Laminate Flooring ?

[Robert11]

Hello:

I know next to nothing regarding wood flooring.

Saw the term: "laminate flooring".

What is laminate flooring ?

Is it "better" than "solid" wood types of flooring ? Pros and cons ?

Much thanks, Bob

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Three major types of flooring in addition tot he tiles and that sort: Real hardwood Engineered hardwood Laminate

Real hardwood is top choice for most of us. Had to be professionally installed, sanded, finished. Durable, but requires some maintenance. Can NOT be put over concrete easily.

Engineered wood is real hardwood made like a plywood. Factory finish is very durable, can be refinished if ever needed. Can be installed on concrete floors below grade. Looks closest to real wood because it is. Many varieties of wood and finish available. Can be DIY installed.

Laminate is plastic. Similar to the material that has been used on kitchen countertops. Cheapest of the group Easily maintained. Does not look as good as real wood, but better brands come close. Cheap brands look like fake wood. Can be DIY installed.

Check out

for a couple of wood and laminates. for a good laminate

[Pop]

Check out Lowes.com and Homedepot.com if you want to see some descripts of their laminate flooring and the different kinds that exist. IMO, Floating Laminate Flooring is a real godsend.

One definition of many: Laminate Flooring - a hard surface flooring that incorporates a melamine wearlayer, a print layer, an inner core material, and a backing that are fused together to form a rectangular plank or squares with an interlocking tongue and groove system. Mohawk offers laminate floors that are beautiful replicas of real hardwood and ceramic tile patterns.

And check out:

are a couple of good sites about it, and there are many more in case you like to roll your own searches. Those are just the first hits at google.com

HTH,

Pop

[twfsa]

I have laminate flooring in my kitchen the brand name Quick Step and its a bitch to keep clean!

Useing a micro fiber pad that attaches to a swivel head mop for lack of a better word, the pad is attached with velcro.

I mist a recomened cleaner on the floor as directed and struggle with the mop head flipping back out if control when you draw it back towards you, its almost impossible to push the mop head foward as the microfiber really grips the floor.Any spec of water that drops on the floor is noticeable.

I miss my sheet vinyl floor.

[Spud]

Huh

OK

The Melamine Melamine is a thermosetting plastic. a print layer, Like in ink on a thin plastic layer to make it look like wood

and a

are fused together to form a rectangular plank or

No real wood there lots on the plastic How did he get it screwed up again

Spud

[Choise76Smu]

"twfsa" in news:J%OGf.45259$bF.19113@dukeread07:

they seem to hole easily. but i've experinced old ones that seemed very tough. (nuclear waste byproducts were one of the ingredients in the old days perhaps?) maybe as they age they become harder, and don't hole was easily. (plasticizers i'd ex[ect) OTOH, they may become more brittle.

[k]

And I have a Mannington laminate floor (Jerusalem Stone) that's a breeze to keep looking good.

Keith

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Since when is melamine not plastic? I don't see any ingredient list of all natural materials in your definition.

[Murray Peterson]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:BvNGf.12651$Qb.954@trndny07:

Better brands use a layer of real wood veneer below the melamine protective layer -- it's darn hard to tell them apart from other forms of hardwood.

[trader4]

I think your description of the 3 flooring choices was on target and accurate. It's Pop that's screwed up.

[scott21230]

Laminate is that cheap crap that they make furniture out of these days. It's not very durable and can't be refinished.

[Michael Keefe]

The pros:

1. You can install yourself with basic carpentry skills
2. The finish it extremely durable (more so than real wood in many cases)
3. It's very easy to clean, but the "just cleaned" look lasts about a day

The cons:

1. Any water on the surface that sits for more than an hour will make joins bubble up, and to my knowledge is unfixable.
2. You can't refinish it (some kinds say you can but I question the integrity of what's left afterwards)
3. Your dog will have a hell of a time walking on it.

We have a 500 sqft great room that we installed TrafficMaster laminate. I've dropped big chunks of firewood on it, a lit cigarette found it way there for a few minutes, heavy furniture scraped across it, all with no dents, scratches or anything.

You can spend anywhere from $1 to $8 for laminate. Depending on the type of wood used you can get a real hardwood floor installed and finished for $7 to $10 (rural NY).

In most cases I would recommend a real wood floor over the laminate if you can afford it. If it's in a house you don't really like anyway, laminate will probably make you happy. The biggest thing about laminates is that you can't let them get wet. My dad has a glued-together floor and he says water isn't a problem. We have snap-lock which has a fiberboard base and let me tell you, you don't want to wait to clean up water spills.

The biggest advantage I've seen with the laminate is that my wife can move a

300 pound sofa herself to clean under it.

[Art]

My parents have Mannington laminate snap floor. It is easy to clean. I find it slightly slippery when wearing just socks on my feet.

[Art]

Check the warranty. Mannington guarantees their floors from water damage as long as you are not talking flood damge. My parents have it in a kitchen and 2 bathrooms and so far it has been perfect. The snap joints are treated to be water resistent at the factory. In wet areas, silicone caulk is put under the edge molding to protect cut edges.

[Choise76Smu]

"Art" in news:5IyHf.14198$ [e-mail]:

about how long? do they splash water on the floor much? (i'd expect not like some kids do :-) but i'd be guessing)

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