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If you want to change the look of your home and give your floors an interesting twist, you should get laminate floors. This flooring renders the look and feel of wood or stone or tiles, as per your choice. Laminated paper is a composite sheet material consisting of layers of paper impregnated with thermosetting resins and combined under pressure. Paper Laminates having an outer decorative layer are called decorative paper laminate. These can be manufactured by both high and low pressure, and the methods are not very different from each other, except for the pressure applied during the pressing process.
Constituents of Laminate Floors:
In order to create lamination papers, sheets of paper are glued together under the influence of high pressure and temperature of the following layers:
The Top Protective Layer - This is an overlay. A bleached, unpainted transparent paper is used to increase wear resistance and heat resistance
Decorative Layer - This is bleached and colored paper, impregnated with thermosetting melamine resin;
The Main Layer Forming the Thickness - This involves a craft paper with a high absorbency of resin impregnated with phenol-formaldehyde resin.
How are laminate floors created?
Craft paper, decorative paper, and overlay are impregnated with polymer resins and then dried. Dry paper is cut into sheets of the desired size or wound into a roll. The paper layers thus processed are collected and fed to the press in the following order: craft paper, decorative paper, overlay. In the production of self-supporting plastic, from 2 mm to 20 mm thick, the inner part, consisting of several layers of craft paper, is placed between sheets of decorative paper, which form a two-sided decorative coating, and which can either have a protective (overlay) coating or not.
Decorative plastic can be produced by two technologies: periodic pressing and continuous pressing.
Periodic Pressing: With the technology of periodic pressing, sheets are loaded into a batch press and are exposed to temperatures ≥120 ° С. This causes the resins to melt, which, under a pressure of ≥ 5 MPa, fill the pores between the fibers of the paper, glue the sheets together and cure to form monolithic sheets.
Continuous Pressing: In the continuous method of pressing, sheets are loaded into a double-belt continuous press, where the pressure is from 3 MPa to 7 MPa, also the temperature is from 150 ° C to 170 ° C. When using the continuous method, it is possible to obtain a thinner plastic, which is more difficult to achieve in the production by the clock method.
Advantages of Laminate Flooring:
Durability: This type of flooring is quite durable and can last for many years. The resin coating and sturdy superficial layers provide sturdy protection.
Cost-effective: Laminate floors are comparatively cheaper than hardwood flooring and other traditional variants. Simultaneously, they give an aesthetic look to your house.
Variety of Designs: You can choose from numerous color and design options. You can even get custom made designs. The finishes come in either wood, tile or stone. You can choose one from any color, thickness or plank style.
Easy Installation and Maintenance: It is extremely easy to maintain and clean this type of flooring. Installing them is very easy as well. The superficial layer is water and scratch resistant, enabling you to clean easily.
Better Health: Unlike carpets, this type of flooring does not trap dirt or dust. Thus, the air quality of your home will be excellent.
Popular Types of Laminate Flooring:
Glue Less Type: This variant does not need glue to be installed. Different planks just need to be connected with each other.
Wood Flooring: These look exactly like natural wood and can add a lot of elegance to your home. You can find numerous wood species options.
Stone Variant: This replicates the look and feel of stone tiles. They are extremely beautiful and come in numerous designs and patterns.
If you want your house to grab eyeballs and that too at an affordable price, then laminate floors are your ultimate choice.