As much as laminate flooring has all these advantages, it has some few drawbacks. Laminate flooring is not regarded as appropriate for bathroom and laundry room as it is for the living room area. Primarily because of the moisture the two rooms are exposed to. The kitchen and laundry room require vinyl or stone flooring. In some few instances, the laminate flooring is used in the kitchen of some homes. However, it is still not encouraged as it will be prone to damage.
The idea of the laminate flooring is to be water resistant but not all the way waterproof. This means that any amount of water which will sleep into the edges may cause irreversible damage. The locking systems should not be in contact with water which tends to lead to warping and swelling. Install your laminate flooring in places away from water or with less contact with moisture is highly encouraged.
Remember that laminate flooring is just but a mimic of the real hardwood. The feel and the sound of the underfoot of laminate flooring might differ when compared to the real hardwood flooring. However, if you are determined to get the same feel and experience of the real hardwood, you can opt to go for thicker and more expensive laminate floors ranging from 12mm to 15mm in width. The thicker boards will tend to be in proximity regarding appearance and general likeness to the real hardwood.
THICK LAMINATE FLOORING VS THIN LAMINATE FLOORING
The thickness of the laminate flooring is dependent on how durable you want your flows to be. This durability is measured by the AC rating.
The thicker laminate flooring can dampen sound. Because of its thickness, sound transmission is not as much and at times completely void. The level of High-Density Fiber (HDF) is more in thicker laminate floors. These thick floors come with more stability as compared to the thinner laminate floors. This is in cases whereby the subfloor is not old. If your budget is a little bit flexible, the thicker laminate floors would be a great buy.
Thinner laminate floors are a great option if your subfloor is firm. Having a weak subfloor tends to make the thin laminate floor unstable, and consequently, you will have trouble with the underfoot. Thinner laminate floors are recommended if the subfloor is made of concrete which will give the locking system stability and ease of floating of the laminate floors. Therefore a flat, smooth and high-quality subfloor are crucial for thin laminate flooring. The cost of buying and installing the thin laminate is cheaper than the thicker laminate by a margin and is therefore economical to choose for flooring. The more lightweight laminate flooring has an estimated width of 6mm, but for residential houses, 8mm is recommended because of the traffic flow.
When choosing laminate flooring, you need to do the proper research beforehand so as to get the idea of all the different designs and types that exist. To be certain that the laminate flooring you are settling for is durable and worth the price, it is advisable you consult a contractor. A contractor has enough experience to know which flooring type is best suited for your home and the pros plus cons associated with the laminate flooring you have resided to. Consulting a contractor will save you from buying the wrong laminate flooring from a manufacturer leading to aggravated replacement costs. Simply explain what you are looking for, and he or she will be able to buy from a suitable and reliable manufacturer.
