| |
| |
| Home Improvement Information | |
|
Selecting a Laminate Floor to Suite Your Needs
The traditional look of hardwood flooring is timeless; its beauty has brought a sense of comfort and elegance to homes around the world for many generations. Hardwood floors are however pricey, not very durable and require a fair amount of routine maintenance and care. Even the most recent technological advancements in surface treatment have not been able to solve such problems as scratching, fading, denting and staining. This has lead to the invention of laminate flooring. With its machine made construction and hardwood photographic laminated surface, laminate flooring is the perfect solution for the look and appeal of real hardwood floors that are more durable and require less maintenance. Since the introduction of laminate flooring into the US in 1982, the sector has experienced growth of up to 20% per annum at the expense of other flooring types, making laminate flooring the fastest growing flooring type in the country. Its appeal lies not only in its aesthetic value of its representation of real hardwood, but also due to its incredible durability and ease of maintenance. Laminate flooring is built to withstand the rigors of today's active lifestyles. Unlike hardwood, laminate flooring will not stain, fade, dent and is far more scratch and water resistant. Laminate warranties range from 10 years to lifetime and cover such factors as mentioned above. Entry level laminates are designed for light traffic areas and come with warranties ranging from 10 to 15 years. Most people set their expectations too high and expect that an entry level laminate will perform under heavy traffic conditions and still look good for the duration of the warranty. This is however not the case, as an entry level laminate subject to high traffic will start to show wear and tear within three to five years. Buying the laminate flooring that suits your needs will save you money in the long run. This is not to say that every home requires a high end laminate with an extensive warranty. Consider the amount of traffic as well as the amount of time you intend staying in your current home. There is no point in purchasing an expensive floor with an extended warranty if you plan on moving in the near future. Remember, flooring is usually the first thing replaced by people when moving to a new home. Laminate floors come with cores ranging from 6mm up to 12mm. A thicker core is more stable, less vulnerable to buckling and will sound more like real hardwood when walked on. Good quality laminate cores are treated with water repellent chemicals, and resist swelling due to excessive moisture. This is very important especially when considering placing laminate floors in bathrooms and kitchens. For these applications also consider a laminate that has Paraffin wax impregnated joints. The Paraffin wax acts as a water repellent and will prevent topical water spills from penetrating down to the laminate core. Also remember to scrutinize the warranty, as certain laminate floors are not covered for use in bathrooms and kitchens. The introduction of glueless locking mechanisms has opened the door to the DIY market. The absence of glue allows for a quicker installation and easier repair, and unlike other flooring materials that require specialist knowledge and equipment, these floors can be installed by people with no prior experience and no specialized tools. The ability to install the floor without having to hire an installer will save you a considerable amount of money. This artcile was written by Barry Hutch of Contract Resources. Visit their website at: Guide to flooring and Pergo floors
MORE RESOURCES:
Electrical |
General |
Heat & AC
| Pool / Spa
| Plumbing
| Roofing
| Solar
| LP Gas Landscape | Contact Us | Links | Home Improvement | Home Home Improvement Information Site Map
Home-Improvement - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Concrete Cutting: Shedding Light On Your Basement Remodel Basements or cellars (depending on which part of the country you are from) are primarily seen as dark and dingy parts of a home. In most cases they are considered a useless area or are used as a "catch all" for family discards that haven't quite made it to the curbside for trash pick up yet. New-age Paint Thickening & Rheological Additives : Solvitex & Solvizen For Paint Manufacturers worldwide, there has come a radical new development in the legion of Thickening Agents & Colloidal stabilizer for Aqueous Latex Paints. So far most of the companies producing aqueous Paint emulsions, the most preferred thickening agent was Hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HEC). What Does It Take To Be An Interior Designer? When trying to decide if Interior Design is right for you, it helps to know what that really means. Interior Design is not simply the profession that "makes rooms and places pretty"; it takes a little bit more than that. A Carefully Planned Outdoor Kitchen is Worth the Investment Do you have any idea how popular outdoor kitchens are becoming? We spend more time at home than ever before and we are fixing up