CONTENTS BELOW INCLUDE:

               HISTORY

1. DEFINITION WICKIPEDIA
2. LAMINATE
3. DIAGONAL INSTALLATION
4. LAMINATE TESTING
5. RATINGS
6. UNDERLAYMENT ACOUSTICS

QUESTIONS EMAIL AT:  floorcovering@cox.net

HISTORY

Laminate flooring was invented in 1977 by the Swedish company Perstorp, and sold under the brand name Pergo. They had been making laminate surfaces since 1923. The company first marketed its product to Europe in 1984, and later to the United States in 1994. Perstop spun off its flooring division as the separate company named Pergo, now a subsidiary of Pfleiderer. Pergo is the most widely known laminate flooring manufacturer, but the trademark PERGO is not synonymous for all laminate floors.^[2]

Glueless laminate flooring was invented in 1996 by the Swedish company Välinge Aluminium (now Välinge Innovation) and sold under the names of Alloc and Fiboloc. However, a system for holding flooring panels together was also developed in parallel by the Belgian company Unilin in and released in 1997.

The two companies have been in a great number of legal conflicts over the years, and today most, if not all glueless locking flooring is made under license from either Välinge, Unilin or even a combination of both.

MANUFACTURING  -  VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ETHK96Bd0c

Laminate Wood Floor

Laminate wood floors has improved well in standards in recent times and the advancement of technology has provided the necessary boost. Both the quality and durability of laminate floors can match that of hardwood flooring. Laminate wood surfaces can be beautiful especially because floor manufacturers like Armstrong, AlsaFloor, Classen and Pergo provide great textures, colours and finish when it comes to laminate floors. Here are some of the benefits of going for high quality discount laminate flooring.

Low Prices

It is possible to purchase rustic or mahogany finish, 12 millimeter laminate planks at $2.50 per sq. ft. or even less for multiple rooms, online. Further, unlike in the case of hardwood floors, you can do the floor yourself as a DIY project if you know the basics like measuring, preparing sub floor and sawing a plank to the right size. The floors can be easy maintained once installed and can be easy cleaned too.

Environmentally Friendly

A good laminate plank can be reused. In fact, the flooring itself can be taken out in parts and reused as the planks are highly durable. The planks ar environment-friendly too. Moreover, hardwood flooring in particular leads to chopping down of trees in forests, which isn’t really required in case of laminates whose production is far more controlled and cultured. You need to keep wax, varnish, or polishes away from laminate floors so they are much safer for kids or pets.

Resistance

Laminate wood is extremely resistant and durable. If you pick classic laminate panels, you don’t need to worry about chemic penetration. Such panels are resistant to wine, tea, markers, coffee, organic solvents like propanone and household cleaning solutions. They ar also burn-resistant unlike vinyl or carpeting floor which are affected extensively by burning cigarettes. The panels also don’t show a lot of wear and tear when there is a lot of traffic. The fade resistant panels that aren’t affected by UV rays stay free of scratches made usually by heels, pets and office chairs as well. Most importantly, if you get the high-density boards, you can achieve heavy impact resistance, that can withstand long-term pressure due to beds and chairs or sudden impact caused by dropping objects.

Variety

Laminated wood floor is a great option for new houses as well as old for the sheer variety available. You can find excellent online deals on your favorite colors, textures and finish. Whether you prefer a Pecan look or the classic mahogany, your laminate flooring can be designed to imitate the style. Features such as high-impact resistance, commercial durability in offices, hand-scraped and piano finish, waxed edges, attached pads and beveled edges can also be requested for. The flooring can be fitted in place with its lock and groove system. There is no need to glue the edges or use nailing and hammering, especially when there isn’t much of a moisture scare. There is also a long standing warranty of laminate floors which ensures greater value for your money.

