Enhancing the Beauty of Your Home with Affordable Laminate Flooring

Flooring in a home is everything. Yet it’s hard to keep floors looking their best when they are constantly exposed to high traffic, children and pets. For these reasons, you may be hesitant to install an expensive floor in your home. Wood especially, is prone to water spills and scratches, and the cost isn’t always budget-friendly. Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice the elegant look of wood throughout your home. Laminate flooring is a smart alternative, as it costs a fraction of the cost of hardwood and offers plenty of durability. Laminate has several layers of material that are packed together to form a wood-like surface. The top layer is a picture of a real wooden floorboard, allowing it to take on the imperfections and grooves found in wood. The core material is generally made of fiberboard, which is porous and resistant to mold and mildew. When the top layer undergoes the lamination process, it makes the flooring structure stronger and easier to maintain. Laminate is resistant to wear, sunlight fading and stains. It is a top choice for homeowners and new construction homes because of these features, as well as its affordable cost. Since laminate flooring is engineered from several layers of construction, it can be installed almost anywhere, including concrete slabs and wooden subfloors. The laminate can even be positioned over other types of flooring without the added hassle of having to rip up the existing floor. This is a great option for restoring older homes that have problems with the thickness of the floors. Although laminate can be installed in any room, particularly in areas with high traffic, extra caution needs to be taken in kitchens and bathrooms where water is present. Spills left for long periods of time can seep in between the planks and cause them to buckle. With today’s stronger laminate and better options for underlayment, there is more time to clean up spills, making laminate a suitable choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Laminate was first used as a durable material for countertops and then made its way onto flooring. With the variety of designs embossed on the surface, there are plenty of choices for homeowners. In addition to wood selections, this type of flooring is available in stone tiles or ceramic. To give the flooring added strength, it’s important to choose quality underlayment. This extra pad underneath will resist water and give the flooring the look and feel of real wood. Some laminate floorboards have underlayment attached to them to help with a comfortable sound and warmer feel. There are two ways to install laminate flooring. The most common way is by interlocking the floorboards with a tongue-and-groove system. These floating floorboards fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, and this installation method uses no tools or messy glues. It’s the preferred choice, and if a board becomes damaged, it’s possible to pop it out and insert a new one. Another installation method is by gluing the boards together. The sides of the boards are glued, stuck together and placed over a subfloor. To complete this method, a rubber sealant is placed over the seams to prevent moisture. Maintaining laminate floors is much easier than caring for hardwood or ceramic selections. There is no scrubbing necessary and instead, regular vacuuming and a cleaning solution once a week is adequate. With the finish applied to laminate, the floors are resistant to scratches and water, giving extra time for cleaning up spills. As long as water is cleaned up quickly, it won’t cause the floorboards to warp. This is important to note while cleaning, as you don’t want to use an excess of water or cleaning solution on the floors. Another advantage to the care of laminate is that it is cleaner and more hygienic for those with allergies or asthma. Laminate doesn’t collect dust and allergens as carpeting does, and it’s simple to vacuum or sweep up pet dander and debris, leaving behind a clean and dust-free floor. Best of all, the shiny finish on laminate allows it to continue looking new and brilliant for years to come. With the affordable carpet cost and do-it-yourself installation methods, laminate continues to be a top choice for homeowners and landlords. And with more options for design, color and quality, it’s possible to achieve the look of hardwood without having to pay the price. Some of the best deals can be found online or through home improvement stores by browsing through local sales and clearance events.