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Updated 6-Feb, 2023
If you’re looking into waterproof laminate flooring, you probably have some questions. First among them: is there waterproof laminate flooring? As in, does it even really exist?
As it turns out, waterproof laminate flooring is real—and some of the best laminate flooring brands make it.
Below, we’re covering everything there is to know about waterproof laminate flooring. How it works, its pros and cons, how it compares to vinyl plank, and most importantly, the best waterproof laminate flooring brands and products.
Let’s begin!
👉PS: to skip straight to the best brands section, click here!👈
Table of Contents
Fake wood flooring is super popular these days, and for good reason. Vinyl, cork, and even concrete flooring that look like wood can all give you the appearance of hardwood with tons of added benefits. So: what is laminate flooring? Where does it fit in the mix?
Laminate is a multi-layer flooring made of both natural and synthetic materials. From the bottom, those materials are:
This construction makes laminate both durable and affordable. And best of all, it does a stand-up job of mimicking hardwood. If you compare the appearance of high-quality laminate vs. hardwood flooring, you probably won’t be able to tell the difference.
Laminate has been around since the 1970s, when it became popular thanks to a boom in the US housing market. Since it was cheaper than hardwood (and quite durable), it ended up being used everywhere.
While it wasn’t one of the worst types of flooring, it did have a reputation for looking a bit cheap and plastic-y.
But that perception changed once laminate was forced to compete with high-quality luxury vinyl flooring. The best luxury vinyl flooring options also offer beautiful, inexpensive, and durable alternatives to hardwood—but with the added benefit of being waterproof. To survive, laminate flooring had to improve as well.
Nowadays, laminate is commonly confused with engineered hardwood (and if you’re wondering “what is engineered hardwood?”, click that link). In other words, modern laminates look really good.
Plus—laminate can mimic any number of hardwood species and withstand a good amount of abuse.
An AC rating is given to all laminate floors to measure how well they stand up to daily wear and tear. The rating is on a scale of 1–5, with 1 being the least durable.
Think of it this way: a laminate floor with an AC rating of 1 is only meant for use in closets and other very light-traffic areas. A floor with an AC rating of 5, on the other hand, can handle heavy commercial use.
An AC rating of 3 is probably okay to use if you don’t expect tons of foot traffic, but the best laminate flooring products generally score 4 or higher.
Now we get back to the big question: in general, is laminate flooring waterproof?
The answer: no.
While waterproof laminate flooring does exist, it is only a specialty product.
If you pour water on a typical laminate floor, it might spontaneously combust. Kidding, kidding! The floor won’t explode or anything—but it won’t be happy, either.
Liquids don’t just ruin the wear layer of a laminate plank. If they get into the core, the plank will swell and warp. In turn, this can the plank to pop out of place, crumble, and so on.
Again: some laminate floors are, in fact, fully waterproof.
The best waterproof laminate flooring makes use of special coatings, materials, and installation techniques to better survive spills, pet accidents, and in some cases, even standing water (for a time).
We get it. There are a lot of conflicting claims out there about the actual waterproof qualities of waterproof laminate floors.
Here’s the real scoop. Some products marketed as waterproof laminate floors will only survive casual exposure to liquids: spills, accidents, etc. These are really just water-resistant laminate. Water resistant laminate is made to handle those small messes that you can get to rather quickly, not the big ones that need backup.
A few, however, can survive some level of standing water. And those are fully waterproof laminate floors. We’ll be super clear about which are which in our brand breakdown below.
We’ve spent hours upon hours going through warranty information for different products, and found that many waterproof laminate flooring brands will dot their catalogs with the word “waterproof”—only to say the flooring is “water-resistant” in the accompanying warranty.
Again: we’ll be super clear about which is which.
A number of products that are marketed as waterproof hardwood flooring are actually just waterproof laminates (whereas water-resistant wood flooring is usually real wood).
