Is laminate flooring good for kitchens?

Some people believe it's great for kitchens, while others are vehemently against it. The primary concern is moisture. Those against laminate in kitchens say that water will eventually end up landing on and seeping into the boards and destroy them. Those for say that it's only the core of the boards you need to be worried about - and that with proper care, the damage is avoidable.

Is laminate flooring durable?

Yes, laminate is one of your best options if durability is what you're looking for.

How long do laminate floors last?

They can last as short at ten years and as long as thirty.

Is laminate flooring good?

Laminate flooring is an excellent choice for high-traffic areas that might otherwise scratch and dent easily. You'll often find it in finished basements, playrooms, or bedrooms.

Is vinyl flooring better than laminate?

It depends on what's important to you. Both are highly durable. Vinyl is waterproof but more prone to fading. It also comes in a peel-and-stick option. You can't do the same maintenance to vinyl as laminate. Laminate has a product explicitly used to polish and shine it, where vinyl doesn't.

Is vinyl flooring cheaper than laminate?

Vinyl is often comparable, but can sometimes be more expensive than laminate.

In-Depth Product Guide

Laminate Flooring

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A synthetic flooring tile product made of multiple layers of resin and fibreboard materials laminated together. Laminate flooring often comes in tongue-and-groove pieces and is relatively easy to install.

Ask about the recycled material content of the product, and look for products with formaldehyde-free glue in the wood fiber core. Laminate flooring for sale in the USA is required to meet standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency for low emission of formaldehyde and other VOCs.

Laminate flooring uses wood fibers and sawdust in its core, which can be up to 75% pre-consumer recycled waste, such as sawmill waste. The surface resin is often melamine. Melamine is made with formaldehyde. In this case, formaldehyde is chemically bonded into the resin. Therefore, formaldehyde emissions into indoor air are minimal. Laminate is affordable, and it's lightweight and minimal use of materials avoids the demand for wood from forests. On the other hand, it wears out more quickly than hardwood and is not as easy to reuse or recycle into other useful products.

Laminate flooring was first produced in 1977 by the Swedish company Perstorp and sold by the brand name Pergo. Today there are many brands of laminate flooring.