Laminate Floor Tiles

Background

Laminate floor tiles have now become a must in stock of any dealer of building material. This is not surprising, for ever since the invention was introduced in the market by Swedish company PERGO in the late seventies, laminate floor tiles have proved to be extremely popular, and it is difficult to find modern constructions where this product is not used.

Despite its composition from synthetic materials such as melamine resin, floors installed using laminate tiles give a natural finish, and convey an impression to the beholder of the floor being made from wood or natural stone. At the same time, these tiles have properties that make them more attractive to the end user than traditional flooring material.

Benefits of Laminate Floor Tiles

Some of the benefits that have caused sales of laminate floor tiles to completely overshadow other comparable flooring material are:

· Availability in diverse variety of styles, colors and patterns: Manufacturers across the world have thick catalogs that showcase the rich range of styles, colors and patterns available in laminate floor tiles. This diversity is just not available in other flooring choices. Depending on the décor of the room, you can choose from a mind-boggling range, and the floor does not remain a passive component of the interior, but enhances the look and feel of the place when these tiles are used.

· Ease of installation: The best aspect of these tiles is the ease with which they can be installed. Individuals with minimal installation expertise can go through the handy manuals that accompany a purchase, load the light-weight cartons on their vehicle, drive them home, and begin the installation on their own. This is facilitated by the "floating floor" technology which the tiles are based on.

· Coordinating trims and transitions: Thanks to the burgeoning demand for laminate floor tiles, accessories such as coordinating trim pieces and specialized mounting systems too have experienced advancement. Now, we have very stylish trims that adorn the perimeters of the walls where the tiles are installed, and they are almost invisible to the naked eye, and actually enhance the beauty and aesthetics of the room.

· Easy cleaning and maintenance: Wood floors, besides being expensive, require waxing, staining and oiling on a regular basis. They get dented easily, and are vulnerable to water. Not so the laminate floor tiles. Not only are laminate floor tiles available for areas such as the bathroom and kitchen, where ample water might be splashed on the floor, but also these tiles can survive for longer periods of time with minimal maintenance.

· Ruggedness and durability: Laminate floor tiles are known for their ruggedness and long-lasting prowess. While floors of other material may wither away in a fairly short period and require costly maintenance or outright replacement, laminate floor tiles simply go on and on. You will find their sheen intact even in high traffic areas such as corridors, foyers or main halls. The tiles are resistant to stains and indentation, and this makes them a darling of the cleaners in charge of the place.

Prerequisites of Installation

Before beginning the installation of laminate floor tiles, certain prerequisites must be adhered to, in order to capitalize on their properties:

· Acclimation: Before beginning to lay the tiles, the cartons containing the planks may be placed on the floor in the room where they are going to be finally installed. The cartons may be left as is for a period of at least two to three days (forty eight to ninety six hours). This helps the tiles to adjust to the room ambiance and weather conditions. After all, they are going to spend their life there! In fact, laminate tiles may be brought into the picture only after all other trades have finished their job in the room.

· Free space around the room perimeter: To prevent buckling of the tiles, it is recommended that a minimum of 2.5 inches of space be left around the perimeter of the room. You may choose from any number of moldings and transition pieces to cover this space later. These moldings may not be glued or nailed onto the floor, else their very purpose will be defeated.

· Door clearance: The bottoms of the doors may require trimming in order to accommodate the new material being laid on the floor.

· Cleaning of the sub floor: If the underlayment is made of wood, care must be taken to ensure that its moisture content is not more than 14%. In case of concrete substrate, the moisture content must meet the laminate tile manufacturer's specifications. The sub floor must be cleaned of all debris, so that the tiles can fit in properly.

Post-Installation Care

Laminate floor tiles do not need much care, apart from the regular cleaning and dusting. Sand particles may scratch the surface finish of the tiles, and so regular light dusting with a standard cotton dust mop, helps. This also implies that aggressive scrubbing machines must be avoided, for they might scratch the surface.

Though the tiles are water-resistant, it is best not to flood the floor and that too, for a long duration. Instead, as mentioned above, the head of the cotton dust mop may be taken off at regular intervals for cleaning in water, to be dried later. This simple procedure is enough for years of maintaining your floors.

When furniture is placed on laminate floor tiles, it is advisable to place adhesive felt pads beneath their feet, again to prevent scratching.

If you have to anchor fixtures and furniture to the floor, allow for sufficient space around any hole cut through the laminate tiles.

Similarly, it is advisable to not test the stamina of these tiles to wear and tear too much, and placing walk-off mats at strategic places in heavy traffic areas will give them much relief.

Final Word

Gone are the days when one had to compromise with one's vision of how one's house should look like, because of lack of the right technology. Laminate floor tiles come in so many designs and colors that there is some one piece out there that meets your exact requirements. And thanks to the rapid strides that technology has made, laminate floor tiles are not inexpensive, but also long lasting.