Laminate Flooring – A Practical Solution for Busy Lives It’s an arguably fast-paced world that we live in today, and not all of us have the luxury of time and money to spare addressing the upkeep of our own homes. When you think of flooring, that wide expanse of wood, tiles or plastic under our feet, its obligate maintenance seem like a hassle especially for those leading extra-hectic lives. But it doesn’t have to be.
Any hardwood flooring Hertfordshire expert will tell you that Laminate hardwood floors are an affordable and low-maintenance option for individuals or families who are hard-pressed to spare the time or money needed to ensure that the floors or carpets are kept clean and scuff mark-free. Cleaning laminate flooring is a simple matter of sweeping off the dirt then giving it a thorough but near-effortless mopping using a damp rag and/or a brushless vacuum. For particularly stubborn stains, you can use floor-cleaning solutions formulate for laminate floors. Ordinary acetone has also proven invaluable to removing waxy crayon streaks, scuff marks and paint. Aside from the welcome fact that laminate flooring is a breeze to maintain, you also benefit from its undeniably gorgeous appearance as well. The patterns used impressively imitate that of real wood, tiles, or even ceramic surfaces, and is protected by a layer of aluminum oxide that gives it its scratch-resistant properties and maintains its vibrant appearance. Thus, you can use laminate flooring for areas of high traffic such as hallways. However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t take extra measures to protect your floors by ensuring that your pets’ nails are properly trimmed and padding your furniture’s feet with soft felt. Positioning non-slip rugs near the main doors and reminding household members to wipe their shoes before they enter will go a long way in making sure your laminate flooring lasts. Another plus factor for laminate hardwood flooring is that it’s also easy to install, and can be applied onto almost every kind of subfloor possible, from concrete and vinyl to ceramic tiles, for as long as the surface is uniformly even, flat, and clean. Only minimal surface preparation is necessary before you can install laminate flooring. Self-avowed handymen may even be able to install it themselves, saving a lot on installation fees, with a little due diligence and hard work. As always, you need to do your research. If you have chosen you laminate floor, ideally personally, you can simple install it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. A little background help can be had beforehand by studying any of the numerous step-by-step video tutorials on how to install laminate flooring as well as browsing authoritative articles or expert blog post for handy tips or advice on its installation. Some brands are available as glue-less flooring where you assemble it using by snapping the tongues and grooves into place, while others require the use of an adhesive. Regardless of the installation technique, you have to make sure that you have the measurement right and have provisioned for any possible mishaps that may occur. Order a little more planks than you need because you never know whether you would need them once you’ve begun installing them. Also, this way you would have a ready supply that matches your original flooring should there be a need to replace damaged planks in the future. Don’t forget to ask your supplier, whether they be hardwood flooring in Hertfordshire or laminate specialists in Essex, for any pre-installation instructions such as allowing the planks to acclimatize for around 2 to 4 days prior to installation. For glue-less laminate flooring, you would expect the surface to essentially “float” over the subfloor. Like wooden floors, it can also contract and expand in response to moisture leading to warping that may ruin the overall image of your room or home. Consequently, it cannot be stressed enough that you carefully read the installation instructions and adhere to the expansion space guidelines for the measurement of the flooring, utilization of the proper spacers at correct intervals, and sealing the space using a caulking gun and glue. If possible, avoid its use in rooms where there is a greater risk for exposure to moisture, such as in the kitchen and bathrooms. Check other laminate flooring benefits at http://www.indigofloors.co.uk. Laminate flooring is easy to look at, easy on the pocket, easy to install, and easy to maintain. There’s also an abundance of types to choose from. Knowing that should make it an equally easy decision to use laminate flooring for your home and office needs. |