Laminate Floor

Laminate floors are relatively new. They offer the looks of wood without the price and inconvenience of refinishing. They are also known as "floating floors" because they are not nailed down to the subfloor. They float on top of a thin layer of styrofoam, which gives it a softer feel but also resonates tapping sounds (it's hard to describe). Some people find their temperature to be warmer in the winter than other flooring, such as linoleum.

Some brands of laminate flooring interlock without glue, but when installing in a potentially wet environment like a kitchen or bathroom, it is a good idea to have the joints glued during installation.

It should be noted that laminate floors should not be flooded with water. If the water creeps under the flooring at the wall, then it can damage the flooring.

The vinyl kitchen floor above had come unglued from the subfloor and shrunk (you can see a gap at the top of the picture). I replaced this with a laminate wood floor and added edge molding.

 

I installed a laminate floor in this kitchen and dining room, as well as in the adjacent foyer and living room.