waterproof laminated flooring Archives

Laminate flooring. Environment & Ecology

Laminate – the floor with a good ecological profile

Laminate flooring consist of wood mostly. Wood is one of our planet’s sustainable and renewable raw materials, making laminate flooring a product, which is light on resources and even recyclable. And that’s not all. Laminate flooring has a firm, sealed surface which ensures that dust and dirt simply cannot penetrate. That is why they are completely hygienic, easy-care and particularly good for allergy sufferers.

Ecologically produced
Laminate is ecologically produced without any addition of pesticides, organic chlorine compounds or hazardous heavy metals. Thanks to advanced production techniques, laminate flooring has all the positive environmental impact of wood products. But laminate offers more, because thinning material from forests and wood waste from the sawmill industry can be used to manufacture the wood fibreboard, which lessens the environmental impact even further.

The sustainable origin of the raw wood materials used is verified by recognized seals of approval, which also guarantee that – for the protection of human health and of the environment – all product components comply with the strict European Union Chemicals Regulation (REACH).

Protecting the future – respecting nature.
Laminate floors are mostly made of wood fibres and also wood pulp, in other words paper. As wood is a sustainable and renewable resource, laminate flooring is by all means an ecologically low-impact product.

Monitored production
Laminate flooring is manufactured in modern production facilities that are subject to emissions and environmental standards and in many cases have their own energy and heating cycles. As a result, laminate flooring has all the positive environmental impact of wood materials.

Environmental approach
The wood used to make laminate floors comes mainly from domestic and sustainably managed forests. This means there is no environmental damage caused by importing timber from all over the world. The production process uses not only logs but also wood waste from the sawmill industry, so to some extent laminate floors are already a recycled product.

What about formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is found naturally in wood and is also found in melamine resin, so laminate floors as any other product made of solid wood do contain formaldehyde. But there is no risk to health, because the formaldehyde in the melamine resin is permanently locked into the resin structure during hardening so it cannot be released into the air.

Same values as measured from wood in natural state
Numerous documented measurements of laminate flooring have yielded emission values that correspond to the formaldehyde emissions limit for wood in its natural state, which are far below the legally defined limits. In other words, laminate floors do not pollute the air inside a building with odorous or harmful substances any more than ordinary wood.

EPDs attest excellent life cycle assessment
One of the impressive features of laminate flooring is its excellent life cycle assessment with extremely positive values for primary energy consumption and global warming potential. It also excels when it comes to indoor air quality assessment. Proof of this can be seen in evidence-based EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations). EPDs provide a strong argument in favour of laminate floors for anyone looking to choose a new floor with environmental impact and sustainability in mind, whether for private or public/commercial use.

Already in 2009, the EPLF was one of the first groups in the flooring industry to prompt the development of special Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) and therefore paved the way towards increased transparency and product safety. And also Architects and designers already value tested environmental quality. Interior design products which have a positive environmental impact and can demonstrate this in specific EPD are now increasingly being used in the commercial construction .

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Flooring Trends

Check out some of the newest technologies and reclaimed materials that are becoming the hottest products in flooring.

The economy may be keeping a lid on spending, but when it comes to flooring, it’s driving trends. That’s because today’s cost-conscious consumer is more demanding of value than ever.

“There’s definitely been a shift from spending to savings,” says Chris Davis, the president and CEO of the World Floor Covering Association. “But that doesn’t mean consumers aren’t buying flooring: it means they’re looking for value and comfort. They might not be moving up right now, but they’re still into feathering the nest.”

Flooring manufacturers are getting the message. As a result, they’re keen on providing more bang for the buck — reining in high-end marketing and concentrating on products that are sensible, low-maintenance and easy on the budget.

That means bringing more innovation and variety to the perennial low-cost champs: resilient vinyl and carpeting.

This increasingly popular, low-cost and low-maintenance vinyl flooring comes in a variety of colors, styles, and textures. The luxury vinyl featured here is made to look like top-quality wood at a fraction of the cost.

