Laminate flooring comes out top in consumer testing

Laminate flooring has outperformed other materials in a battery of consumer tests.

Consumer Reports' recent research into the toughest flooring products found that laminate and vinyl flooring are well suited to resist everyday wear, WRAL reports.

Some of the tests that the various materials were subjected to included having heavy weights dropped on them from a range of heights and stiff-bristle brushes being repeatedly swiped over them, to mimic the wear of foot traffic.

However, Consumer Reports warned the publication that homeowners should choose their products carefully and consider the amount of traffic the room where they are laid will receive.

Vinyl flooring also received praise from the testers, who recommended it as a cheaper alternative to oak or bamboo.

The differences between flooring types were also explored in a recent piece for the Kingston Whig Standard.

Michel Collin of US firm Mercier Wood flooring explained the benefits of laminate and engineered timber products to one reader.

By Alan Wicks
 

Date : 10/12/2010
Category: Laminate flooring news