Laminate Hardwood Flooring
by: Guest
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Most all of us would like being able to afford buying hardwood flooring for our homes. But as we all know, genuine hardwood flooring is very expensive, therefore many turn to laminate flooring that has the aspect of hardwood, what we call laminate hardwood flooring. This type of flooring presents several advantages and disadvantages.
First, one should know that laminate hardwood flooring is not genuine wood. The way that manufacturers make these floors provide a lengthened resistance to stains, color fade and strong impact. However if you have a big dog and you allow it in the house, you should know that strong dog nails may leave some scratches on your laminate hardwood flooring, just as much as moving around heavy furniture without using floor protecting pads leaves marks.
Laminate hardwood flooring, like any other laminated products, is also supposed to be water resistant. Some manufacturers would go as far as sending you samples of their products and asking you to wet them so that you can see what effects, if any, water has on laminate boards. The secret is that the thicker the core of the laminate hardwood flooring, the more resistant it is to water or humidity. Some floors like these are very well manufactured so that they can cope with wetness and humidity at the level of the locking system as well, where you would expect the boards to be most vulnerable. But due to cleaning necessities, most laminate floors are manufactured to resist pretty well accidental spills and damp mopping on a daily basis.
Finally, the ways to install laminate hardwood flooring - like with any laminate flooring - installation is split into three categories. The glue-type flooring for which the installer has to apply the adhesive substance by hand to each particular board at the level of the tongue and groove. This type of flooring is not generally installed by the home owner themselves, and is mostly left to the professional installer. The second type of laminate hardwood flooring is the glue less type which comes with a special locking system letting you know by means of a clicking sounds that each board has been installed correctly. This requires less time to install and the job can definitely be done in a much neater and faster manner. It is the type that most people look for as it can be installed on a do-it-yourself basis. Last but not least, there is also the pre-glued laminate hardwood flooring which comes with the glue already applied by the manufacturer and all that is left for the installer to do is dampen the adhesive substance and then attach the planks together. This type of laminate flooring is not very common.
First and far most is the need to check the floor area where the laminate hardwood flooring will be installed. Check for unevenness in the surface and correct any areas that are soft, uneven, high spots, areas that have oils or greases. If your area is a concrete area, use vinyl cement to even uneven areas and to fill cracks. Fill all cracks and remove all grease spots. If your area is a wood floor area, consider installing subfloor plywood to eliminate problem areas of your floor. It is best to use screws instead of nails to install the subfloor. An underlayment material that is being used more and more is what is called cement board or wonder board. This material can be placed under any type of flooring. Cement or wonder board is found in ¼" and ½" thicknesses.
The better the condition of your flooring area whether concrete or wood the better your finished floor will look and ware.
About the Author
Don Morecraft Hello, I have been involved in home construction and home repairs for more than twenty years. For more information on the above subject, please join me at the link below. http://www.moreuknow.com/hardwoodfloor/
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