Wooden Laminate Floor's Durability Explained

How is a Wooden Laminate Floor's Durability Rated?

A testament to the durability of a laminate floor is the Abrasion Class it is certified under. The Abrasion Class is more commonly referred to in the laminate flooring marketplace as the AC Rating. The AC Rating system was first created by the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (ELPF) but ultimately became the standard rating system for laminate flooring products worldwide. The AC Rating is a good gauge as to how well a laminate flooring product will perform in your residential or commercial setting, so it's a good idea when you're browsing through laminate floor options to know what the AC Rating for each is.

What are different types of AC Rating? 

Laminate flooring will receive an AC Rating based on their performance under a multitude of key stress points: staining, impact, heat, moisture, scratches and scuffs. How well a particular laminate floor performs under each test will determine its ultimate AC Rating. If a laminate floor should fail any of these durability tests, it automatically becomes uncertifiable and is then labeled as "unrated." If a laminate flooring product you're looking at is listed as being "unrated," it's safe to say that this particular floor isn't going to hold up well in any situation.

The AC rating levels are designated AC1 through AC5. Here’s what they mean:

• AC1: Moderate Residential
  Suitable for moderate residential use, including bedrooms and closets.
• AC2: General Residential
  Suitable for normal residential applications like living and dining rooms.
• AC3: Heavy Residential & Moderate Commercial
  Suitable for all residential applications, plus light commercial use, including hotel rooms and small offices.
• AC4: General Commercial
  Suitable for all residential plus general commercial applications, including offices, boutiques and cafes.
• AC5: Heavy Commercial
  Suitable for all residential applications plus heavy commercial applications, such as public buildings, department stores, etc.

Not all laminate flooring manufacturers go by these ratings, but most of the best ones do use the AC ratings.

Leaders Floors [About Us]

At Leaders Floors, we deliver top quality and customized solutions for Interior and Exterior Flooring Concepts. We have a wide range of products and designs to choose from, manufactured using best technology in the world. We have developed unique abilities with vast product knowledge and trade experience of offering right service and value for money to our clients.

Customer Care: 98710.71222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: Everything you need to know and more...

It's not just the walls that lend a first impression on interiors of a house or office, elegant flooring also makes a world of difference to the interior environment. Among the various flooring options available in market today wooden flooring is fast climbing the popularity ladder. Wooden flooring not only provides your room a distinct look but also a hygienic environment. It does not harbor dust mites or moulds, thus creating better air quality for home inhabitants.

Types of wooden floors 

Wooden flooring is a lifetime investment so the type you choose for your home or office should be selected with due care. There is not much of a variance in quality among the available products today except the difference in patterns. Basically there are three types of wooden flooring patterns, technically known as plain, parquet, plank and strip. These patterns could be simply described as plain, stripes and chequered pattern on wood. Rahul Bhagat of Leaders Floors explains, "Notion brand offers four types of wooden flooring namely, 1 Strip, 3 Strip, Multi Strip and Fine Line (brand names for patterns). The main difference in these four products is that of pattern."

Apart from pattern, colors differentiate type of wooden floors. Wooden floors are available in different wood (brown) shades. Darker shades are selected for high traffic areas to conceal the dust and other stains while lighter shades are preferred for making the room space look bigger.

Price and guarantee 

Wood floors add value to your room but it comes with a price tag. Price of wood floor ranges from Rs. 100 to Rs. 250 per square foot including fitting charges compared to Rs. 75 per square foot for normal tiles.

This means that if you're planning to get wooden flooring then it would cost you somewhere between Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 2,50,000 (per 1000 sq. ft.house). Although wood flooring is very popular, few people prefer to get their entire house covered by it. Mainly wooden flooring is done in bedrooms and living room for aesthetic appeal. Moreover it is even costlier than good quality tiles and marble. Expensive it may be, but the wooden flooring comes with guarantees unlike some other flooring products, from 15 years, 30 years and lifetime warranties.

Maintenance 

Maintenance of any product is equally important as its purchase. Caring for wooden floors is a little more than simple sweeping, mopping and vacuuming. Unlike other flooring, wooden floors in bedroom demands more precaution. Like mopping is the last thing which should be done on the wooden floor. Performing routine maintenance as recommended by manufacturer; which includes sweeping and vacuuming to remove dirt and grit, always increases life of the wood. Using wax or polish could harm the wood. However not following the instructions of the manufacturer could even void the guarantee. To increase the life of wood, cleaning should be done on regular basis in the area with more usage.

Where can wooden floors be installed? 

With the variety of patterns and colours available, wooden flooring can be installed in any room of an office or house, except the bathroom. Apart from homes and offices wooden floors are becoming popular even in hotels, restaurants and showrooms.

