Laminate flooring is one of the most popular types of flooring in the world today. In North America and Europe alike, it is widely used and can be found at least somewhere in the majority of homes. It is versatile enough to be used in all rooms, including rooms that can experience dramatic fluctuations of temperature and have high moisture content in the air like the bathroom, the kitchen and even the basement. Laminate wood flooring has a high number of advantages over other flooring types, including the fact that it is usually cheaper, but it has not always been that way.

Laminate wood flooring was not the first choice of flooring for homeowners up until 2001. It was originally a tile system that had to be glued to the floor, which could end up being extremely messy and very inconvenient as the room could not be used until the glue had set around 24 hours after laying. The cheaper nature of the material was appealing but these two factors unsurprisingly put people off. It did not matter that spillages would not cause any damage or that it was easy to clean. Instead, it only mattered that it was so difficult to install. However, that all changed in 2001.

2001 saw the introduction of the click system and has been synonymous with laminate flooring ever since. Instead of having to glue on the individual tiles, the click system made it possible for homeowners to lay their laminate floor within just a couple of hours without the need for adhesive. Better still, the whole family could walk on the flooring as soon as the final panel was installed!

The click system is basically where each panel is adjoined to the next one via clicking them into place. You lay one, click the next one onto it and then lay tat. You repeat this process until the entire floor is laid, thus making it an easy DIY job. Laminate flooring is now synonymous with the click system because many manufacturers tried the system out on laminate flooring and found it worked so well that they have continued to do it ever since. This has undoubtedly contributed to its popularity.

In truth, the click system revolutionized laminate flooring and made it what it is today. It has enabled companies to come up with more patterns, more looks and more colours, as well as given them the power to imitate wood flooring. This is cheaper and yet achieves the same effect, which means that it is likely to be onwards and upwards for laminate flooring!

One of the major fashions that has overtaken the property market in recent years is the addition of wooden flooring to the living space in place of outdated carpeting that did little for the feel of any room. It certainly helped in the home staging industry and so many homeowners adopted the wooden flooring for their own living spaces. A few years on and the trend shows no sign of abating, and with good reason.

Wood flooring is extremely desirable because it can help any homeowner to achieve a number of looks when decorating. Firstly, there is the traditional look, which is achieved by varnishing the wood to show all of its knots and imperfections. This actually gives it character and is reminiscent of years gone by, especially when it is used in a kitchen that features stone or wooden countertops and cupboards. Then there is the rich look, in which he wood is highly varnished and incredibly shiny! This kind of flooring can bring a warm glow to any living room and highlight furniture in warmer colours.

There are so many options when it comes to wooden flooring that you can literally tailor it to suit all of your wants and needs. The deep red-brown woods can make a room feel smaller but cosier, whereas lighter brown woods can make it appear more spacious and capture the light streaming through the windows. If all of this sounds appealing then you would only have to look at one of the rooms with wooden floors to fall in love with it as a decorative but practical feature that is resistant to the stresses and strains of the modern lifestyle.

Wooden floors are easier to keep clean than carpet ever was. Running a vacuum over it, or a brush, will remove all of the grime in no time and so it is much more hygienic! It also fits in well with the busy lifestyles that the majority of us lead these days! It takes no time to maintain at all and will withstand the test of time. It takes a number of years for any wear and tear to become apparent, which keeps the costs low and ensures that relaying the wood does not have to happen for many years to come!

Article Written by Factory Direct Flooring who specialise in all types of flooring including engineered wood flooring.