All things considered, the laminate is an affordable alternative to real stone or wood. The Armstrong brand has been in the flooring business for more than a century so we were not surprised that it seems to know a thing or two about laminate flooring. The brand is more famous for its vinyl models but has had tremendous success with laminate as well. For example, if you drop a knife and it leaves a small cut in the floor, you can easily repair the damage with a laminate floor repair kit. Thickness Swell – Measures the ability of laminate flooring to resist increase in thickness after being exposed to water. It is important to keep laminate clean, as dust, dirt, and sand particles may scratch the surface over time in high-traffic areas. Water spills aren’t a problem if they’re wiped up quickly, and not allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time. Buying laminate that has underlayment that has already been applied can save you money during the installation process, but it is more expensive to purchase outright.

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Laminate flooring varies in thickness between 7mm and 12mm. Thicker laminate flooring covers uneven areas in your subfloor as it resists bending, and it also feels more like a real hardwood floor. Thicker laminate also does a better job of absorbing noise than thinner flooring. Laminate flooring is a synthetic product, designed using multiple layers of material sealed into a whole. The layers serve a distinct purpose in increasing the durability of the structural integrity of this flooring. Firstly, there is the wear layer created with aluminum oxide which is the topmost part that is easy to maintain and provides a relatively high degree of stain and fade resistance.

Laminate flooring starts at $0.68 per square foot for Acacia, Cheery, Beech, and Maple woods. For Elm and Hickory, you can expect to pay around $1.60 per square foot. Below we will discuss the similarities and differences of these two types of flooring to help you make an informed decision. If you’re ready to choose the right flooring for your home and get it installed, our professionals are ready to help. Please feel free to get in touch with us and we will be happy to guide you through the flooring process every step of the way. Since formaldehyde is present in most indoor environments, many organizations, including EPA, advise that formaldehyde levels be kept as low as reasonably achievable.

We supply and install laminate flooring and vinyl flooring. We are distributors for all the leading laminate flooring brands in South Africa. Laminate can be a terrific option when looking for flooring that looks and feels like real materials, but at half the cost and with more durability. Because of today’s technological advances, laminate flooring is available in a wide and exciting array of colors and textures, and mimics popular hardwood styles and even stone. So whatever your home décor is, you’ll find laminate that will match perfectly with the style you are going for. Laminate Flooring not only looks great but it also stands up to kids, pets, and the stuff of life.

It is competitively priced, equally easy for do-it-yourselfers to install, and has a similar look.Solid HardwoodHardwood is 100-percent solid wood. Solid hardwood is thick and can be sanded and re-sanded many times. Laminate is thin and can never be sanded.Solid hardwood and laminate flooring can look remarkably alike, especially from a distance. Laminate has no plywood and no natural real wood veneer top.Both engineered wood and laminate have a base that made of manufactured wood. Both products can look remarkably similar, especially with the premium laminates.Natural StoneLaminate flooring contains no stone product. Laminate is flexible, breakable, and thin.As with the hardwood-to-laminate comparison, higher-end laminate flooring can look very much like stone. Get the look of luxurious hardwood flooring at a fraction of the cost. Today’s laminate planks have a striking realistic appearance of natural wood grain in a more durable material that is resistant to scratches, moisture, and everyday wear and tear. Laminate allows you to achieve the hardwood flooring appearance in rooms where natural wood cannot go, such as bathrooms and basements. Similar to natural hardwood, laminate flooring comes in a selection of colors, replicated wood species, surface texture, and plank width.

Installing underlayment for a 200 square foot area can cost as much as $1-$1.50 per square foot. The endurance and performance of the laminate will be largely dependent on the Abrasion Class, or AC, Rating of the planks. The higher the AC rating number, the stronger the laminate finish. Though laminate flooring does not feel like wood, it does have a warm feeling, especially when coupled with premium-quality underlayment. At Floors To Your Home, you’ll save 50-75% off retail floor prices. There is no sales tax on any order purchased and shipped outside of Indiana, most orders come with free shipping, and you’ll still have your floor delivered in about a week! You see, at Floors To Your Home, we keep the flooring in stock. We don’t order from an outside company after you order from us, so most floors ship out the next business day. Out of all the laminate flooring sold at Home Depot, TrafficMaster is the worst.

