Laminate gets a bad reputation from the thin stuff sold in the 90s, but the AC4 and AC5-rated boards we install now are a different product — thicker core, tighter click joints, and a wear layer that shrugs off scratches better than real wood does.
It's not waterproof the way vinyl is, so we steer people away from it for full bathrooms, but it handles kitchens fine as long as spills get wiped up in a reasonable amount of time.
Worth knowing before you order
Best scratch resistance we sell
The aluminum-oxide wear layer on AC4/AC5 boards outperforms both hardwood and vinyl in scratch testing, which is why it's what we recommend most for homes with large dogs.
Attached pad, fewer job-site steps
Most of our laminate lines come with underlayment pre-attached to the plank, which speeds up install and gives consistent sound-dampening without a separate roll-out step.
Wipe it up within the hour
The HDF core will swell if water sits on a seam for an extended period, so we're upfront that this isn't the pick for a household that lets spills sit overnight.
How the install goes
- 1
In-home measure
An estimator walks the space, checks subfloor condition, and gives you a written number before anything is ordered.
- 2
Material lead time
Most in-stock lines ship within a week. Special-order finishes can take three to four weeks — we'll tell you which category yours falls into up front.
- 3
Install day(s)
Furniture gets moved by the crew, old flooring comes out, and the new floor goes down. Average timeline is on the specs list above.
- 4
Final walk-through
Your crew lead walks the room with you before packing up, so anything that needs a second look gets caught the same day.
A few from recent jobs
