durable flooring for all home types

Laminate

Modern laminate flooring captures the look of hardwood, stone, and tile with remarkably realistic visuals and finishes that hold up to heavy traffic and use an active family with kids and pets brings. Laminate costs significantly less than the real thing it looks like and many of them are also waterproof and suitable for spaces where wet spots are expected. For active households, rental properties, and anyone who wants the hardwood look without the hardwood price, it's a strong answer.

What Laminate Actually Is

A laminate plank is a printed image (the design layer) protected by a clear wear layer on top, bonded to a dense fiberboard core for stability. The wear layer is represented by an AC (Abrasion Class) from 1 to 6 where the higher number is more durable. The wear layer and construction makes modern laminate resistant to fading, staining, scratches, dents, and gouges.

Laminate floors float over an underlayment, locked together at the edges with a tongue-and-groove system. They don't bond to the subfloor, which means they can be installed over almost any flat surface such as wood subfloors and concrete slabs.

Traditional vs. Modern Waterproof Laminate

This is the question that matters most. Waterproof laminate costs more than the standard product, but in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, it's worth it. Our showroom teams can show you which products are waterproof.

Traditional Laminate

Traditional laminate can handle the occasional spill if you wipe it up quickly, but standing water will eventually swell the fiberboard core and damage the floor.

Waterproof Laminate

Waterproof laminate uses sealed plank edges that make it waterproof. It can handle kitchen spills and the kind of moisture that would destroy traditional laminate.

Pale gray wood plank flooring in a living room with green armchairs, a cream sofa, and area rug

Where Laminate Shines

Family rooms and high-traffic areas. Active households with kids, pets, and the occasional spill and accident.

Kitchens and bathrooms (with waterproof laminate). The look of hardwood, without the worry of spilled water kitchens and bathrooms demand.

Rental properties. Durable, easy to replace, and cost-effective at scale.

Anywhere hardwood would be ideal but isn't practical. Whether for budget, moisture, or installation constraints (radiant heat, concrete slabs, basements), laminate gives you the look without the limits.

Hard surface flooring section of the S&G Carpet showroom with plank sample displays

Brands We Carry

Mohawk, Shaw, Mannington, Armstrong, Karastan, Tapestry, Majesty, and others.

See All Brands

Gloved installer clicking a light oak laminate plank into place over a concrete subfloor

Installation

Laminate is installed as a floating floor. The planks lock together over an underlayment without nails or glue. Sounds simple, but the details that determine how the floor performs over time (expansion gaps, transitions, subfloor flatness, underlayment selection) are where professional installation pays off. Every laminate installation we do is backed by our Lifetime Installation Warranty for as long as you’re living on the floor.

Learn More About Professional Installation

See Laminate in Your Home

Laminate has dozens of wood-look, stone-look, and tile-look options, and the realism varies more than you'd expect. Two ways to see it the right way:

Visit a Showroom

Walk through full-size laminate installations, see the planks at scale, and take hand-held samples home to compare in your own light.

Find My Nearest Showroom

Shop at Home

Our team brings the colors and visuals you're considering, lays them out in the rooms they'd live in, and leaves you with a written estimate.

Schedule a Free In-Home Estimate