How to Choose Laminate for Your Arlington, TX, Home

Selecting Laminate

Benefits of Choosing Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a popular choice amongst Dallas/Fort Worth home and business owners because of its many advantages. With laminate flooring, you can get the look and feel of other more expensive flooring choices for a fraction of the cost. For example, with the use of photography and advanced embossing techniques, laminate can be manufactured to resemble expensive stone flooring, exotic hardwoods, and domestic hardwoods with both a realistic appearance and texture. 

Laminate floors are inexpensive, durable, and easily maintained. They can withstand plenty of use, making them a viable choice for almost any room in the home regardless of its activity level. However, it is important to note that laminate is sensitive to excess moisture, so it may not be recommended for outdoor spaces or bathrooms. 

Laminate flooring is typically floated over your existing floor, which means there won’t be any nails, staples or glue involved in the installation process. Laminate simply clicks together in place, making installation simple and easy. Contact Hiltons Flooring or visit our Arlington, TX showroom if you have any questions about this type of flooring.

Anatomy of Laminate Flooring

  • Wear Layer – The wear layer is the outermost layer of laminate flooring. It is infused with aluminum oxide for protection and easy cleaning. 
  • Image Design Layer – Beneath the wear layer is the image-design layer, which contains a photographic image of the desired design, which may be wood, stone or some other style. 
  • Inner Core Layer – The inner layer of laminate is composed of high-density fiberboard. This layer gives laminate flooring its strength and durability. 
  • Backing Layer – Made of resin-saturated paper, this layer is found at the very back of laminate flooring. The backing layer is designed to prevent warping by providing a protective barrier against moisture. 

Laminate’s underlayment may come already attached, or it may be purchased separately. Ask one of our flooring experts if you need to purchase underlayment for your new laminate floor. 

Laminate Appearances

Laminate flooring can be designed to mimic the appearance of nearly any type of flooring. Two of the most common design choices are hardwood and stone. Regardless of the style, you can be sure that the laminate you choose will be more affordable and easier to maintain than the flooring it is designed to resemble. 

Hardwood

When laminate is designed to resemble hardwood, it will usually come in the form of long planks, tailored narrow planks or wide planks. A variety of different finishes — including oil finishes, antique finishes, and hand-scraped finishes — are available to fit the design aesthetic of different customers. Whether you are looking for a casual appearance or a high-end look, you can find a wood laminate to meet your needs. 

Stone

When laminate is manufactured to resemble stone and tile, the same type of embossing is used to create the desired appearance. Whether you are interested in laminate that looks like stone, porcelain tile or ceramic tile, you can find the perfect option. 

Hiltons flooring is now proud to carry Wilsonart Thinscape and Wetwall products as well. Contact Hiltons Flooring to learn more. If you’d like help choosing laminate for your Dallas/Fort Worth home or business, our staff in Arlington is here for you.