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Laminate
floors offer exceptional durability for active
areas of the home.
 Whether
you are remodeling or building a new home
laminate floors have become a popular choice for
active areas within the home. If you love the
look of real hardwood but are concerned with the
upkeep then laminate floors could be your
answer. If you are concerned with tearing up
your old floor or you don't want to spend the
additional money for a real hardwood floor then
a laminate floor may be a great alternative for
you. Laminate floors are also a great product
for do-it-yourself installations.
Originally from Europe,
laminate floors have become a major flooring
category with North America consumers. Today,
consumers can find a wide selection of laminate
flooring brands in many different designs, sizes
and colors. The floors come in many different
plank widths and square tile sizes. The stylish
designs range from realistic stone, tile and
hardwood visuals.
Laminate flooring
manufacturers use sophisticated, computerized
technology to create realistic designs. The top
wear layer is incredibly durable and easy to
care. It is also impervious to most stains,
spills, burns and extremely scratch-resistant.
Laminate floors are installed
by floating the planks over most substrates
including plywood, OSB, concrete slabs and some
existing floor coverings. The planks and tiles
have tongue and groove edges that lock them
together. These floors are never secured
directly to the sub floor.
Most laminate floors require
no glue to secure the planks and tiles together,
they just snap together. Glueless installation
makes these floors quick and easy-to-install and
ideal for do-it-yourself installations. Some
other laminate floors are pre-glued at the
factory and only require a damp sponge to
re-activate the adhesive along the tongue edges.
While a few other laminate floors do require a
specially formulated glue to be applied to each
of the plank edges.
Some of the most popular
laminate flooring manufacturers with American
homeowners are: Balterio Pergo, Wilsonart, Mannington,
Mohawk, Shaw, Quick-Step, Armstrong, Witex and
Alloc.
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