Laminate Flooring
Understand laminate flooring - what is it and how to make sure you buy quality at the right price
what is laminate | types of construction | quality factors | floating floor | estimating | useful laminate links
What is laminate flooring?
The nearest thing the British public will be familiar with is melamine or counter tops. Laminate flooring is basically a photograph stuck on High Density Fibre board (HDF being a tougher version of MDF). Another way of describing it is cellulose saturated paper covered with melamine plastic resin (laminate is actually the perfect description).
Melamine is just an ultra strong plastic and really does have a remarkable strength - enough to get a lifetime guarantee on the best laminate products. The bottom of the laminate board is cellulose resin saturated paper - important to protect the product from moisture.
Types of laminate flooring construction
There are basically two types (1) direct pressure, and (2) high pressure laminate. Direct pressure fuses all the layers simultaneously whereas high pressure fuses the wear and bottom layers individually before extreme pressure then combines both with the HDF core.
How to spot quality factors - expectation of wear
Better quality laminate flooring products will have a surface texture - the absence of one denotes a cheaper product. Thickness of the overall board is also a sign of quality. Inferior quality products have a thin paper backing which leaves board vulnerable to water damage. Check the edge quality - avoid products showing any sign of chipping (brittleness).
In America, laminate is graded with a system of AC ratings - running through grades 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest. Commercial laminate flooring in the UK doesn't seem to use this clear system despite it being first adopted by America from Europe where it originated. Guarantee periods seem to the best European benchmark - and of course price variation acts as a guide (if you can be sure the price accurately reflects production qualities).
Laminate flooring should be very resistant to fading from UV rays but manufacturers guarantees don't usually cover scratching. All sensible precautions should be taken such as doormats and cups under furniture legs/castors.
Laminate is a floating floor
A floating floor means that it isn't actually fixed or glued to any part of the room. The boards are not fixed to the floor or the skirting perimeter, they are fixed to one another. The most popular means of fixing the boards to each other being chiefly by tongue and groove type methods that click together.
The boards finish to the edge by (1) lying beneath the skirting boards by means of a gap, or (2) beneath a moulding such as scotia which is attached to the skirting, but not to the boards. This floating allows the floor to expand and contract with temperature or moisture.
The main body of the laminate being particle board means it is more stable than conventional timber planking. When fitting laminate flooring into rooms where water will be an issue, use a bead of silicone along the edge to help protect the boards.
TIP: Always remember to make sure there is a gap around fitiings such as pipes, door frames etc or the free movement of the floating floor will be obstructed and problems will occur. Work on about 10mm gap.
How to estimate quantities of laminate
- Break the area down into rectangles
- Multiply the length by the width of each rectangle to get the area
- Add up the totals of the areas
- Add about 10% for wastage
- Divide the total area required by the area covered by a pack size
- Round up the figure to the nearest multiple of pack sizes
You will also need to work out: (1) how much underlay you require (this is the exact area of the rectangles added together); (2) the amount of scotia moulding (the lengths of the perimeter); (3) door thresholds required. If you are going to put the laminate flooring underneath the skirting board you can omit (2) but bear in mind this will mean cutting a gap into the doorframes for a proper fit.
Useful laminate flooring links
Quick Step - major UK retailer; request brochure
Floors-2-Go - major UK retailer; request brochure
http://www.carpetfitters.biz - excellent fitting guide (PDF download)
Laminate Floor Reviews - consumer message boards
More reviews - yet more frank praise (or otherwise)
Real Oak Floors - source of 100% waterproof laminate flooring (buyer beware)
Blog Articles