Jaeckle Home Email: tjaeckle@jaecklewholesale.com
Core: The core is what gives laminate flooring its strength and impact resistance, and can be made from high or medium-density fiberboard, particle (chip) board, or polyurethane foam. Fiberboard and particle board are made from wood fibers that have been pressed together with moisture resistant glue under extremely high pressure. A core made from one of these two materials is thus very vulnerable to moisture. If moisture gets into the core, it will swell and require replacement of the entire board.
Wearlayer: The wearlayer usually consists of multiple layers of kraft paper (the same as used for making grocery bags) which has been impregnated with phenolic resins and pressed together under high heat and high pressure. This is the HPL (high pressure lamination) process, the first step of the CPL (continuous pressure lamination) process, the second being the attachment of the wearlayer and backer layer to the core. The bottom layer of kraft paper is imprinted with a photograph of the patter or design of the floor.
Backer: On the bottom is a backer layer, or balancing layer, which is also made from resin-impregnated kraft paper. This layer must be the same weight as the wearlayer to provide balance and stability. If the backer is lighter or heavier than the wearlayer, the boards will cup or bow after installation, and cannot be repaired.
After the above three layers have been created, the next step is putting them all together. Most brands have their layers glued together under extremely high pressure and temperature, the second step of the CPL process. However, some brands, such as Mannington, laminate the backer and wearlayer directly to the core using the DPL (direct pressure laminated) process. The DPL method virtually eliminates the possibility of delamination (separation of the layers) occurring as a result of penetration by moisture, mildew, or other substances.
As a final step, the individual boards are cut and configured with tongue and groove on all four sides. With Mannington, the edges are also sealed with urethane to provide additional protection against moisture.
Most laminate floors are floating floors, meaning that the individual boards are attached to each other but not to the subfloor. Installation requires that a solid bead of glue be placed along the top or bottom of the tongue, or in the groove (depending on the manufacturer) to form a water-resistant seal between the boards. It also requires an underlayment of thin foam cushioning and foil or plastic to further repel moisture and minimize subfloor irregularities.
Virtually all laminated flooring brands, with the exception of Formica, do not warrant their product against water damage. Thus it is often recommended that laminate floors not be used in high moisture areas, such as bathrooms. Also, most laminated floors are not recommended for or warranted for use in commercial applications. However, it should be noted that headway is being made and research conducted on both of these issues (water damage and commercial use), and we should soon begin to see the results of these efforts in new product offerings.