Laminate flooring sometimes gets a bad reputation for being tacky and cheap, but it doesn ' t have to be wood ' s ugly stepsister. This is an economical, more versatile option than wood, which offers the same level of warmth and class if used correctly.
FEATURES- INNOVATION AND ALTERNATIVE TECH
Laminate flooring is a more economical and versatile alternative to traditional wooden flooring. Image: Pixabay
Tacky or terrific? The virtues of laminate flooring
Laminate flooring sometimes gets a bad reputation for being tacky and cheap, but it doesn ' t have to be wood ' s ugly stepsister. This is an economical, more versatile option than wood, which offers the same level of warmth and class if used correctly.
By Kelly-Ann Prinsloo
When it comes to timber, there are many advocates of authentic materials. But wood products, particularly those used for aesthetic purposes rather than practical ones, can be expensive. And, for home and business owners out there who love the look and feel of wood flooring, but simply cannot afford it, laminate flooring is the next best thing.
There is, however, a misconception that laminate flooring is cheap or tacky. Gary Bothma, who works in distributor sales at Traviata, explains that this misconception is a real obstacle that laminate flooring manufacturers and suppliers face on a daily basis.
“ The influx of low-cost laminate imports is the main reason for this misconception. The cheaper products have to compromise on areas of manufacturing in order to make the product cheaper. The first area is board density; using less material to make the core of the board obviously reduces the price of the product. This will affect the dimensional stability of the board,( for expansion and contraction), as well as the ability to repel moisture. Another area where the cheaper laminate compromises is on the décor paper. By using lower resolution décors, you will save costs but the product loses its authentic wood look and it will look cheap and tacky.”
48 FEB / MARCH 2017 //