Laminate Advantages Disadvantages Quality

Laminate Flooring: What You Need to Know About a Versatile All-Rounder!

Since laminate floors were invented in the 1980s in southern Sweden, a lot has changed! Attractive and durable laminate floors are now available in many appealing designs and various qualities. Laminate is a type of flooring with many strengths. In this article, you will learn everything important about the composition and the pros and cons of laminate floors. As a helpful guide, it will assist you in choosing your new flooring.

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Why is Laminate So Popular?

Laminate floors are robust and easy-to-maintain all-rounders with a great price-performance ratio.

The variety of different design options, easy installation, and uncomplicated maintenance make laminate an attractive and practical flooring option for residential and commercial spaces.

Because laminate floors can be quickly and cleanly installed with a patented click mechanism, they are particularly popular among DIY enthusiasts and hobby interior designers.

Solidly crafted wood fiber panels with an authentic appearance make a strong impression and are comparatively affordable.

Since laminate floors can be installed without adhesive, they are perfect for quick and convenient renovations.

The scratch and water-resistant laminated surface ensures high durability and easy cleaning.

What is Laminate Made Of?

Those who believe that there is a lot of plastic involved in laminate flooring are mistaken! Laminate floors are made up of at least 90% real wood in the form of high-density fiberboard (HDF) or, in rare cases, less durable medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panels. Quality laminate is always manufactured from at least four carefully coordinated layers:

• Scratch-resistant and abrasion-resistant top layer made of melamine resin as a sealant
• Authentic decorative layer with photorealistic wood, stone, or fantasy design
• Wooden core material with a click mechanism (made of HDF or MDF panels of various quality grades)
• Back layer (possibly with integrated impact sound insulation) for increased dimensional stability

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How Do I Recognize Quality Laminate?

The higher the quality of the individual components of laminate, the more durable and resilient your chosen flooring will be in everyday use.

You can recognize the quality of laminate mainly by its thickness and the solid craftsmanship of the materials used. The more or less functional click system is also an important quality feature for installation and dimensional stability of the floor.

Not every laminate variant is equally suitable for every type of use.

As with any flooring, a glance at the usage class of the laminate will reliably help you with your selection.

In rarely used guest rooms, you can opt for a thinner and more cost-effective floor than in high-traffic areas.

In heavily frequented entrance areas or for commercial use, you should pay attention to particularly robust quality, high abrasion resistance, and solid swelling protection.

 

Which Rooms are Suitable for Classic Laminate Floors?

An attractive laminate floor enhances any room in an affordable and practical way. Laminate floors with a low construction height are perfect for the individual facelift in rental apartments and for quick and cost-effective renovations in old buildings.

Do you want to quickly add more ambiance and hygienic practicality to the vacation apartment, hobby cellar, or your bedroom? An affordable laminate variant with an attractive real wood decor makes seldom-used rooms inviting and homely.

Do you like light pine with a lively ship's floor look, or do you prefer dark country house planks with subtle oak grain? With laminate floors, almost any decorative variant is possible. Let yourself be enchanted by the variety of natural and extravagant designs!

For children's rooms, living, dining, and workspaces, you should opt for the more robust laminate variant in case of doubt. In these more heavily and regularly used rooms, it is not worth saving in the wrong place. After all, your new floor should provide long-lasting enjoyment! Some laminate floors with particularly swell-protected support panels are even suitable for wet rooms to a limited extent. Not sure which laminate quality to choose for your living and working areas? Give us a call! Our expert team is happy to assist you with questions and doubts.

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What do the Individual Use Classes Mean for Flooring?

A floor in the home living room is usually subjected to less stress than the floor in a large office. The classification into usage classes therefore serves as a guideline for the durability of each type of flooring. There is a distinction between commercial and private use. Floors suitable for commercial use start with the digit 3, while those for private living spaces start with the number 2. Since there are also significant differences in usage behavior within private and commercial areas, the second digit reveals more about the load-bearing capacity in the private or business environment:

Usage Class Overview

• Private

  • Usage Class 21: low use (e.g., in bedrooms or guest rooms)
  • Usage Class 22: normal use (e.g., in living or dining rooms)
  • Usage Class 23: heavy use (e.g., kitchens, hallways, work or children's rooms)

• Commercial

  • Usage Class 31: low use (e.g., hotel rooms)
  • Usage Class 32: normal use (e.g., offices, waiting rooms, small shops)
  • Usage Class 33: heavy use (e.g., department stores, large offices)
  • Usage Class 34: intensive use (e.g., airports, multipurpose halls)

• Industrial

  • Usage Classes 41 - 43

Specifically for laminate, there is another parameter that plays an important role in quality. The abrasion resistance of laminate is classified using the so-called IP value. The IP value is determined through sophisticated usage tests and is an important indicator of the durability and longevity of this flooring:

Overview of the Abrasion Resistance of Laminate Floors

• AC1: IP value ≥ 900 revolutions: best used without street shoes
• AC2: IP value ≥ 1,500 revolutions: not suitable for direct entrance areas
• AC3: IP value ≥ 2,000 revolutions: normal wear and tear
• AC4: IP value ≥ 4,000 revolutions: suitable for residential spaces and light to moderate commercial use
• AC5: IP value ≥ 6,000 revolutions: exceptionally durable all-rounder for the highest level of wear and tear

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The Six Key Advantages of Laminate Flooring

By now, you've probably discovered many of the advantages of this attractive classic flooring option yourself. In the following overview, we've compiled the key benefits for you:

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The Three Key Disadvantages of Laminate Flooring

Although laminate floors have many advantages in various aspects, they also come with a few disadvantages that we want to mention:

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Our Conclusion

For those looking for a durable and resilient floor with an attractive design at a budget-friendly price, the vast selection of authentic decors from various manufacturers will surely help you find your favorite quickly.

If you want to enjoy this floor for a longer time, consider choosing a higher usage class and a solid-quality product.

Laminate floors are practical for everyday use, robust, and hygienic. If you prefer a flooring option that requires minimal time and effort for maintenance, then this is the right choice for you.

Ensure good moisture insulation from below and the appropriate thermal and impact sound insulation.

For those who want to bring individual ambiance to their rental apartment quickly and affordably, laminate floors will be appreciated. However, if you are looking for a floor for life, you might find another type of flooring more suitable in the long run!