Laminate flooring sometimes gets a bad reputation for being tacky and cheap , but it doesn ' t have to be wood ' s ugly stepsister . This is an economical , more versatile option than wood , which offers the same level of warmth and class if used correctly .
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Laminate flooring is a more economical and versatile alternative to traditional wooden flooring . Image : Pixabay
Tacky or terrific ? The virtues of laminate flooring
Laminate flooring sometimes gets a bad reputation for being tacky and cheap , but it doesn ' t have to be wood ' s ugly stepsister . This is an economical , more versatile option than wood , which offers the same level of warmth and class if used correctly .
By Kelly-Ann Prinsloo
When it comes to timber , there are many advocates of authentic materials . But wood products , particularly those used for aesthetic purposes rather than practical ones , can be expensive . And , for home and business owners out there who love the look and feel of wood flooring , but simply cannot afford it , laminate flooring is the next best thing .
There is , however , a misconception that laminate flooring is cheap or tacky . Gary Bothma , who works in distributor sales at Traviata , explains that this misconception is a real obstacle that laminate flooring manufacturers and suppliers face on a daily basis .
“ The influx of low-cost laminate imports is the main reason for this misconception . The cheaper products have to compromise on areas of manufacturing in order to make the product cheaper . The first area is board density ; using less material to make the core of the board obviously reduces the price of the product . This will affect the dimensional stability of the board , ( for expansion and contraction ), as well as the ability to repel moisture . Another area where the cheaper laminate compromises is on the décor paper . By using lower resolution décors , you will save costs but the product loses its authentic wood look and it will look cheap and tacky .”
48 FEB / MARCH 2017 //