We’ll try not to bore you with the technical details, but the best waterproof laminate flooring works on two levels: top and sides/bottom.
If you only apply waterproof flooring coatings to the surface layer of a floor, it’s going to fail the moment water worms its way around that single defense.
That’s why the best waterproof laminate flooring is protected on all sides with specialty sealants. Waterproof vinyl flooring is super popular because it does this so well. Laminate manufacturers have caught on.
We know we’re hitting you over the head with this, but it’s for a reason. Even the best laminate flooring brands are only waterproof if they are protected on all sides (and sometimes within the fibers of a plank).
Water-resistant laminate floors, on the other hand, only have surface-level protection. That’s why prefinished hardwood flooring—even with a factory-fresh water-resistant finish—isn’t fully waterproof flooring. Water can just get below the plank and soak in from there!
Most waterproof laminate is sold as snap-together flooring. These planks click together like puzzle pieces, making a seamless surface. That way, water has a harder time penetrating between planks.
That doesn’t mean you’re limited to just basic patterns, though. Waterproof laminate can stand in for hardwood in most wood floor designs, like herringbone or mixed-width patterns.
Ok! Now that we know all about the ins and outs of how waterproof laminate flooring works, let’s talk about the material’s pros and cons.
Most laminate brands only waterproof their high-end products. It’s rare to find a waterproof laminate product with an AC rating lower than 4 (and if you do, we’d seriously question its waterproofing).
So what does this mean? Virtually all waterproof laminate is considered dent- and scratch-resistant flooring. Its durability, water resistance, and overall high quality make it perfect for difficult applications like mudroom flooring. Being dent-and-scratch-resistent makes it better for high traffic areas in your home.
Since waterproof laminate is so hardy, you can put it just about anywhere inside your home.
It should even be fine to use some high-end brands for sunroom flooring, which is normally tricky because of rapid environmental changes. Check the warranty to be safe, though.
You should be able to clean most waterproof laminate flooring with a regular mop if you choose. Though we’d still check the care instructions to be on the safe side.
Laminate flooring is made with a fiberboard base that gives it an almost springy feel underfoot (despite its super-hard wear layer). If you know anything about WPC flooring, the two materials feel vaguely similar.
Now, laminate probably isn’t the most comfortable flooring—if you compare carpet vs. laminate, for example, you’ll probably choose carpet as the comfier floor. That said, laminate is about equal to many types of wood flooring when it comes to underfoot feel, and you can always add an underlayment to increase comfort.
This one might be self-explanatory, but it’s still worth mentioning. Waterproof laminate flooring is just that—waterproof flooring! And that might be the biggest advantage there is.
Don’t want to shell out the big bucks for the best engineered wood flooring? Get laminate instead. It’s almost impossible to tell the difference! None of the best hardwood floor brands have what you’re looking for in terms of appearance? Laminate’s a great alternative. The best wood flooring for dogs not quite durable enough for your destructive Doberman? You already know the answer—laminate!
There are some cons of waterproof laminate, but to be entirely fair, they’re not particularly significant. Here are some of the most common issues.
Okay, there’s a case to be made that this is a good thing—most people looking for laminate want wood floor colors and textures, anyway—but it’s pretty hard to find waterproof laminate flooring that doesn’t look like wood (i.e. products that mimic different types of tile and stone).
The cool thing: you can find waterproof laminate in virtually any wood style. Laminate that mimics dark or light wood floors, thin or wide plank wood flooring, even intricate wood floor patterns like parquet flooring—all are doable.
This isn’t always the case, but waterproof laminate flooring tends to be a little pricier than ordinary laminate.
Waterproof laminate still sells for less than what most wood flooring costs, especially when you factor in installation. The cost to install engineered hardwood floors, for example, generally falls between $3 and $8 per square foot. Laminate installation costs are notably lower.
This is important: a lot of waterproof laminate flooring options have restrictive warranties—even some of the high-end products.
