What you can see is the MDF backing and this is the better type of laminate!

The better kind?!
wow

Can't wait to afford carpets! lol

The cheap types of laminate have a chipboard backing,which when the surface gets wet and soaks through-expands and feels like your walking on damp digestive biscuits!

Wow! Thanks Steve - you really know your stuff!

We've got real wood here and 'touch wood' haven't had any probs with the dogs slipping. We've got large rugs over some of it, so maybe that helps a bit.

That's interesting to know - I would definitely get rugs (although that living room isn't that big ). When we went to Aberdaron the house had tiled flooring - gorgeous, but Loki did slip badly on them. He came flying through the room, skidded and fell down the stairs to the kitchen. He was okay though.

I hate carpets but, arghghghgh, don't know what to do now.

Wood is good I'm finding it a breeze to clean daily with the steam cleaner - and if you are looking to sell at one stage wood is a really good investment - let's face it how many buyers go looking for a house and say wow that's gorgeous laminate I want this house because of it

I'm not keen on carpets myself, vacuum cleaners do struggle to get right down to the root - my neighbour has 2 cats and only bought a steam cleaner last week and said she was shocked at how much hair it brought up and this after she had vacuumed it.

It's whatever works for you best though - everyone will have their own opinions on it.

Yeah this is what I hate - I hate housework anyway and hoovering away doesn't do it for me . Loki moults quite a bit and it's a never ending job trying to keep carpets fur-free and I do wonder what is lurking in the fibres

Flooring is better for anti-allergy too. But I don't want him to get hurt by slipping either.

ARGHGHGHGHGH - again! Can't believe I'm in a dilemma over floor covering

Believe it or not we still haven't sorted this out.
Has anyone got anything else to suggest or anyone changed their minds? I am thinking about carpet now because I would hate to think of Loki slipping and sliding.

dont know lucky star. But we should be moving into our new house soon and it has white carpets! indie is due in season anytime now, so we are putting laminate down right away! altho the space of floor to cover isnt very big and a washable rug will be put down so i dont think we will have too much noise or accidents here!

Only thing im stuck on is what type of laminate to get. Cant afford real wood! damn thats expensive! But where do u buy decent laminate flooring that clicks together! lol. The labour costs are more expensive than the laminate! so we want diy laminate,lol.