Flooring and Water
Waterproof laminate flooring
We have been talking about water issues and flooring. Hard surfaces that are made of wood are resistant to water to a point… A little water on the top will not hurt it, but if your dishwasher overflowed,
your wood floor could be saturated and damaged beyond repair! Wood will absorb moisture so that is why most wood products use a polyurethane to seal the wood top! The issues comes when a lot of water comes to the area and gets on the sides and bottom where there is no protective sealant! Below is a wood floor that has gotten wet and the edges are curling up.
Bathrooms are another area that wood products could be an issue if too much moisture gets to the wood! Many people have looked to a Laminate floor as a good option in these types of installations. The problem with laminate is that it is a wood core, and if moisture is soaked into it, the product will swell and many times I have seen the top layer separate from the base and bubble!
This is laminate that has been wet had the boards have warped pulling apart in all of the seams.
Many times the top layer will separate from the wood core when there has been too much moisture. It will look bubbled like the picture below.
Today, there is a 100% waterproof laminate floor that looks so amazingly like wood, even with the graining and coloring so real, it is really hard to know that it isn't wood! This product has a patented construction of COREtec Plus features our innovative COREtec core structure, which is an extruded core made from recycled wood and bamboo dust, limestone, and virgin PVC. Since COREtec Plus is 100% waterproof, COREtec Plus floors can be installed in wet areas and will never swell when exposed to water.
COREtec Plus represents the next revolution in luxury vinyl flooring. COREtec Plus is a great alternative to glue down LVT, solid locking LVT, or laminate flooring. COREtec Plus is inert and dimensionally stable; it will not expand or contract under normal conditions. A nic feature of the COREtec Plus is that it never needs expansion strips in large rooms. Each COREtec Plus plank has an attached cork underlayment for a quieter, warmer vinyl floor that is naturally resistant to odor causing mold and mildew.
A floating laminate floor does not affect the floor below, so in case you are covering up a wood floor that could possibly be restored at a later date, the laminate will not hurt it!
There are many amazing color palettes and designs today! A more contemporary look has a consistent color presentation in the grays and tapes, as well as the more rustic looks for a farmhouse character.
These new waterproof floors come in many sized planks,from 5"-8" and many are 48" to 72" long. With all of these variables, it looks like a real wood floor without all of the moisture and thickness issues.
Another feature of laminate floors is that it can be installed over many sub surfaces such as wood, vinyl, ceramic tile and cement. This floor has such integrity, minimal floor prep is required before installation.
If you want to see some amazing flooring, come check out the new COREtec before you change your floor! You will be glad you did!
Till next time!
Kathy
Kathy