Most likely, brands are trying to cover their ahem, “backsides”, in the event that too much water hits their product—which can be a situation-by-situation issue. For example, a floor in a high-humidity environment may be more susceptible to standing water than one in a dryer environment.
The point: read a laminate product’s warranty before you buy it (noticing a theme, yet?).
Again, this goes back to low-end products, but you’ll notice that some laminate products have weirdly glossy finishes that look, well, fake.
As it turns out, the technology used to waterproof laminate flooring (or almost anything, really) has actually been around for a long time. The problem was that it made these floors look like plastic.
The best waterproof laminate flooring should look authentic, but watch out for low-quality options. This can be tough when you order floors online, which is why we recommend visiting a local flooring store or ordering samples to verify that the floor you want has a nice, authentic-looking finish.
Laminate rarely (if ever) qualifies as an outdoor flooring option, and that goes for the waterproof variety as well. While the floors are very resistant to water damage, swinging temperatures, humidity levels, and even pressure changes can all wreak havoc on floors that are meant for indoor use.
It’s probably not fair to list this as a “con” because the reality is, standing water ruins just about anything. But, many waterproof laminate flooring brands state that their floors are actually water-resistant in their warranties.
Should you be worried, though? Probably not. So long as you’re not literally flooding your floor, most waterproof laminates should have no problem surviving ordinary accidents.
The main event! Which of the best laminate flooring brands make waterproof laminate flooring, and which products should you look into?
The Best Value in Waterproof Laminate
If you want the most bang for your buck, you can’t go wrong with Newton waterproof laminate flooring.
While the company’s catalog isn’t huge, they do offer all the most popular hardwood looks—and despite their price, these floors look fantastic. Exceptionally little pattern repetition, wonderful finishes, you name it.
The value these products bring to the table—in addition to their excellent construction, environmentally-friendly credibility, and great customer service—have put Newton at the top of our best laminate flooring brands list for a reason. And as you might imagine, Newton reviews are similarly stellar.
Newton offers 5 collections of water-resistant and fully waterproof laminate flooring, and 11 laminate collections total.
All your popular wood looks are available here—but what really sets Newton apart are the varied and realistic textures these floors offer.
While yesterday’s laminate might have appeared overly glossy and artificial, it’s really hard to tell Newton and real hardwood floors apart: a point that’s made better by the fact that Newton waterproof laminate can be bought and sold for less than half of the cost of mid-to-high quality hardwood floors.
Lastly, all of Newton’s laminate is GreenGuard Gold-certified as low-VOC flooring.
All Newton laminates cost between $2.50 and $3.00 per square foot, and the company’s waterproof products are no exception. However, as we note in our Newton review, this price can vary based on the retailer you purchase from.
Newton waterproof laminate flooring is engineered to last at least 20 years, and all of Newton’s waterproof laminate collections boast an AC4 wear rating (meaning it’s rated for commercial-level foot traffic).
These floors are completely resistant to general wear and tear, and so long as they’re maintained (we’re talking minimal upkeep, by the way), they’ll continue to excel for a long time.
Plus, all Newton laminate is made in the USA and Europe, where manufacturers face strict production regulations (meaning you can trust that these floors are well made and don’t contain harmful chemicals).
Given its AC4 rating, Newton waterproof laminate flooring is designed to handle above-residential-level use. As a result, all products offer either a robust 20-year or limited lifetime residential warranty.
Additionally, most of these floors also carry a 5-year commercial warranty—which is pretty impressive at the price point.
That’s the thing! All Newton floors offer an incredible cost-per-performance ratio! Newton is known for offering features typical of the best laminate brands at a fraction of the price.
Very Durable With a Strong Warranty
Shaw’s Repel laminate line is pricier than the previous options on this list, but its lifetime residential warranty also promises that it will not stain, warp, wear through, or succumb to “everyday household spills.”
We should also note that Shaw Floors is the second-largest flooring company on Earth. So, you can probably expect their products to maintain a certain level of quality.
