What Is Laminate Flooring? What It's Made Of, Pros and Cons

Laminate flooring is a floating floor made from a high density fibreboard (HDF) core, a printed photo of timber and a clear, hard wear layer pressed together into click-together boards. It looks like timber but contains no solid wood on the surface. It is one of the cheapest ways to get a timber look, and the better boards now hold out spills for up to 72 hours.

Below: what laminate is made of, what the AC ratings and thicknesses mean, how water resistant it really is, and where it does and does not belong.

What is laminate flooring made of?

Every laminate board is a sandwich of four layers, fused under heat and pressure. Cut one in half and you can see them.

The core is the part that sets laminate apart from hybrid. HDF is compressed wood fibre. Hybrid boards use a stone plastic composite or similar core instead, which is why the two behave differently around water.

Some cores carry a certification too. The Oakleaf range from Preference Floors uses an FSC certified HDF core, so the fibre is traceable to responsibly managed forests.

Is laminate real timber?

No. The grain you see is a printed image. That is the trade: you get a timber look for less money, and you give up the option to sand and refinish.

How convincing it looks comes down to two things. The first is how often the print repeats. Preference say their Oakleaf HD Plus print runs 30 pattern repeats, against the six to ten most laminates manage, so the same knot does not turn up every few boards down a hallway.

The second is texture. Better boards emboss the surface to line up with the printed grain. AquaGlow calls this synchronised texture, and it means the board feels like timber under your hand as well as looking like it.

What do AC ratings mean on laminate?

AC stands for abrasion class. It measures how well the wear layer holds up, and it is the quickest way to compare two boards. You will mostly see three grades:

• AC3: standard residential wear. Fine for bedrooms and living rooms. The 8mm Oakleaf board is AC3.
• AC4: heavier residential and light commercial. MTF 12mm, Hydrocore 8mm and Oakleaf HD Plus 12mm sit here.
• AC5: heavy commercial, the grade specified for shop floors. Aquastop and AquaGlow are both AC5.

For hallways, rentals, pets or rooms where furniture gets dragged, AC4 is a sensible floor. AC5 buys extra margin. Our guide to the most durable flooring for Australian homes compares laminate with every other type.

8mm, 12mm or 14mm: does thickness matter?

Thickness changes how the floor feels more than how it looks. A thicker board flexes less, sounds less hollow and bridges small hollows in the subfloor better. It does not automatically mean better water resistance. Here is how the ranges we stock compare:

Aquastop shows the point well. Its 8mm and 12mm boards carry the same 48 hour rating, so the extra thickness buys feel underfoot rather than water performance. Board length matters too. A 2200mm plank means far fewer end joins across a room than a 1216mm one.

Is laminate flooring waterproof?

Not in the way a tiled floor is. Laminate is water resistant. The hours rating tells you how long a spill can sit on the surface before the board is at risk, which is 24, 48 or 72 hours across our range.

That covers the real accidents in a kitchen or living room: a knocked-over glass, a pet bowl, a leak you find the next morning. It does not cover standing water or a room that gets wet every day. Aquastop's own product notes put it plainly. Laminate is not a wet area floor, and bathrooms, laundries and powder rooms need a check of the manufacturer's install requirements first.

If a wet room is on the list, hybrid is usually the better fit. Our hybrid vs laminate comparison covers that choice side by side.

How is laminate installed?

Laminate is a floating floor. The boards click to each other along every edge and rest on an underlay, with no glue or nails into the subfloor. Oakleaf HD Plus and Swish Aqua, for example, use a Välinge click profile.

Because the floor floats, it needs a small expansion gap around the edges, hidden later by skirting or scotia. It also needs a flat subfloor; our post on what a floating floor is explains how the system works and why.

Heating is the other check. The Oakleaf ranges, for example, suit in-slab hydronic heating only, not electric heating mats laid under the floor.

Pros and cons of laminate flooring

The case for it:

• A timber look at one of the lowest prices per m2.
• Hard wearing. An AC4 or AC5 surface shrugs off chairs, pets and grit far better than a soft finish.
• Quick to lay as a floating floor, often over existing tiles.
• Solid and quieter underfoot on a 12mm or 14mm board.

The case against:

• It cannot be sanded back. A deep gouge means replacing the board.
• It is water resistant, never waterproof.
• Steam mops and wet mopping can push moisture into the joints.
• Thin boards can sound hollow over a poor subfloor.

Cleaning is simple once you know the rules. Our guide to cleaning every type of flooring has a laminate section.

How much does laminate flooring cost?

Our published supply range for hybrid and laminate is $25 to $65 per m2. Where a board sits in that range depends on thickness, AC rating, water resistance and plank size.

Installation is priced separately at the free measure, along with any removal of the old floor or subfloor prep. Aquastop, for one, is also sold supply only if you are laying it yourself.

Is laminate the right floor for you?

It suits bedrooms, living areas, hallways and rentals where you want a timber look on a tighter budget. Pick AC4 or above for busy rooms, and 72 hours of water resistance if the floor runs into a kitchen. Skip it for bathrooms and laundries.

Browse the full laminate flooring range, or book a free measure and quote in Sydney.