Shopping for Laminate Flooring in Toronto can be very confusing as most sales people know little about laminate floors. I hope this site will open your eyes to information you haven't received anywhere before because we are full time installers who can answer any question about laminate flooring installation or products. With the hands on experience on installation of Laminate Flooring in Toronto we judge the laminate floors by physically looking at the locking mechanism, surface, texture and overall quality of the laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring facts
Laminate flooring specifications
Laminate flooring construction
Laminate flooring application
Laminate flooring installation
Laminate flooring - cleaning and maintenance
Laminate flooring facts
Laminate flooring has been steadily gaining popularity mainly because it is floor covering that combines the rich look of hardwood and the easy care of a laminate counter top.
Laminate flooring is available in many different colours and patterns to match any hardwood planks, everything from oak and maple to mahogany and exotic.
Laminate flooring specifications
The laminate flooring comes in individual boards with tongue and groove edges, they roughly cover 23 square feet per box, and they come in following sizes:
- Length: 47 9/16" (four feet long)
- Width: 7 55/64" (eight inches wide)
- Thickness: 9/32" (7 mm)
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Laminate flooring construction
All laminate floors are bonded together under high pressure and they make and extremely high surface that resists stains, scratches and even burns.
There are four main components that are glued together to make a very durable material.
- First a wear resistant decorative surface is made of raising based melamine / aluminium oxide
- Then this material is bonded to a moisture resistant wood composition based core
- Next a balancing backing is bonded to the underside of the core
- Finally on the a clear coat of aluminium oxide comes on top. It provides the protection and resistance.
Laminate flooring application
The laminate flooring should be installed over any existing sub-floor, because
it simply lays there as a floating floor. Floating installation and
extreme durability of laminate flooring makes it possible to be installed
in such areas like kitchens, bathrooms and basements. This type of
flooring withstands almost any humidity, scratching, or staining, although
it is of course possible to scratch any type of floor.
Laminate flooring installation
The installation of laminate flooring on the scale of 1 - 10 as a
"do-it-yourself" project is definitely the most difficult one.
The manufacturers have actually designed this product with that in mind,
however the installation does require a fair amount of carpentry skills
and many special tools. If you possess these skills, patience and fair
amount of time, this could be a very rewarding process. Also remember that
the materials are expensive and your finished project will be one of the
most visible elements in your home. So take a long look at the
instructions before deciding if this is something you want to do yourself.
Otherwise you'll be better off to turn to a professional installer.
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Laminate flooring - cleaning and maintenance
Because laminate floors are so dense, they are easy to keep clean. Most polishes will not stick to their surface area.
Vacuuming, dust mopping, and maybe a damp towel at times is all it takes. Most brands carry a 10 to 25 year residential warranty against staining, wearing, and fading. They are designed to look good for many years with a minimum of effort.
Follow these simple tricks to preserve your laminate flooring's new look and perfect condition:
- Vacuum or dust mop to remove dirt or grit.
- Damp mop using warn water; do not saturate floor.
- Change water as necessary.
- Do not polish or wax.
- Never clean with abrasives, scouring powder or steel wool.
- Wipe up spills immediately.
- Avoid allowing any liquids to stand on your floor.
Dirt is the primary enemy of laminates floors. Walking over time causes fine scratches that lead to dullness and larger particles of sand or rocks cause visible scratches. A couple of tricks here include:
glides or cushion bottom protectors under chairs and table legs to prevent possible scratching.
Floor mats and foot brushes to pick up dirt at all outside doorway entrances.
Regular vacuuming and dust mopping to keep grit off the floor.
If your laminate scratches, you may be able to buy a touch up stick from the manufacturer. The repaired area is often invisible plus it will hold up to traffic and wear just like the rest of your floor.
In the event damage is more severe (which is unlikely to happen in most homes) it is possible for a trained professional to replace a plank. Done properly, the new plank should be almost indistinguishable from the rest.
