Is It Real or 12mm Laminate?

With the advancing technology in constructing laminate flooring, the question of is it real hardwood or laminate is becoming harder to answer for guests in your home. When laminate flooring first became available in the 1980's, people complained of laminate flooring looking rather fake and plastic. Who wanted such a floor that didn't look real? The aesthetics of laminate flooring has improved dramatically. The early laminate planks were smooth with a picture-like quality of wood grain underneath the protective top layer, and all of the planks were a uniform size. This gave a plastic, false look to the flooring that many people would associate with looking cheap. Few wanted to ruin the sophisticated dcor of their home with a phony looking flooring. Today's laminate flooring planks come in varied widths and lengths with actual texture of wood, slate, or tile embossed on the surface. This makes the planks seem more realistic whether it's a wood or stone look. Even more up scaled homes have started using laminate flooring because of its improved look and texture making it look more realistic. 12mm laminate flooring has taken the improvements one step further.

12mm laminate flooring is almost impossible to detect from real hardwood. The planks are made of high-density fiberboard in a thickness that is twice that of traditional laminate flooring. This added thickness prevents the floor from flexing as you walk across it. Hardwood would never flex, so traditional laminate flooring could be detected right away once you put your weight on it. The other benefit of the double thickness is the sound of real wood. No longer do you hear the hollow sounds of your steps across a thin laminate floor when you buy 12mm laminate flooring.

Several companies have added 12mm laminate flooring their line of products. Some are more realistic looking than others, but they all have the added strength and durability with the added thickness.

WesthollowThis company offers micro beveling on all four sides of each plank to mimic the look of hardwood exactly. Westhollow has a finish that also imitates the finish of a prefinished solid hardwood rather than a matte finish often found on laminate floors. Compared to hardwood that usually lasts for 25 years after sandings, Westhollow's 12mm laminate flooring is said to last 25-50 years.

VectraVectra has textures that are hand-scraped and all four sides of each plank are beveled. They offer an interlocking installation without glue and a lifetime warranty. However, there are a limited number of colors to choose from.

Old Homestead FloorsThis company has some unique features to their 12mm laminate flooring. They offer they planks in random lengths so you can create patterns just like hardwood. With 16 different colors to choose from, these beveled planks are sure to fit your taste.

Several other companies also offer 12mm laminate flooring, so check with your retailer if you are interested in laminate flooring that not only looks real but sounds real, as well.

About The Author:
Alphonso has been working in the home remodeling industry for last 5 years. Take advantage of his experience and written material on flooring ideas at his website at http://www.improve-home.com

Tags:

Rating:

Comments

Your Name:
Email Address:
Title:	Is It Real or 12mm Laminate?
Author:	Alphonso Sirtle.
Message about this article:

Main Menu

Is It Real or 12mm Laminate?