What exactly is laminate flooring

Laminateisone of the most purchased and popular floor coverings ever. With its special coating, it convinces above all with a high load capacity and long life. And although laminate belongs to the cheaper floor coverings in the purchase, it can still convince with a very high quality and durability.

Laminate has a similar structure as a multilayer parquet. Only here the top wear layer is not wood but plastic. The core consists of a board of compressed wood fibers (MDF or HDF board), and under it is the so-called counter-move, which serves to stabilize. Often here is also an additional impact sound insulation. The decorative paper, lies above the wood fiber board and gives the laminate its individual look. Due to the high demand and popularity , laminate is available in many different designs. Whether in real wood look, tiles, cork, natural stone or multi-colored, there is something for every taste.

The top layer, also called the running layer, is made of durable melamine resin. It is extremely robust and hard-wearing and at the same timemakes the laminate so wonderfully easy to clean.

Theproduction of laminate is very complex and goes back to patented methods. Several pressed sheets of paper are impregnated with special resin and pressed together. The overlay is placed on top, with the decorative layer underneath.

Due to its low installation height , laminate is particularly suitable for renovating and modernizing various living spaces and is very easy to lay as a floating floor on almost any subfloor. By the way, experienced hobby craftsmen can be trusted with the installation. Thanks to the special click connection, the individual elements only need to be clicked together and awkward gluing can be completely dispensed with. In addition, an underlay can be laid for optimum insulation and a reduction in impact sound . However, for those who would like to save a step when laying, as already mentioned, we also offer laminate flooring with already integrated insulation.

Moreover, since not too long ago, laminate flooringis no longer only available for moisture-free rooms such as living rooms or children's rooms. Laminate is now also available for damp rooms such as the bathroom. And there is also new knowledge about laying laminate on underfloor heating systems. For a long time, laminate was considered unsuitable because of its good insulation properties, but nowadays the two can be combined . Laminates that are suitable for underfloor heating are specially marked and have a particularly low thermal resistance.

Also fortunate are owners of laminate floors, because the maintenance of this covering turns out to be very simple. Major maintenance work can be easily avoided by following small important basic rules in everyday life. Regular vacuuming and sweeping is the basis for cleaning, while damp wiping is sufficient for heavier soiling. Because laminate, unlike parquet, does not have a top layer of wood, it is important to protect it from scratches, even from sand and small stones. Special laminatecare products are recommended to keep laminate looking new after some time .

Laminate, like many other floor coverings, is divided and offered in different use classes, depending on the planned use and stress. The degree of stress on the so-called wear layer is classified by the use classes. Depending on the use of the laminate, the use classes 21/22/23 are recommended for private use and 31/32/33 for commercial use. Here, the second digit stands for the intensity of use, "1" for low, "2" for medium and "3" for high use.