Laminate Near a Fireplace

Q: I want to install laminate in my family room. I do have a fireplace that has brick in front of it about 2 ft. Sometimes the fire place does project ashes & pops out hot embers & I want to know if a hot ember lands on the laminate will it melt the finish or stain the laminate. (yes I do have a guard in front of my fireplace but it happens usually when I am turning the wood or adding more to the fire). I have burned & or stained my carpet so I am wondering if laminate would be a good alternative.
Thanks,
MC
A: Unlike carpet, laminate is built to take a bit more abuse. As embers leave any fireplace the will cool somewhat, but over time you could still get some marks along the area of laminate right by the fireplace. Its likely that the higher rated laminates will be able to take to this a bit better than lower grades as they tend to have for more effective finishes when it comes to abrasion and damage resistance.
Ultimately, nothing will be completely impervious to the embers as even stone will have some marking over time, but laminate should hold up a bit better than carpet. If you want to be safe, you could look into a plastic or similar material mat to place in the area of concern (like the mats used for computer chairs), but make sure it is made from a product which is safe for wood flooring. Some can causing stains or fading in a wood floor’s finish, so be sure to find one that is approved for wood flooring and will not ruin your finish.