Laminate Flooring: What are Laminate Floors?
Laminate floors were a staple in millions of homes before the middle of the 1970s. Laminate floors were originally installed as an economical flooring option, but they are still very popular as functional, affordable flooring.
Laminate floors are now being installed in higher-end properties that would otherwise have only used engineered or solid wood flooring. Laminate floors are more attractive, better performing, and easier to walk on than ever thanks to innovations such as deeper embossing or sharper image layers. This popularity might make you wonder: What is laminate flooring?
Grade laminate flooring: The basics of laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is a mix of particleboard and wood floors. It consists of an image layer on top, as well as a transparent wear layer. They are a very popular choice for floors in living rooms, bedrooms, corridors, and kitchens.
In 1977, laminate floors were created in Sweden. It was created by using waste wood and heating them with binding chemicals. It was possible to create floor coverings with usability that looked quite stunning.
The pros and cons of laminate flooring
Here is a table with some advantages and disadvantages related to laminate flooring:
The Pros | Cons |
It is easy to keep clean Laminate flooring has smooth, non-sealed surfaces which make them very easy to maintain. Laminate floors don’t require wet mopping. Most dirt and dust can be removed with a dry mop/broom. Deep cleaning is best done with a mop or broom that dispenses cleaner fluid. | Water can cause irreparable damage Laminate flooring is made largely from moisture-sensitive particleboard and can expand beyond repair when exposed to too much water. Laminate flooring can be waterproofed if it is joined perfectly with no seams, and all edges have waterproof baseboards. |
Scratch-resistant Because of their hardwear layer, they are scratch-resistant and suitable for houses with children or pets. | The top layer could chip Laminate flooring is extremely durable, but boards can be easily chipped. |
Relatively affordable Laminate flooring is inexpensive compared to other floor coverings. However, some laminate flooring can be as expensive as engineered or solid hardwood floors. | Lower resale value Laminate flooring cannot be used in areas where there is moisture. This can cause problems as it blocks full bathrooms and laundry rooms. Sometimes, key kitchen areas, such as behind fridges or in front of dishwashers, are also excluded. |
Laminate Flooring vs. Other Floor Coverings
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring can be cut to any length, is 100% impervious against water, is flexible, and only contains vinyl. Vinyl flooring doesn’t need to be adapted to the room before installation. It is very similar to laminate. Also, it is affordable, easy to put together, and offers a very similar appearance.
Solid Hardwood
Hardwood is 100% solid wood. The laminate does not contain any percentage of this material. Solid hardwood can be sanded several times and then re-sanded. On the other hand, laminate flooring is very thin and cannot be sanded. Laminate flooring and solid hardwood can appear very similar, particularly from far away.
Engineered wood
Engineered wood is made with plywood and topped off by a 100% real wood veneer. Laminate does not contain plywood or a natural veneer of real wood. Laminate and engineered wood have the same base, which is made from manufactured wood. Premium laminates can make both products look very similar.
Natural Stone
Stone is hardy, strong, and heavy. Laminate flooring is thin, flexible, and breakable, but it can look almost like stone, just like hardwood to laminate.
Laminate Floor Materials
Laminate flooring is sometimes called laminate wood floors. However, they have two distinct characteristics:
- Base material
- appearance.
The laminate flooring base is made of pressed chips wood. The top looks like real wood because of the precise image layer. This is essentially a photo of wood that has been well rendered and encapsulated in a durable, wear layer.
High pressure is applied to aggregated wood particles to create sheets. The sheets are covered by a layer of a wear layer that covers the image. Between the fragile lower layers of the sheet and external elements like moisture, UV rays, and scratching, the wear layer is a thin and durable plastic sheet.
The layer of Laminate Wear
A laminate flooring layer is made up of two thin layers of paper that have been impregnated in melamine. The topmost layer of laminate flooring is made up of two thin sheets of paper impregnated with melamine.
Laminate Image Layer
Laminate flooring looks realistic even when close up. Laminate flooring has a photographic-quality image that resembles real wood beneath the wear layer.
Laminate Base Layer (Core)
Below the photo of the wood grain is approximately a half-inch of wood-chip composite. . The base of laminate flooring is considered to have dimensional stability, however, it can only be to a limited extent. Laminate flooring can withstand some water but it must be quickly dried.
Laminate Installation Method
- Laminate flooring is very similar to solid hardwood floors because they use a modified tongue and groove style of joining boards. Laminate flooring is not as easy to install as hardwood floors, which usually require professional installation. However, they are much easier for DIYers to put in with basic tools.
- Laminate can be installed on floating floors. Laminate is not subject to the same tedious nail-down installation problems as engineered or hardwood floors. The floating floor technique involves rolling out an inexpensive foam underlayment and taping it together before laying out laminate planks.
- Laminate flooring cannot move because it is made of laminate planks that are connected from one part to another.
- Laminate floor planks can be either glued or snapped together depending on which type they are. Most commonly, snap-together is called fold-and-lock or fold-and-lay.
- Fold-and-lay is different from tongue-and-groove joinery for solid hardwood. This involves one board sliding laterally into another board. Instead, the boards are attached using outer grooves. They can then be angled towards each other. The next step is to fold one of the boards down so that it’s as flat as the companion board. The folding mechanism allows the boards to be brought closer together, making it easier for water migration and tightening their bonds.
Subfloor and underlayment
Laminate floors, like all flooring, require a solid, sturdy subfloor. The subfloor is separated from the laminate by a felt or foam underlayment. This allows for easier footfall and provides a softer surface.
If the subfloor isn’t adequate in some cases, an interfacing plywood layer may be placed above and below the foam subfloor. You should ensure that the subfloor level is maintained before you begin installing the laminate.