Laminate flooring options
Laminate flooring types are popular today and for a good reason. A Swedish company invented laminate flooring in the late 1970s by using wasted wood from other projects. They would put these scraps of wood together and using high heat and pressure with binding chemicals, they discovered a material that made excellent floor covering.
This hybrid flooring material, laminate flooring types consists of a base that is particleboard base and a picture of wood on top, last layer a transparent film. Once considered to be the economy of flooring materials, laminate flooring types are still holding a place a highly functional flooring material.
Laminate flooring types are found in higher-end homes today, replacing the notion that only the best of engineered wood or solid hardwood flooring will suffice. Why? Even the most elite homeowner realizes that the various types of laminate flooring looks better and performs better, even feels better on the barefoot.
What are the different types of laminate flooring?
A homeowner that is considering installing laminate flooring may be surprised at the many different laminate flooring types that are available today. This may be one of the most versatile flooring materials since vinyl tile.
The Wood Grain Choices
Wood grain is arguably the most common choices in laminate flooring types, especially for those who have a tight budget. Laminate flooring planks can resemble wood, giving your home the look for hardwood flooring. Choose even an exotic wood grain and you’ll still come out cheaper than you would with the real thing, but nobody has to know you with one of the many laminate flooring types.
Multiple Textures
There are laminate flooring types that can be made to appear like other flooring materials. From limestone, marble, slate, and even travertine. These laminate flooring types come in tiles but are installed in the same manner as traditional laminate flooring. Still less expensive, but when choosing more variations, the more expensive, yet still not as pricey as the real thing.
The Thicknesses
Laminate flooring types include flexibility in the thickness with a 25 year lifespan. The thicker the laminate flooring, the more expensive and the longer the lifespan.
Glued and Pre-Glued
- Glued Laminate Flooring types refers to flooring will need special adhesive formula applied to the grooves and tongues as they are snapped together. When professionally installed, these glued connections last for years.
- Pre-glued Laminate Flooring types have the glue applied to the grooves and tongues at the factory. This makes it easier and faster to installed ad won’t create as much mess.
Moulding and End Pieces
When choosing a laminate flooring type, the molding and end pieces are a main consideration. Many floors have selected pieces that coordinate with the color and ‘texture’ of the flooring. Those pieces are typically bigger than the wood counterparts, and if not used correctly, can be awkward. Not using these awkward pieces though leaves exposed edges and the room look unfinished.
- Carpet Reducer/End Molding: This is the transitional piece used to connect the laminate flooring to surfaces with various heights.
- Reducer Strip: This transitional piece is the main one and used to connect the laminate flooring with other similar heights of other flooring.
- T-molding: This is a laminate piece that is used between doorways, connect two laminate floorings.
- Quarter Round: This piece goes around the wall where the laminate flooring meets the wall to complete the seamless look.
What type of laminate flooring is best?
The decision to install new flooring is large undertaking and an expensive one too. You want to get the best you can for what you can afford, so with all the choices out there, how do you know which Best type of laminate flooring the best?
There are two laminate flooring types, both come in ¼” thick planks and are snapped together. The differences:
- Engineered wood are real wood perpendicular layers glued together. A high quality of hardwood coating is the top layer and has an acrylic finish.
- Plastic laminate flooring types are 100A% artificial, consisting of a melamine bottom, a center of resin-saturated fiberboard, and the top is a woodgrain print with a clear hard plastic layer protection.
Okay, so how do I choose laminate flooring? If your home is a show piece, then go with the engineered wood. If your home is an active, busy household with kids, the plastic laminate flooring type is the better option. It has a topcoat that is bulletproof, the internal components are a durable plastic, and it can withstand skating and pet clawing better than the engineered wood laminate flooring types.
You need to choose between beveled edge vs wide plank laminate floors as well. A beveled laminate flooring type has edges are little grooves between the flooring planks, giving it a natural style similar of hardwood flooring with an authentic wood look. There is a slight rounding to each edge that gives the flooring a V-groove in between each plank, making each plank’s own distinct look stand out. Choose a square edge if you prefer a seamless appearance.
Laminate flooring types with beveled edges have a genuine and real look that comes in variety of styles. Micro-Beveled Edges, Normal Beveled Edges, Deep Beveled Edges, Pressed Beveled Edges, and Rolled Beveled Edges
What are the disadvantages of laminate flooring?
There are several types of flooring you can choose for your home and choosing the one that is the better fit is key in being happy with your choice. Before you choose one of the many laminate flooring types, review these drawbacks:
- Laminate flooring types cannot be refinished.
- Laminate flooring types are not natural materials.
- Laminate flooring is a hard surface even with a foam underlayment.
- Laminate flooring types have a short lifespan.
- Laminate flooring contains chemical compounds used in manufacturing the product.
- Laminate flooring is not quiet.
- Laminate flooring is slippery.
Laminate flooring benefits can outweigh those drawbacks though:
- Laminate flooring is durable, perfect for a busy household.
- Laminate flooring won’t fade or stain and is moisture resistant
- Laminate flooring is easy to keep clean and maintained.
- Laminate flooring is an economical choice that looks as good as the more expensive counterpart.
- Laminate flooring comes in a wide variety of styles
How long do laminate floors last?
Now that you’ve made your mind up about which laminate flooring type you want, you want to know how long will it be before you need to through this process again. Well, that is doing to depend on the quality you choose and how well you maintain it, but on the average, you can expect up to 25 years of beautiful laminate flooring. Call 817.861.3737 today.