When looking for new flooring for your home, you will want to consider factors like budget, design, style and practical needs. The good thing about laminate flooring is that it can have the elegance of classic and rusty hardwood, or the beauty of natural stone, and still be highly durable. Compared to these alternatives, it is easy to install and maintain.
Laminate is also a great option for you if you have kids and pets. It is also a good flooring option if you have lots of traffic. It is also available in endless options, which means you can always find a unique design that perfectly suits each one of your rooms.
But with so many options available, how can you choose the right laminate flooring?
Installation
Laminate flooring is too easy to install, but there are certain preconditions. It will require an under-layer for the subfloor on which the material can be installed. It will usually comprise of foam or cork in roll form, covering the entire floor. This underlying layer is essential in preventing adhesive from getting down into the joints. If that happens, the adhesive can glue together the subfloor and the floor.
The under-layer will also provide stability to the laminate flooring. Without it, the floor will create a hollow sound when you walk on it!
However the underlayment is relatively thin and doesn’t take much efforts or time to install. It is beneficial in improving the sound when you walk over it. It will also make it soft and comfortable to walk over it. When buying the flooring material, it is recommended to check with the seller – modern laminates also come with pre-fixed under-layer. Such laminates are even easier to install and don't cause as much noise.
If you have concrete subfloor, it will be required to conduct moisture test before the laminate floor is installed. You can check the floor for moisture by tightly taping plastic sheet to the surface for a few days. If you notice presence of moisture due to condensation, it is a sign that the subfloor needs to be prepared well before any new flooring is installed over it. Otherwise, you can have vapor barrier installed between the new laminate flooring and the subfloor.
Types of Laminate
Modern laminates can look almost like hardwood and stone. They can even have the same texture that makes it extremely difficult to tell them apart. Besides, you could also find laminate flooring that looks almost like tiles without all the flaws of the latter. There’s no need for removing grout and no need to worry about cracks.
If you want to choose a design that looks like wood, you have unlimited options such as maple, pine, cherry, and oak among others. Next, you can choose them in various finishes that can include real-like textures of tiles, wood and stone. High gloss finishes can be considered if you need something more flashy.
Another factor to consider is the design of the laminates. They are available in different shapes including squares, tiles and plans. All of them have unique interlocking systems for stability. Modern laminates come with glue-less locking systems. Choosing such flooring materials can make installation even easier and faster, thus saving you more time. This will also make it easier when you need to repair or replace the flooring in the future.
So if you are going to install new laminate flooring in your home, it is recommended to consider all these factors. These flooring materials are not as costly as others and still you can achieve the looks of tiles, hardwood floors and stone without any of their flaws.
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