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Laminate flooring is one of the most popular flooring options that people are turning to nowadays. Also known as Pergo flooring, after the name of its first manufacturer in the US, laminate flooring is a great alternative to real wood floors. While laminate flooring is not made out of wood ( it is generally composed of wood fiber, paper and resin), it looks just like wood and has therefore become the first option for  a lot of people who want to have a floor that looks like wood , but is cheaper, easier to maintain and more water resistant. If you also want to know whether you should go for a laminate floor for your house or not, then read on for more information on Pergo flooring:

How To Install Laminate Flooring?
Laminate flooring is one of the easiest to install flooring materials. These floors come in the form of a glue-less floating floor system, which means that you do not have to screw or stick the floor to the sub floor. Most laminate flooring manufacturers sell it in the form of planks that interlock with each other with a tongue and groove mechanism. If you are into do it yourself projects, then you might be able to handle a laminate flooring installation yourself. All manufacturers provide instructions on how to install laminate flooring from their companies. You can also find detailed tutorials on installing laminate flooring on the internet for free. However, it is advised that you take you this job only if you feel that you have enough time and skills to be able to do complete justice to the installation.

The main steps involved in installing laminate flooring are:

Prepare the sub floor—check that the sub floor is flat, if not then use a leveler and let it dry.

Installation of underlay —select and buy the right kind of underlay based on the kind of sub floor and laminate flooring that you are installing. Install underlay the way the manufacturer’s instruction details.

Laminate flooring installation—Install laminate planks using click and lock mechanism. Make sure that an expansion gap of ¼” is left on all four sides to ensure that flooring has space to expand and contract.

Finish the floor—Use floor trims to finish the floor. Gluing the quadrant gives a better finish than what you will get by nailing it.

What Are The Advantages Of Laminate Flooring?
There are many advantages associated with installing laminate flooring due to which it is an extremely popular choice among home owners looking for durable and stylish flooring options. Some of the main benefits of installing laminate flooring are:

Laminate flooring is a healthy flooring option. It does not trap dust, allergens and bacteria and is therefore a good choice for people who suffer from allergies or who are finicky about keeping their floors absolutely clean all the time.

Manufacturers of the best laminate flooring like Pergo provide a twenty five to thirty year warranty against wear and tear and other damage. Laminate flooring is extremely hardy and long lasting and is a very good option for homes with pets and kids.

Laminate floors are very easy to maintain. Laminate resists stains, moisture and fading. These floors hardly require much maintenance and continue to give you beautiful service with a little bit of sweeping, vacuuming and mopping.

The best quality of laminate flooring looks exactly the same as high quality hardwood flooring. However, laminates are generally much cheaper than hard woods. Unlike hard wood, they do not require regular refinishing either, saving you even more in the long run.

Laminate flooring is water resistant. As a result, it can be easily used in bathrooms and kitchens. They are also stain resistant, so one does not need to bother much about spills.

Laminate flooring can take a lot of wear and tear. It can last for ages even in high traffic areas like kitchens and corridors.

Floating laminate flooring is extremely easy to install. Most people can do it themselves and save on installation charges.

Laminate flooring is extremely versatile and comes in a variety of colors and designs to suit different types of budgets and decors. 

What Are The Disadvantages Of Laminate Flooring?

When it comes to the disadvantages of laminate flooring, then there really aren’t many. The main disadvantage of laminate flooring is that it is not real wood, but then you still manage to get a wood like look without the headache of maintaining and caring for a real hard wood floor. Some other cons associated with laminate flooring are:

Laminate flooring might create a lot of hollow sounds. This gets even worse if the foam underlayment is not of a good quality or when it is not installed properly. Some building associations do not allow laminate flooring due to this reason.

Laminate flooring is hard and cold underfoot, but then you wouldn’t be choosing laminates if all you wanted was carpet.

Laminate flooring tends to be very slippery. However, slip resistant models are also available in the market.

Unlike real hard wood flooring, laminate flooring does not really add to the value of your home when you sell it. To put it simply, it is not as good an investment as hard wood or engineered wood flooring which can considerably raise the resale value of your home. 

Laminate flooring cannot be re-sanded, re-stained and refinished like real wood floors. This means that if your laminate floor starts looking dull or if you want to change its color, then you will have to install a new one.

Even though laminate flooring is moisture resistant, it is not entirely water proof and is not a good option for high moisture areas where chances of water standing on the floor are high.

 

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