Installation & Care
Before installing laminate flooring, always thoroughly read and adhere to the installation instructions and maintenance guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Laminate is typically available in easy-to-use interlocking planks that click together securely, requiring no nails, grout, or adhesives. Laminate flooring installation is referred to as a “floating floor” because the laminate is not secured to the subfloor underneath. Installing laminate flooring often involves installing over existing flooring, as long as the subfloor is sound, level and has no moisture issues. Proper maintenance of laminate flooring requires regular cleaning with a dust mop, broom, or hard floor vacuum, which will help prevent abrasive dirt from scratching the floor's surface layer. You can also use a damp mop with water only. If you need a more thorough cleaning, you can use a solution of water with vinegar or a non-sudsing ammonia. Do not pour liquid directly on floor. Although most brands of laminate are either waterproof or have a moisture-resistant topcoat, it‘s still best to clean up spills quickly. Never use a steam cleaner on laminate floors. To help prevent scratches from daily activity, it’s a good idea to put protective felt pads under the legs of furniture.
Vinyl
With the many advancements in technology and appearance, today’s luxury vinyl flooring has emerged as a stylish and popular choice for homeowners. Designed to look like real wood or natural stone, durable vinyl is available in sheets, planks, and individual tiles, and comes in an array of colours, patterns, and widths. Vinyl is smooth and resilient plastic flooring made from a specialized blend of PVC, plasticizers, stabilizers, and vinyl resins, and boasts a unique waterproof backing that prevents mould and mildew. It is finished with a transparent topcoat for long-lasting durability. Vinyl is waterproof and highly resistant to scratches and dents and can be placed almost anywhere in your home—even bathrooms, powder rooms and kitchens!
Installation & Care
Before a vinyl flooring installation, always thoroughly read and adhere to the installation instructions and maintenance guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Some types of vinyl flooring are installed using a peel-and-stick method to adhere it to the subfloor underneath. But most luxury vinyl planks and tiles come with simple interlocking tongue-and-groove edges that are cut to easily fit together, and require no nails, grout, or adhesives. Vinyl flooring installation often involves the vinyl being laid directly on top of the existing floor. If the vinyl flooring installation is done correctly, luxury vinyl flooring is extremely water-resistant. Maintaining a vinyl floor requires frequent sweeping to prevent grit from being ground into the vinyl. You can also use a vacuum, as long as it does not have a rotary brush or beater bar, which can leave scratches. For a more thorough cleaning, you can use a gentle mixture of warm water and mild soap. High temperatures can damage vinyl, so if you use a steam mop, ensure that it’s set on a low-level of heat. To help prevent scratches from daily activity, it’s a good idea to put protective felt pads under the legs of furniture.
Engineered Timber
When it comes to wood flooring, engineered timber flooring can be a more affordable option than solid hardwood, while still offering the same elegant look and feel. Engineered timber flooring
is a durable multi-layered product that features a thin surface layer of real hardwood, pressed together and bonded with under-layers of high-quality plywood, fibreboard, or polymer composite. The finished product is an incredibly hard, durable, and long-lasting type of flooring that once installed, looks identical to solid hardwood. It is typically sold pre-finished, with a water-resistant or water-proof sealer applied to the top. Engineered timber flooring is available in a wide variety of wood grains, widths, and finishes, so you can easily find something that suits your style.
Installation & Care
Before timber floor installation, always thoroughly read and adhere to the installation instructions and maintenance guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Engineered Timber is fast and easy to install and can usually be placed directly over an existing floor, as long as the subfloor is sound, level, and free of moisture. Some engineered timber floors use interlocking planks that click together and stay in place and require no nails or adhesives. This type of timber floor installation
is referred to as a “floating floor” because the planks are not secured to the subfloor underneath. Some people feel comfortable undergoing a timber floor installation, but if you’re not sure, it’s best to have a professional do the job. Maintenance requires frequent cleaning with a broom or hard floor vacuum. A damp mop can be used if needed, as well as the appropriate wood cleaners. It’s best to clean up spills quickly, and not allow water to pool or sit on the floor. Do not use a wet vacuum or steam cleaner on engineered timber floors. To help prevent scratches from daily activity, it’s a good idea to put protective felt pads under the legs of furniture.
Hybrid
Hybrid or Rigid Core Flooring is the latest innovation in the flooring industry, promising major benefits over real wood, laminate or vinyl while being very reasonably priced. But what is it? In order to answer that question, we must first clarify the definitions and differences between Vinyl and Laminate.
You can be forgiven for getting these two products confused as it’s a common misunderstanding. In short, Vinyl is 100% plastic, so what it may lack in realism and warmth, it makes up for in high water resistance and low cost. Laminate is mostly wood, so it is thicker and warmer underfoot than Vinyl floors with only the top layer being a synthetic wood effect featuring varying degrees of realism and texture depending on price point. This more realistic texture and appearance comes with a higher price tag and lower water resistance compared with Vinyl.
Rigid Core or Hybrid flooring, as the name suggests, is a Hybrid of Laminate and Vinyl combining the best qualities of both to create the ultimate flooring solution. Products with an SPC core (Stone Plastic Composite) offer an extremely durable and realistic surface that is warm underfoot and 100% waterproof. There is another type of Hybrid floor with a WPC core (Wood Plastic Composite) which due to its construction cannot offer the same level of water resistance as SPC products.
Some Rigid core / Hybrid floors come with a built-in acoustic underlay that, when combined with their nominal thickness, are considerably better acoustically than vinyl and even some laminate products. The construction is also very DIY friendly as it’s easy to cut and install thanks in part to a click- fit system.
Some of the better Hybrid floor options also feature a registered embossed texture. This means the faux texture on the top of the plank follows the grain patterns in the wood effect layer, giving a very realistic finish that’s also hygienic and very easy to maintain.
Installation & Care
Before a hybrid flooring installation, always thoroughly read and adhere to the installation instructions and maintenance guidelines provided by the manufacturer. Hybrid or Rigid Core Flooring is fast and easy to install and can usually be placed directly over an existing floor, as long as the subfloor is sound, level, and free of moisture. Most Hybrid or Rigid Core floors use interlocking planks that click together and stay in place and require no nails or adhesives. Hybrid flooring installations can be referred to as a “floating floor” because the planks are not secured to the subfloor underneath. Some people feel comfortable installing Hybrid or Rigid Core floors, but if you’re not sure, it’s best to have a professional do the job. Maintenance requires frequent cleaning with a broom or hard floor vacuum. A damp mop can be used if needed, as well as the appropriate Hybrid or Rigid Core floor cleaners. It’s best to clean up spills quickly, and not allow water to pool or sit on the floor. To help prevent scratches from daily activity, it’s a good idea to put protective felt pads under the legs of furniture.
