Laminate Flooring

According to Best Laminate, "Hardwood floor is notorious for scratching easily. From scratches by the legs of furniture to scrapes from your pets claws running across the floors, hardwood does not hold up easily to this type of damage.

Laminate flooring is scratch resistant. Although scratches can still occur, it is harder to break through laminate’s protective layer and damage the look of the floor."

Laminate flooring usually involves the use of an aesthetically designed image which is printed onto a thin sheet of fibrous material or paper. The flooring is usually comprised of 4 layers which include the core, backing layer, photographic layer and the wear layer.

To enhance the durability of the laminate flooring, the photographic layer is embedded with an additional layer of resin or plastic while the backing material is added to prevent any incidents of warping. The durability of laminate flooring depends on its grade, thickness, volume of foot traffic and quality of the wear layer. 

Typically, laminate can last anywhere between 10 to 30 years. Most widely sold laminate flooring features wood -like styles even though the flooring does not have any wooden component attached to it.

What Is Laminate Flooring:

Laminate flooring is available in planks that traditionally look and feel like wood. It consists of four layers as follows that are fused together for durability:

• The top layer or Wear Layer provides strong protection against scratches, stains and fading.
• Next is the Design Layer which is a high-resolution detailed photographic image of specific wood styles.
• The Inner Core provides stability, sound absorption, durability and even moisture resistance. It is made of high density pressed wood fiberboard.
• The bottom layer is the Backing. It offers a moisture barrier to protect the floor from warping.
• This type of flooring is extremely durable and requires low maintenance. This is ideal for homes with large families. Customers also get to choose from a wide range of designs and the ideal choice of flooring can be made to cater to both traditional and contemporary homes as well.

They are economical and more affordable when compared to hard wood flooring. Laminate is also easy to install and has become so advanced today that you can simply have them installed by hand or with a mallet.

Here are a few advantages Laminate has over Hardwood flooring:

• Scratch Resistant
• Stain Resistant
• Fade Resistant
• Burn Resistant
• Low Price

Abrasion Rating:

When you decide to settle for laminate flooring, make it a point to look for details on the laminate’s AC abrasion ratings. The  ratings usually starts at AC1 (closets, bedrooms, light residential rooms) and goes up to AC5 which is predominantly the standard in heavy commercial areas like departmental stores. 

Ratings are very important while deciding the kind of setting and space to which you would using the laminate flooring. Primarily because you need to be sure that the flooring will be able to match up to the regular wear and tear that comes with daily life. 

For instance, you need to consider factors like whether you will be living alone or if the flooring is going to be used in a home with a large family of kids, elderly people and pets. Typically most consumers go in for laminate flooring with an AC abrasion rating of AC3 or AC4.

What You Should Consider:

When buying laminate flooring, you need to consider factors like moisture resistance, durability, design aesthetics, grade quality, cost and the length of warranty period associated with each type of flooring. Make an informed decision after looking into your own set of needs and try to find the right balance between quality, price and design.

When you're ready to purchase make sure you check our  unbeatable prices on laminate flooring! Our specialized team of sales consultants can also help with any questions you might have. Call us today: (972) 241-4444.