Choices for resilient vinyl flooring include a spectrum of styles, colors, textures and patterns. Add in vinyl’s easy-to-clean characteristics, comfort under foot and family-friendly stain-resistance, and the result is increasing popularity with value-hungry shoppers.

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What to do if your child draws on your floor!

Kids might say the darndest things, but they also do the darndest things.

Case in point: drawing on your floors!

With nine nieces and nephews myself, trust me when I say that I’ve seen my fair share of little ones going wild with markers across the house.

In today’s post I want to show you that when your own prince or princess decides to go Picasso on your floors, all is not lost. There are easy ways to clean up their artistic endeavors, and it’ll differ depending on the type of floor you have.

Cleaning Stains off Floor Tiles

If your little one has decided to write you a love note on the kitchen floor, cleaning it up is a cinch. Simply grab a clean cloth, apply some diluted bleach to it and lay it over the stain. Let the cloth stay in place until it absorbs the marker off your tiles. Simple right!?

Bonus Tip: When cleaning tiled floors, opt for a chamois-type mop over your standard sponge mops. The latter tends to push water into the grout between your tiles and can make them harder to clean.

Cleaning Stains off Laminate Flooring

One of the best things about laminate is how easy it is to take care of day-to-day. It only needs a quick vac and damp mop to keep its lovely look intact. But if your little one has gone to town on it with a texta, the good news is that cleaning it up is just as simple. Just add a little vinegar to some water. Dampen a cloth with the solution, and apply a little elbow grease to the stain to lift it right off of your laminate. Too easy!

Cleaning Stains off Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Generally, texta or crayon stains from your lovely little artist are really easy to lift from Luxury Vinyl. Definitely steer clear of harsh cleaners here because they’ll do more damage than good. All you’ll need to wipe marker off the vinyl is some warm water and a little mild cleaner. Something like some dish-washing liquid will do the trick. The one thing you should ensure with Luxury Vinyl is that you don’t wet it too much. Also avoid harsh scrubbers like steel wool. A gentle approach on all fronts will work best!

Cleaning Stains off Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo is becoming a really popular flooring choice and with good reason; It’s eco-friendly and super durable! Not only is it easy to care for day-to-day, but cleaning up marker is a headache-free experience as well. To remove marker from bamboo flooring, simply make up a vinegar and water solution and apply a small amount to the floor. A spray bottle might be a good idea here to ensure you don’t dampen the bamboo too much. Spray a little onto the stain and use a cloth to lift it out. Ensure you dry the area immediately with a paper towel and you’re done!

Cleaning Stains off Carpet

It’ll depend on your carpet type, but in general cleaning marker stains out of carpet is also an easy task. Start by getting onto the stain right away. That’s the best way to ensure it comes out easily. Next, Dampen a cloth and blot, blot, blot. Avoid scrubbing the carpet as this can rub the stain in further. Instead, blot in a circular motion until the stain is lifted. Then dry with a paper towel. Keep in mind that every carpet type is different, so it’s wise to phone your local Choices Flooring store to get their advice on cleaning the specific carpet type you purchased.

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The Best Flooring for Flipping Houses

So you’re wanting to get into the house flipping game. Maybe a friend of yours has made money flipping houses, or maybe you’ve been watching a ton of reality television; whatever your reasons, you’re ready to test your eye for design and start flipping houses. However, what is the best flooring for flipping houses? Let’s get started!

What does “flipping houses” mean?

Hint: It’s not what happens in The Wizard of Oz. Flipping houses is when a person buys a house at (usually) an affordable as-is price and then, through remodeling, improves the overall house. The goal is to resell the property and have a high ROI, or Return on Investment.

Laminate:

Laminate is very popular among experienced house-flippers. One reason being it gives houses an expensive look without the expensive investment. Laminate can also come in a variety of looks, so the choice is yours (though we would recommend more neutral colors if flipping).

Laminate is a great choice if you have a lower budget but still want a good ROI when you sell.

