hardwood flooring

If you are redesigning your home and a change of flooring is included in your makeover list, laminate hardwood flooring should be among your top choices.

The Origins of Laminate Hardwood Flooring

Laminate hardwood flooring is made up of several layers. The topmost layer is the overlay, and it’s made of tough material that is impervious to almost all types of damage: stains, scratches, water, and so forth.

The succeeding layer on the other hand is made of paper only, and it’s what gives the laminate hardwood flooring its unique appearance. It can make laminate hardwood flooring look like authentic hardwood or other types of flooring.

The third layer is the core of laminate hardwood flooring, and it’s made from fiber board. It provides additional toughness. And finally, the last layer provides stability to the whole piece.

The process of making laminate hardwood flooring depends on what type of decorative paper is used. Some laminate hardwood flooring use high-strength paper to increase its resistance to damage.

Classification of Laminate Hardwood Flooring

Besides keeping an eye on what type of decorative paper is used, there are other properties that you should be aware of when shopping for laminate hardwood flooring. There are two primary types of laminate hardwood flooring, and they’re further divided into several categories.

Residential or Home Use

Type Twenty-One - This type of laminate hardwood flooring is most suitable for bedrooms and other parts of the house which are not frequently occupied by lots of people.

Type Twenty-Two - Laminate hardwood flooring of this type can handle the normal bustle of activities in living rooms and dining rooms.

Type Twenty-Three - Built extra tough, laminate hardwood flooring of this type can be placed anywhere at home but will be put to better use in the kitchen and maybe the living room as well because these are the generally the busiest parts of a home.

Commercial or Business Use

Type Thirty-One - Laminate hardwood flooring under this category are ideal for places where the comings and goings of people is minimal such as hotels and conference centers.

Type Thirty-Two - Restaurants, offices, and reception rooms will benefit from this type of laminate hardwood flooring.

Type Thirty-Three - Government offices, public facilities, and other sites that are generally crowded will definitely need this type of laminate hardwood flooring.

Don’t Be Confused about Laminate Hardwood Flooring

Buyers are often confused as to which flooring choices truly do represent laminate hardwood flooring. Firstly, laminate hardwood flooring is also known as plastic laminate flooring. If you hear that term, that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

Laminate hardwood flooring is not synonymous to engineered flooring nor is it the same with real wood flooring because the latter makes use of genuine wood for your flooring, which is not at all as tough as laminate hardwood flooring.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying Laminate Hardwood Flooring

PROS

Laminate hardwood flooring will give your house the classical appeal that real hardwood flooring provides without having to suffer the inherent disadvantages of real wood flooring such as its vulnerability to damage from moisture and temperature change.

Laminate hardwood flooring is extremely easier to install compared to other types of hardwood flooring. If you have the basic tools and equipment and of course essential DIY skills, there’s no reason for you to hire a professional to help you out. You can truly do it all by yourself, and you won’t even have to spend a long time doing it.

CONS

Laminate hardwood flooring cannot be refinished like real hardwood flooring. If it does wear out, the whole flooring has to be replaced with a new one. The good news here however is that laminate hardwood flooring takes a very long time to wear out, so by the time it does, you’ll probably be in the mood for a change of flooring anyway.

Although laminate hardwood flooring is certainly similar or exactly alike in terms of appearance with real hardwood flooring, the texture isn’t quite the same. Then again, since it’s only your shoes that will feel the difference, this is only a minor bleep in the larger picture.

Ultimately, laminate hardwood flooring is the best choice of flooring for most households and especially for those working with a tight budget because it’s easy to clean, install, resistant to almost all types of damage, affordable, and with a wide variety of designs for you to choose from.