02 Aug Benefits of Laminate Flooring – 2023 Guide
You may be wondering if laminate flooring is for you. Whether it be for a kitchen floor, a bedroom area, or a commercial walkway with high foot traffic, it is important to ensure that the floor you choose satisfies your needs. One key understanding is that not all laminate options are the same – in fact, there are hundreds of ranges. This article will take you through the many benefits that laminate flooring has to offer.
What are Laminate Floors?
Before we dig into the many gifts that laminate flooring provides us, it is important that we first understand what it is. Essentially, laminate wood is simply layers of material that have been bonded together. This wood floor is composed of four primary layers:
- Top Protective Layer – This is made of substances that yield a hard protective layer that is also UV-resistant, usually aluminium oxide, this surface of laminate flooring gives the whole floor its durability and its matte, glossy or embossed finish.
- Print Layer – This layer enamours the laminate with a wood flooring design, showing stylish colouring and texture that can resemble hardwood flooring. This is done by infusing high-definition printing and texturing technology.
- Core or Substrate Layer – This serves as the bulk of laminate flooring. It is made of particleboard, such as HDF, which is essentially resin or wax pressed together with wood flooring remains. This offers a humidity resistance that prevents peeling or warping whilst adding sturdiness to the floor.
- Bottom Layer – The bottom of laminate wood flooring needs to avoid swelling or warping caused by moisture accumulation below. To achieve this, the bottom layer of the laminate flooring is composed of a polymer, like melamine, to add strength and to resist moisture.
- Underlayment – This component isn’t necessarily part of the laminate flooring itself, but it is added as a barrier between laminate flooring and the subfloor below. This adds to the benefits of laminate flooring by hiding any bumps and imperfections in the subfloor, suppressing noise (great for high traffic areas), and provides thermal insulation.
Laminate flooring offers a great alternative to hardwood flooring. It offers many advantages like being cost-effective, preventing excessive moisture, utilising a wear layer as a perfect solution for busy areas, and maintaining those high temperatures that many homeowners love indoors. Now that we can understand what laminate flooring is, we can now explore what it has to offer.
Benefits of Laminate Wood Flooring
Laminate flooring offers many features that can satisfy the needs of your current project, or make you consider upgrading existing floors that are wearing out. Flooring experts here at FloorVenue suggest that there are many reasons to install laminate instead of real hardwood or other materials.
Durability & Scratch Resistance
Laminate flooring is very scratch resistant and has a tough external layer that will preserve the quality of the floor planks over time. Laminate is much stronger than natural wood and any other type of hard flooring available because of the top protective layer that mends the UV-resistant aluminium oxide into aesthetic finishes.
Easy to Install
There is no need for professional installation with laminate flooring. A DIY installation can suffice because of the ease of the groove system that eliminates the need for adhesives or glue. The click-and-lock nature of these floorboards has such an easy installation that all people can be laminate flooring pros. It’s like putting together a puzzle!
High Variety
The photographic layer below the top protective layer can be designed with various stains to create many new styles. Unlike the real deal, hardwood, there are so many styles you can create by mixing and maxing all the different possible stains printed by high-definition printing. You’ll have thousands of different colours and types to choose from!
Easy Maintenance
You can sweep, vacuum, or simply wipe your laminate floor because the interlocking planks prevent the growth of bacteria, mould, and allergens in gaps that trap dust, unlike carpets. So, it is quite easy to maintain the flooring. Also, laminate flooring never requires sanding, polishing, waxing, or buffing. Newer ranges like AquaFloor Laminate are 100% waterproof, making wet mopping a harmless breeze which would otherwise require care.
Affordability
The core or substrate layer is essentially fibrous wood pressed together made out of wooden waste and other recycled materials. Because this is man-made from recycled and sustainable sources, they are more affordable than other planks, tile, or stone. In fact, laminate flooring is known as the most affordable option out of all the different types available.
Next Steps – Explore Your Options!
Looking to learn more about laminate flooring? Feel free to browse our large range of colours online, or view our Ultimate guide to laminate flooring which explains the pros and cons! If you are looking for a quote or further advice, don’t hesitate to contact one of our flooring experts by filling out the form below.
