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Selecting Laminate

Selecting Laminate
Laminate flooring allows you to get the look and feel of domestic hardwood, rare exotic hardwood or expensive stone at a fraction of the cost. Laminate can visually replicate the look of natural products because of its highly detailed photography of the original material. The image is coupled with advanced embossing that adds realistic texture to the floor surface.

Laminate has become its’ own flooring category. It is affordable, extremely durable, and easy to maintain.  Due to laminate’s ability to withstand wear and tear, it can be used in virtually any room in your home and works great in high activity areas. Laminate does have sensitivity to excessive moisture so it is not recommended in a bathroom or for outdoor use.

What’s your look?
Laminate comes in a variety of species, tiles, and unique designs. Whatever your style, you will probably find something to your liking in this category.  In laminate wood, there are long planks or you can opt for the new, casual wide plank, or the tailored narrow plank. Finishes range from hand-scraped for the antique look or oil finishes for the high-end look.

If you’re into stone and tile, the same kind of embossing that goes into laminate wood decors is used to create fabulous ceramic and porcelain tile as well as stone installations. They come in the popular 16- inch formats or a variety of shapes and sizes.
Laminate flooring construction
Installing Laminate
Giving a room or your home a whole new look with laminate is very easy, extremely fast and not messy at all. Laminate is usually “floated” over the subfloor. That means it’s not glued, nailed, taped or stapled. After leaving a small fraction of an inch around the perimeter of the room, laminate clicks together in place with virtually no gaps between pieces.

Our Experts will work with you to insure a quality installation. Details like trim, transitions and moldings are best handled by your Abbey Installers. With years of experience, they can provide a quality installation that will give you the look you expect.
Abbey Tips!
The most important feature of laminate (and one that you can’t see!) is the underlayment. This is a cushiony material that absorbs sound, helps to keep the floating floor in place, and acts as a moisture barrier. The underlayment is purchased separately and put down like a carpet cushion. However, in some laminates, it comes pre-attached to each piece of laminate.
Some new underlayments now feature antimicrobial properties which help prevent mold from growing should the back get wet. We advise you to consider purchasing the best you can afford to get the most features and benefits. Your Abbey Expert can advise you on the appropriate underlayment for you.