those homes instead of buying new. Homeowners are opting for an outdoor kitchen over other types of remodeling projects because they extend the size of their living space. How to Care for Laminate Flooring It's hard to damage and easy to care for laminate floors. Here are some tips on how to properly maintain them:1. Seven Energy Conservation Tips to Help Homeowners Save Money In an effort to help consumers in the Atlanta area combat high utility bills, RS Andrews provides this consumer awareness release to advise homeowners on seven ways that they can conserve energy to save money each summer.Tip Number One: Set the temperature on your thermostat a little higher. Quick and Dirty Guide to Wood Flooring If you've always longed for hardwood floors, you're in good company. While soft wooden floors date back to the Colonial era, hardwood floors first burst on the scene in the late 17th century. Create a Luxurious Laundry Room Give your home a luxurious feel with a beautiful laundry room. Even if you hate doing the laundry, you cannot deny that there IS a certain amount of satisfaction from transforming a bunch of dirty things into fresh and fragrant clothes! Put these items in your laundry room and feel the difference!-a few plants-adequate shelving-a rug or piece of carpet to stand on-an ironing area-large folding table-music-framed art or prints-a pretty dish to catch clutter and extraneous pocketed items-a trash can (continually clean the lint from the dryer)-GOOD LIGHTING, lamps, etc. Pre-Fabricated Steel Buildings More and more construction is being done with steel in recent years, as more people learn about the many benefits of using steel vs. other construction materials. Colors: Their Connotations and Perceived Meanings Throughout the ages, colors have been used to evoke certain emotions, and an examination of the history of color offers fascinating insights into the human condition, as well as showing how different cultures have developed different attitudes about color. Here are a few examples of what various colors have come to represent over the years:RedRed has traditionally been associated with courage and love in Western culture, but in China, red is the color of happiness and good fortune. Rustic Stone House Signs You may own a remarkably constructed, attractive house that is perfect from every angle. The outside of the house is designed to demand a second look from anyone passing by. Portable Air Conditioners Ensure Economy And Convenience Small is beautiful and convenient and so is the portable air conditioner as it can be shifted from one place to the other very easily. Read on to find out all the other advantages. Luxury Bedding is More Than Just Thread Count Thread count is the most widely referred to term when searching for those "perfect sheets." Generally, the higher the thread count, the more costly you'll find the sheets. Do You Have a Master Bedroom? You Shouldnt! Tips for Remodeling Your Bedroom The word "master" is an antiquated term that suggests control, domination, and inequality, and in today's cooperative partner and/or single parent household, the label "master suite" has become obsolete. In that light, master bedrooms would more properly be called "main bedrooms" in today's society. Daydreaming About Your Home Makeover Projects Most of us enjoy daydreaming about our perfect home. Do you ever think about your home just before falling to sleep? Instead of worrying about your tasks for tomorrow, try this exercise tonight: imagine you're arriving home. All You Need To Know About The Feng Shui Bagua Map The feng shui bagua map is an octagonal shaped map which allows you to evaluate in feng shui terms any living or working space. The feng shui bagua is a very important feng shui tool and indispensable when we wish to harmonize a place and the elements in it. Air Sanders: Forget Electric, Go Air! An air sander is a common air tool often overlooked by most people. If you already have an air compressor to run your impact wrench, you may consider purchasing an air sander instead of an electric model. An Overview of Aluminium, Plastic and Timber Conservatories Conservatories remain a popular accoutrement and attachment to homes throughout the United Kingdom and the world in the 21st century. Around for over three hundred years, conservatories work to provide a lovely transition between the main residence and the natural surroundings abutting the home. Beautiful, Sparkling Chandeliers! If you want to add extra spark to rooms, consider adding chandeliers to the rooms. Chandeliers offer added elegance and charm as well as light. Garage Doors You may think choosing garage doors is straight forward, however there are many things to consider, such as whether your garage is adjoining your property, is it a single or a double garage, how much clearance inside and out is needed and so on. Also, the appearance of the garage door can influence what material you use.
|
Electrical |
General |
Heat & AC
| Pool / Spa
| Plumbing
| Roofing
| Solar
| LP Gas
Landscape
| Contact Us |
Links |
Home Improvement |
Home
Home Improvement Information Site Map
site map
MediaRocket
|