Some places are more appealing than others, whether it is a house, office, restaurant or a showroom. Flooring makes an evident difference in uplifting the aesthetics of your decor.



Leaders Floors [About Us]

At Leaders Floors, we deliver top quality and customized solutions for Interior and Exterior Flooring Concepts. We have a wide range of products and designs to choose from, manufactured using best technology in the world. We have developed unique abilities with vast product knowledge and trade experience of offering right service and value for money to our clients.

Customer Care: 98710.71222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: History of Flooring From across the World

Earthen Floor [since the beginning of time]

Hard-packed dirt, topped with thin layer of straw for warmth and comfort. In medieval times, almost all peasants housing had earthen floors. It was predominant in most houses until the mid-14th century in Europe.

Earthen floors have been developed and are now used as a part of a 'green building' movement. Linseed oil is used to seal the floor and protect it from wear and tear.

Where can you find it now...?
The Roman Amphitheater, London


Stone Floor [since the beginning of time]

Formed deep beneath the surface under intense heat and pressure. This heat and pressure created massive blocks of natural stones like marble, granite, limestone, slate and travertine used then and now as flooring.

Enormous blocks of limestone and granite were used to construct Step Pyramids in Egypt, the oldest remaining structures created entirely out of natural stones..

Where can you find it now...?
The Great Pyramid, Giza


Concrete Floor [created 5600 BC]

A mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement and water, which can be spread and poured into molds and forms a stone like mass on hardening.

The ancient Romans used a material that is remarkably close to modern cement to build many of their architectural marvels, such as Colosseum, Rome.

Where can you find it now...?
The Roman Pantheon, Rome


Carpet Floor [created 5000 BC]

A floor covering made of thick woven fabric. Carpets were primarily used to decorate walls or tables until Persian rugs became popular in Europe in the early 17th century.

A few hundred years later, the United States carpet industry came into being when William Sprague started the first woven carpet mill in Pennsylvania in 1971.

Where can you find it now...?
The Pazyryk Carpet


Ceramic Tiles [created 4000 BC]

A tile made from clay that has been permanently hardened by heat, often having a decorative glaze. The Romans introduced tile-making in Western Europe as they occupied territories. However, the art was eventually forgotten in Europe for centuries until the 12th century when Cistercian monks developed a method of making encaustic floor tiles with inlaid patterns for cathedral and church floors.

Tiles were not made again in Europe until almost the mid-19th century.

Where can you find it now...?
The Vatican, Rome


Hardwood Floor [created 1600 AD]

The wood from a broadleaved tree (such as oak, ash or beech) as distinguished from that of conifers. Hardwood got its start as unfinished planks supported by wooden joists over dirt or stone but developed style and elegance during the Baroque Era (1625-1714).

European parquet floors began to appear in the wealthiest American homes late in the Victorian era (1840-1910) when factories began mass-producing wood floors. The advent of tongue and groove construction in the Edwardian Era (1901-1914) allowed planks to be levelled before installation for a more polished, uniform look, and the look we are still familiar with today began to take shape.

Where can you find it now...?
The Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg


Linoleum/Vinyl Floor [created 1855 AD]

A material consisting of a canvas backing thickly coated with a preparation of linseed oil and powdered cork, used especially as a floor covering.

Linoleum or vinyl flooring had its heyday before World War II but is steadily mounting a comeback. Linoleum was invented by English Fredrick Walton. In 1855, Walton happened to notice the rubbery, flexible skin of solidified linseed oil (linoxyn) that had formed on a can of oil-based paint.

Where can you find it now...?
The Armstrong Pattern Book


Engineered Hardwood Floor [created 1960 AD]

A layered combination that combines a hardwood veneer and plywood substrates.

Engineered hardwood flooring started as 'wood carpeting' in 1903, involving wood strips glued onto heavy canvas. The flooring we now know began in 1960s, and was quickly considered more versatile than solid wood flooring.

Where can you find it now...?
Found in typical family homes


Laminate Flooring [created 1970 AD]

A Multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood (or sometimes stone) with a photographic applique layer under clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials.

Laminate flooring was invented in 1977 by the Swedish company Perstorp.

Where can you find it now...?
Found in budget conscious homes


Leaders Floors [About Us]

At Leaders Floors, we deliver top quality and customized solutions for Interior and Exterior Flooring Concepts. We have a wide range of products and designs to choose from, manufactured using best technology in the world. We have developed unique abilities with vast product knowledge and trade experience of offering right service and value for money to our clients.

Customer Care: 98710.71222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: How To Fix Dents in Wooden Floors

Many years ago a teacher told me that you could steam out a dent in a piece of wood (one where the wood fibers had been compressed, not a where they had been removed) using a wet rag and an iron.