Luxury Vinyl:

Related content –>2017 Vinyl Flooring Trends: 16 Hot New Ideas

Luxury vinyl flooring is the new flooring of choice for experienced flippers. While laminate is still popular for flipping, vinyl flooring has more perks at close to the same price. You can buy vinyl flooring in planks, tiles, or rolls, so you can control the look of your flip easily. Vinyl flooring also comes in a variety of finishes including wood look-alikes and natural stone.

Additionally, you can buy WPC vinyl flooring, which is 100% waterproof. This makes it a great choice for a continual flooring from living room to the kitchen. It can even be used in the bathroom!

Best yet: vinyl offers a great ROI.

Engineered Wood:

If you have the budget for it, engineered wood is great for a house flip. It has a high-end hardwood look because it is real wood! Engineered wood is constructed in layers to offer more durability and moisture resistance. These floors won’t have potential buyers daydreaming about ripping up your floors.

It is often more expensive than say, laminate, so it might be best to choose this for higher-value houses to make sure you earn a good ROI.

Hardwood:

Does your flip already have hardwood? Is there hardwood hidden underneath the carpet? If so, you struck a gold mine! Everyone wants hardwood in their home. If you have it already, even better. Your best bet would be the sand and refinish the hardwood to make it beautiful again.

If you don’t have hardwood, is it worth it to invest in it? Maybe.

Whether or not you want to buy hardwood for your house flip depends on the answers above. The truth is, hardwood will always raise the value of your flip and will make buyers more keen to make an offer; however, hardwood flooring is expensive.

If your budget doesn’t allow for it, or if hardwood floors are uncommon in the area you are flipping, it may not be worth the investment.

Carpet:

Carpet is a big no-no in the house flipping world. Adding carpet to a flipped house probably won’t increase your ROI. Truth is, not a lot of people want carpets in their houses anymore. Those buyers that are going to view your flip? Yeah, they’re just thinking about how much it will cost to rip-out your brand new carpet and replace it with something else. Pity.

However, replacing old carpet with new carpet is always better than leaving the old carpet in place. If you can’t afford to upgrade the flooring to something other than carpet, at least replace it and you’ll break even.

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Having THIS flooring inside your home can add THOUSANDS to your property’s value

ADDING value to your home can help when it comes to selling it, and having a certain type of flooring inside your property can do just that.

Installing new flooring across your home can increase your house’s worth, depending on what material you use.

Out of vinyl, carpet and wood flooring, which can add the most value to your property?

Discount Flooring Depot suggests the types of floor you should avoid, and which one you should invest in to up your property’s price.

The retailer suggests that low quality vinyls and laminates will drag your value down, and it seems most homes are leaning towards wooden floors rather than carpeted floors. The best floor to invest in is a wooden floor – which is better than carpet – as it provides “extra equity” in your home.

Plus, a high quality floor will last for much longer than a carpet, giving you life time value, as well as increasing house worth.

Hardwood flooring is ideal, as it’s a luxury that many people associate with money and class.

But if real wood flooring is out of your price range, you can get high quality laminates.

Top of the range laminate floors have realist V-Grooves to mimic the feel and appearance of a real board, and they have a wealth of grain variation and knots throughout, just as you’d expect from real wood.

When it comes to bathrooms or kitchens, hard wood flooring generally doesn’t go – but you don’t have to settle for vinyl.

You can get water resistant laminate, and it’s not that expensive.

Discount Flooring Depot’s Hydro Guard Range or laminate floors look like real wood, but without the problems that mixing real wood in a wet environment will often bring.The retailer says spending around £400 to £600 could increase your home’s value by £1,300.

The colour of your front door can also have a big impact on your home’s sale. So what shades should you go for, and which should you avoid?

Research carried out by Westbury Windows and Joinery’s found that white was the most popular colour for wood front doors or entrance doors in the UK.

Natural stained and/or varnished finishes were the second most popular choice with black in third place.

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