Laminate Wood Flooring – Durable and Beautiful Flooring

Laminate wood flooring has a wide variety of applications and style. It can be installed over many floors to create a new look. The Laminate boards have a laminated wooden core which when exposed to moisture dries out creating a wood grain effect that you can see in high end homes. This effect is lost when the surface is protected by a protective coating called a protective finish.

Laminate wood flooring is built using four different layers, each with its specific function. They are then bonded together in a process called cross-linking to produce an extremely hard, durable substance that will provide you with the authentic hardwood appearance without the expensive hardwood cost. The final layer is an underlayment that protects the boards from moisture and wears down through consistent use. This protects your floor from wear and stains.

Protection is important for laminate flooring because unlike hardwoods, it cannot be sanded or refinish and will not expand or contract when standing water is spilled on it. This means that it cannot be repaired easily. When damage occurs to your laminate flooring, the wood grain does not show up like it does with real wood. This is what makes it more durable, and a lighter color compared to real wood floors.

When you install laminate wood flooring, you do not have to deal with the problems that can come from using nails and glue to install it. Using the proper underlayment will protect your floor from expansion and contraction due to humidity. The underlayment is also designed to act as a cushion between the planks. It creates a barrier that protects the floor from wear and tear while allowing the planks to move along the subfloor.

There are different grades of laminates available for purchase. Grading is based on the thickness of the material used to cover the planks. The higher the grade of the material, the heavier the layer is. If you have a heavy-duty application, then you will want to select a higher grade of laminates for durability and a beautiful finish on your laminate wood floors.

Laminate flooring has many advantages but one disadvantage is its tendency to wrinkle if it is exposed to very heavy traffic. This happens when the planks are used in an entry-way or a high traffic area of the house. However, you can minimize the tendency of wrinkling by choosing a higher grade of material and installing your laminate wood flooring at a lower depth. This will keep the wear layer below the planks and reduce wrinkling. You can also choose to have a floating floor, in which the top surface of the floor has a slight depression to help support the weight of the people walking on the floor.