All About Laminate

Laminate flooring originally came from Europe, where it's been used in homes for over 20 years.

It consists of four main components bonded together. A wear-resistant decorative surface made of resin-based melamine is bonded to a moisture-resistant wood based core. A balancing backing is bonded to the underside of the core and on the top of it all is a clear cap of Aluminum Oxide, which provides protection and stain resistance.

Laminate flooring is a tongue and groove interlocking flooring system that rests on top of an existing surface - it's not attached in any way, sitting on top of plywood, concrete, hardwood, or whatever else is underneath. With most brands of laminate flooring, joints are simply glued together with a specially formulated, water-resistant glue placed between the tongue and groove of every plank.

Existing technology found in counter tops, combined with considerably more resins added to the "wearlayer" (the top), make laminates especially tough and wear-resistant.

Most floors are made in long rectangular shaped planks, although some are done in square tiles. The term "planked" is used to describe a laminate flooring plank's design that represents one board of lumber, while "blocked" is used to describe a plank's design that consists of smaller plank widths.

Laminate Care

Laminate floors will give you years of sturdy life if you follow some regular maintenance tips.

Start by vacuuming your floor regularly using soft brush attachments. Wipe with a damp cloth or damp mop when necessary.

Even though these floors are extremely durable, they can be scratched, so you want to protect the floor from grit and sharp objects at all times. And always use felt pads or wide based casters underneath all chair and furniture legs. When moving heavy objects across the floor, use extra care and place walk off mats by all exterior doorways.

There are some "don'ts" when it comes to laminate floors, too. They should not be polished or waxed, and you should never use steel wool or harsh abrasive cleaners on them.

And never, ever try to refinish or sand a laminate floor.

Laminate First Aid

Even though laminate floors are extremely durable, they can be scratched if you're not careful. For minor scratches there are special, color-coordinating pencils that can be used to fill them in. For chips, deep scratches and gouges, repairs can be made with colored burn-in sticks, which are used with special electric knives.

Gaps between plank seams can be touched up with manufacturer-recommended touch-up products.

If damage to a laminate plank is too severe for these procedures, you can replace it without destroying the rest of the floor. There are special tools, router bits, and wood strips to make that chore easier, but, unless you're especially handy, it's probably best to leave a job like that to a professional installer.