Tap dancer Bill Robinson, "Mister Bojangles," was born on this day in 1878. To him, a good floor was everything. Same goes for homeowners. That's why manufacturers constantly blend high-tech durability and value with the look and feel of Mother Nature's finest. One new trend is laminate flooring with a surface like countertop plastic laminates, only much harder and more durable. Brought from Europe some years ago, they've become increasingly popular. Tongue-and-groove planks are glued together to form a single unit that ?floats? above a subfloor, creating a super-smooth look in various woodgrain, tile or stone patterns. On the plus side, they're highly stain-resistant and easy to maintain. On the minus side, they have a wood fiber core and can soak up water and swell. If the wear surface gets scratched, you have to replace the plank, making it poor choice for homes where grit gets tracked in or where tap dancers dwell. And that's the On The House tip for today.