Laminates will be leading the curve in 2017 and here are the reasons why:
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Environmental and health benefits
Green credentials
Laminates recycle pulp that would otherwise go for burning or landfill. It’s a cheap material that does not impact on rainforests. It contains less pollutant chemicals than vinyl, and if taken up, it can still be reused or recycled. As government commitment to environmental targets gains pace, laminate flooring will be an attractive option.
Anti-allergenic
Repellent dust free surfaces are a boon for allergy sufferers. The number of allergy sufferers is a rising trend and the search for solutions will carry laminates along with it.
Cost and choice of laminate flooring
Affordability
Laminate boards cost, and can be fitted, for so much less than timber, that they’re certain to be a preferred solution to worn floors. They simultaneously serve some of the purposes of floor coverings too such as appearance and bounce. Brexit and the devalued pound will affect their prices less than imported lumber because they can be made anywhere there’s wood pulp to recycle.
Creative choice
There’s now a huge range of exotic wood grains and stone textures available, some of which you can see here http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/laminate-flooring, yet the surface has hardly been scratched of what’s possible, as any image that can be created can be embedded into a laminate. In music we’ve seen natural sound supplemented by digitally textured tones and the same revolution is coming to building materials. Already people are mixing laminates to create abstract patterns or highlight special areas, using irregular widths in creative ways, and choosing extreme shades in preference to those that emulate ordinary wood.
Installation considerations
Underlays
The last government introduced regulations about noise insulation. A properly floated laminate floor with an inexpensive acoustic underlay can easily achieve these targets. Even if the floor is already down, it can be lifted, new underlay inserted, and put back. Underlays include composites, rubber and cork and they can often improve several things at once – noise suppression, bounce, warmth, imperfections in the sub-floor, and helping the laminate react to temperature change without distortion.
Wider longer quicker
In times of recession people find they’re working longer hours, this means less time for DIY. Laminates are lightweight, easy and quick to install, and a developing trend toward wider and longer boards will make fitting even quicker.
Summary
This article sets out reasons laminate flooring will be popular in 2017. It covers its lower environmental impact compared with materials like vinyl, its dust-free surfaces for allergy sufferers, its lower cost than timber, the wide range of decorative designs now available, how acoustic underlays cut noise, and how wider, longer boards make fitting quicker.
Questions this article raises
- How does laminate flooring’s environmental impact compare over its full lifespan?
- Which underlay type gives the best noise reduction for a flat?
- How long does laminate flooring typically last before it needs replacing?
