Laminate flooring is a type of particle flooring that is designed to look like real hard wood, stone and tile flooring. It is made up of several layers of materials, one of which is a photographic image or a print of the texture or type of wood that you want for your floor. This type of flooring was first made in 1977 by the company Pergo AB and was first sold in the United States in the middle of the 1990s. Now, of course, there are many manufacturers of laminated flooring that are very popular and Shaw laminated flooring is one of them.
Shaw started in 1946 as a family business that was named Star Dye Company and it was a business that dealt in dying tufted scatter rugs. Eventually the company became the largest carpet manufacturer in the world. In 1958 the company changed its name to the Star Finishing Company. Since 1946 the company has bought and merged with a number of other companies that specialized in different types of flooring and in 2001 the company was sold to Berkshire Hathaway Inc and became a private company. The company now does more than five billion dollars in revenue each year and has thirty thousand employees.
Shaw laminate flooring is made up of four layers. The first layer has a barrier against moisture and provides the flooring with structural integrity. The second layer has a patented MoistureSeal and an extra dense core board that adds to the first layer of structural stability and provides even more defense against moisture. The third layer of the flooring is the decorative layer of the flooring-this is the layer that people see. The fourth layer is a melamine layer that provides the flooring with a durable finish. All of Shaw's laminate floors are made with VersaLock, which is a system of flooring that makes installing the flooring a job that just about anybody can do by themselves.
Indeed, one of the most popular features of all laminate flooring is its ease of installation.
Some of the more popular features of Shaw laminate flooring are the aforementioned VersaLock and the "Shaw SilentStep" which is an underlayment layer. This SilentStep layer gives some cushion to the flooring and provides some noise absorption for the sound of footsteps. Another popular feature offered by Shaw is the "Touchable Texture" which is a layer added to the flooring that makes it feel as authentic as it looks.
In the last decade or so, laminate flooring has become one of the most popular forms of flooring in the United States. It is popular because it offers the beautiful look of a hard wood or stone floor at a fraction of the cost and exponentially more comfort. Shaw laminate flooring is one of the more popular brands of laminate flooring. With Shaw laminate flooring you will get fantastic looking and feeling floors at a reasonable price. Who wouldn't want to make their home more beautiful for a lot less money?
Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #1
If you are on a tight budget, laminate flooring is the most cost effective way to redo the floors in your home. With laminate flooring you can get the look of an expensive hard wood, marble or tile floor, at a small fraction of the cost of actual hard wood, marble and tile floors. This is because the materials and treatment processes that are used to make laminate flooring are not nearly as expensive as the materials and treatment processes that are needed to make and install "authentic" floors. |
Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #2
Laminate flooring is more durable and lasts longer than "authentic" floors. Most laminate flooring is treated to be resistant to stains, scuffs, and scratches and fading. Laminate flooring can last for more than a decade before it will need any serious attention. |
Tips When Installing Laminate Flooring Tip #3
Laminate flooring is a lot easier to keep clean than regular floors. All you need for your laminate flooring is a damp rag or a simple solution of mostly water and a little bit of vinegar. Even hard to remove stains are usually easy to get up with a simple cleaning solution and a clean rag. |
