Laminate flooring is made by fusing a laminate layer to a piece of particle board or layered wood base which, once handled by flooring installers, will become a well-fit and beautiful flooring solution for any space.
How do they do it?
Laminate is created in factories where it is the distributed to suppliers and laminate flooring installers nation-wide.
The Laminate Paper
This material used for the back of the laminate is referred to as a craft paper which is sturdy and can stand up to being soaked without becoming soft or soggy and tearing too easily. The paper is soaked in phenol which sticks to it and is absorbed through the paper to stick it to the board. The paper is first dried by hot air to cure the resin so that the paper can be wound into an easily managed roll.
The Decorative Layer
The decorative layer is the layer that will show on the top of the floorboard. It can sport any design imaginable but printed textures, bright colours and imitation wood grain or granite are the most popular.
Solid colours are treated with a melamine resin to give them much needed durability for their life as a floorboard. The excess resin is squeezed off and the decorative paper is dried in an oven. Once the resin has been cured and dried in the oven it is cut into sheets. The sheets are not strong or easy to tear, but instead will snap under pressure.
When working with printed layers workers cut the sheet of craft paper and decorative layers to size with an overlay to adhere them to one another. The solid colours do not need the layer of saturated craft paper because they have already undergone this process on their own.
In the press room each decorative layer is stacked with craft paper before being pressed together with heat to bond them in order to create laminate sheets (separated by a textured plate to add a texture to the sheets and to keep them from all sticking together).
The excess is trimmed from the edges and the back of the sheets is sanded to allow the adhesive to stick it more securely to the particle board.
Where Can I Get My Laminate Flooring?
A professional laminate flooring installation service is the best place to get your comprehensive flooring solution. This way you will be supplied with laminate which flooring installers will lay for you. Get a quote from our quality laminate installers and let your home or business boast a whole new polished look!
