Timber has been used as a building material for a very long time. It is versatile, long-lasting, and it looks great. Timber adds a warm look and feel to your space, while also offering you a timeless quality. A timber floor is the most popular choice for many people; however, it’s also one of the more expensive choices for flooring.
If you are on a tight budget, timber flooring might be out of your price range. However, there is less expensive alternative. If you want the look and feel of timber without the price tag, you need to consider laminate.
Laminate Options
Laminate’s name indicates that it consists of multiple layers, which are laminated into a single sheet, or board. There are many different kinds of laminate flooring, but the ones that mimic wood are the most popular. The floor mimics wood in appearance, through the use of a high quality printing process.
The textural image of authentic timber is printed directly onto the surface of the laminate. This is one of the most important reasons to choose a high-quality manufacturer. Choosing a high quality manufacturer means that you’ll get laminate that actually looks like real wood. If the image printed on the flooring is not high quality, it will not be very convincing as timber.
That is not the top layer of laminate, though. The top layer of the laminate should be a protective clear coat, which is applied over the image, to protect it from damage. The other layers below it provide the stability, and the stable feel of wood.
The Feel of Wood
The look of wood comes from a quality printed image. The feel of wood comes from the two base layers of the laminate. The bottom layer is the stabilising layer. The stabilising layer is often made of wood, and provides the stable base. Above that layer is a layer of material that typically provides flexibility to the laminate.
This flexible layer is just as important as the rigid layer. The flexible layer above it provides some of the softness that makes wood feel like wood. While the difference between wood and other materials in terms of hardness might be difficult to perceive, you can feel this difference when you walk across them. Wood has the slightest amount of give; that’s part of what makes it such a warm and inviting flooring choice. A good laminate can mimic that.
Choosing a Wood
Since laminate uses a printed image, you will have a lot of options from which you can choose. You’re not limited to what kinds of wood are available in your area. You can choose skinny planks, or wide planks, for your imaging.
Also, you can choose different types of wood, as well as different finishes. There are so many options. You should only buy laminate from a company that offers you a lot of different choices. This is a sign they’re a quality supplier.
While you might not have the budget for wood, there are a lot of options that can fit your budget and still look great.