. Quality laminate cores are treated with water repellent chemicals. Furthermore, consider buying laminates with paraffin wax impregnated joints, as this wax acts as a water repellent and prevents water from leaking down to the core.

To summarize, laminate flooring has become the perfect choice for households as glueless locking mechanisms have been introduced to the market, because it has a quicker installation; it’s easier to repair and it can be installed by people without experience or specialized tools. And to top it, this will save you a essential amount of money.

Find more info about kitchen track lighting, kitchen ceiling lighting and best laminate flooring here.