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Laminated Floors

Laminate floors are becoming more and more popular these days, especially for homeowners on a budget. Laminate floors are beautiful, extremely durable, and easy to clean. It’s well suited for high-traffic areas, busy family kitchens, bathrooms and homes with children and pets.

Wood-look laminate flooring is made to look like wood, but the decorative layer is actually a photograph. Most laminates have four-ply construction: a backing or balancing layer, a moisture-resistant wood-based core of high- or medium-density fiberboard, a decorative layer, and a wear-resistant layer of melamine resins.

Laminate is easy and quick to install because of its glueless installation. Each piece clicks into position with no need for gule or nails. Laminate floors, same as floating engineered floors, require an underlayment that is installed directly underneath the laminate planks. This helps the floor float freely over the subfloor, adds a vapor barrier and aids in noise reduction.

Although Laminate floors are tough, you should follow these directions to keep them in good shape.

• Remove loose dirt by using a non-beater bar vacuum or a dust mop.
• With a damp mop or cloth, clean your laminate flooring once a week with a vinegar solution (1/4 cup of white vinegar to 2 gallons of clean tap water) or a nonabrasive household cleaner, such as ammonia and water solution. Do not saturate the flooring.
• Do not use abrasive cleaners, steel wool, soap-based detergents, waxes, polishes, or scouring powder as they may scratch or dull the flooring surface.
• Wipe up spills immediately. Avoid allowing liquids to stand on your flooring.
• A more frequent dust mopping or vacuuming schedule may be required in high traffic or sandy areas.
• For tough spots, such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape the spot with a plastic scraper. Even a credit card will do. Be careful not to scratch the flooring surface. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
• Do not use any type of buffing machine.
• Use protective mats at the entry and exits to help collect the dirt and moisture that could damage the laminate floor.
• Use floor protectors or glides under furniture legs.
• Frequent vacuuming using a non-beater bar will pick up dirt and grime.