Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - laminate floor quality

Im looking to put laminate floors in my home but know nothing about quality floors. what are some good brands and what makes a floor good quality? Also is the warrenties on the box accurate?

for starters, a super low too-good-to-be-true price will be your first tip-off to an inferior quality product.

after a quick search, 3 names kept reappearing from the pro's recommendations: Wilsonart, Quickstep & Shaw.

in one post, a pro said that the warranties basically only cover the wear layer of the planks from wearing through, and then they'll only replace the planks that were damaged. the problem is, your style will probably have already been discontinued by then. be sure to buy extra now! install it EXACTLY as per their instructions, using only the recommended underlayment, do your prep work exactly to ensure an almost perfectly flat subfloor, or hire a pro to install it.

try doing an internet search for "compare laminate brands".

Also, as I was advised before...

Look for a brand that has a long warranty but make sure the company has been around long enough or as long as the warranty they offer (or at least close to).

Do a lot of research and read, read, read and find the pros and cons with the ones you are interested in. If you have a specific question and can't find the answer, call the manufacture up and ask them but best bet would be to find their installation methods and or warranties in writing.

You can also use the search engine here and type in some brands and I'm sure you'll find info about them.

Consumer Reports Aug 06 edition just did an article on laminate flooring. You can see a copy at your local Library. Their top 3 choices were:
Armstrong -Native Galery American Duet $4.50
Krontex Swift Lock Plus (lowes) $ 3.00
Wilsonart Estate Plus $ 5.30