Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is fast picking up the trend in India. This type of flooring is much cost effective than hardwood flooring. As this flooring type was most preferred in west but today Indian homes are getting much interested in installing laminate flooring to give their homes ascetic look.
Lamination and core material
Layered construction of lamination flooring makes it cheaper as compared with other flooring types. The thin layer of laminated flooring on the sub-floor usually made of aluminum oxide which makes the flooring resistant to dents, scratching, burns and other kind of wear & tear. Laminate flooring is easy and nuisance free.
It can be said that it is a type which resembles real wood. Material used in laminate is a synthetic material mixed with natural elements so as to make it similar to natural substance and feel of real wood.
Almost any kind of flat surface is used to laminate for flooring material. Wood is the main core material used in lamination being organic and porous it is valued for its sheen and coziness. Sometimes it’s difficult to maintain wooden flooring but laminating the wood slacks can keep them intact which make them easier to maintain.
Fiberboard is another popular material, being a synthetic it is less prone to rotting than wood. Fiberboard is porous and scrubbing and mopping may only ruin it. However after laminating its durability increases in some way which makes it better to maintain.
Types of laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is of several types such as high pressure lamination and direct pressure lamination. High pressure lamination involves subjecting the whole core material to heated lamination. This type of lamination results in dent and scratch proof flooring. It makes the floor thinner, however it is quite expensive than direct pressure flooring.
Direct pressure lamination involves subjecting the core material at a time under the lower pressures and temperatures. This type of flooring is comparatively cheaper and prone to scratches and dent.
How to install laminate flooring
- Laminate flooring uses unique edge joining systems for installation. Installing laminate flooring is much easier than any other lamination. The tools which are needed for its installation are: a rubber mallet, tape measure, a flooring pull bar, coping saw, utility knife, hammer, nails, laminate flooring, and underlayment pad.
- The first thing to do is to prepare the floor which has to be laminate, as pull out the old stack strips around the room’s perimeter. Remove the baseboard and use the coping saw to cut off the bottoms of door jambs.
- Now roll out the underlayment pad and connect the pieces together with wide clear plastic tape. Just snap the laminate planks together and stagger the joints. While laminating the floor leave ¼’’ clearance at each wall and on the initial wall where you start, use spacers which you pull out before installing the baseboard.
- As you go along you need to use mallet and pull bar to snug things up. You can use your utility knife to trim the snapping connections on the adjoining planks so that they can slide together. Use some glue to fix them together.
Advantages of laminate flooring
Easy installation
Laminate flooring can be easily installed at homes. Earlier in older type of laminate flooring you need to use glue to intact the wooden planks, but now with the coming of newer type of laminate flooring which has click lock design comes with dry glue already on the product. This requires just a swipe of wet sponge to active it.
Durable
Laminate flooring is not prone to dents and scratches making it durable. It has a wear layer underneath which protects it from all the wear and tear.
Used at moist places
Laminate flooring can easily be put into bathrooms, kitchens and other places where moisture remains in intact. But laminate flooring can’t bear standing pool water.
Cleanable
Laminate flooring can be cleaned with a broom or vacuum, you can also mop the floor slightly with easy hand.
Dent resistant
This kind of flooring is easily maintained due to its resistance to stains, dents and scratches.
Disadvantages of laminate flooring
Slippery
Laminate flooring is slightly slippery which makes difficult for a person to move casually on the floor. Manufacturers are trying to develop non-slippery laminate flooring.
Not a real wood
Though laminate flooring resembles like wood which is layered, but frankly it is not wood. Some natural material is used which gives the feel of real wood.
Can’t be refinished
This is the one of the biggest disadvantage of laminate flooring as they can’t be refinished if ever they badly scratched or grooved. It has to be replaced.
