There are over 150 oak laminate flooring products to choose from, in keeping with the fact that oak itself is a popular and attractive wood with a longstanding tradition of being used as a flooring material in Britain. By incorporating the beautiful appearance withthe benefits of cheap laminate flooring, it is now possible to have the look of oak without the full cost.
Several different companies supply such products, including Florence, Pergo, Elka, Uniclic and Quick-Step, all of which provide an exceptional standard in laminate floors.
This variety brings with it a vast range of colours and shades from light shades which give rooms a more airy feel to dark shades in grey, black or brown and everything in between.
Another variation between products is in terms of the thickness and consequent strength of the floors. Each of the oak laminate floors come with warranties of at least ten years, although some last 15 or 20 years and, in the cases of those with the toughest and highest grades of laminate, lifetime guarantees.
The grading includes AC4, which is designed for homes and small commercial premises and AC5, which is a very tough material made to cope with large commercial premises that will attract a greater quantity of footfalls. Getting the correct laminate floorboards for the area you wish to use them is of paramount importance.
The material can be produced as a blonde white laminate flooring, bleached pale or darker colour, the latter being either dark brown or charcoal effect. Most of the products still offer the distinctive lines, swirls and knots that are normally associated with oak floors and give the wood its distinctive character.
Another aspect to consider with laminate flooring is the fact that the planks vary between having smooth edged planks and those with bevelled edges. The former has planks that fit together seamlessly, creating a smooth, even effect right across the floor. Bevelled edges, on the other hand, produce a distinctive join between the planks due to the dip at the end, known as a v-groove because of the shape made by two adjacent planks. This makes the join stand out and is a modern and popular style.
As may be expected, such variations in surface appearance can be combined with different shades and patterns in the wood. Another kind of variation that is available is that of three strip planking, which provides extra emphasis of the different shades in the wood by having a series of three slats on each plank, with slight variations of colour giving it a repeating pattern that overlaps like bricks in a wall, right across the floor.
The important thing to remember with all of these stylistic differences is that the choice comes down to personal preference so consider each possible option before you decide on the perfect oak laminate flooring for you.
The floors are installed with various methods, such as Uniclic, Click System and Smartlock Click System. These are simple methods of installation in which the different parts fit together like parts of a jigsaw, joining without any need for glue and they are quick and easy to assemble. For this reason, you should find it a fairly straightforward task to install your new oak effect laminate floor, as no special skills or experience are required to put it all together.
