what is the best brand laminate flooring?
The brands I would consider top manufacturers are alphabetically, Armstrong, Mohawk, Pergo, Shaw
They just laid new vinyl flooring in my house and its was not laid correctly they did not put any filler on the floor so you see every bump there is on the floor. They came out and said with all the direct light that I have coming through my windows that it would not be wise to put down vinyl. So they suggested that I put down laminate on top of the vinyl they just laid is this okay/
We prefer Wilsonart or Mannington. Ease of install, longevity and warrenty these two stand out. Most everyone talks about Pergo. I think they are over rated. They have great marketing but not the best product. I run a custom home building company... Below gives decent info. I do not necessarily recommend the website just the article. We buy locally for flooring.
For best laminate flooring ask for *High Pressure Laminate flooring. This type sets itself apart from the others. It is available in several good brands. Don't accept a promise from the flooring retailer that it is in fact *High Pressure Laminate flooring - look for that description on the actual Literature. Next look at the cushion pad that is available for under this flooring. Some of the padding (comes in rolls) is excellent at reducing that hollow clicking sound that some people dislike about floating floors. Wilsonart,Pergo, are a couple good quality brand names.
It's not always the best brand. Within brands you can find good and bad. 1. First what are you using it for? look at the AC rating. this will tell you what your laminate will be best for. Unrated laminate does not represent a wise investment. If a laminate product does not have a rating, it did not pass the certification process and was found lacking in one or more testing area. AC 1 laminate is designated for light use in a home setting. It would be best suited for bedrooms where foot traffic is not particularly intense. AC 2 flooring is also best for home use, but can withstand greater amounts of travel. AC2 laminate would be ideal in a formal room such as a living room or dining room. AC 3 is durable enough for general home use in all traffic areas, and can be used in a professional setting with light foot traffic. AC 4 is fit for commercial operations with standard amounts of foot traffic such as a small shop or office. AC 5 is the toughest laminate flooring available, and is best used in a business with heavy amounts of foot traffic such as a public building or department store. 2. The thickness of a laminate. Thicker is not necessarily better...BUT anything under 8mm is usually not the best you want to go with. 3Warranty. read it, see what is covered and what is not, and for how many years. 4. Last, so many times people take so much time looking for the right laminate floor, the right quality, look, durability etc, that they forget that the underlayment that goes under the floor is just as important. You don't always have to go with a brand in order to get good quality good luck :-) (once you decide what you want, contact me and I'll give you advice on cleaning and upkeep)
