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Laminate flooring can closely imitate the look of real hardwood flooring. Laminate flooring features a quick, economic installation process and a high level of resistance to external damage (such as scratches from pets, dents, stains).
Our professionals at Cut Rate Construction provide laminate flooring as well as tile, hardwood, engineered wood flooring installation services in the palm beach county area. For examples of our work please refer to portfolio page. To schedule and estimate, please give us a call at (561) 215-1447 or fill out a form on the "Contact Us" page. |
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What is laminate flooring?
Laminate flooring is compressed wood fused together with heat consisting of 4 layers different from hardwood or engineered wood flooring)
- (A)Wear layer – A clear, top layer that provides resistance to stains and fading
- (B) Design layer – A highly-detailed photo image that realistically resembles the look of genuine wood.
- (C) Inner core – high-density fiberboard (HDF) made from wood fibers fused with resin.
- (D) Backing – A moisture barrier backing that protects the floor from warping.
There are 3 types of finishes available on the market currently – embossed, glossy, high gloss. Despite its rich beautiful look high gloss laminate is not the safest choice as it is very slippery.
Installation
Laminate is a floating floor, which means it doesn’t require nailing or gluing, it is easily assembled through a puzzle like tongue-and-groove system. However despite the simplicity of process there are rules that must be followed when installing and using laminate flooring:
- This type of flooring will expand and contract due to temperature and humidity fluctuations. Approximately a 3/8 inch gap should be left between planks and walls along the perimeter of the room to keep floors from bulging.
- Underlayment has to be installed first to make laminate flooring softer to walk on. Avoid overlapping as it will cause laminate to expose seams and make the cover uneven.
- Avoid water seeping in between seams as it will cause fiberboard to bubble and swell. The only remedy in this situation will be removing and replacing laminate flooring.
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Durability
Laminate flooring has a “wear layer” that protects planks from daily mechanical damage. Some manufactures give 10+ years warranty on “wear layer” of their products. However if surface is badly damaged or worn, it cannot be sanded or refinished. It has to be replaced completely.
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