Laminate flooring is one of the great home design success stories of the past 50 years. Though it’s always been a budget-friendly alternative to hardwood, today’s laminate flooring is a test of how far the category has come.
With the latest innovative imaging and finishing technologies, it can honestly be hard to tell the difference between laminate flooring and genuine wood. Laminate can also be imaged to look just like stone and other natural materials. Essentially, the colour and pattern are a photograph that is covered by a durable, scratch-resistant sealant. A fiber-core board provides support underneath.
Are There Different Types of Laminate Flooring?
There are two types of laminate flooring: engineered wood and plastic laminate. Both are made of planks about ¼ inch thick. Engineered wood is made from multiple layers of real wood with each layer glued perpendicular to the one below it for stability. The top layer is hardwood with an acrylic finish. Plastic laminate has a layer of melamine on the bottom, a resin fiber board center and a woodgrain print on top protected by a hard, plastic layer.
Engineered wood laminate can be double the cost of plastic laminate flooring. While its thin top hardwood layer makes it more susceptible to dents, scratches and staining, it can be refinished up to three times. If you are planning to sell your house in a few years, you may want to pay more for the appearance of real wood.
Plastic laminate is for those who want the look of wood flooring in a place that gets wet or sees high traffic. For people who are hard on their floors, or have children or pets, plastic laminate flooring is a great idea. The hard topcoat and plastic internal components make plastic laminate flooring extremely durable; however, it cannot be refinished.
If the concrete or wood subfloor is quite uneven, it’s best to choose a narrower plank style for the best results. All laminate flooring needs foam underlayment to keep the floor from clicking against the subfloor as you walk across it. The underlayment also makes it feel softer.
At Straightline Custom Flooring, we have decades of experience with laminate flooring installation and we offer a large selection of laminate to choose from, making us your one-stop store where you can shop with complete confidence. Contact us today to discover the exciting world of laminate flooring in Canada!
We carry the following Laminate Flooring brands:
