Many people who decide to replace an old flooring with a more modern one ask an important question: "What is the size of the laminate?" Unfortunately, even sales managers of finishing materials cannot give an unambiguous answer to it.
Laminate production
Not so long ago (about 20 years ago) a fundamentally new and very promising material appeared on the flooring market - laminate. Its standard sizes have not yet been established, since various manufacturers around the world produce their products according to their own standards. And this applies not only to its length and width. Different manufacturers and the thickness of this material can vary significantly. Most laminates have a four-layer structure. Its base is HDF load-bearing fibreboard. As a rule, its thickness varies between 6-10 mm. Its density is 800-1100 kg/m3. It depends on the size of expected loads. To create a drawing, a separate fragment of the selected wood species is first photographed, and then this image is transferred to a special paper impregnated with melamineresin. It is placed over the slab and covered with an overlay (protective film made of high tenacity cellulose non-woven material). It is also impregnated with melamine resin. To make the overlay even stronger and more resistant to abrasion, aluminum oxide is sprayed onto it. A stabilizing substrate is placed under the HDF board to compensate for the stress created by the upper layers. After pressing under pressure on short cycle machines at high temperature, the final product is obtained. This composite material is called a laminate.
Laminate size
Finished sheets after exposure are cut into panels. Laminate sizes vary. Its width can vary between 185-300 mm, and its length - 1180-2000 mm. Most manufacturers have chosen the most convenient parameters. The most common laminate size is as follows: width - 185-195 mm, length - 1260-1380 mm. At the same time, high-quality material has a large thickness. The most reliable and wear-resistant flooring of this type can reach up to 14 mm. Such a laminate is not afraid of any floods and dancing in heels. Unscrupulous manufacturers produce panels that sometimes have a thickness of about 5 mm. Despite the fact that the price of such a laminate will not be high, its durability is out of the question.
Laminate range
Laminate, the dimensions and price of which are set by its manufacturer, is divided into several classes. It is on them that the cost of this material depends. At the same time, not eventhe size of the laminate is taken into account. The higher the product class, the more expensive it will be. The most famous laminate manufacturing companies (Witex, Tarkett, B alterio, Parador, Barry Flor) produce products that will cost 4-5 dollars. The US per 1 m is more expensive than the products of domestic or Chinese manufacturers.
Laminate class 31 (household) is suitable for ordinary living spaces. Enhanced strength materials (Grade 32 and 33) are suitable for commercial and residential applications. There are different types of laminate (from glossy to matte). Their price depends on the size of the panels and their quality. It can be calculated per piece or sq.m. So, on average, the price of 1 laminate panel ranges from 360 to 800 rubles.
