UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LAMINATE FLOORING

by Simon Hopes Author

Laminate, also known as Laminat in Norwegian, is one of the most beautiful cost-effective flooring types we have in the market. It has been by people who love the look of wood on their floors. It will give you a marvelous realistic wood-look minus the gruesome task of cleaning soiled grouts. That is why it is the most preferred alternative for hardwood flooring.

Laminate is rarely affected by moisture, making it suitable for everywhere flooring. That is why most homeowners, builders and modelers will pick laminate as their most preferred flooring choice. Manufacturers like gulvxtra will also recommend it as their flooring material of choice.

So you have decided to use laminate flooring. Below are a few factors you should consider when choosing the right laminate flooring for you.

LAMINATE BASED ON THE INSTALLATION TYPE

This is one of the main classifications of laminate flooring. This is especially important for people who choose to install it by themselves. The different installation types include:

· Glue-less laminate flooring.

These are tiles and laminate planks that do not have glue. An installer has to look for a more appropriate way of fixing them onto the floor. These are the most popularly used in homes.

· Glued laminate flooring

Just as the name suggests, glue is used to hold the pieces of wood together. The only challenge is that it is more time-consuming and a bit costly as compared to its glue-less counterpart.

· Pre-glued laminate flooring

This is easy to install as it contains pre-applied glue. All you have to do is stick the planks onto the floor.

The main challenge with this is that you may have to activate the glue on the sides by dampening the planks. A proper reading of installation instructions is a must with this type of laminate flooring.

· Underlayment attached

These laminates come with an underlayment attachment. They are glue-less and are easy to install.

LAMINATE BASED ON THE MATERIAL IT REPLICATES

· Wood flooring replicas

Just like the name suggests, it is laminate that resembles wood flooring, particularly hardwood flooring. It consists of very narrow layers of wood. These layers are covered with wood veneer on the upper side. They are thicker compared to other variations of laminate flooring. They are very tough and durable.

· Plastic replicas

These are less popular to their wood counterparts. They are, however, more versatile and some that are made from fiberboard could have photos imposed on them.

These should not be used in wet areas like the bathroom as they retain a lot of moisture.

· Stone flooring replicas

These laminates have unique colors and different textures. They have depth dimensions, variations and dents that mimic real stones.

· Tile replicas

These laminates look like real ceramic tiles with their sizes ranging from 12’’ to 24’’ squares.

The above two are not the only factors that are considered in the classification of laminate flooring. Below are other basis that determines laminate flooring classifications;

· Based on their texture.

· Based on their floor construction

· Based on their pattern

· Based on their AC rating

It is then for you as a homeowner to do extensive research on the most appropriate type of laminate flooring that is best suited for you.