Tips for Cleaning Laminate Floors

Laminate flooring has caught on quickly due to the ease of installation, its durability and the ease of maintaining the product. These floors carry warranties for varying years based on brands. While laminate is known for its durability, there are a few simple tips you can follow to keep your floors in great condition:

• As with other types of flooring, sand, gravel and other small particles can cause surface scratches and dullness. Use caution when cleaning these particles from the floors. Try using a vacuum without a brush or beater bar to remove these particles from the floor.

• Avoid using abrasive cleaners or scrubbing pads because they will also scratch the surface of the floor.

• Avoid use of excessive water on laminate floors. While they are designed to be waterproof, wet mopping could cause additional damage.

The Demand for Laying Laminate Flooring Goes Through The Roof

Regardless of what field we work in, learning about the history of that field can be quite motivating. We realize that we not simply instructing teenagers, inputting data into a computer, or designing another assembly-line vehicle. Instead, we are continuing a tradition in whatever field we work in. By learning the history of our trade, we can further develop previous progress made in our area. For instance, by learning the history of laminate flooring, we can better understand today’s popularity of laying laminate flooring.

Starting In Sweden

Laminate flooring symbolizes the most noteworthy new type of flooring during the past quarter century. Laminate flooring’s birth began in the early 1980s, in Sweden. A new, quality decorative laminate was produced. This product was frequently used on tables, wall panelling and countertops, but not yet on floors. The problem was that before laying laminate flooring could be done, the product had to become stronger. Within time, laminate floorings that were ten times and then twenty times stronger than those for countertops, were created. Interestingly, homeowners lay 90% of Sweden’s laminate flooring!

The Perfect Flooring

The demand for laminate flooring increased for several reasons. Laying laminate flooring can be conducted directly atop the exiting floor, saving both installation costs and precious time. Installers supported this faster “floating floor” method, as it became much easer than “glue down” flooring, to install and remove. While laying laminate flooring, if the glue is installed properly, the laminate flooring becomes resistant to liquids on its surface and can directly withstand huge objects, such as refrigerators, placed atop it. Lastly, laminate flooring’s popularity also skyrocketed, due to the floor’s attractiveness. Unlike other materials, such as stone, wood, and marble, laminate flooring contains virtually a limitless number of possible designs.

Laminated flooring’s design, installation simplicity and sturdiness allowed it to spread throughout Europe. Currently, as the popularity of laminate flooring continues to expand, European legal standards are being created for laminate flooring.

Laminate Flooring Floors North Americans

Then in the early 1990s, the demand for laying laminate flooring exploded in North America, as its popularity spread from Europe. Soon, Canadian and American kitchens boasted of laminate flooring’s durability (it resists stains, fading, wear patterns, dents) and loveliness. Furthermore, laminate flooring was easy to clean, and required no stripping or waxing. Within time, North American companies decided that laying laminate flooring was not sufficient. They would also manufacture it!

Today, installers are busily laying laminate flooring in nearly every room of new homes. Furthermore, the housing industry continues to research new applications for laminate flooring.

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6 Steps to Purchasing Laminate Flooring

In order to select the laminate floor that's right for you, follow this 6-step selection process:

1. Consider design factors such as color, pattern, style and finish.

2. Consider functional factors such as traffic, sub flooring, grade of floor, temperature, humidity and budget.

3. Review available products that meet design and functional requirements and provide ease of installation, product quality and a good brand reputation.

4. Identify which appropriate products are NALFA certified for highest quality assurance by clicking here.

5. Select a NALFA certified product.

6. Purchase and install, either DIY or using professional installers

NALFA Certification Seal Helps You Choose a Quality Product

The NALFA Certification Seal is the recognized symbol of quality in the laminate flooring Industry and gives you assurance that you are purchasing laminate flooring products of the highest quality.

In order to earn the NALFA Certification Seal and the certification that it represents, a laminate flooring product must pass a rigorous and demanding series of tests designed to evaluate its performance, durability, strength, and overall quality. Products must also pass environmental requirements. Reputable manufacturers understand the value of the NALFA Certification Seal to the consumer, and aggressively seek NALFA certification for their products.

So if you're in the market for laminate flooring products that will maximize both sales and customer satisfaction, look for products that carry the NALFA Certification Seal on its packaging (above), and be assured that you are offering the best quality that the industry has to offer.

For a list of NALFA Certified Products, click here.