LAMINATE FLOORING
Available in Europe for decades, laminate flooring didn't arrive on our continent until 1996 when it became a huge hit. The best-known brand is Pergo, which in our country is now synonymous with this type of flooring (much to the annoyance of numerous other manufacturers). A laminate floor consists of three layers. The top layer is a sheet of photographic paper with an image of wood, which is coated with a material called melamine. The core is a highdensity fiberboard, which is made of a combination of materials. The backing can be made of plastic (higher quality) or paper (lower quality). Laminate floors offer several advantages over real wood. First, they are easier to install, with some brands even being available in glueless variant. They are very strong and more resistant to impact and scratches than hardwood, so they are ideal for households with children and pets. Quality laminate flooring will look very much like the real thing, yet is much easier to maintain. It cannot be stained and it won't fade. And since the surface is essentially a photograph, there are almost endless possibilities with color and style. There are, of course, a few minuses. Laminate floors cannot be refinished, but since they are so durable, they probably won't wear out before you decide to redecorate anyway. No matter how close it looks to the real thing, it's still not real wood, and some people are bothered by this. And because laminate flooring is very thin, it makes a hollow sound when walked on with hard-soled shoes. Which one is better: real wood or laminate? The cost is about the same, so the choice boils down to personal taste and the question of convenience.
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