When buying flooring for home or commercial spaces, people tend to look at the several factors like cost-efficiency, designs, quality, durability and others. Selecting perfect flooring is more than just aesthetics; it is also about the strength and sturdiness. When it’s come to durability, nothing can be best other than laminated wooden flooring.
Laminated wooden flooring is one of the most affordable, durable and comfortable floors for properties. Evaluating the durability and quality of HDF laminate flooring can often seem confusing for people to decide. So, here are some points to determine the lifespan of HDF laminate flooring:
Points to decide the durability of the laminate wooden flooring
1. AC Rating
The AC rating in the HDF laminate flooring determines the strength and durability features. It stands for Abrasion Class which is used as a classification method for commercial and residential flooring grades. The laminate flooring material goes into testing which gives a rating scale to the product. The AC range is about its durability, quality and resistance. Here are what each rating means:
- AC1: This rating laminate flooring is advised to use in low traffic areas such as bedrooms, guest rooms, and others.
- AC2: This type of rating means little traffic movement areas such as drawing room, dining room, bedrooms and others.
- AC3: Likely to be used where you expect a moderate level traffic, ideal for hallways, living rooms, offices, etc.
- AC4: This grade is used in an office or a building that has a healthy amount of foot traffic movement.
- AC5: It is suitable for heavy traffic foot movement for areas like public buildings, departmental stores, malls, theatres and others.
From AC1 to AC3 it is best suited for residential spaces where less foot traffic is expected and AC4 to AC5 is used for commercial properties with high traffic. You may think that -higher the AC rating for HDF laminate flooring is better, well apparently it’s not. Buying the AC grading floors depends a lot on the situation. Laminate rated AC1 through AC4 is fabricated with direct pressure of 300 to 500 pounds and laminate rated AC5 and AC 6 is fabricated with high pressure of 1300 pounds or more. Just like their manufacturing their appearance and feel may differ.
For soft and comfortable in touch, nothing is better than AC3 and AC4 rated laminate flooring. For moderate traffic commercial purposes AC4 is recommended, AC5 rated laminated flooring is best for high traffic areas. AC5 is not advised to use in homes as you are paying unnecessary additional cost and it might be too abrasive for the family especially for young children. The AC3 rated laminate may be suitable for residential properties as well as light commercial use such as cafes, small stores and others.
2. Resilient to the factors
HDF laminate flooring is resilient to so many factors which can cause less damage to the floor which makes it durable for longer period. It can withstand any wear or tear ranging from scratches to direct rays of sun light. Here are some resistance factors of laminate flooring:
- Moisture Resistance: HDF laminate flooring is usually water-resistant which can help to prevent the moisture from damaging the boards. This typically means that you can have some water on the surface for a while before it soaks through. If you can’t get to a spill right away, water-resistant laminate floors will buy you some time.
- UV Resistance: UV protected HDF laminate flooring have ability to protect printed graphics from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Certainly, UV radiation is a major factor in causing graphics to fade. So, laminated flooring can take the sun rays as it is resistant to UV.
- Scratch Resistance: In HDF laminate flooring, the top layer consists of high abrasion resistant overlay which makes the surface scratch resistant. Scratches can happen anytime and it is a major threat to the floors, the laminate wood flooring are made to resist the scratches caused by heels, pets claw scratches and others.
- Dent Resistance: Dropping a hefty thing on the floor can cause a dent or crack on the floor. In laminate flooring, it has dent resilient properties which can save from the everyday small denting incidents.
- Chemical Resistance: Laminate flooring has a finishing layer which can endure household products or any industrial-strength solutions. From accidental nail polish to alcohol spills, it can resist chemical spills.
3. The thickness of the laminate floor
The quality and durability of the laminate flooring also depend upon its thickness which can decide the strength of the panels. The HDF laminate flooring is available with thicknesses from 8mm to 12mm. The thicker the laminate flooring, the more it will cost you but it can provide durability. A thicker laminated flooring or HDF wooden flooring can stand up to heavy traffic movements and is less likely to get damage on the floors.
In Conclusion
Your HDF laminate flooring or wooden flooring can last more than a decade but only you know how to maintain it properly. Unlike other flooring materials, you do not need to wax or buff the laminate wooden flooring. You just need to do little maintenance like dusting or vacuuming the floor.
The durability can also depend upon the installation process, if the installation process is not done accurately then it can cause cracks, wrap and even becomes uneven over time. Buying incorrect AC grade flooring your floors may not last even a decade. Always buy the laminate flooring from a trusted and certified manufacturer.
Want to purchase HDF laminate flooring or laminated wooden flooring? Then you are on the right page. Surya Click provides durable, seamless, functional, and resilient flooring solutions for residential and commercial spaces. We offer appealing and attractive laminate flooring options to our customers from classic to contemporary ones. We also have different grades of AC3, AC4 and AC5 flooring as per your requirements. Contact Us Now!