Shaw Repel offers a surprisingly slim selection of styles (fewer than 20 altogether). But these styles do hit all the staples, like oak and maple looks. There are even a few darker looks like walnut, but nothing as dark as ebony flooring.
Here’s something ironic though: Shaw makes almost 200 non-water-resistant laminate options. So if you’re looking for flooring ideas and want to use Shaw laminate flooring, you might have to go with an option that’s not in the Repel collection.
You can expect to pay between $5.40 and $5.90/sq. ft. for Shaw Repel, on average. This certainly makes it much more expensive than the other options on this list, but its warranty is very strong.
Shaw doesn’t actually say its Repel line is waterproof, but since its warranty makes many of the same guarantees that other brands make (and then some), we think Repel is good enough to include here as well.
While other brands say their floors will resist stains and so on, Shaw Repel’s warranty guarantees it. Again: it’s unclear if the stronger wording means there’s a difference, but given the lifetime warranty, we’re inclined to think there might be.
That said, Shaw doesn’t specify the AC rating of their laminate products, which is unusual. Considering the warranty, though, it’s probably safe to assume that Repel is reasonably durable.
Aside from the features we already mentioned, Shaw Repel’s warranty is pretty solid. The one thing that’s a little concerning: Shaw recommends that the floor be installed in rooms where the humidity is between 35% and 65% throughout the year. However, that’s within the average of American households.
Shaw Repel is the company’s only waterproof laminate flooring line, though there is some variety in its pricing.
Sustainable and Beautiful, But Only Water-Resistant
Right off the bat, Mannington highlights that its laminate products are made from 70% recycled content with low-VOC materials (read about low-VOC flooring here). Good, right?
Its pricing is also similar to other options, but there’s one key exception: the only residential warranty only lasts 25 years (as opposed to “for life”, or “20-year or lifetime”).
Mannington’s Restoration Collection is the company’s only laminate line. There are more than 60 style choices, all of which are wood-look.
The wide range includes lighter looks that mimic pine flooring in addition to darker or more amber styles that are closer to teak flooring. You can even find a few parquet styles!
The Restoration Collection is priced at a reasonable $3.40–$3.70/sq. ft.
Mannington’s Restoration Collection uses a technology that’s similar to some bigger brands’, and Mannington’s Restoration Collection also boasts a robust AC4 rating.
Unlike the other floors on this list that offer lifetime residential warranties, the Restoration Collection’s residential warranty only lasts 25 years—and there are no lifetime warranties available with other products.
Still, Mannington Mills says you can mop the floor without issue so long as the water is “promptly removed.” This makes us think that it’s at least somewhat comparable to RevWood, Pergo, and Repel in terms of waterproofing.
Again, the Restoration Collection is the only laminate product Mannington sells.
Approved for Standing Water (aka Super Waterproof)
AquaGuard is a Floor & Decor exclusive that, if the reviews are to be believed, is surprisingly great.
Why “surprisingly”? Floor & Decor is a big box store, which doesn’t always bode well for product quality. Key example: NuCore flooring. This is Floor & Decor’s flagship vinyl plank product—and let’s just say it’s budget-friendly for a reason.
AquaGuard only offers a single collection, but there are 85 total styles available, including popular wood looks.
Despite being a box store purchase, AquaGuard is priced at $2.50–$4.00/sq. ft.—a bit higher than some might expect. Still, its waterproofing (and AC5 rating) are impressive.
Behold: the coveted AC5 rating. AquaGuard is the first and only product on this list that has an AC5 rating. More importantly: AquaGuard has a 30-hour window for dealing with water spills and accidents.
So, why is it the sixth choice on our list? Well, despite that 30-hour window, AquaGuard’s warranty very clearly states, “This product is water-resistant.” Despite the, again 30-hour window, Floor & Decor says that standing water will ruin the flooring, most likely via mold or mildew.
