Do you want the
rich, natural look of a hardwood floor but are concerned about maintenance and
wear? Perhaps you hedging towards a ceramic or stone tile but don't like
the idea of standing on a rock hard surface for hours at a time? A
laminate floor may be just what you're looking for.
Laminate flooring is an extremely
durable, long-lasting, comfortable, easy to live with and incredibly easy
to maintain flooring solution that can go just about anywhere in your home.
It's an easy to install, stain and fade resistant,
affordable option that is quickly becoming one of the most popular alternatives
to hardwood, stone and ceramic flooring in America.
Laminate flooring is called a
"floating floor" because it is not nailed down, glued to or attached in any way
to an existing subfloor. It can be installed over an existing plywood, OSB
(Oriented Strand Board) or concrete subfloor. In most cases, a laminate
floor can be installed on top of an existing vinyl, parquet or ceramic tile
floor - saving you money with respect to the installation cost.
(Note that a laminate floor cannot be installed over
carpet.)
A laminate floor consists of several
layers fused together under extremely high temperature and pressure. The
top surface of a laminate floor (the surface you walk on - the wear layer) is
typically a thin, transparent layer of melamine (or a melamine/aluminum-oxide
composite) which is very tough and scratch resistant. (tough enough to
hold up to anything foot traffic, claws, kid's toys or a heavy piano can dish
out.) Below the wear layer is an image layer. The image layer is
literally a photograph of real wood or tiles printed on paper. The
printed paper is also impregnated with a melamine resin material. The
above layers are pressed together with an underlying HDF (High Density
Fiberboard) core board. Beneath the core is another layer of laminate or
melamine which increases the stability of the board in addition to providing a
certain measure of protection from possible water damage. A moisture
sealant applied along the adjoining edges of each board provide effective
protection from the immanent spills encountered. Both Mannington and Quick
Step offer products that have been embossed with three dimensional wood grain
and tile textures and beveled edges for an even greater realistic look an feel. Most of the manufacturers in
the market today have adopted a glueless, interlocking snap-together design,
allowing for a quick and easy installation and enjoyment.
You can check out the various
laminate products we offer by visiting (via the links provided below) the web
sites of the product manufacturers.
Quick-Step Laminate Flooring
Mannington Laminate Flooring
Armstrong Laminate Flooring
