This concept, which mimics wood, stone and tile floors, was very popular in Europe and is now also popular in the United States. The difference between laminate and wooden floors is hardly noticeable. A laminate floor is a laminated detail image of the original material. Lamination is done with a durable plastic laminate.
The process involved
The process involves joining melamine or aluminum oxide and a fibreboard – usually an MDF board. A backing layer is applied to prevent moisture ingress, which could cause serious damage.
manufacturing and installation
There are numerous manufacturers and each of them has their own installation instructions that must be followed carefully for a pleasing appearance. Installing the laminates is relatively easy and requires gluing to the plywood or concrete floor. The floor must be level. When installing, make sure that the cut parts are perpendicular to the doors and windows so that the joints are not highlighted by the incident light. Dust and dirt can gradually scratch the surface. It is therefore imperative to keep the surface free of dust and dirt. This can be done with a vacuum cleaner or a mop. Also, avoid using soap powder and wax on the surface and make sure the water is not stagnant, otherwise moisture may penetrate and damage the floor.
cost efficiency and availability
Laminate floors are extremely cost-effective and pocket-friendly compared to solid wood and engineered wood floors. It costs less than 50% of the total cost of installing the wooden floor. The laminates are available in 15″ x 15″ and 24″ x 24″ square tiles or in 8″ x 47″ dovetail boards that interlock. Some of them come with a foam pad. This protects against moisture and provides a cushioning effect. When laying the laminate floor, not only the cost of the laminate has to be considered. Installation costs included removing the old flooring, moving furniture, and any base or sub-floor repairs. Along with the floor covering, it is necessary to install threshold and skirting boards. Laminate floors are not soundproof and therefore traffic noise penetrates the house. To prevent this, some sound insulation must be made. Despite all that, it would still cost a lot less than the actual wooden floor.
[PS in this article the dimensions mentioned could be thrown as plagiarism. These are standard dimensions. Hence I have included them without conversions.]