Additionally, we’ve found that national-retailer-chain products are often a roll of the dice as far as individual performance is concerned. From Home Depot’s TrafficMaster laminate flooring to Lumber Liquidators’ CoreLuxe, let’s just say…we’ve been jaded.
AquaGuard’s strong warranty makes up for the confusing rhetoric on its water-protection: limited lifetime for residential use; 15 years for commercial applications (which is pretty high for laminate).
Just be sure that the floor is installed correctly or the warranty may be voided.
Note: to access AquaGuard’s warranty, select any product on their site and scroll down to the “Install & Product Documents” section.
While AquaGaurd’s products do vary in price, there’s only one collection to choose from.
To round out our list, here are a few more products. These products aren’t necessarily lesser, but we’re not sure any qualify as the best waterproof laminate flooring.
Budget Water-Resistant Laminate | $1.00–$3.25/sq. ft.
Tarkett was a popular brand in Europe before it entered the American flooring market, where it’s still securing a foothold. AquaFlor, the company’s lone laminate flooring brand, offers 24-hour protection from spills and splashes in the same general manner as Floor & Decor’s AquaGuard—but mixed reviews about the floor’s quality keep it out of the top tier.
Decent Laminate Made by a Troubled Brand | $1.00–$4.00/sq. ft.
AquaSeal might be higher on this list if its manufacturer, LL Flooring, didn’t have a history of lawsuits. Oh, and the mixed reviews don’t help either.
Most of AquaSeal’s offerings meet the definition of “budget” flooring, but the lifetime residential warranty and 10-year commercial warranty suggest the floor is at least decent. It also has an AC4 rating.
Still, a casual glance at LL Flooring’s website reveals more than a few negative AquaSeal flooring reviews, many of which seem to focus on the durability of the floor.
Moving on from the pros and cons of waterproof laminate flooring, there’s one thing we have to add: a comparison between luxury vinyl plank vs. laminate flooring.
Before waterproof laminate floors, there was a strong case to be made that vinyl plank (a type of PVC flooring) was the superior floor. Why? The best luxury vinyl flooring brands offer high-quality, long-lasting products that were equally affordable, but waterproof.
Plus, the cost to install vinyl plank flooring is about the same as it is for a laminate floor, and both floors offer realistic looks and textures. So, the argument basically came down to this: vinyl plank was waterproof, but laminate flooring was a more environmentally-friendly flooring choice because it wasn’t 100% synthetic.
Waterproof laminate flooring evens the gap, minimizing vinyl plank’s biggest advantage. Though, there’s still no waterproof laminate flooring equivalent for loose lay vinyl plank flooring—yet.
Even though there are few problems with luxury vinyl tile (and plank), it’s an all-around fantastic flooring option and its waterproofing is arguably more waterproof (yes…we know how that sounds).
That goes double for rigid-core luxury vinyl flooring (aka EVP flooring), which is even more durable than ordinary vinyl plank.
Still, waterproof laminate flooring offers a similar degree of performance in the same price range.
Still have questions about choosing and maintaining the best waterproof laminate flooring? Let’s go over some common FAQs to see if we can answer them.
Again: we’re going back to the “remember to double-check your warranty info and care instructions” recommendation. But yes, in general, you should be able to.
Quality waterproof laminate floors should last around 25 years, but a lot of factors can go into this (upkeep, brand, product, etc.).
However, many high-end brands offer lifetime residential warranties. So: it’s possible that these products could last much longer.
That said, if you want something that’s going to last for generations, maybe think about buying hardwood floors instead. Some of the most durable wood flooring options aren’t that much different from laminate floors in terms of hardness, and they can be refinished indefinitely.
This is a subjective question through and through. Some buyers love the idea of laminate floors because they’re durable and easier to maintain; others prefer the real thing.
Generally speaking, we’d probably say that laminate floors are more valuable than other “budget” floors. If you’re comparing laminate vs. linoleum (or laminate vs. sheet vinyl), laminate probably offers more resale value.
