Laminate floor question

[furnitureman]

I wish to have a laminate floor in my dining room (next to kitchen) but worried in case there is any water / drink spillage that may cause the floor to warp. Have seen wooden floors in local McD which must be up to the job. Are these floors "industrial strength" or special type of wood, or is the floor treated with something / varnished in some way to keep out the damp and fuid spillages?

[Clanad]

Rather than laminate flooring check for "engineered hardwood"... at least that's the term used here in the U.S. A thin layer of any variety of hardwood is pressure glued to a thicker base of real wood than that used for laminate. Even using laminate, if you would run a thin bead of common carpenter's glue (the glue not the carpenter) on each seam just before snapping together will improve the water resistance. Same holds true of the edges... just a bead of the white glue will improve the products resistance greatly. Keep a supply of damp cloths nearby to wipe off excess glue as you lay it... don't let it dry, else you'll have a mess...

[Hawkwalk]

you will probably find that the flooring in McD's is Karndean and not wood. This is a common type of flooring used in places like that which is very hard wearing and looks very real but it is not wood. You can buy laminate that is especially desingned for kitchen and bathroom use so I would go for that if you are concerned about water.

[theshedman]

Hi furnitureman, I have laminate flooring in my kitchen and have had no problems with it. I purchased the water resistant type from B&Q. It is more expensive than the normal type but it seems to so the job. It has got very wet on a few occasions but is still nice and flat.