I am considering putting laminate flooring in my basement. What are these floors made of anyway? It looks like some kind of hardboard or MDF base, but is the laminate a real wood veneer? To me it looks like some kind of iimitation faux wood. Anyone have any insights?
Some have a wood veneer top layer. Others are a plastic substance similar to Formica. Some are mdf base and others are plywood based. You need to read the box of the product you want. google laminate flooring.
Various types. The real wood ones are generally referred to as engineered wood. The better laminates, like Wilson Art, are a high pressure plastic laminate very much like the countertops. I don't know for sure what the cheap stuff is.
Check out a real floor covering or home decorating store for the best brands and selections.
Edwin P was correct in pointing out that engineered wood floors have a thin veneer of real wood as the top layer. Depending on brand/price point, the veneer may be over a plywood base or an MDF base.
Laminate can also be over what is essentially MDF or plywood. I work for a manufacturer of various flooring products, and though I am not in the wood flooring segment of our business, I understand the laminate is built as follows:
- Take a large sheet of MDF.
- Apply a sheet of adhesive to the top.
- Apply a "picture" of the wood.
- Apply a sheet of protective material.
Insert this assembly in a high pressure/temperature press which includes an embossing feature.
Press.
Run large finished sheet through saws/routers to cut the material to size and profile the edges.
Actually, I think they generally use HDF.
Chris
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