Basic Care of Laminate Flooring | Home improvement knowledge

Laminate flooring?is made using several layers of synthetic materials held together by lamination. Its designs simulate wood or even stone although these are actually just photographic appliqu?s with a clear protective layer that gives off a quality finish. The inner core layer is composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials to give it durability. To enable ease of installation, some laminate flooring has glue backing. It is just as attractive as carpets, but longer-lasting yet less expensive that natural floor materials.

A?laminate?is produced by putting together two or more layers of various kinds of material. The process used to create laminates is called?lamination, where flat materials are layered, encased in clear plastic before heat or pressure is applied then sealed with an adhesive.

Floor laminates must be kept clean because dust, dirt and sand particles ? left behind due to heavy foot traffic ? may scratch the decorative surface over time. It is also important to keep them dry because water and moisture may result in the swelling and warping of the tougher materials inside the laminate although some brands have protective water-resistant coatings.

Water spills must not be allowed to sit for long periods of time lest you want them to leave marks or make it difficult to clean them up.? People who have become wiser now place adhesive felt pads underneath legs of furniture to avoid scratching the flooring material.

One thing to watch out for is the amount of glue used to seal laminates. Less glue means less holding strength. The result is that?laminate flooring?will gradually separate leaving visible gaps on floor planks. This problem must be addressed immediately. The best way to put floor planks back together is to use an appropriate tool and tap them back in to close the gaps before dust settles in. Once dust accumulates between these spaces, it will no longer be possible to close the gap.

Better yet, you can choose a different type of?laminate flooring?(Pergo or Uniclic), which are glue-less? and are held together using corner mechanisms that hold floor planks better under constant tension thus preventing them from accumulating dust particles. With this type, you can be sure there will be little to no gaps between planks.

You can then enjoy a variety of designs for floor laminates at less the cost as long as you know how to properly care for this type of flooring.

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Source: http://www.gradcmu.net/basic-care-of-laminate-flooring

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