Laminate flooring

New trends are affecting the construction and renovation industry more than ever. Flooring is no exception! Today, there are quality and affordable materials that are perfect for any room in the house, like laminate flooring. Its appearance imitates a wide variety of noble materials such as wood.

Laminate or laminate flooring?

From a purely technical point of view, laminate floors are finished with a laminate. The difference is particularly in their composition. In this sense, a laminate floor is made of a thin sheet of melamine attached to wood fiber boards by means of heat. In contrast, laminate flooring is made of several layers of kraft paper and melamine resin, all of which is also glued to a wood fiber or particle board.

Laminate flooring

Floating floor, a synonym, is thus made of compressed wood fiber boards decorated with a decorative foil and aluminum oxide, a transparent protection. Generally, this material is offered in thicknesses ranging from 8mm to 12mm and notwithstanding this fact, the assembly remains the same: without nailing or gluing. All you have to do is join the grooves and tongues that hold the pieces together.

Characteristics of laminate flooring 

Here are a few things to consider for your next laminate floor purchase: 

• Although it is not a guarantee of quality, the thickness of the board should be considered. A thinner board has more options in terms of its size (width and length) while a thicker board will give a better result if the subfloor is not perfectly levelled. 

• Laminate flooring follows a standard of wear resistance and durability based on test results and materials used in manufacturing. For residential use, choose flooring with an AC3 rating. However, for areas with heavier traffic, such as a business, choose an AC4 and AC5 rating.

• The E1 standard translates into 8 mg or less of formaldehydes (a highly volatile carcinogenic compound) in 100 g of product. Innovation is providing us with more and more products certified to the E0 standard, which means no formaldehyde content.

• Floating floors are usually made of HDF (High Density Fiberboard), a well-known and widespread material that allows for a greater density of the final product. In this sense, the more the fibers are compressed, the greater the stability, strength and resistance to pressure and humidity variations.

• As for protection, for residential use, look for a product that comes with a 15 to 25 year warranty, which certifies that there will be no fading or delamination.  

All in all, laminate flooring offers an excellent quality-price ratio as well as a variety of textures, colors and sizes that will complement any decor.