This technique was meant for unfinished wood, but unfortunately, most of the wood we deal with in our homes has some sort of finish on it. With some research I learned that this technique can work with finished wood but it depends greatly on the type of finish you are dealing with. So I decided to do a couple of tests to see the results for myself.
NOTE: BE CAREFUL! SOME FINISHES MIGHT TURN WHITE WHEN EXPOSED TO STEAM. PLEASE TRY THIS IN A HIDDEN AREA BEFORE DOING IT IN A VISIBLE PLACE.
The first test was a on a birch table from IKEA. Although this technique works better on new dents I decided to try to steam out a dent that had been there for quite a long time.
Here is what I did:
1. Wet the dent
2. Apply a wet cloth or paper towel
3. With the iron on High apply the iron to the wet paper towel or cloth and make a circular motion, don't keep it in just one position as this might burn the surface of the towel. Make sure there is a lot of steam being generated. Do this for a few minutes and check your results. In my case I did this for about 3-5 minutes.

The dent came up almost completely and there was no damage to the finish!

My second test was on our hardwood floors. I found a dent that was pretty deep. I followed the same steps as above.

Although the dent came up, the surface of the finish had been broken and some dirt had gotten in side the cracks. If you know what type of finish you are dealing with you might want carefully sand the area and reapply the finish.

In the spirit of this experiment I tried sanding and got most of it out. Then I applied some Tung Oil that I had at home. It's probably not the same as the original finish but the area certainly looks better than before. Here is my result:

Has anyone else given this method a try? Have any other fixes to recommend? Please share your smarts in the comments...


woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Leaders Group was established in 2005 and specializes in Real Estate, Portable Buildings and Wooden Flooring. We provide end-to-end solutions for individual and corporate clients.
The company is professionally managed by experienced architects, engineers and marketing team.

Our motto is to build trust and one-to-one relations with our clients so as to make them part of a growing family of Leaders Group.

Customer Care: 9871071222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: www.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: 8 Advantages of 3-Ply Engineered Flooring

3-Ply Engineered Flooring is a popular alternative to solid wood flooring thanks to it’s superior stability and suitability to various environments.

This method of construction and installation makes the floor stronger and more durable than other types of wood flooring, including solid wood and multi-layer.

Together, this creates a floor that is extremely stable and able to keep its shape in sudden or extreme temperature changes, making it perfect for rooms with varying conditions.

Advantages of 3-ply engineered hardwood flooring for consumer’s:
- 3-Ply Engineered Hardwood Flooring is more suitable for basements, conservatories or rooms that may be humid or damp.
- 3-Ply Engineered Hardwood Flooring is suitable for under floor heating.
- Ply Engineered Hardwood Flooring comes in a large variety of textures, looks and finishes to suit more tastes and needs.
- Installation of 3 ply engineered wood flooring is easier and cheaper than solid wood floor.
- 3-Ply Engineered Flooring is real wood.Often solid wood flooring is referred to as real wood flooring giving the incorrect impression that engineered flooring is not real wood, engineered wood flooring is 100% real wood floor and it looks just as good as solid wood flooring.
- 3-Ply engineered hardwood floor will also last a lifetime, when needed, it can be sanded down and re-treated to look as good as new or have a new look altogether.

woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Leaders Group was established in 2005 and specializes in Real Estate, Portable Buildings and Wooden Flooring. We provide end-to-end solutions for individual and corporate clients.
The company is professionally managed by experienced architects, engineers and marketing team.

Our motto is to build trust and one-to-one relations with our clients so as to make them part of a growing family of Leaders Group.

Customer Care: 9871071222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: www.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: Prevention for Floor Scratches from Chairs

A simple preventive tip is to use floor protectors before putting their furniture on the floors.

Have the handyman cut the floor legs flush to the floor. This way, the floor protection pads tend to stay in place much longer.

Some contractors may disguise the scratches with repair kits, but keep in mind that any topical products applied to the floor voids the warranty on a pre-finished floor. So, the homeowner loses both ways: Scratches aren’t covered in the manufacturer’s warranty, and if homeowners apply anything to the floor to hide the scratches, they void their warranty

woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Leaders Group was established in 2005 and specializes in Real Estate, Portable Buildings and Wooden Flooring. We provide end-to-end solutions for individual and corporate clients.
The company is professionally managed by experienced architects, engineers and marketing team.

Our motto is to build trust and one-to-one relations with our clients so as to make them part of a growing family of Leaders Group.

Customer Care: 9871071222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: www.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: Why wooden flooring is used instead of carpets ?

Wooden flooring, particularly laminated wooden flooring can be used instead of carpets. Consumers who want alternative to carpets can opt for wooden flooring.

