Laminate floors have gained a lot of popularity in the past few decades. They are versatile and flexible; make your home look beautiful enough to add value to it. Laminating home floors is also an inexpensive way to emulate the looks of the expensive flooring alternatives like hardwood, marble, ceramics, stone, etc. Both the looks and the feel of these costly alternatives can be imprinted onto laminated tiles, making them a replica of the same. This ability is one of the key factors contributing to the popularity of laminated floors.

Advantages Of Laminate Flooring

Of course, it also has other qualities that make it durable enough to last for several years. Some of the significant benefits are

• It is resistant to fading due to constant exposure to sunlight.
• They are affordable and simple to install and maintain.
• Laminated floors are also not vulnerable to stains, scratches, and impacts.
• They have better resistivity to water.
• Laminated floors provide a warm and soft feel underfoot.
• They are available in a diverse selection of colors and wood varieties.

Even with so many advantages, it is still quite easy to find ruined laminated floors in many houses. The users’ handling of laminated floors is more important than their quality, finish, and installation.

Practices Which Harm Laminated Floors

Some harmful practices that can ruin the laminated floors if not avoided are:

1. Standing Water

Although laminated floors are inherently resistant to water, excessive moisture can seep into the planks and tiles, causing damage. Long-term exposure to standing water on laminated floors intensifies this damage. The damage can lead to the wood swelling, which may cause irreversible harm, leaving homeowners with no option but to replace the floorboards.

2. Not Using The Correct Cleaners

There are many chemical cleaners available that promise to add an extra sheen to laminated floors and also come in beautiful packaging. But too much use of these cleaners tends to eat away at the top layer of the laminated planks and tiles, thereby damaging them. Therefore, it is crucial to follow the precise instructions on the bottles when using these chemical cleaners and soaps.

You can also use a laminate floor vacuum cleaner (The Homemakers Journal provides an excellent guide) to maintain your floor in optimal condition.

3. Vacuuming And Sweeping

Since dirt tends to damage laminated floors, most people opt for regular sweeping and vacuuming. However, this often leads to more harm than good, so it’s best to avoid it. Instead, it is always better to use a microfiber cloth for sweeping, and vacuuming should be done without using the brush roll-off present in the vacuum cleaner.

4. Improper First Row Installation

The first row of every flooring option installation is always the most crucial, irrespective of what the installation is.

• Being done by experts or being a DIY installation
• Tiles or planks are used in setting up the floor

Hence, this row should be installed with the utmost care and precision, and continuing with an improperly installed first row will result in the doom of the laminated floor.

5. Sharp And Heavy Objects

Sliding of furniture and sharp nails of pets, stilettos, etc. tend to damage the laminated floor by making scratches appear on the same.  While furniture helps to complement the settings of the room along with the laminated floor, placing it without the use of furniture pads results in the gouging and scuffing of the laminated floors.

These are points that can be avoided just by taking a few precautions. And once these precautions are in place, laminated floors give absolutely no trouble at all. They have the longevity of 15 to 25 years, and with proper use of the same, sometimes laminated floors can also be made to last for 30 years, at least.