Laminate

When the time comes to choose a floor covering, the great majority of people prefer laminate over hardwood flooring.  Even the prestige of the floor covering no longer determines the choice, because there are types of laminate which, by price, leave natural hardwood flooring behind and even exceed it in other ways.

            Previously, laminate merely copied the external structure of sawn wood, although patterns representing natural stone and ceramic tiles are becoming more popular.

            Having squared away the esthetic side of the question, let us turn to the practical.

            Laminate is often compared to a layer cake, which is justified structurally and functionally.  All of the four layers are pressed under high pressure into a single unit, and this isn’t just a metaphor.

            The topmost layer of this floor covering is composed of a film of melamine or acrylic (acrylate) resin.  The “melamine” substance lends its name to the whole material.  The thin top layer protects the interior from dust, moisture, and mechanical damage.  Specifying the class of laminate, the top layer is sacrificed to the abrasive effect, and the rate at which it thins specifies the class of the laminated board.  Laminate is labeled by class: 21 to 23 – consumer grade; 31 to 33 – commercial grade.  It is assumed that grade 21 is suitable for bedrooms, 22 – for living rooms, 23 – for kitchens and door thresholds.  The level of resistance to wear rises proportionately with the class number.

            Underneath the hard top film there is a paper sheet with a pattern or illustration imprinted on it, imitating a natural raw material.  The paper is likewise impregnated with the melamine resin.

            Next comes the slab of particle board or fiber board, which determines both strength and the hardness.  Generally, the thickness of the laminate is from six to 12 mm, and almost all of which is accounted for by this wood layer.  The thicker the layer, the better the soundproofing.

            The bottom layer, which protects from moisture and deformation, is also a melamine resin.  As is evident, it is the key element in the manufacture of this type of floor covering.  Being a synthetic product, it is nevertheless as environmentally friendly and harmless to your health as the other structural elements of the laminate.  This has very much made possible the growth in popularity of laminate within the modern “green” approach to manufacturing.  Laminate was patented in Sweden nearly 30 years ago, and has not just proved to be competition for hardwood flooring, but quite the opposite.

            Laminate is very simple and convenient to care for.  It is easy to install, uninstall, and move without any sort of damage.

            The only drawback to laminate, although it should probably be called a feature, is its low water resistance (not to be confused with moisture resistance) and echoing.  But these are both easily solved by applying extra water repelling treatment to the grooves during installation and the recommended substrate layer, which will isolate excessive noise.