Natural Laminated Wood Flooring – As the alternative of genuine wood flooring , many people would love to use laminated wood flooring for their interior house. Laminated wooden flooring looks as beautiful and natural as solid wood flooring. But not the entire laminated flooring is as durable as genuine wood flooring. When you’re looking for laminate wood flooring for your interior, make sure that its humidity is less than twenty five percents. A wooden flooring is not a good choice if its humidity if more than twenty percents.
Besides, the color of laminated wood flooring will also influence the hardness level of wood flooring. The darker wood flooring, the harder and stronger and more durable the wood. There are many types of wooden flooring. Each of them looks different from each other and will make our floor looks more attractive. And nowadays, laminate wooden flooring is also available in various appearances that make them look like bamboo wood floor, pine wooden floor, and rustic wooden floor.
If you’re going to build a house with modern interior design, you can consider using laminated wood flooring that looks ideal for contemporary houses. If you want to save money, you can install this laminate wooden flooring by yourself since this alternative flooring is easy to install. If you have decided that you’re going to install laminate wooden flooring to your interior, consider the cost first. Laminate wood flooring is affordable, but vinyl flooring both vinyl tile and vinyl sheet is much more affordable than laminate wood flooring.
And don’t buy flooring just because of the prices. You must cover your floor with durable and long lasting laminated wood flooring . Laminate wooden flooring has medium durability compared with genuine wooden flooring. But its durability is still better than vinyl flooring. If you want the most durable material for your flooring, you may want to use stones.
Hardwood Vs Laminate Wood Flooring – What You Should Know!
I can’t deny that wood floors are lovely to look at, warm and inviting, but the same effect can be obtained with laminate wood for a lot less money and headaches! And in many cases laminate wood may be the better choice. Not only does it look like “wood”, under most situations it will out-perform real hardwoods.
Since the very beginning of laminate wood floors, improvements have been a constant endeavor with manufacturers, like Alloc, Mannington and Dupont, to make this flooring material a “perfect” product. The “wear” (top) layer is made of aluminum oxide, a shield about as strong as steel and penetrating it is near impossible.
With hardwood flooring not much has changed since the 70s to improve it’s tolerance of normal living conditions. Other than developing a new type of finish to give it more protection, there’s not much that can be done to change its profile. It is what it is, a lovely, natural product.
But lets be honest, there are some areas where any kind of wood flooring products is not the best choice. There are risk involved if you use wood in a kitchen or bathroom. If the flooring is porous, like hardwoods, it is a fort for harboring bacteria and germs.
Waterproof or Not?
When I hear the word “waterproof” I think “unaffected by moisture”, don’t you? Well that’s not the case with either hardwoods or laminate wood. Flooring manufacturers marketing their wood flooring materials as “waterproof” is a selling point, and why not they are in the business to “sell”, but the truth is wood and water/moisture do not mix.
The thing with hardwoods or laminate wood is neither one is totally waterproof. Too much exposure to moisture and hardwoods will expand, and as it dries it contracts. This type of action will cause all sorts of issues with finished hardwood floors.
Laminate wood tolerates moisture much better than hardwoods. The HPL (high-pressure laminate) is constructed with sealed waxed edges, this is in addition to the Aluminum Oxide surface coating, that increases water resistance. But if exposed too long to moisture/water it will buckle.
But between the two, laminate wood tolerates moisture and bacteria far better than hardwoods.
The Affect From Impacts
As hard and durable as hardwoods is, they are easily dinged from impacts! Hard to believe, but true! Drop a sharp edged object or heavy pan on the hardwood floor and it will leave a mark.
Do the same thing with laminate wood and it won’t faze the flooring at all. The Aluminum Oxide surface coating on laminate can be compared to steel. Hard as a rock!
Scratching The Wood
Hardwood floors scratch very easily. You have to be very careful when moving furniture, or anything of considerable weight or with a rough bottom, not to drag it but to lift it, unless you have floor guards on the bottom of whatever object you want to move. Outside grit will scratch the wood, too, so it is very important to keep it swept up and use entry way area rugs to prevent bringing outside grit inside.
Laminate wood will scratch, but not so easily, and as with hardwood floors, putting rugs in front of outside entry ways is a smart way to protect your flooring. My laminate wood kitchen floor is 7 years old and there is not one scratch on it. Once again the surface finish is what provides such good protection.
Staining
Hardwoods are porous and may absorb a stain like an ink blotter if not cleaned up quickly, even with a good finish on the wood you have to be very careful not to let something like wine or blueberries just sit, they need to be wiped up quickly to prevent staining.
Laminate wood is not porous but will stain, too, but the stains can usually be removed with a small amount of acetone or denatured alcohol and a clean, preferable white, cloth. When staining occurs on this type of flooring it is the protective surface finish that is stained
Maintenance
Hardwood floors are easy enough to sweep or dust and so is mopping, but it requires cleaning products made for hardwood floors. Eventually, hardwood floors will need refinishing or even sanding and refinishing, but can be sanded may times over. Maintenance can be fairly costly if the floor needs a new finish. If it is necessary to replace any of the flooring it can be done board by board without replacing the whole floor..
Laminate wood floors don’t require much in the care and maintenance department. Just sweep often and light mop when needed. No special products are necessary. Swiffer products are perfect for laminate floors. Another thing with laminate wood is you can replace single planks without replacing the whole floor.
Laminate Wood Flooring – A Versatile Flooring Type
Laminate wood flooring is a versatile flooring type that gives the appearance of hardwood flooring. With natural looking designs in durable finish, laminate flooring can complement any home or office decor.
Designs and Patterns that Fit Every Interior
This type of flooring is suitable for any room including family room, hallway, kitchen, and bathroom. Designed to withstand in heavy foot traffic areas, it is perfect for families with children and pets. Whatever your interior style – warm, light, energetic, playful, elegant or casual – a wide array of laminate wood flooring styles and colors are available. You can choose from smooth, textured, square edge, hand scraped, bevel edge, narrow plank and other interesting varieties.
Although laminate wood flooring patterns resemble original wood-flooring, no solid wood is used in its construction. The realistic wood plank flooring patterns are created through advanced computerized technology. Laminate flooring can be installed on any flooring surface, concrete or wood.
Construction with Authentic Wood Appearance
Wood laminate flooring has a layered structure. The inner core layer is made using a high density, moisture-resistant fiber board. A high resolution image of natural hardwood flooring is glued and attached on the top of the fiber board. The backing layer is made using saturated paper which acts as a moisture barrier. The flooring is then finished with a clear coating to protect from stains and fading.
Laminate wood flooring is available in different installation formats – click-lock, glue down, and floating type. Floating type flooring does not fix directly to the sub floor. The most preferred type is click lock flooring that easily snaps together without glue or nails.
A Popular Flooring Option with Cost-saving Features
Laminate wood flooring enjoys high demand due to its affordability, simple installation, durability and easy maintenance. Most of the flooring manufacturers provide a long-term warranty for laminate floors. Dealers of laminate wood flooring also provide installation and maintenance services.
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