As with sheet vinyl floors, some of the new laminates really have the look of natural materials, particularly the textured products that give the floor dimension. The most common, basic laminate designs have a wood grain appearance. Some of the most popular laminates have rustic or historic wood grain patterns. If you’re curious about what are the best sellers, it’s the natural stone look-a-likes, particularly slate and tumbled tile varieties.
The quality of the laminate partially has to do with the photography and the number of photographs per style, which is known as "screens". Here’s an example for you. When manufacturers emulate a natural stone tile, they try to recreate the variation in colour, pattern and texture that is a result of cutting a natural product. The more screens a product has, the more variation it can offer. And the more “authentic” the laminate looks.
Like any floor, select the laminate colour to compliment the size of your room and the activities taking place in it. Remember that lighter colours will make a smaller room appear larger, while darker colours will absorb the light and create a more intimate setting. Choose a colour that either coordinates or contrasts with your cabinets and other furniture. Avoid matching everything to the same colour and style. Let your creativity guide you! And remember, contrasts can make your room more interesting.
Glueless laminate flooringNo mess, glueless installation makes these floors quick and easy-to-install. They come in a variety of ceramic and wood designs and colourations, as well as some manufacturers offer a real, hardwood veneer instead of a printed layer. It looks amazingly hardwood-like. These floors come in both planks and squares. A thin, plastic underlayment is needed to seal out moisture from below. (Remember, moisture is the enemy of your flooring.)
In fact, most laminate floors require a plastic underlay sheet (4 mil poly) be installed directly underneath the laminate planks or tiles. This helps the floor float freely over the subfloor. Another option is to add a vapor barrier or noise reduction underlay before installing the laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring with attached underlayThese floors come with several different types of tongue and grooved locking systems and an attached underlayment to reduce noise levels. That’s good to know.
Glued laminate flooring
These are the original laminate floors that do require a special formulated glue to be applied to the tongue and grooved areas for each plank. Once the glue is dried the planks are almost impossible to pull apart. These floors are offered in both planks and squares.
Pre-glued laminate flooringNo mess, because the glue is already applied to the tongue and grooves which makes these floors quick and easy-to-install. A thin, plastic underlayment is needed to seal out moisture and prevent the glue from sticking to the substrate.