Laminate Wood Flooring FAQ's
- What are laminate floors and how are they made?
- What is HDF and what is it made of?
- What are the advantages of laminate flooring over those of solid hardwood flooring?
- What is a floating floor?
- How do I clean my laminate flooring?
- How do I repair minor scratches?
What are laminate floors and how are they made?
Laminate flooring is versatile, durable, attractive option that has the appearance of a hardwood floor. Although laminate flooring looks like wood flooring, there is actually no solid wood used in its construction. Laminate floors are made up of several materials bonded together under high pressure. Most laminate flooring consists of a moisture resistant layer under a layer of high density fiberboard (HDF). This is topped with a high resolution photographic image of natural wood flooring. It is then finished with an extremely hard, clear coating made from special resin-coated cellulose. Laminate flooring is perfect for anyone wanting a durable floor for a fraction of the price and installation time of a hardwood floor, but with the attractiveness of real hardwood. This construction also makes laminate flooring more environment-friendly as it uses less wood in its construction and makes more efficient use of the wood fiber that is used.
What is HDF and what is it made of?
High density fiberboard, HDF, is basically a high-density, moisture-resistant fiber panel. It is made of wood residues (sawdust, shavings and wood chips) from wood processing factories. This ligneous material is ground into a pulp to which a melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin is added. This pulp is then dried and pressed into panels.
What are the advantages of laminate flooring over those of solid hardwood flooring?
One obvious advantage is that of price; laminate flooring is typically less than half the price of traditional hardwood flooring. Also, laminate flooring is generally designed to be scratch-resistant and fade resistant, the two areas where solid hardwood flooring is known to be more vulnerable. Another advantage of laminate flooring is the rapid easy installation of a floating floor.
What is a floating floor?
A floating floor is a floor built with all its parts attached to each other but with none of these component parts fixed to the supporting floor, thus allowing spaces for natural expansion and contraction. Nearly all laminate floors install as floating floors.
How do I clean my laminate flooring?
Laminate flooring is a beautiful, low maintenance, long-lasting flooring. Only a few simple steps are needed to keep your laminate flooring clean and to ensure that you get many years of service from it. Simply dust mop or vacuum with a soft brush or wood floor accessory to keep your laminate floor clean from dust, dirt or grit. A damp cloth or mop can be used without damage to the laminate flooring panels, but do not use excessive water. Dry the floor thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth. Never use soap-based detergents, abrasive cleaners, or combined "clean and shine" products on your laminate floor.
How do I repair minor scratches?
Minor scratches on laminate floor can be repaired with laminate floor repair paste available in most retail flooring stores.
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