Laminate wood floors came to the market in the second half of the ’70, as a competitor for vinyl flooring. Laminate is made from a few different layers, the top layer is protection the laminate from scratches, stains or burns, and is referred as laminate overlay. The next layer is the design layer, which basically is a high resolution picture of natural wood printed on the core board.
Nowadays we can enjoy laminate wood floors in so many colours and patterns gracer to the printing technique of various real wood images. The layer under the design layer si the core board which is made from refined wood fibres and melamine resin, and is called High Density Fibre. The forth layer is a balancing layer which is moisture resistant, and seals the laminate core board from dampness,
What are the laminate floor trends ?
Looking for new laminate wood floors? Here you have 5 points to consider
Choose laminate that complements your home or office decor, you want your space to look perfect in matter of style and colours, so consider what colours you want or you have in your house, the biggest areas are walls and ceiling, furniture and floors. If you are not quite sure, what will match or what’s the best option for your space, you can look for a designer advice, ask us or your flooring shop for advice, see home decor and flooring trends, see more interior designs online, take laminate floor sample and see how they work in your house,
Consider the rooms usage, and choose your laminate wood flooring according to their usage, traffic, moisture, lifestyle, pets and traffic coming from outdoors (you might not install whitish laminate in the room that is next to the garden)
Check warranty – compare laminate lifetime, warranty, conditions, cleaning and maintenance advice,
Choose quality – we don’t change floors every year, so we want the laminate floors to last for decades, so we are looking at the new laminate floors acquisition and installation as an investment,
Experienced laminate floor fitters are very important, in order to have the floor installed correct and not have surprises later. Plus establish all the details from start, from moving the furniture, removing old flooring, unexpected repairs of the subfloor, laminate installation, cleaning, to disposing of the old floor,
What's the best way to clean laminate floors?
Although the laminate floors are coming in better versions nowadays, hardwearing, scratch resistant, stain resistant, correct cleaning is crucial for good looking, long lasting laminate wood floor,
First, we can remove the dust by hoovering or brushing with a soft brush, than we can clean it with a soft mop which does not need to be wet, as the liquid excess can easily go between the laminate planks and in time will lead the floor lifting and buckling. Abrasive cleaning tools or tough cleaning chemicals should not be used on laminate wood floors, as they can damage the laminate planks and shoten the floor life. Laminate cleaning chemicals can be found in supermarkets, DIY shops or specialised floor retailers,
When sand or dirt is brought from outdoors on the laminate, clean it immediately with hoover and mop. In case of liquid spills, dry the floor as soon as possible, as the liquid can cause the laminate boards to swell. Chewing gum or wax, can be easily cleaned after harden them with ice, and then gently scraped with a plastic scraper. Use pads for all furniture legs, to avoid scratches and keep your ears happy. When renovating cover the floor, to avoid splashes or stains which can be difficult to remove,