However, the underlayment of the flooring provides a moisture barrier that helps prevent mold from forming. Both of these products are virtually indistinguishable from hardwood, mimicking the material hyper-realistically, right down to the texture of the planks. At Znet Flooring, we’re proud to offer Mohawk RevWood, a category-defying new laminate product from one of the industry’s most trusted manufacturers. Besides looking like wood, termites are not attracted by them, and they are easier to install. The easiest type of laminate floor boards are the type that lock in place. The major difference between laminate and vinyl flooring is water resistance, with vinyl as the big winner here. Most modern vinyl floors are made of 100% polymer materials, which means they can withstand heavy amounts of water. It can be immersed in water, dried out, and reused as normal. Also, vinyl sheets allow you to install a single sheet for a whole room, which means no seams for water to seep through.

With its AC3 rating, this flooring is a good choice for living rooms and other moderate traffic areas of the house. It’s the top layer of this laminate that makes this product from Shaw so appealing, or in this case, repellant. That extra top layer provides a water-repellent agent that waterproofs this product. Not only does this product resist water, but it does so for an extended period of time—you have 24 hours to clean up that spill before it begins damaging this flooring. Spot-cleaning spills and stains instantly can also save a few years on the laminate flooring of your choice. Thoughtful additions like a furniture protector can prolong the life of the floor as scratches or dents are minimized. Discount Flooring Liquidators features Shaw Floors Laminate Flooring along with a few other quality laminates. Our laminate flooring not only brings a quality feel but an unbeatable price you won’t find anywhere else.

If your basement needs flooring, vinyl may also be the top recommendation, as many underground areas can have a lot of moisture. Wide planks give the illusion for a bigger room and are perfect if you are looking for an elegant, expensive and modern design. This style has caught on that even manufacturers seem to be outdoing each other to come up with the widest planks. It’s not likely that the very wide planks will last long but a reasonable 8″-10″ will definitely look good over the long-term. It’s worth noting that the design requires more material but the result is more than worth the cost. This isn’t exactly a trend since it’s not very common but will definitely last for decades to come.

Either of these types oflaminate wood flooring may look just like real wood. Pieces that have the term “textured” in their name have a three-dimensional aspect that more realistically mimics genuine wood grain for a more authentic appearance. This product has several advantages over traditional wood flooring. It comes pre-finished; there’s no need to apply a stain or floor paint to the material. Installlaminated wood flooring without the need to nail or glue it together. In some cases, you may have to cut the flooring panels to the correct length using the relevant installation accessories, and then snap the pieces together and lay them. After that, there’s a ready-to-use floor in the kitchen, hallway, or other room. A professional can usually lay 100 square feet of laminate flooring in five hours. At an average labor cost of $1.72 per square foot, a 330 square foot living room can be installed in 2 days and cost $567 for labor.

Ecru Oak – AC-5 “KRONOSWISS” – Custom Lock – 35 Years Warranty Price per square foot. Isabelline Oak – AC-5 “KRONOSWISS” – Custom Lock – 35 Years Warranty Price per square foot. Classic Oak Premier Glueless Laminate – Made in the USA Price per square foot. Minto Pine 12 mm SWISS SOLID D4940RU Price per square foot. Dark Walnut Home Décor 12 mm With Pad Price per square foot. Vintage Hickory Home Décor 12 mm With Pad Price per square foot.

Interior designers are of the opinion that the look will hold for decades and more. Georgian Pecan and Glenview look especially great in this color. One area that buyers lose on is failing to understand the full terms of the warranty. Some warranties cover only the middle layers and not the top wear layer. This means that if the top layer fades or is damaged even after two years, a 30-year warranty is basically useless. Make sure that you understand exactly what the warranty covers. Laminate flooring isn’t usually advised for residences with poor sound insulation because the floor planks can be loud underfoot. A cork or sheet foam between the floor and subfloor may help to minimize the noise but this may not be enough. Laminate floors are typically sold in pre-finished planks that click together in a place like a jigsaw puzzle. Some models are designed to fit so tightly together that you don’t require nails or adhesive to install.

To be fair, laminate warranties aren’t very good across the board. All Select Surfaces laminate is backed by a Lifetime warrantyfor residential use, and most of it has a 10-year commercial warranty too. It’s 10mm to 14mm thick, and much of it comes with attached underlayment that speeds installation. It has a wear/abrasion rating of AC3, so it’s not heavy-duty flooring. The Home Depot sells cheap TrafficMaster flooring that’s backed by a warranty of just 15 years. Water-resistant X20 Dream Home laminate competes pretty well with Shaw Repel, Mohawk RevWood Plus and Pergo WetProtect, though it’s not as good as AquaGuard waterproof laminate. AquaGuard planks are coated twice for superior protection against water absorption. Poor-quality laminate starts at less than $1 per square foot – but Armstrong isn’t super cheap. Rich stone slab laminate looks like the genuine article – rich granite, limestone, slate, and other looks – but at a 95% savings over real stone.