THE ADVANTAGES OF LAMINATE FLOORING
1. Affordability
Most people learn of laminate flooring due to its cost-effectiveness. Because laminate flooring is made mostly from composite wood pressed together at high temperatures, it’s considerably more affordable than natural timber, which can be quite expensive depending on how exotic the tree is.
2. Extreme resilience
Not only is the composite timber material of laminate flooring hard-wearing, but the uppermost layer of laminate also offers fantastic scratch resistance. The top coating of laminate floorboards will survive high traffic, rowdy kids and pet’s claws. UV resistance also means the colour of your floors is less likely to fade over time.
3. Beautiful appearance
Developments in laminate flooring technology mean the difference between natural timber and laminate is much harder to distinguish today. Many laminate floorboards feature unique embossing to accurately mimic the appearance and texture of natural wood.
4. Simple maintenance
Laminate flooring is easy to keep clean. Spills and marks can simply be wiped away with a soft microfibre cloth and it’s easy to sweep or vaccum away any dirt and dust.
5. Easy installation
As a type of floating floor, laminate flooring typically features a simple lock-together system which is very easy to use, so DIY installation is possible.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF LAMINATE FLOORING
1. Cannot be refinished
One popular function of natural timber flooring is that it can be sanded back and refinished to renew its appearance over the years. Laminate flooring’s top layers are designed to protect against wear and create a convincing timber illusion. These cannot be sanded down, as doing so may bare the photographic layer and destroy the resilience of the floorboards.
2. Not moisture-proof
Being made of wood, laminate flooring is not impervious to the effects of moisture. Therefore, it’s not suitable as a hard flooring for bathrooms and should be used with caution in kitchens or laundries. Light surface water for cleaning shouldn’t cause issues, but saturation must be avoided.
