Laminate
Floors Offer Beauty, Durability
by: ARA Content
(ARA) - You might not give your floors much thought -- until it comes
time to replace them. Then you realize that there are many options out
there. For busy families whose floors need to stand up to kids and pets,
laminate flooring is an excellent choice.
Laminate flooring has been a fashionable option in Europe for more than
20 years, and it's rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. The
most common designs have a wood grain appearance; some are made to look
like stone or marble. Laminates are designed to look good for many years
with a minimum amount of maintenance.
Laminate flooring consists of four main components that are bonded together.
A wear resistant decorative surface made of resin-based melamine/aluminum
oxide is bonded to a moisture resistant wood composition-based core.
A balancing backing is bonded to the underside of the core. On the top
is a clear cap sheet of aluminum oxide, which provides the protection
and stain resistance. Since the resin-filled wear layer is so dense,
it becomes extremely difficult to stain, scratch or burn.
Ease of installation is one factor that contributes to the popularity
of laminate flooring. It uses a tongue and groove interlocking system,
which can be installed over the top of an existing substrate. Plywood,
concrete slab, sheet vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring or virtually any
other basically flat hard surface is a suitable base for laminate.
Most brands of laminate flooring require that the joints be glued with
specially formulated, water-resistant glue placed between the tongue
and grooves of every plank. However, Alloc, Inc., located in Racine,
Wis., has a patented glueless interlocking system that provides strong,
tight joints without messy glue or special tools.
Because installation is so simple, and because you can walk on your
new floor immediately (no waiting for glue to dry), beautifying your
home with new laminate flooring is truly a project you can do in a weekend. "Installing
a laminate floor, especially with our glueless system, is a lot easier
than people think," says company president Claes Wennerth.
No matter what your décor or your lifestyle, you can find a laminate
floor to fit your needs. Alloc's Home Flooring can be used in virtually
any area of your home, such as kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and
bathrooms.
Taking care of a laminate floor is even easier than installing it. To
keep your floor looking like new and avoid scratches, simply vacuum or
dust mop regularly to remove loose dirt or grit. Glides or cushioned
bottom protectors under chairs and table legs also help prevent possible
scratching, and floor mats at all outside doorways keep dirt from coming
inside.
Alloc Home Flooring is backed by a 25-year, five star plus warranty
which covers five areas: joint integrity, stain resistance, fade resistance,
wear resistance and water resistance.
To find an Alloc dealer in your area, or to get more information on
available patterns and installation procedures, call (877) DO-ALLOC or
visit the company's Web site, www.alloc.com. About The Author Courtesy
of ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com
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