Clean Floors:
– It is easier to clean laminated wooden flooring when compared to carpets.

– If you spill your morning tea on a carpet you may need to get your carpet washed. But, you can simply use a wet cloth to get it cleaned when laminated wooden flooring is used.

Floor Cover:

When carpet is used to cover floor, carpets get folded like bed sheets. You need to pull the ends to fix it every few days. But, laminated wooden flooring, once installed, gets fixed to the floor. Therefore, the floor looks great even after days.

Durable:

Wooden laminated flooring can last for years with no change to look and feel. But, you can decide the look and feel for your carpets after a tea party.

Now, What will you prefer carpets or laminated wooden flooring ?
It is very easy to decide.

woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Leaders Group was established in 2005 and specializes in Real Estate, Portable Buildings and Wooden Flooring. We provide end-to-end solutions for individual and corporate clients.
The company is professionally managed by experienced architects, engineers and marketing team.

Our motto is to build trust and one-to-one relations with our clients so as to make them part of a growing family of Leaders Group.

Customer Care: 9871071222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: www.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: Deck Designs – Why demand for wood deck designs has increased ?

The demand for Wood Deck Designs, Deck Wood, Deck Tiles for Wood Deck, Deck Tiles Composite, Deck Tile Installation Systems and Deck Tile Flooring have recently become very high due to increase in demand from customers. The demand in deck wood design has also increased due to the factors that:

• Wood or timber “deck wood” can be used in a number of ways: as part of garden landscaping, to extend living areas of houses and as an alternative to stone based features.


• Decks are made from treated lumber, composite lumber, composite material, Aluminum, Western red cedar, teak, mahogany, ipe and other hardwoods and recycled planks made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polystyrene (PS) and PET plastic as well as mixed plastics and wood fiber (often called “composite” lumber).

woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Leaders Group was established in 2005 and specializes in Real Estate, Portable Buildings and Wooden Flooring. We provide end-to-end solutions for individual and corporate clients.
The company is professionally managed by experienced architects, engineers and marketing team.

Our motto is to build trust and one-to-one relations with our clients so as to make them part of a growing family of Leaders Group.

Customer Care: 9871071222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: www.leadersgroup.co.in

Wooden Flooring: 6 Reasons to Choose Wooden Flooring for Your Home

Most of the time use of Wooden Flooring for home & office space in India is over-looked by people thinking that it is more expensive than carpet and linoleum. However, wood flooring can benefit owners over the time by keeping it elegant and environment friendly over ages. Recently, there are a percentage of people who have opted for wood flooring in India for its beauty, variety, economy and longevity.

So why can you opt for Wooden Flooring?
You should consider wood floors for your house due to following 6 unique reasons :

1. Decades of Longevity – Wood floors have higher longevity when compared to carpets and linoleum. You must have observed that you need to replace your carpet every 5 years, due to stains; holes etc from everyday wear & tear. Luckily such problems are not attached with wood floors. With minimum of maintenance these floors remains as it is and flaunts the same beauty over the years.


2. Convenient for Cleaning – Wood floors are easier to clean. A simple brush or vacuum cleaning will make the floor looks great.  Dirt & dust dragged inside by kids and pets can be removed with ease in such floors.


3. Hygienic by Nature – Wood restricts allergen producing, dust mites, fleas to occupy the floor unlike in carpets which creates havoc for allergy sufferers. Leading health associations agree that wooden flooring is the perfect choice for a healthier home.


4. Odour at Bay – Apart from being hygiene these floors also keeps unpleasant odours from animals and other spilled materials at bay. The aroma of a polished wooden floor is a delight and will make your home more inviting.


5. Timeless Appeal – The most important advantages of hardwood floor that many people overlook is the timeless appeal. Tiles, carpet or linoleum definitely go in and out of fashion but wood’s appeal has lasted for centuries and now wood is more popular than ever.


6. Cost Effective – New production methods have made such luxurious flooring an easy catch to buy. There are different types of wood floors which can be produced cheaply making it available for all budgets.

Bottom line is that hardwood floors have vivid benefits when compared to other flooring options. You might feel that price is little higher than other forms but in long run this type of floor is most economical. If you care for your money, health & time then buying wooden floors for your house will be a best decision you will make for your house.

woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

Leaders Group was established in 2005 and specializes in Real Estate, Portable Buildings and Wooden Flooring. We provide end-to-end solutions for individual and corporate clients.
The company is professionally managed by experienced architects, engineers and marketing team.

Our motto is to build trust and one-to-one relations with our clients so as to make them part of a growing family of Leaders Group.

Customer Care: 9871071222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: www.leadersgroup.co.in