Diagonal installation of laminate floors may be the most cost-effective way to provide a floor with a unique appearance. The diagonal in-stallation procedure is fundamentally the same as the square installation method, except for the layout,
starting point (starting line), cuts and waste factor.  A diagonal installation looks like a complex, custom installation. In reality, it is simply a new angle on a tradi-tional straight installation. Capitalize on its mystique.
Layout
The aesthetics of the project depend on the accu-racy of the layout as it interfaces to the obstacles within the room. To make a diagonal layout, start by dividing the room into four quadrants (a geo-metric shape with 90° angles) using perpendicular chalk lines centered in the room.  Once you've successfully placed the lines on the floor, you should determine the orientation of the laminate product (assuming it has a directional de-sign element or rectangular shape) chosen for the installation. Bisect the upperleft and lower right quadrant or vice versa, depending on product direction with a straight line at the intersection of the two perpendicular lines (diagram 1).  The bisecting line will run at a 45° angle to the walls that are square with the perpendicular lines. If you need to move the line, you can preserve the integrity of the 45° angle by keeping the subsequent line parallel to the origi-nal 45° angle line.  This article was written to provide insight into some of the key steps, tools and accessories re-quired for diagonal laminate floor installations. Be sure to follow the product manufacturer's recom-mendations and obtain the company's installation/specification manuals. There is a wide variety of installation training schools, clinics, seminars and certification programs available at all skill levels.
Starting Point
Generally, an installation that's square with the walls of a room will start parallel to the longest, straightest, most visible wall. The installation is completed by working systematically toward the opposing wall using the factory edges of the product to maintain a true configuration of the components. Unfortunately, a diagonal installation proceeds from one corner to the opposite corner, which makes accuracy impossible if the starting point is a corner.  The layout technique outline above provides a starting line that alows the installer to begin straight and stay straight without the benefit of a wall.  Starting the installation from a ine in the center of the room requires a temporary straight-edge that is secured for the entire length of the starting line (photo 1). The temporary straight-edge must be stable enough to push against during the alignment of the manufacturer's recomended starter rows before proceeding further with the installation.

Diagram 1. Typical layout for diagonal installation 
Diagram 2. Using a Template for a 45° described mended starter rows.

Allow the recommended curing time for the adhesive used on the starter rows before pro-ceeding further with the installation. Continue the installation using the factory components. Eventually, you will need to make cuts (modification to the factory-sized modules) to fit the floor at walls, cabinets or other vertical surfaces. A starting line for a 45o diagonal installation, if created as above, will always guarantee equal cuts at opposite walls. 

Cuts
Conventional fitting techniques for a square installation will not work for a diagonal one. The dimensions of the product will deter-mine the technique required for an accurate fit of the cuts. Below are procedures for square tile and rectangular cuts.
Tile

Square tile components installed on a diagonal can be easily fit to any wall or vertical surface by making a template of hardboard, cardboard or plywood. The template should be a square created by using the diagonal measure-ment of the tile (point to point) chosen for installation.  For example, a 12" x 12" vi-nyl composition tile measured diagonally from point to point is 17" long, which means the template should be 17" square.  Marking the product for the cut is accomplished by placing that tile on the ad-joining field tile (tile whose point is opposite the wall and will be adjacent to the cut tile at that point). When the template is placed square against the wall in the void reserved for the cut tile, the template should overlap the cut tile (on top of the adjoining tile). See diagram 2.  After the cut tile and templates been positioned, simply mark or score the cut tile along the tem-plate edge opposite the wall. You may cut the score or mark for an accurate fit of the cut tile.  The manufacturer's recommended expansion can be added to the template to achieve correct perimeter spacing.  Rectangular blocks (planks). Any laminate prod-uct components that are manufactured as rect-angles will also require a template of hardboard, cardboard or 1/4" plywood. The template's dimensions should equal the precise finished width of the product being installed (excluding the tongue). The length of the template will be equivalent to the product's finished length and width (excluding the tongue) and an allowance for the manufacturer's recom-mended perimeter expansion spacing.  For example, a laminate plank's finished size of 8" x 48" would call for a template that measures 8" x 56 & 1/4" including the manufacturer's recommended 1/4" expansion spacing. To complete the template, cut 45° angles on both ends of the template that are parallel (photo 2).  To use the template, place the cut rectangle precisely on top of the adjoining field rectangle and slide the template toward the wall until the 45° angle on the template fits the wall.  You may mark or score along the opposite end of the template for the cut (photo 3). An accu-rate fit for an out-side corner is accomplished by rotating the width of the template 180° and marking the new angle (photo 4).  Waste Factor A small, complex square in-stallation will have a waste factor of 8% - 10%, depending on the size and quality of the product. A diagonal installation of the same area will drive the waste factor up to 10% - 12%.  The four categories I've addressed — layout , starting points, cuts and waste factors are critical factors in a suc-cessful diagonal installation. But be advised that a dagonal installation is more labor-intensive than square one. The aesthetics of a diagonal installation are dynamic and can easily justify the charge for labor and profit. Also, these challenging jobs provide installation artisians with the pportunity to stretch their skills. By offering di-agonal installation, you'll be able to give your client an exciting new floor product with a twist on design. +

