Calling All Laminate Floor Owners....

I'm considering taking up the carpet in the living room and replacing it with laminate flooring. I'm not a huge fan of laminate in living rooms, but I've just about had enough of Oscar and his ability to drag dirt through/throw up over/pee on the living room carpet. I swear it's like having a toddler in the house! It's been cleaned several times over the last year or so, but I do think it's now beyond saving.

So does anyone else have laminate? What type do you have and was it a good decision? Is it wearing well?

Any tips/advice would be appreciated and photos would be good too obviously. Thanks people!

We went down the Ikea route and have no regrets what so ever...

Pictures please!! Although I think I may have seen it already on one of your vids???

Did you go for a certain type (I've heard the thicker the better, 8mm minimum???) and was it easy to fit?

I never thought of Ikea, I'm off to have a look now!

ive got it all over and tiles in the new kitchen and utility. Only problem I've had is the dogs throwing things on the floor and them chipping the laminate better than carpet though.

I looked at laminate but several things put me off it.

The fact that is is VERY slippery for animals and there have been a lot of injuries due to dogs sliding all over the place.

The noise of the claws on the laminate floor (very noticeable when people post their videos on here).

Having to have the floor very level to have it done.

So I chose non slip earthernware tiles. Easy to clean, non slip, not as noisy as laminate and harder wearing.

Not in my house, one of mine picks up the empty dishes if your not careful and throws them /i had to replace the kitchen tiles with laminate in the old house, here its a bit better they eat in the utility.

Is the chipping a major problem? Mine don't really have anything hard enough to chip the floor tbh. Bones and the like stay in the kitchen!

My living room isn't very big and there would be a runner carpet from kitchen to living room and I'd have a large rug in the centre of the room (bigger than the one I have now), so I don't think the noise/slipping thing would be an issue. The noise is one of the reasons I'm giving it some serious thought, but tbh the state of the carpet is winding me up so much I think the noise would pale in comparison!

Shouldn't be a problem, the house is only 2 years old so should be fairly level!

Thanks I'll look into this, but budget will be a big factor so they may not be suitable.

Have laminate in the lounge. It was here when i moved in. Have put a couple of rugs down for the dogs and it's not a problem. I don't allow them to race round the lounge anyway. A carpet just wouldn't survive in here, yet one easy mop and the floors clean. Haven't found nails a problem either but I keep the dogs nails trimmed back.

Mine have the big roast bones and they throw them so there banned in the new lounge not bothered in the dining room the laminates a cheapie. Never notice the noise to be honest but mine are quiet in the house and dont really chase around.

we have laminate all the way through downstairs, it has survived my 5, plus numerous fosters (a lot not house trained) and all the dogs that come here on day care, its 10 years old now and is coming to the end of its life, chipped in a few places, but it will be replaced with more laminate, and on the whole still looks good, i do have a rug in the lounge, more to stop it sounding hollow than anything else