Just ordered 1200 sq ft of Quick Step laminate. Hope it looks and sounds OK! I looked a lot at XP at Home Depot but couldn't find a color or texture that I really liked. Some look very good to me and others very fake.

I am going over a slab and wanted a floating floor. My dogs scratch up the regular oak floors in my current home. Not sure they won't do the same to the laminate but I am giving it a try in a big way. I opted not for engineered hardwood because of my dogs.

Thanks-what color did you get? Im looking for a darker wood I think

THat was my problem with XP was the ones that I thought looked the most realistic were more amber in color then I wanted to go. I wanted a brown.

I went with Rustique Toasted Hickory. I really wanted their premium grade for thickness and hopefully quality but I could not find one that I liked so the Rustique is the next level down. Saved a lot of money though so if it doesn't wear or I don't like it down the road it is replaceable.

Ordered it online and saved alot there too and am pickiing it up at the Quick Step distributor in my area so no shipping.

Realistic looking is everywhere. Realistic sounding is no where. All of it will have a more hollow sound than regular glued down or nailed down hardwood. All of it. Even with the absolute best sound muffling underlayment. You will still hear the difference, although if you spend enough on cork underlayment or Floormuffler, it will be much less than the typical thock thock hollow sound that all floating floors have. If realistic sounding is your goal, then choose something else.

My friend put laminate over cement slab. It sounds like you are walking on a cheap plastic floor. Her little dogs nails make a constant click-click noise when he walks.

We put laminate from Costco (Harmonics) in our finished basement over a insulated subfloor and it is completely silent!