Learn more about laminate flooring

Do you like the look of wood, but are concerned about the maintenance? Then laminate flooring is for you! Its durability and ease of maintenance are perfect for any high traffic area. Laminate flooring truly provides the best of both worlds! At Carpet City Flooring Center, we have all the latest styles. We carry the names and TOP brands in laminate flooring that you have come to know and trust.

Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together using a lamination process. This type of flooring can accurately simulate almost anything — wood, stone, even photographs or scans of anything imaginable — by covering a photographic appliqué layer with a clear protective layer. The interior layer is typically composed of melamine resin and fiberboard materials. Laminate floors have grown in popularity since they were invented in Sweden in 1977 and arrived in North America in 1990’s. Because of their durability, hygienic nature and ease of installation and maintenance, laminate floors have become a low cost alternative to hardwood, stone, and tile.

Laminate flooring is typically packaged in a number of locking tongue and groove planks that can be clicked into one another. A Separate pad offers improved moisture and sound reduction properties. It is vital to keep laminates clean. Dirt and other particles may scratch the surface in high traffic areas. It’s also important to keep them dry, as sitting water or high moisture can warp or swell, though some brands come with water resistant coatings. Adhesive pads on the feet of furniture are also a good idea.

Beware of inferior laminate products, which can look less than convincing in their emulation of wood or stone and become separated (creating gaps between the planks).

It is also important to consider that LOW QUALITY laminate flooring is often made with formaldehyde and as such, air quality could be a concern due to the releases of volatile organic compounds. Some floors use a chemical process to reduce and neutralize such emissions. All of Carpet City Flooring Center’s laminates are CARB II compliant

After the sheets are pressed, they are cooled to ensure that they fully cure and to prevent any surface imperfections.

The sheets are then stacked and stored so that they can continue to acclimate, enhancing the stability of the boards.

Once the boards are fully acclimated, they are milled or cut into planks. Multiple profiling saws create the locking tongue and groove edges that enable the floor to lock together with one another.

The finished planks go through a quality inspection and are checked for color, texture, finish, size and correct interlocking capabilities. Once approved, they’re stacked, packaged and loaded onto trucks for distribution — and ultimately installed in homes across the world.

Come and see us at any one of our twelve Carpet City Flooring Center locations to see our wide selection of laminates and learn more about this great flooring option.