Laminate flooring is made up of four different layers with the main element being the High-density wood fire (HDF) core. HDF is mainly produced from compressed wood fibers extracted out of wood chips.
HDF core varies in a few ways, depending on the floor’s quality: Thickness, Density, and Resistance to Moisture.
Laminate flooring with high moisture resistance can be a blessing for areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. It can also be greatly beneficial for homeowners with pets.
With a thick core board of HDF, you usually get a more robust and stronger floor.
Extra density in HDF provides increased protection against premature wear and chips.
Every uncut and large HDF sheet is finished off with stabilizing paper at the bottom part. This effective base provides added protection to the laminate flooring from moisture and saves it from swelling and wrapping.
Some of the cheaper laminates do not possess this quality.
Decorative Papers
The topside of the HDF floor panels is finished off with decorative papers. You can find different attractive decorative prints, patterns, and colors in these paper-based finishes. It is this decorative paper that gives the final pattern & color to your finished laminate flooring.
Wear Ratings
The clear laminate sheet is the surface layer of each and every laminate floor. It varies in strength and hence it is rated usually by Abrasion Class. These ratings range from one to six with the highest being the toughest surface which is generally used for commercial purposes.
Accreditation for laminates is awarded by EPLF which is an independent organization that tests the laminate floorings and gives industry-standard ratings.
Embossment
After each layer is constructed, the large piece of laminate flooring is then embossed to provide the extra slipping resistance and textured surface. In the top-rated laminate board, the embossed texture often follows the decorative paper pattern that is given underneath to give a more realistic feel and look to the floor.
The embossment, for example, can be like the lines of wood grain on decorative print at the bottom.
Now begins the stage of cutting. The finished, large HDF sheets are cut off to the required size. 1200mm long and 200mm wide is the common plank size. This is a regular size that an end-user can easily handle.
However, with the improved technology even the available size ranges have also increased. Wide and long planks with large tile effects are getting immensely popular these days.
Plank laminates are then machined to add click profile to the short and long end of the board. At this stage, a beveled edge is often added on the top side of the laminate flooring.
Packaging
Lastly, all planks are packed in cardboard boxes to keep them safe. These boxes are then sealed with breathable plastic wraps to provide moisture protection.
And now begins their final and the most important journey of getting to the end-users such as houses and even companies and offices.
Check out our fantastic range of includes solid wood, engineered, herringbone, vinyl, light-dark flooring, grey, white, walnut, and oak laminate flooring. Floors are made to the highest of specification and are put through rigorous quality controls both before they are shipped and received. Get in touch today!
