Laminate floors have many qualities and advantages that make them ideal for installation in homes. However, in order not to make a mistake in choosing it, we have to pay attention to a series of issues.
Beyond the aesthetic aspect, we will focus on the quality of the product to choose.
Here we give you five of the most important tips so that your laminate floor only gives you satisfaction. But before getting into the matter, we will see what laminate floors are.
Five tips to choose your laminate flooring well.
What are laminate floors?
They are pavements made up of derivatives of wood and sheets, joined together by high-consistency resins. The soul of the pavement is made of HDF board, also called High Density, or MDF or Medium Density, depending on the quality of the floor. This body has a melamine sheet that imitates the texture and pattern of natural wood. It also incorporates a film called overlay that covers the visible part of the pavement, protecting it from wear. And, finally, on the back side it has the stabilizing layer.
Unlike parquet, laminate floors do not allow stabbing. Therefore, once the protection layer is lost, there is no possibility of repair.
Although there are different thicknesses, the standard thickness of laminate flooring is between 8 and 10mm.
Diagram of the different layers that make up a laminate floor.
We can find them normal or also waterproof. This aspect is visible to the naked eye, since the soul of the latter is green.
The installation of this type of flooring is done “floating”, that is, it is not fixed to the base, but is dropped on it, and the different pieces of laminate flooring (slats) are fitted in a tongue-and-groove manner. But this union is particularly unique and effective. We will talk about her later.
Laminate floors have the great advantage that they do not require removing the previous flooring, but instead go over it, interposing a 3mm thick polyurethane foam blanket between them.
If you want to know more about other types of wooden flooring, we suggest you also see this other special wooden article for exteriors.
How to choose a laminate floor
When purchasing laminate flooring, there are a number of issues to take into account so that the choice is correct.
Although there may be, and in fact there are, more aspects that could influence the choice of flooring, we will focus on the 5 that, in our opinion, are the most important.
Top tips for choosing quality laminate flooring.
1.- Wear resistance
As we have indicated previously, the upper layer of laminate flooring, which is made with very resistant resins, is what protects the lower layers from the wear caused by traffic.
This feature has become very popular among end users. The standard classification has six levels. The nomenclature of the aforementioned classification is as follows: two letters, which are specifically “AC”, followed by a numerical digit between 1 and 6.
This classification is carried out in the laboratory by performing tests on samples. A sample of laminate flooring is fed into a machine that spins it. The machine has an abrasive zone installed, which, when turning, wears away the protection layer of the sample.
The machine counts the number of revolutions necessary to completely remove the protective layer. Therefore, depending on the number of laps, the classification is established, which is as follows.
Classification of laminate flooring according to its resistance to wear.
Our advice regarding the level of resistance to acquire in terms of housing is that, if the budget allows it, choose at least an AC5 laminate floor. Or, at least, the AC4.
2.- Assembly system
On the other hand, we have the assembly system. This aspect must be taken into account, since not all systems are the same.
The manufacturer Unilin, better known by its trademark Quick Step, invented and patented in 1997 the “uniclic closure”. Here was a turning point, since after this invention, glue assembly has almost completely disappeared.
Assembled in «click» of laminate floors.
3.- Sealing on edges and joints
An optimal sealing of the edges of the slats increases resistance to the penetration of moisture and water between the joints, for example as a result of scrubbing or accidental falls of water.
Therefore, it is important to choose a laminate floor that incorporates a good sealing system, whether based on waxes, oils, paraffin, or any other product for that purpose.
On the other hand, these treatments make the assembly process of the different pieces smoother, thus facilitating their assembly.
4.- Resistance against impacts
Just as there is the classification of wear resistance that we have seen previously and that went from AC1 to AC6, there is also another classification based on the resistance of laminate floors against impacts.
The nomenclature of this other classification is “IC” followed by a number contained within a range between 1 and 3. The higher the number, the greater the degree of resistance against impacts.
It is recommended to choose laminate flooring with an IC3 classification or, at least, IC2.
5.- Solvency of the manufacturer
Despite the fact that the issue of “brands” has sometimes been and continues to be overvalued, in this case it would be convenient to take it into account.
Choosing laminate flooring from established manufacturers that can provide us with a certain guarantee in this regard, we guarantee two aspects:
Over the years, manufacturers replace older models with new ones. This happens both in tiles, toilets, wallpaper, and of course, in laminate floors.
However, the same could happen, but One day to another if the manufacturer disappears. And we find that we cannot locate even one square meter that we need to cover the repair of a pipe, for example.
Not to say that this has to happen, but better safe than sorry.
It would also be wise to keep this advice in mind for the installer. You should choose a serious and professional company. There are, and many, such as Madegar, to name a few.
And on the other hand, we make sure to have within our reach the guarantee given by the manufacturer, if necessary.
For all these reasons, it is important that laminate floors have the CE seal.
