Laminate flooring has been very popular in Europe for quite some time. Now it is emerging in the United States as one of the most popularly used wood coverings for floors. The cause for its popularity can be attributed to the fact that it provides the hardwood look. Though it looks grand, hardwood flooring is expensive too. So, people often settle for laminate floors to get that effect at a lower price.
Moreover, laminate flooring is very durable. It can be suitably used in a variety of places – from a simple home bedroom to a showroom of automobiles. Laminate floors can be made upon just about any flat surface – be it plywood or concrete slab or hardwood flooring or sheet vinyl flooring.
Laminate floors are constructed of different layers. From the top downward as constructed, these layers are: the wear layer, the pattern or image layer, medium/high density fiber board (a processed wood core), and the balancing layer with a moisture barrier.
It may be noted that laminate is also widely used in kitchen work surfaces. However, the difference between laminate on floors and laminate on kitchen work surfaces lies in the capacity to take stress of people walking on them everyday.
A wide range of colors and patterns are available for laminate floors. The quality of these floors is also improving day by day. Laminate floors have become close imitations of real wood floors.
The dense laminate floors are not difficult to clean. They require the simplest maintenance – dust sweeping or vacuum cleaning or maybe light mopping is required. Even with minimum effort the floors look good for many, many years. A 10- to 25-year residential warranty is also often provided against staining, wearing and fading.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
Wood Laminate Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The laminate flooring of today no longer features high-quality photographic paper with an image of wood. More and more often, this effective but not-quite-realistic material is being foregone in favor of very thin slices of real wood veneers. This is a new hybrid product coming...
-
Discount Laminate Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Recent trends indicate that laminate floors are fast becoming popular not only in Europe but also in the U.S. The current demand for these products is thus very high. Perhaps the most important reason for the popularity of laminate flooring is that it is an...
-
Hardwood Laminate Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Hardwood laminate floors are much valued for their being long-lasting, but also for their aesthetic appeal. They need no replacement over even a long time and their installment in a house can bring about an enhancement in the value of the house. A wide variety...
-
Laminate Flooring
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Laminate flooring is extremely versatile. It can be made to look like either hardwood flooring or stone. Laminate flooring captures the natural beauty of both these. Both hardwood floors and stone can be difficult to maintain. Laminate flooring offers all the benefits without the hassle....
-
Laminate Tile Flooring
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Laminate tile flooring is one of the best methods of flooring. It is innovative, easy and cost effective. The idea of laminate tile flooring was popularized in Europe. They are available in different varieties and are inexpensive, attractive and durable. They are scratch resistant and...
-
Laminate Wood Flooring
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Wood floorings have always been very fashionable, but they are gaining more and more popularity even for offices and other formal rooms. This rise in popularity is because of their warm look, affordability, variety, eco-friendliness, ease of maintenance and high value. Having originated in Europe,...
-
The Benefits of Pre-finished Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Pre-finished floors come with an extended factory finish warranty unlike unfinished floors. The heavy duty finishes are urethane-based. Within a few minutes, a number of urethane coatings can be applied on planks using ultra violet lights. However, you also have the option of unfinished hardwood...
-
How To Install Laminate Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The first thing to remember about installation of laminate floors is to take adequate safety measures. Particle-containing chemicals can be harmful to health upon inhalation, and dangerous if they come in contact with eyes and skin. One needs to follow the guidelines of the manufacturer...
-
Installing Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Hardwood floors can be secured using various installation methods such as floating, glue-down, nail-down, and staple-down. The ¾ inch solid floors can be nailed down. Adapters are used for thin flooring. The hardwood flooring can be stapled down over wood subfloor. The staple-down method is...
-
The Allure of Exotic Hardwood Floors
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Exotic hardwood floors are made up of solid exotic wood that is not grown in North America. These wooden planks are imported from Africa, Australia, Brazil, and the Far East. They are known for distinct coloration and wood grain, and can be bought as solid...