Laminate Flooring — And When Not to Use It.

The Honest Distinction

“Laminate” and “vinyl plank” get used interchangeably in conversation and they are not the same product.

• Traditional laminate has a high-density fibreboard core with a printed layer over it. It is hard, scratch-resistant and often very convincing. But the core is wood-based, so if water sits on a seam it swells and the damage is permanent.
• Luxury vinyl plank has a plastic or composite core that does not absorb water at all.

Where Laminate Works in Florida

Upstairs bedrooms and hallways in a well-sealed home, away from exterior doors and wet rooms, where you want maximum scratch resistance. Laminate’s surface is genuinely harder than most vinyl, and in a household with large dogs that can matter.

Where We Will Not Fit It

• Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms.
• Anywhere with a slider or exterior door onto a pool deck.
• Waterfront properties — Apollo Beach, MiraBay, Ruskin, anywhere on a canal.
• Ground-floor slab in a home with any history of moisture.

In those situations we will quote rigid-core luxury vinyl plank instead and explain why. We would rather lose a sale than fit a floor we know will fail.

Water-Resistant Is Not Waterproof

A great deal of laminate is now marketed as “water-resistant”. That generally means the surface will survive a spill wiped up promptly. It does not mean the core survives standing water, and the warranties usually say so if you read them.

Ask for the written warranty and read what it excludes. We will read it with you.

Common Questions