Laminate flooring is an interior decoration material. It is a floor made of multiple layers of materials, usually including a wear-resistant layer, a decorative layer, a base layer, and a balancing layer.
Laminate flooring has a beautiful appearance, strong wear resistance, and is easy to install. Compared with wooden floors, it has a more advantageous price.
Laminate flooring is a type of flooring made of multiple materials. They usually contain the following material structures.
1. Wear-resistant layer: The top layer of the laminate flooring is the wear-resistant layer, which is made of transparent aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or similar wear-resistant materials. It has high wear resistance and can effectively prevent the floor surface from being scratched or worn.
2. Decorative layer: The decorative layer is located under the wear-resistant layer. It is usually paper or PVC film printed with wood grain or other decorative patterns. This layer determines the appearance of the floor.
3. Substrate layer: The substrate layer is the core part of the laminate flooring. It is usually made of high-density fiberboard (HDF) or (MDF) material and has high hardness and stability.
4. Balance layer: The balance layer is located at the bottom layer of the laminate flooring. It is used to prevent the floor from deformation and moisture. It is usually composed of moisture-proof paper or plastic film.
1. Compared with traditional solid wood floors, composite floors have more specifications and types, and richer surface textures.
2. The wear resistance and hardness of laminate flooring are very good. In addition, laminate flooring usually adopts a lock-type installation method, so it is very convenient to install. It does not require the use of glue and is more environmentally friendly and safe.
3. The advantages of laminate flooring are low maintenance costs and easy cleaning. When cleaning the floor daily, just wipe the surface with a wet mop. If there is oil on the floor, just scrub it with a mild detergent and the surface will be brand new.
4. Since the composite floor adopts a multi-layer structure, it has better flatness and stability.
1. Composite flooring cannot be repaired after being damaged, and the foot feel is relatively poor.
2. Secondly, composite flooring is made of a multi-layer structure, and glue is required during the production process, so it is not as environmentally friendly as solid wood flooring.
1. Wear revolutions
This is an important indicator to measure the quality of laminate flooring. Objectively speaking, the higher the wear revolutions, the longer the service life of the floor, but the wear resistance value is not the only criterion for measuring the service life of the floor.
Generally speaking, laminate flooring with a wear revolution of 10,000 revolutions is considered a high-quality product. Products with a wear revolution of less than 10,000 revolutions may show varying degrees of wear after 1 to 3 years of use.
2. Water absorption expansion rate
This index of composite flooring is qualified only if it is within 3%. Otherwise, the floor will deform when it comes into contact with water the humidity is high, or the sealing around it is not tight, affecting normal use.
3. Formaldehyde content
This indicator is an important criterion for measuring the quality of laminate flooring and should be taken seriously.
According to European standards, the formaldehyde content of every 100 grams of laminate flooring shall not exceed 9 mg. If it exceeds 9 mg, it is an unqualified product.
4. Floor thickness
The thickness of laminate flooring on the market is generally 6~12 mm. Generally speaking, the thicker the laminate flooring, the longer its service life.
5. Check the assembly effect
High-quality laminate flooring is assembled more tightly and neatly without any gaps.
6. Floor weight
The weight of the floor mainly depends on the density of its base material. The base material determines the stability of the floor, as well as various indicators such as impact resistance. Therefore, the better the base material and the higher the density, the heavier the floor.
7. Relevant certificates and inspection reports
When purchasing laminate flooring, you need to check whether the supplier has a complete inspection report.
Relevant certificates generally include a flooring certificate of origin, the European Laminated Flooring Association (EPLF) certificate, the ISO9001 international quality certification certificate, the ISO14001 international environmental certification certificate, and some other relevant quality certificates.
8. Environmental performance
We care more about the environmental performance of laminate flooring and the other performance of the product. You can ensure whether it is an environmentally friendly product by checking whether the floor has a green environmental certificate.
9. After-sales service
The installation of laminate flooring usually requires professionals to install it. Therefore, when purchasing laminate flooring, you need to ask the supplier whether to provide a complete installation guide to ensure that you can install it correctly in your project.
