Laminate flooring is a synthetic floor covering consisting of a particleboard wood base topped by an image layer and a transparent wear layer. You can use laminate in living areas, kitchens, dining areas, bedrooms and hallways. You can also use it in other areas that are not subject to excessive moisture. Laminate flooring is a staple of millions of homes as a dependable, easy-maintenance economy flooring.

Pros
Installed laminate flooring has a smooth surface that is free of seams, making it easy to clean. You will never need wet mopping for laminate floors. A dry mop or broom will take care of most of the dust and dirt. For deep cleaning, you can use a hard surface mopping tool that dispenses cleaning fluid instead of water. Laminate is well-suited for homes with pets and children. It is scratch-resistant due to its tough wear layer. Laminate flooring is inexpensive compared to other types of floor coverings. Some premium laminate floors can cost as much as solid hardwood or engineered wood flooring.

Cons
Constructed largely of moisture-sensitive particleboard, laminate flooring can swell beyond repair if subjected to water for too long. In theory, laminate flooring is water-resistant—only if all boards are perfectly joined with no seams and if the edges are all trimmed with waterproof baseboards. While laminate flooring’s wear layer is surprisingly tough, the boards are easily chipped. Laminate flooring is not suitable for any place where moisture is prevalent. That can be a problem since it often rules out full bathrooms, laundry rooms, and sometimes even key areas in kitchens, like in front of dishwashers or behind refrigerators.