Laminate flooring first came to the United States from Sweden in late 1992. The Pergo company entered into an exclusive arrangement with Carpet One for a period of two years so it was actually Carpet One that introduce laminate flooring to America. The concept was so well received that almost overnight, numerous other European laminate manufacturers began pouring in to our market. It was a product whose time had come. For a few years, American manufacturers laid back to see if laminate floors were just a flash in the pan. They were not. Rather than lose market share, American manufacturers contracted with European manufacturers to make laminate floors for them until they could build their own plants.

Today, most of the laminate sold in the U.S. is made here by American manufacturers. American consumers are more demanding and therefore American Laminate floors are superior in quality.

A laminate floor is essentially a “sandwich” that is made up of four parts. In the middle, there is a medium density core made up of wood fibers that are bonded together to make a strong board that has very low moisture absorption. A highly detailed photograph is applied to the core and a melamine wear layer covers the photograph. The melamine on laminate floors has a very special component in it. That component is aluminum oxide and it is aluminum oxide that makes the wear layer extremely durable and highly resistant to scratching. The fourth part of the “sandwich” is something that American manufacturers added...  a bottom layer of melamine. Many of the European manufacturers use a moisture resistant paper on the bottom and often times, a slight “curl” could be seen in the planks. Using melamine did two things. It balanced the melamine on the top thereby minimizing the curl. It also provided an impervious layer to keep any moisture from entering the laminate floor from the bottom.

Price

A natural question is, “If laminate floors are so simple, why do I see them advertised for as low as 99¢ and as high a $5.99?” Let’s look at the low end first. The big box stores such as Home Depot, Lowes, Costco, etc. saw laminate floors as a great “do it yourself” product. They pushed manufacturers to produce “down and dirty” products. These products, while they will look good when they are first put down, have less expensive cores and thinner melamine wear layers. There are no bells and whistles so to speak. Quality Laminate Floors are going to begin at approximately $2.49 per square foot. The better floors have a superior core, many of which are specially treated to help inhibit moisture absorption.

Most have waxed edges and superior snap and lock mechanisms. The big difference is in the melamine wear layer. Naturally it is heavier on the quality products but it is what manufacturers have been able to do with it that increases the price. On the lower side of the quality products, the wear layer is heavier but relatively flat. Some are textured in register with the graining of the hardwood or stone so that not only do the laminate floors look like real hardwood or stone, but feel like it as well. Others create a hand scraped look that is so realistic, you can hardly tell it from hand scraped hardwood placed side by side. And…a new look the industry is calling “piano finish” is a rich high gloss laminate floor.

Advantages

If you want to look the a rich hardwood floor or ceramic or natural stone at less cost, a laminate floor may be exactly what you need. If durability and scratch resistance is a top priority, a laminate floor may be exactly what you need. If installing the floor yourself is important, a laminate floor may be perfect for you.

Understand that often times a quality laminate product is as expensive, or even more expensive than the product it looks like...  hardwood, ceramic or stone, but usually the installation is substantially less.

Floating Floors

All laminate floors are installed using the floating floor method. That means that the flooring product is not attached to the subfloor using glue, nails or staples. The planks or tiles are attached to one another using a snap and lock system or glue (most laminate floors today are snap and lock) making the floor monolithic. The floor rests on a cushion about 1/8” off the subfloor. Since the floor is monolithic, it expands and contracts as a unit. It does not possess the space between the boards, planks, or panels to absorb the expansion so it is critical that adequate space is left around the perimeter of the floor to allow for this expansion. This space is hidden by the use of shoe molding. It is important that no nails are driven through a floating floor and that nothing restricts its ability to move.

Properly installed, a floating floor will give years and years of trouble free service. Its only disadvantage is that it can be noisier to walk on than floors that a secured to the subfloor. This noise can be greatly minimized by the use of a good quality sound reducing cushion.

Protecting your investment

With a little care, your laminate floor can give you years of enjoyment.

Following this list of “Do’s” and “Don’t’s” will go a long way to insuring that.

DO:

• Vacuum or Sweep daily to remove surface soil that can cause scratching when you walk on it.
• Remove spills quickly using a soft cloth
• Use Floor Protectors with felt pads on your chairs and tables. Change pads frequently because they collect grit and act like sandpaper to your laminate floor.
• Use plywood or masonite sheets to move appliances and heavy items over a laminate floor.
• Remove spiked or stiletto high heels before walking on laminate floors. The pressure per square inch is so great from these, they can indent steel.
• Use walk off mats at outside doors to collect soil and grit
• Clean and protect your laminate floors regularly with the appropriate Resista Floor Care Products

DON’T:

• Use an excessive amount of water on a laminate floor. A slightly damp sponge mop is acceptable but Resista Floor Care Products specifically formulated for laminate floors are better.
• Use a Swifter Wet Jet or steamers on your laminate floor.
• Lean back on a chair. It greatly increases the pressure and may result in an indentation or the breaking of the snap & lock joint.
• Use any of the following items on your laminate floor…
  • Oil Soap
  • Paste Wax
  • Cleaners that contain:
    • Lemon Oil
    • Tung Oil
    • Ammonia
    • Detergents
    • Bleach
    • Abrasives
    • Acids such as vinegar
    • These can dull the finish and permanently damage your floor.

Our Brands of Laminate Floors

Carpet One Laminate Warranties

120 day beautiful guarantee 50 year wear warranty 50 year fade warranty 50 year stain warranty 50 year water warranty Life of the floor installation warranty	90 day beautiful guarantee 30 year wear warranty 30 year fade warranty 30 year stain warranty 30 year water warranty Life of the floor installation warranty
60 day beautiful guarantee 25 year wear warranty 25 year fade warranty 25 year stain warranty 25 year water warranty Life of the floor installation warranty	30 day customer satisfaction (materials replacement) 15 year wear warranty 15 year fade warranty 15 year stain warranty 15 year water warranty Life of the floor installation warranty
15 day customer satisfaction (materials replacement) 10 year wear warranty 10 year fade warranty 10 year stain warranty Life of the floor installation warranty