Yahoo Lifestyle Our Home Experts Found the Best Laminate Flooring Options on the Market
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Our Home Experts Found the Best Laminate Flooring Options on the Market
There’s a reason sales of laminate flooring are surging. Once the ugly duckling of residential flooring — flimsy, cheap, unattractive — today’s laminate looks better than ever and is also some of the toughest flooring to pass through the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab's rigorous testing. "The winners from our latest laminate flooring tests proved to be extremely stain and scratch resistant, in patterns that are easy to mistake for real hardwood flooring," says Rachel Rothman, executive technical director of the GH Institute.
While the enhancements have driven up the cost of laminate a bit, especially at the higher end of the category, it’s still one of the most affordable flooring materials on the market. And it's as easy to install as ever, with tongue-and-groove planks that snap together over any smooth, stable surface. While wood-look is the clear favorite, if you prefer stone or tile, most major brands carry laminate in those designs as well.
Our top picks:
Once you’ve taken a spin through our list of winners, read on for more about how we test flooring and advice on laminate flooring, including installation costs and the best places to shop.
courtesy - 2/10
1) TimberTru Landscape Traditions
Bruce
fastfloors.com
While most laminate flooring is durable, Bruce’s TimberTru Landscape Traditions proved to be exceptionally hard-wearing in our tough abrasion tests, which are designed to simulate years of foot traffic, from people and pets alike.
This flooring also excelled at stain and water-resistance, making it a great fit for any room in the house, even basements. We tested the Tranquil Taupe and Valley Trail styles, both of which boast convincing grain patterns and not-too-much repetition (a tell of cheaper laminate) across their 8-inch-wide, 47-inch-long planks. In terms of sustainability, the TimberTru line carries FloorScore certification, so it meets strict limits on formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can off-gas into the home.
Bruce - 3/10
2) Dream Home Pewter Oak Laminate Flooring
LL Flooring
llflooring.com
Costing about $1 per square foot (not including installation), this oak-look laminate from LL Flooring shows just how affordable laminate flooring can be. Just don’t expect the same wear- and water-resistance of our top-performing pick.
"As a general rule, less expensive laminate flooring is better for dry, low-traffic areas of the home," says Rothman. The Dream Home flooring was excellent at resisting stains, thanks to its protective top layer, but it was a bit more prone to scratching in our abrasion tests. It also doesn't have a backing, so a separate underlayment will likely be required during installation. One final caveat: This laminate flooring carries California’s Prop 65 warning, indicating the presence of formaldehyde and other chemicals.
LL Flooring - 4/10
3) Elements
Pergo
znetflooring.com
Superior water resistance makes this Pergo line an excellent choice for bathrooms and other areas that see a lot of water. It can even handle steam mopping — a no-no with many flooring materials, including solid wood and some engineered products (even low-quality laminates).
Our testers pushed the Pergo to the limit by allowing water to sit on the surface for more than one hour, with zero signs of penetration, thanks to its waterproof finish and water-tight joints between boards. Pergo’s laminate flooring also shrugged off the toughest stains in our tests. However, the Element planks with matte finish were slightly more susceptible to abrasion, so you might want to consider another one of our top picks for the kitchen or other high-traffic areas of your home.
Pergo - 5/10
4) California Dreaming
Shaw Floors
shawfloors.com
GH's home design experts were blown away by the authenticity of this wood-look laminate flooring from Shaw, with its wavy grain pattern and color variegation. "The embossed texture is another natural touch that also enhances the flooring's slip resistance," notes Alec Scherma, a test engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute.
In terms of performance, the laminate is up there with the best in terms of water and stain resistance, and it also held up well in our tough abrasion and fade resistance tests. The attached pad means it's ready to install over any clean, stable substrate and you won't have to worry about chemical off-gassing thanks to its GREENGUARD certification.
Shaw - 6/10
5) Autumn Cider Oak Waterproof Laminate Flooring
LL Flooring
llflooring.com
The classic hardwood design of this premium laminate from LL Flooring is matched by exceptional durability. The 12mm thick boards shrugged off our tough abrasion test, verifying its AC 4 rating, which qualifies the product for commercial applications. "Based on its stellar performance in our tests, we expect this laminate flooring to look good after years of service in busy kitchens and other high-traffic parts of the home," says Rothman.
The laminate also aced our water-resistance test, so it's suited to wet locations and is safe for steam mopping, for easy upkeep and cleaning. The attached pad streamlines installation, though the manufacturer recommends installing a supplemental pad for maximum noise absorption and comfort underfoot.
LL Flooring - 7/10
6) Back Home
Hartco
hartco.com
With its handsome array of faux-wood patterns, Back Home laminate flooring from Hartco will look great in any part of the home. Our experts tapped it as the perfect fit for finished basements, thanks to its exceptional water resistance, plus the fact that it comes with an attached pad, eliminating the need for a separate underlayment.
This flooring was excellent at repelling stains in our tests, and it also came through our abrasion tests relatively unscathed. However, the 8-inch-wide planks are slightly more susceptible to fading, which is another reason why our experts like Back Home laminate flooring for basement applications.
Bruce - 8/10
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To determine stain resistance, we slather mustard, chocolate, mud and other stubborn ingredients onto laminate flooring samples, then allow them to dry overnight. We then remove the sticky substances with paper towels and all-purpose cleaner. Most laminate flooring tends to be very stain resistant.
Philip Friedman - 9/10
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To measure water resistance, our experts pour two cups of water on an assembled laminate floor and let the puddle sit there for one hour. The best models show no signs of seepage, thanks to their water-tight joints.
Philip Friedman - 10/10
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The abrasion test is where our experts see the most range in results. We use an abrasion machine that delivers hundreds of passes with fine-grit sandpaper, simulating years of foot traffic, to measure wear and scratch-resistance. Flooring with thick wear layers, say 20-mil or more, tends to offer the best wear-resistance.
An impact machine is also used to determine flooring's ability to withstand dents and dings, like those from a falling cast-iron pan. Fade resistance is measured using the Lab's accelerated weathering machine, which uses intense UV light to simulate years of exposure to natural sunlight. Finally, our experts take into consideration ease of installation, including how easy the material is to cut, as well as the fit of tongue-and-groove profiles.
Philip Friedman
