Top Complaints About Laminate Flooring
Laminate floors are great, but they’re certainly not perfect. It would be difficult to find a flooring material that is. If you’re looking to make an informed decision about your next flooring material, you need to consider all aspects of laminate – information that can be difficult to obtain during a heavy sales pitch.
Doesn’t look like real wood
Laminate is not real wood, but is designed to reproduce the grain and texture of hardwood. Because it is a synthetic product, the laminate will not have the individuality of a natural hardwood, and the boards can be different in size and shape because the hardwood boards make the distinctive pattern.
Laminate floors are installed using interlocking pieces wider than individual hardwood planks. This means that the stitching is different in most cases. The grain of laminate flooring is artificially created, so it also lacks individuality. The grains tend to repeat over and over again as there are only a limited number of patterns printed on various laminate floor boards.
If the artificial nature of laminate flooring bothers you, you should research the high-end market for the material. At the top of the laminate spectrum, much more care is taken to create a look that matches not only the colors and grain of the hardwood, but also the feel and visual appeal. You may be surprised what manufacturers can do.
Splinters
Laminate is made up of many layers sealed together with the top layers that create the wood pattern and protective layer. Hardwood is a solid board with essentially the same material throughout, but laminate only has color in one part of the board. When something hits the laminate floor at the wrong angle or with some force, the battered part of the floor could chip.
When the laminate splinters, the top layers peel off leaving a small, often white hole behind. The lightest part, often white, are the exposed layers underneath the potion of color. If you have a darker laminate, this light part is highly visible. With hardwood, you could at least finish the area on time, but you can’t refinish the laminate.
Of course, to chip laminate, it must be quite rough on your floor, as this is an almost indestructible material. But when it happens, there are not many options available. You may be able to color the chip with a dark marker and let it go. Now if the chip is in the right area, a rug could completely hide it. Your last option would be to remove the affected board and replace it. If done carefully, this will completely remove the chip and leave no one wiser.
My back hurts
When you are used to the carpet cushion, any hard material, such as laminate, stone, tile, or hardwood, will give your back and legs a little more exercise. By installing one of these materials, you’ve effectively removed the half-inch of the cushioned carpet pad that used to be under your feet and put the product directly on the hard surface underneath.
Your floor will be beautiful, but it can be hard on your back, especially if your posture is bad. To help with back pain caused by the hard floor, try adding a cushion in a different way.
Wear home shoes: Instead of being barefoot, put on a pair of home shoes with rubber or thicker soles.
Stand up straight – slouching on any surface is sure to hurt your back, but hard surfaces make pain apparent more quickly. Stand up straight to help your back take the pressure.
Sit down: Instead of standing or walking around your house, set up comfortable chairs and stools so you can sit while you sort mail, jot down a shopping list, and all the myriad other small tasks that you normally do on your feet.