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Wood Flooring Versus Laminate FlooringAcacia1


Wooden flooring is also known as parquet. Between the finished parquet and laminate, there are hardly any differences at first sight. Laminate often looks like a wooden floor. The planks, from which the floors are joined, do not seem to differ. Both work with tongue and groove or click system. Because the manufacturers invest a little effort to get as close to the natural model as possible.

 

Real wood parquet or imitation:

However, despite this similarity, parquet and laminate differ in their composition: Multilayered parquet elements are often also referred to as prefabricated parquet because they are supplied with finished surface treatment. Prefabricated parquet is always a pure wood product. The running layer consists of solid wood. The underlying layers can also consist of plywood or wood materials.
On the decoration paper samples of wood, natural stone or tiles can be printed. If you like exotic woods such as bamboo, teak, and rosewood, you can do so without harming the tropical forest.

Parquet Flooring Advantages
Dark tones of exotic woods are in demand:

To get as close as possible to the natural model, fibres and pores are incorporated into the decor. As a result, the surface is no longer uniformly smooth but feels more like real wood. For the moment, consumers were asking for parquet, brushed or rough structures. Also popular are natural oils, matte varnishes, and oil-varnish combinations. In order to mimic the dark tones of exotic wood on parquet, domestic woods such as oak, ash, maple, and beech would be thermally treated.

Laminate is electrostatically charged:

Those who live on laminate can sometimes get a mop. Laminate is highly electrostatically charged in very dry air. In a test of laminate floors alone, the test winner had shown no electrifying side effects. For all other varieties, an electrostatic charge has been determined, which is safe for the health but can be very unpleasant.
The electrostatic charge can be avoided by a high humidity of about 50 percent or an antistatic laminate floor. Less is the risk of charging with wooden floors. Wood is also more natural and less footed.

Which floors are suitable for the bathroom?

Wooden flooring is more and more frequent in the bathroom. For the shower and toilet, hard wood types such as oak or walnut are suitable, which only slightly shrink or swell when wet. By showering or bathing the air is much more humid in the short term, but that does not harm the soil. As a rule of thumb, parquet can withstand a room temperature of up to 22 degrees and an air humidity of up to 70 percent. Only for wet areas such as the shower floor, parquet is not suitable.
Laminate is not suitable for the bathroom. When water enters the joints, the ground quickly becomes the bump. However, there are manufacturers who offer water-resistant PVC laminates. However, plastics are polluting the environment during production and disposal.

 

Real Wood is always present as a bearer:

Cork finished parquet, bamboo cork parquet and laminate are actually wood products. For here too, the thickest layer, the carrier layer, consists of a wood fiberboard. To ensure that it cannot warp, it is secured on the underside with a counter-pull. There can be differences only in the top running layer - it is made of cork, bamboo or melamine resin.
For cork prefabricated wood, the top layer must consist of at least 2.5 millimetres thick cork finishing. Only then the soil is able to spare the joints.

Laminate is a kind of decoration paper:

The top of laminate consists of a thin layer of water-based melamine resin, which is free from organic solvents. The transparent resin layer protects the underlying decorative paper with the pattern of woods, natural stone or tiles. Wood is still one of the most popular decors for laminate flooring. When properly maintained, a laminate floor will last for 15 years.
However, it is charged electrostatically at a low humidity of less than 40%. Many manufacturers, therefore, provide their products with a special protection. This reduces the generation of frictional electrification and thus protects against small electrical shock.

 

Price differences between parquet and laminate:

Finally, in the decision between prefabricated parquet and laminate often the price is the rash. Many people do not know whether a big investment in the current apartment is worthwhile or whether the taste of today is still the tomorrow. And often do not give the budget anymore.
Real Wood costs are slightly more than the artificial alternative. But a real wooden floor also lasts longer: after a few years, however, it should be sanded, re-oiled and sealed. It is popular because it is made of natural material wood, which has a positive effect on the room climate. The material absorbs moisture from the room air in high humidity and releases it when dry. Wood floors also do well on the feet, since they are considered to be elastic and warm.

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