Laminated Floors

Everybody’s going for laminated floors these days.

Everybody’s going for laminated floors these days – they’re all the rage, but what exactly are they? If you get really close to a laminated floor’supper surface, unless you are a real expert, you won’t be able to tell the difference from the real thing.

In fact it is completely different from a solid hardwood floor, which consists of solid wooden planks nailed down to joists beneath. Laminated floorsdon’t use nails at all – they just float on the surface beneath, usually a ¼” layer of foam rubber. This serves to deaden the sound when walking on the laminate, acts as a temperature insulator and gives a certain amount of springiness to the floor. The top surface is a layer of aluminium oxide, which is very hardwearing. Beneath that is a layer of melamine resin composite, and below that looking just like wood – a photograph of wood!

Laminate floors have a dense inner core and a glued-on layer or fused layers of outer material. Many types of laminate floors simulate wood, but some look like marble or granite. A popular alternative to other hard surface products, high-quality laminate flooring resists staining, wears, and fading much better than wood and natural stone while providing unique looks and appeal.

It is extremely durable (about 20 times stronger than a kitchen countertop) and is water-resistant, offering use in bathrooms and kitchens in addition to high traffic areas. Unlike most hardwoods, laminates are quite dent-resistant. These floors are extremely easy to clean, just needing to be wiped clean from time to time with a damp cloth.

If you’d like to know more about laminates, call us at 011 830 1265.