Are laminate floors really a good choice?
The value in laminate flooring is different from person to person. Good laminate flooring is far more durable than a genuine hardwood floor. They are easy to maintain, and less expensive than a finished genuine floor. You can find almost as many colors, textures and woodgrains as you can find in real wood selections. You can install a laminate floor yourself (Of course, you can also install a real wood floor, but it requires more specialized tools, like angle nailers). I have dropped a 28 oz California framing hammer from the top shelf of an entertainment center which landed claw first on a laminate floor I had installed on a remodel job. It didn’t mar the finish, where real wood would have dented. The only downside I see (and it is a matter of personal taste) is that laminate floors don’t have a “warm” sound when you walk on them – the way real wood does. I’d have another laminate floor in a heartbeat.
