Laminate flooring is the perfect option for people who desire the closest thing to real hardwood, without the price tag of real wood.  Laminate flooring is made using a photographic screen printing process.  What this means is a piece of fiberboard has an image of real hardwood printed onto it, then covered with a textured wear layer made from a variety of different materials.  Due to this process laminate flooring is extremely durable and feels as close to the actual hardwood as you can get without the expense. This textured wear layer is also waterproof allowing for your flooring to be more resistant to water damage.  However, the edges and bottoms are not waterproof so installation in high humidity areas like bathrooms, or areas prone to standing water like laundry rooms or basements is not recommended as water will pool in the seams of the flooring and get into the fiberboard backing.  Laminate flooring, being factory made, also has consistent and durable edges allowing for a quick and easy snap-in installation on any level surface.  This means that laminate flooring can be installed without nails or glues and is ready to walk on as soon as installation is complete.