This is another one of those “check the warranty first” questions, but in general, you should be able to install laminate waterproof flooring over existing floors. It really depends on the product, though.
Of course, the standard option would be to install it over the subflooring (and what is subflooring?) rather than an existing surface.
If you have true laminate waterproof flooring, stains shouldn’t be a problem. However, if they do occur, we would recommend looking to your product’s warranty and/or care instructions.
We would not recommend trying to remove stains from laminate the same way you might bleach wooden floors. Bleach is a potent chemical that will ruin a laminate floor’s protective layer. And the sad truth is that getting stains out of laminate is really not all that possible.
It completely depends on the product. True waterproof laminate flooring will give you a this-floor-will-survive-standing-water-for-X-amount-of-hours number, but most laminate floors should be dried ASAP.
If you need something that can survive standing water indefinitely, like for a shower or pool, you might want to compare the perks of buying tile vs. laminate. Tile’s definitely the better option for wetter applications.
Even the best hardwood floors can’t stand up to liquids, and laminate is no different. Ordinary laminate flooring is absolutely ruined by water. Basically, liquids penetrate the finish or wear layers of the floor, seeping into the core layers where those fibers expand. Eventually, this will lead to warping and cracks.
As we mentioned above, waterproof laminates are almost always installed as click- or snap-together floors. This installation style creates a surface seal, making it harder for water to seep between planks.
If that sounds odd to you, don’t worry—click-together or “floating” setups are some of the most common installation styles these days. And as an added bonus, floating floors make for some of the easiest flooring to install—either for professionals or do-it-yourself flooring aficionados.
And what is a floating floor, exactly? It’s simply a floor that rests on top of the subfloor without being attached. Again: if you haven’t looked into buying a floor before, we know this sounds weird, but really—the disadvantages of floating floors are minimal. After all, it’s 2023—even magnetic flooring is a thing now!
Sadly, you can’t refinish any kind of laminate flooring like you might refinish bamboo flooring (or hardwood, of course). And speaking of which: for a full breakdown of how bamboo stacks up against laminate, check out bamboo flooring vs. laminate.
This is a tricky question. Composite products aren’t generally considered the most eco-friendly flooring. But as we mentioned before, laminate is greener than vinyl plank. If you want super green flooring, though, something like sustainable wood flooring or hemp flooring might be the better option.
Silver lining: you can find completely non-toxic laminate flooring products that are waterproof.
In theory, yes—but in actuality, no. Or rather, not unless you have an entire flooring factory at your disposal.
While it can be a little more expensive than ordinary laminate, there’s no question that waterproof laminate flooring offers a huge upside. You can put it anywhere in your home and there’s little reason to worry. Plus, more and more of the best laminate flooring brands are starting to make it, which is always a good sign.
And, of course, it compares favorably with other waterproof hardwood floor alternatives like luxury vinyl flooring. At the end of the day, you can always count on luxury vinyl flooring to offer a completely waterproof alternative to laminate flooring made from synthetic materials. So if you are someone looking for waterproof (not water-resistant) flooring for a basement or similarly high-moisture area, then luxury vinyl flooring might be a better choice. It really comes down to preference and budget. Whatever flooring you choose, remember to include a vapor barrier beneath to reduce the amount of moisture reaching your flooring from your subfloor..
Our big advice here: check warranties before you purchase. Remember: there’s a big difference between water-resistant laminate and waterproof laminate, and it’s important to know which is which. When in doubt, see what the product you’re interested in is guaranteed to cover.
We know that can be a hassle, though, which is why we also recommend shopping somewhere people actually know the products—i.e. an actual well-reviewed flooring store rather than a big box store.
Whatever you choose, thank you for reading! We hope this article was helpful, and as always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
In the meanwhile, good luck on your flooring search and, for more info on all things floors, check out:
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