New "wood" flooring

Whether you're spiffing your home up for sale or just updating a room, wood is America's favorite choice for flooring. But it's not practical for every room. There are now options that not only look just like the real thing, but can be installed in rooms where wood can't.

Consumer Reports says are rooms where real wood should be avoided. Wood's really nice in a kitchen because it lends warmth, but it can dent and show wear, which is why some of these new options are nice. They also give you the look of wood in spaces where you can't normally use it, like a bathroom or a laundry room.

Consumer Reports' rigorous floor tests focus on the wear layer, to see how quickly surface wear is noticeable after repeated passes with an abrasion tester, whether it's resistant to dents and scratching, and whether it fades in the sun over time. Consumer Reports tested dozens of flooring products that mimic wood and found many that can stand up to wear and tear.