Laminate Testing

       Armstrong's Testing and Analysis Laboratory, a technical service group located at the Corporate Center in the lower level of the Floor Products Operations Research and Design building. This staff of technicians and scientists has literally hundreds of years of combined experience in providing routine product and process information as well as solutions to "one of a kind" problems. Serving all Armstrong divisions and many world-wide plants, TAL delivers a level of familiarity with Armstrong materials not found in outside labs, while assuring confidentiality of results.

         The following tests simulate realistic applications and have been adopted from residential sheet testing. It is this thorough testing that makes our laminate a premium product. These are the differentiators that stand the test of time and capitalize on “Let the Buyer Have Faith”.  

Can Drop – Simulated

Purpose: To simulate damage caused by dropping a food or beverage can from a counter or cabinet onto a wear surface. A 13oz. projectile, shaped to simulate the curved edge of a can, is dropped from varying heights. For laminate flooring, 3 drops are made from each of the test heights. Normally, drops are made at 5” increments from 5” to 45” heights. The height at which all 3 drops make a distinct indentation is recorded as the failure point. Most laminates will be in the 20” to 30” range.

Pendulum Gouge

Purpose: To determine the force required to cause rupture to a wear surface. A weighted pendulum with a rounded foot is dropped onto the surface. Drops are made from 5” to 45” and the height at which a distinct disruption of the surface occurs is considered the failure point. Most laminates will be in the 20” to 25” range.

High Load static Test

Purpose: To determine the indentation resistance of a material under a heavy static load condition, such as the foot of a piano. We use the NALFA (North American Laminate Flooring Association) test method which requires 1450 Lbs. per sq. in. for 24 hours. The residual indentation is measured after 24 hours. In order to meet the NALFA requirements, the indentation depth must be no greater than .001”.

Indentation Test (resilient ASTM test performed on laminate)

Purpose: To determine the indentation resistance of a material to brief concentrated loads such as spike high heeled shoes. This test applies 150 lbs. weight to a .0178” diameter tip for 30 seconds. The residual indentation is measured 15 minutes after the weight is removed. Most laminate will indent .001” or less.

Chair Slide

Purpose: To simulate a person sliding a chair with floor protectors over a floor. A load of 38 lbs. is applied to the test leg. This would equal a 152 lb. person on the chair ( 4 legs x 38 lbs. each). A polyethylene floor protector foot is attached to the test leg. A special test powder containing #10 grit is applied to the sample. The machine makes 20 passes dragging the leg back and forth along the length of the test sample. The sample is then given one of 5 visual ratings: Very slight, slight, moderate, moderate-severe, severe damage.

Traffic Wheel – Gloss Reduction (not ASTM, Armstrong internal)

Purpose: to determine the degree of gloss loss using the traffic wheel. This test was designed to simulate foot traffic. The traffic wheel causes a gradual loss of gloss by means of an artificial abrasive type soil spread under a leather wheel. Sample gloss is measured initially, after 30, 60, and 90 minutes of testing.

Taber Abrasion (test specified by NALFA)

Purpose: To determine the number revolutions needed to get wear through of the print layer. This is run using the laminate flooring test method. A 4” x 4” sample is rotated under a revolving wheel covered with a specific sandpaper. The sandpaper is changed every 200 sample revolutions. The sample is visually examined each time the paper is changed. When there is wear through in 3 of the 4 quadrants, the test is terminated and the number of revolutions needed to reach that point is recorded.

