How to Chose the Right Laminate Floor for your Home
Today there are several different types of laminate floors for the homeowner to select including exotic hardwoods and more common woods such as oak and maple. With all the selections, styles and different manufacturers offering varying warranties, choosing the right product for your home can seem like a daunting task. But with some careful research, you can find the right laminate flooring that not only fits your budget, but beautifies whatever room you install it in.
Companies quickly realized the potential of laminate wood flooring and were quick to capitalize on the benefits it offered to the consumer. When the demand for greater options in flooring styles and colors began to exceed their product line, companies rushed to fill the void. Now you can select from every species imaginable; from cherry and mahogany to the more common oak and maple. Laminate flooring manufacturers even offered hand stained versions often making them indistinguishable from regular hardwood floors.
Determining which hardwood floor best suits your needs depends largely on the location in which you plan to install it. Certain brands are better suited for basements and kitchens, due to their resistance to moisture and humidity. Other brands are better suited for common rooms such as dens, family rooms and bedrooms. It’s important to factor in the amount of foot traffic for your potential floor when making your selection. High traffic areas should look to select thicker laminate flooring with a durable finish.
For homeowners looking for the right floor to install in a basement or kitchen area than a vinyl laminate floor is probably the best way to go. Vinyl laminate flooring is much more resistant to moisture than laminate flooring manufactured from composite materials. This flooring is available in hardwood styles and designs and is also available in porcelain or ceramic tile designs. Whether you chose a wood or ceramic tile design, both are installed essentially the same way. Each panel of flooring uses inter-locking seams along their edges to join each panel together. The result is a seamless look between panels giving the finished product the look of a continuous wood floor. This project doesn’t require a high skill level so it can even be undertaken by a “do-it-yourself” homeowner, eliminating the need to hire a costly contractor.
Laminate floors produced from composite materials are better suited for family rooms and bedrooms given they provide the look and feel of natural hardwood floors. There are a wide range of wood laminate flooring that differs in thickness and finish. The thicker the flooring and the more durable the finish, the more expensive the flooring will be. However, the most expensive laminate floors rarely exceed $6 a square foot making them an extremely economical choice. Further enhancing their appeal is the fact they are installed much in the same way vinyl laminate floors are installed. They require no messy glues or fasteners and require the same skill level as vinyl laminate flooring.
After installing your new flooring, maintaining your home investment is easier than that of other flooring products. There are several products designed specifically for maintaining laminate flooring such as micro-fiber mops and floor cleaning solutions. Each of these products does a fine job but these floors can be cleaned by just using a damp mop and an all-purpose cleaner. Each flooring manufacturer differs in the warranty they offer and some range from 5 years to up to 15 years. The makers of better and more expensive laminate floors tend to stand behind their products by providing longer and more comprehensive warranties.
Designers working for cost conscious clients can use the look and natural beauty of laminate floors at a fraction of the cost of hardwood flooring. Laminate flooring has advanced to the point that most types now have the realistic look and feel of natural wood. This flooring is a fantastic way for a homeowner to bring a sense of warmth and character to any room. These floors are being used in an ever increasing number for basement, kitchen and just about any other flooring renovation. Now when considering your next home renovation, you have the added option of selecting a durable, affordable, and most important, beautiful floor.
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