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Laminate flooring is one of the
most durable and affordable
flooring options. Jim's Floor
Depot offers a wide selection of
designs ranging from beautiful
hardwood, ceramic tile and
slate.
At Jim's Floor Depot it's
all about you and your life
style. Let our design
consultants show you the newest
and most exciting addition to
laminate flooring. |
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LAMINATE 101 |
 Laminate floors are
constructed using layers
of several different
materials. The following
components make up the 4
laminate layers:
Overlay Layer
(Wear Layer):
The top layer of
laminate flooring
provides protection and
durability. It can be
made from many different
materials such as paper,
plastic, film, metal
foil, and so on.
Laminate overlay is
generally comprised of
melamine resin; a
plastic infused
throughout the
construction process to
increase durability and
moisture resistance.
Decorative
Layer: Refers
to the decorative layer
or high–resolution image
printed on the surface
that gives the floor its
appearance.
Core Layer:
The center of the panel
which provides its
structural durability.
The core is comprised of
Medium Density or High
Density Fiberboard (MDF
or HDF); material made
of very compact wood
fibers and resins. HDF
is strong and more
durable than MDF.
Backing Layer
(Balance Sheet):
The bottom layer of the
flooring that provides
stability and balance to
the product. It's also a
protective barrier
between the subfloor and
the laminate core.
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LAMINATE FLOOR TYPES |
Laminate floors come with cores
ranging from 6mm up to 12mm. A
thicker core is more stable,
less vulnerable to buckling and
will sound more like real
hardwood when walked on. Good
quality cores are treated with
water repellent chemicals, and
resist swelling due to excessive
moisture. This is very important
especially when considering
placing laminate wood flooring
in bathrooms and kitchen. For
these applications also consider
a floor that has Paraffin wax
impregnated joints. The Paraffin
wax acts as a water repellent
and will prevent topical water
spills from penetrating down to
the core. Also remember to
scrutinize the warranty, as
certain products are not covered
for use in bathrooms and
kitchens.
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Glueless Laminate
Flooring |
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Glueless laminate
flooring is the most common type
of installation. This type of
laminate has a locking mechanism
called "click and lock."
Glueless laminate is available
in a wide variety of colors,
designs, and imitation floor
prints such as wood, stone, tile
and bamboo. |
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Laminate Flooring with
Attached Underlay |
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This laminate floor
type comes with an attached
underlayment, usually foam or
cork, which can help reduce
sound transmission and/or
provide moisture protection. |
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Glued Laminate Flooring |
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In glued laminate flooring,
tongue–and–groove areas require
special formulated glue in order
to bond together. This is the
original form of laminate and is
rarely used in present–day
construction. |
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Pre–Glued Laminate
Flooring |
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Just as its name implies,
pre–glued laminate comes with
glue already applied to all of
the tongue–and–groove areas.
Just wet the planks (to activate
glue) and put them together.
With this type of installation,
a thin underlayment is typically
needed to prevent the glue from
sticking to the surface
(substrate) and reduce the
chance of moisture damage. |
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