(NC)-Still thinking of laminate flooring as an easy-to-spot imitation of hardwood? Think again. Chances are, if it were a recently installed floor, you would have a difficult time distinguishing it from conventional hardwood.

Welcome to the new look and new reality of laminate flooring.

While laminate floors are still as versatile and durable as ever, imaging and imprint technology have improved the beauty aspect. Now you can have hardwood-identical flooring in a supremely durable product.

Most laminate flooring has a core of HDF (high density fibreboard) topped with a high-resolution, high-quality imprint of natural wood flooring. It is finished with an extremely hard, clear coating for long-lasting surface protection and performance.

From an environmental point of view, this modern and highly popular flooring is coming into its own. Its extreme durability extends product life for many years, decades in fact, before any replacement will be necessary. A reduced need for new flooring has a place in our throwaway society. Fewer trips to the landfill benefit everyone.

One company, TORLYS of Mississauga, Ontario, (torlys.com) has taken a leadership role in creating an environmentally responsible laminate floor. Installation of their floors doesn’t involve messy glues, chemicals or fumes, or nails of any kind. Their patented Uniclic joint creates a remarkably stable floor, and because the click joint process is reversible, the floor can be re-used up to three times under warranty.

When joints are tight in a hard surface floor like laminate, allergens, mites and dust have a difficult time finding a home. For asthma sufferers, cleaner indoor air quality is excellent news.

Industry research is finding new ways to use recycled materials and wood fibre in the production of laminate flooring. This will mean further reductions in the foresting of hardwood trees, a precious and limited natural resource.

With laminate flooring in your home, the uplift to your décor comes with benefits for your budget, your health, and the environment.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

The quickest, and possibly the most economical way to improve the appearance and value of your home is to install wood laminate flooring in some of the worst rooms in the home. Some of the key advantages of wood laminate flooring is the ease with which is it installed as well as the reduced time and effort needed to put it in place. Do not misunderstand as to do the project properly it may take the homeowner a little bit of time and, if it is the first attempt at a home improvement project, a little bit of frustration.

Very few tools are needed to install wood laminate flooring, and the most often used are a hand saw, or power saw, a hammer and a tap measure. It also helps greatly to have a basic understanding of how they are used, but then you buy wood laminate flooring each box contains installation instructions on the best method of installation. The boxes of flooring also have to lie flat on the floor between two to three days before beginning the project in order for the panels to become acclimated to the environment.

In most cases, the wood laminate flooring can by placed over an existing floor, eliminating the need and the mess of tearing out old materials such as tile or linoleum. Carpeting and existing floor coverings over concrete will need to be removed, but the only prerequisite for other flooring materials is that they are clean, dry and even.

Getting The Most For Your Money And Efforts

Most instructions for wood laminate flooring call for the project to begin on the longest wall of the room, but many have found better results by making sire the seams run perpendicular with the wall containing the biggest window. But, running the seams parallel with the sunlight streaming into the room, any slight deformations in the wood will be hidden from view. Once it is determined in which direction the sun hits, the longest wall in the same direction should form the starting point.

Half-inch spacers are used to keep the first panels an equal distance from the starting wall, and they can be hidden from view by the floor mould installed at the end of the project. Molding also insures the floating wood laminate flooring has space to expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes.

While some have experienced a little difficulty getting the first two or three rows of wood laminate flooring to run straight and true, once they are in place they report they can finish the job in record time. Being patient when installing the flooring, tackling the issues one step at a time, will insure the job goes smoothly and will create a beautiful, long-lasting floor.

When installations are needed in our homes, maybe you never hesitate to call a local handyman. Whether you lack the skills or time to conduct the installation, hiring a hired hand simply makes sense. On the other hand, perhaps your mind is mechanically oriented. You like mulling about how everything works, and paying someone else to install something would never be an option. Nonetheless, taking a do-it-yourself approach can potentially be disastrous. Errors in installations can result in wasted materials, time, and money. Thus, heeding tips on laying laminate flooring will prevent your work from becoming as hard as the nails in the flooring.

Laying The Groundwork By Removing The Flooring

Before installing your new flooring, you must remove the old flooring. You should first remove both the baseboard and the quarter round as well. Be cautious when doing this task, to prevent the walls from becoming severely damaged. Hoist up the carpet from the tack strips. Use caution around these strips, as they are extremely sharp. Carefully pull up the strips, to prevent severe damage to the sub-floor. This would require replacing portions of it or filling it with a special compound. 

Following Instructions

The next of the  tips on laying laminate flooring, involves reading and adhering to the installation instructions. That is because all producers of laminate flooring create unique installation procedures. At first, all instructions may seem synonymous. However, upon closer examination, you can observe slight variances in some facets of the installation, such as those involving gluing. In particular, the producer’s warranty could be nullified if you fail to use goods that they suggest, or adhere to their step-by-step directions. 

The Gap

While each manufacturer of laminate flooring uses unique guidelines, some procedures remain universal. This is another of the tips on laying laminate flooring. Firstly, the planks should set over a flat, no-bounce sub-floor. As a general rule, floors ought to be level and sturdy, with gaps not exceeding three inches. High spots must be smoothed while low spots must be filled in. That will level out the floor. It is mandatory that you maintain a gap along the entire installation’s border. What is that vital? The floor will certainly not succeed if it is adjacent, or not far enough from, the wall.  

Blocks Or Hammers

Another of the tips on laying laminate flooring involves the use of all hammers. Make sure to never use a hammer to strike the side of the laminate flooring. This could result in damaging the groove or tongue. Instead, use a special block. Place it down alongside the laminate, and then keep tapping the block until it fits like a glove. Using this method will prevent the block from becoming damaged.

If you pride yourself as a do-it-yourself, then installing your own floor should satisfy your adventurous spit. However, following tips on laying laminate flooring will help to make the task as easy as 1-2-3.