Laminated Wooden Flooring

Laminated wooden flooring comes in many variations and colours and is becoming a very popular choice for home owners. Let’s have a look at some of the possible reasons why.

Exceptionally easy to install

Whether you choose to install it yourself or have a professional do the installation, it is always quick work. Some designs make the task even simpler especially the click lock design which as the name suggests, the pieces click into each other and lock into place.

Cleaning made simple

Laminated flooring is sealed making it waterproof and able to withstand moisture. So cleaning is simple, sweep and mop. Also unlike wooden floors, there are no imperfections in the floor causing dust and fluff to get trapped. Laminated wooden flooring is also ideal for areas such as the bathroom and kitchen that generally would not be suitable for wooden floors due to the moisture in the air. Then again cleaning up after a messy bath is effortless.

Retains its colour and quality

Laminated wood flooring is great when it comes to quality. It looks better for a longer period of time. It does not stain and can just be wiped clean. You will find that is hardy, and will resist denting and will withstand getting scratched. This is because of what installers refer to as the wear layer. Because this layer is rather thick many companies can give extended warranties, as much as 10 years in fact, on their products.

Insulation

Wood is great at keeping the warmth in during winter and keeping the home cooler in the hot months. Laminated flooring is of course no different and along with its beautiful glow this type of flooring has many undeniable benefits.

For the health of you and your family

Of course, unlike carpets that trap dust, mites as well as microscopic bacteria, wooden floors do not have this problem. They can be cleaned easily with a mild anti-bacterial cleaning agent reducing allergies and preventing air born bacteria from infecting your family during a spring clean.

Some tips for do-it-yourself’ers

Laminated floors float above the existing flooring. So there is no need to hack away at the tiles beneath or even old wooden floor boards. Just make sure that you have placed a proper under lay to prevent moisture from the layer beneath affecting your new floors.

Because it is installed on top of the floor this will create a new height and any doors will be affected. You may need to trim the doors to make sure that they can close properly allowing for a smooth continuation of the flooring throughout the home.

Your laminated wooding flooring expands and contracts depending on the humidity and temperature. To allow for this, leave gaps on either side which can easily be covered by the skirting. Skirting itself is very easy to install and all you need are correct nails or glue which can be obtained from a flooring supplier.

Laminate Flooring Prices

Laminate flooring prices vary according to the following characteristics:

Supplier

Some suppliers just charge more while others charge consistently less. The reasons for this may be that the manufacturers they deal with offer a higher priced product or that the supplier themselves wraps installation services into the deal.

Quality products

Laminated flooring is sealed and covered with a wear layer that basically allows for wear and tear. The thicker the layer the more resistant it is, allowing for more knocks and resistant for a greater period of time. The quality is usually indicated by the size of the guarantee or warrantee on the product.

Guarantee

The guarantee is a sign that this is a great quality product and that a great deal of effort has gone into making it so. It is also proof that the manufacturer takes their products seriously. This also includes complaints on defects.

Supply and demand

The higher the demand is for a less common variation on laminated flooring the more you can expect to pay. Laminate flooring prices can suddenly increase when a specific colour is highly desirable or when the prices of the wood stain suddenly increase due to a shortage on the other side.

Tips to getting a great deal on laminated flooring

Shop around

Do your homework and make sure that you get as many quotes as you can. While there will be a variation in suppliers, you will be able to get a good idea of the average laminate flooring prices that you can expect to pay. In your quotes be sure to include manufacturers as well as suppliers and ask for as many details as possible. Ask them also to split the costs of installation keeping it separate from the actual cost of the flooring.

Compare apples with apples

Don’t make the mistake of comparing cherry laminated flooring with oak laminates. Another thing to keep in mind is the guarantee, warrantee and therefore also the quality. There are a variety of designs with some specifically made for do it yourself installations. These will be more expensive while the others will require the services of a professional to fit.

Pay cash

Merchandisers prefer cash. It saves transaction and processing fees and other related costs. If you have cash, offer it up and if the supplier is not offering a discount, ask for one.

Buy in bulk

The more stock that the supplier can move, the better for them. They are making space available for yet another bulk shipment of stock and will gladly give discounts to anyone buying laminated flooring in large quantities. Bearing this in mind it is better to buy all the flooring for your home in one go as opposed to buying it one piece at a time.

Taking all the above into consideration when you are looking for the very best in laminate flooring prices, you are sure to find yourself the best deal when it comes to upgrading the floors in your home.

Laminated Floors

Laminated floors are often misunderstood, so we will attempt to unpack some of the misconceptions involved as well as give a basic overview of what it is exactly including its features and some advantages to level out the mix.

Laminated floors aren’t photographs of flooring that have been laminated in plastic sheeting. They are created from layers of hardboard whose top layer is in fact real wood. Often the floors have been stained the colour of preference to make their appearance more appealing.

What makes a floor laminated is in its production. Laminated flooring is wood that has been layered and a plastic or fibreglass coating has been administered to it. Much the same way as laminated paper goes through a heating process, so too does the wood.

Not only are laminated floors less expensive than real wood floors they are also more durable and put up with a great deal more abuse than wooden floors. For example they are able to handle abrasive detergents better, they do not warp when exposed to moisture and they are resistant to scratches and dents more so than real wood. These features make them the ideal surface for any room in the house.

Increasing the quality of the wood

The quality of the laminated flooring is based on the lamination method. There are two ways to laminate floors. The first method is where the entire sheet of wood is put through a wood laminating machine at high temperatures and extra high pressure. Even though this wood is thinner it is more expensive and more impervious to wear and tear. The other method involves putting the wood through one strip at a time at a lower temperature and also at lower pressures. The only bonus to this is that with is being less expensive to make it is also less expensive to buy although it may not last as long. The main concern is that the layered sealant starts to peel away. When this happens the wood cannot be repaired, it must be replaced.

Installing laminated floors

Laminated flooring in usually installed above the floor that already exists and it is for this reason that it is referred to as a floating floor. The wooden pieces come as long planks which can be clicked together and lock into place. While they come in all sizes, they may still be required to cut to size. There are many designs that make installation of laminated flooring both easy and quick and therefore costing less. These include the tongue and groove design where each piece slides into the next. Manufacturers have started applying a dry glue to the edges that simply needs to be wet with a damp sponge to activate the glue.

Laminated floors are exceptionally attractive and glossy coming in any colour and finish to match the interior of your home and add some style to your office. They are resistant and last far beyond any other kind of flooring. They are also cost effective in comparison to similar quality products.