Laminate
Floor Basics Is it real or is it laminate? While it mimics the look of wood, laminate floors resist dents, scuffs, and stains that can mar hardwood surfaces. A durable, easy to install, and relatively inexpensive flooring material, laminates can be used in any room in the home. |
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kitchens
are all suitable candidates for laminate flooring. Where hardwood floors
are forever being protected from sand, spills, and muddy pets, nates
At
first glance, it can be difficult to spot the difference between hardwoods
and laminate flooring. What appears to be a natural wood grain pattern
is really a thin layer of decor paper (a photographic image) under a tough-as-nails
protective film that is glued and pressed to a high-density backing board.
Sold under brand names
like Formica Flooring, Wilsonart, Armstrong, Pergo, and Quick-Step, the
flooring material is made in one of two ways. High-pressure laminate,
or HPL, uses a two-step process. First, the decor paper, protective film,
and core materials are joined using heat and pressure. These layers are
then adhered to a high-density fiberboard backing piece. The second process
is called direct laminate, or DL, where all the layers joined in a single
pressing. Direct laminates tend to be thinner and work better where transitions
between different flooring materials are an issue, like where the laminate
floor meets a tile, carpet, or vinyl floor. High-pressure laminates have
more layers and glued surfaces, which in some cases provides a more stable
material over time.
A Durable Option The type of traffic a floor will be subjected to is a main factor to consider when choosing a flooring material. Durability is laminate flooring’s biggest asset. Because of the high-density backing board, laminates are resistant to gougesand punctures. |
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Looks
like wood: Weathered Rustic Cherry laminate flooring from Formica. |
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Stains and scuffs have a hard time penetrating the high-pressure laminate coating. Sliding chairs and dropped pots and pans that will quickly add “character” to wood floors have little affect on laminates. Laminate flooring can be installed over
many existing floors, including wood, tile, vinyl, and linoleum. Most
laminate flooring systems are floating, which means they do not fasten
directly to the plywood subfloor (or existing flooring material) with
nails or glue. Rather, they utilize an interlocking system that is held
together with an adhesive. The adhesive holds the flooring material together,
while allowing the subfloor below to move independently of the laminate.
The adhesive also helps seal off the core material from surface moisture.
Many manufacturers now offer glueless, snap-together systems that require
no fasteners or adhesives. |
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Laminate
planks from Quick-Step are installed over a moisture barrier, which does
double-duty by leveling any uneven areas of the floor. The planks snap
together, and do not require glue or nails. |
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Cost and Scheduling
Basic oak strip flooring is around $10 to $13 a square foot, installed. Laminates range from $7 to $11 per square foot, installed. More exotic varieties of hardwood flooring quickly rise in price. With laminates, the wood character comes from a photographic image, so they are about the same price for any grain or finish option. Flooring installation is one of the later phases in a typical remodeling project. Solid hardwood flooring stock should be in the room where it will be used at least three weeks prior to installation. This allows the wood to acclimate to the average moisture content and heat of the house. If material is laid too early, it can dry and shrink and the joints between boards will open up. Laminates only need to be on site a few days prior to installation. Maintenance and Repair |
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Copyright Sudprasert Engineering (C)2002
10 February, 2003