Stain Resistance – Household Reagents

Purpose: To determine the stain resistance of several common household items. There are 6 stains used: blue ballpoint ink, blue marker pen, iodine, shoe polish, hair dye, driveway sealer. Initial color measurements are made at 6 spots where the stains will be applied. A small amount of each stain agent is applied to the sample. They are allowed to remain on the sample surface for 24 hours. The samples are cleaned to remove as much stain as possible. Color measurements are made again and a Delta E value is calculated. The lower the Delta E the better. Most laminates will be 10 or less.

James Coefficient of Friction (most widely recognized and used)

Purpose: To determine the slip resistance of flooring surfaces. This test is named for the James machine which is the most widely used and recognized in the industry. A 3” x 3” leather foot with an applied load of 80 pounds is pulled across the sample at increasing angles. The point at which the foot slips is recorded and through some mathematical calculations a value is obtained. A value of 0.5 or greater is desirable.

Cigarette Burn

A lighted cigarette (Winston filter) is allowed to burn on the surface until a minimum of 1” is obtained. The burn area is cleaned with Armstrong New Beginning and a nylon pad. It is examined visually and rated for discoloration, charring, blistering and crazing. Most laminates will show no effects, some may show a trace of discoloration on light patterns.

Dimensional Stability – Heat/ Moisture

Purpose: To determine the dimensional stability of products when subjected to heat and humidity changes. Sample size is 1” x 9” with 8” benchmarks measured with a Dilatometer. Specimens are heated 6 hours at 180F, cooled ½ hour at 73F over Drierite. Specimens are then placed 24 hours at 100F/90% RH, cooled ½ hour at 73F over water. The % change is calculated after cool down cycles. The smaller the change the better. Most laminates will be in the range of -0.3% due to heat and 0.1% growth due to humidity.

Breaking Strength

Purpose: To determine the amount of force needed to pull locking joints apart. Samples with a 1” wide joint are clamped into the Instron machine. They are pulled apart at a rate of 4” per minute. Results are reported as the average of 6 test samples as maximum load in in./lbs. The greater the value, the stronger the joint.

Water Immersion Test

A 6” x 6” sample is weighed and its thickness measured on 2 sides initially. It is immersed in water for 24 hours. After 24 hours it is removed from the water and towel dried. It is re- weighed and measured. Thickness swell and weight gain are calculated.

Wet Sponge Seam Test

Purpose: To determine the resistance of locking laminate joints and coreboard to either standing water or cleaning solutions. This test requires 2 samples. Test samples are prepared by locking together 2 – 8” long pieces of laminate. Initial thickness and seam peaking measurements are made. A sponge soaked with water is laid on the joint of one sample and a sponge soaked in Mr. Clean solution is placed on the other. The measurement and re-soaking activities are repeated daily for a total of 4 days. The final measurements, after 4 days exposure, are those which are reported.

Can Drop 

Purpose: To simulate damage caused by dropping a food or beverage can from a counter or cabinet onto a wear surface. For use on resilient floorings constructed with a foam or sponge component. A 13 oz. projectile is dropped from varying heights until both the passing and failing heights are established.

Pendulum Gouge Test 

Purpose: To determine the force required to cause rupture of a wear surface. Failure is obtained by dropping a weighted pendulum onto the surface. The pendulum may be fitted with either a sharp or blunt foot.

High Load Static Test 

Purpose: Used to determine the indentation resistance of a material under a static load condition. Tip area is 1 square inch. Load can be as much as 3,000 lb. per square inch. Up to ten samples can be tested at the same time.

Indentation Test 

Purpose: The Indentation Machines are used for a variety of Indentation tests for various products/materials. Different size tips and different loadings are used to measure how much a material compresses and how it recovers over a given period of time.

Chair Slide Test 

Purpose: To simulate a person sliding a chair with floor protectors over a floor. A load of 18 lbs. is applied to each floor protector, with or without dirt, and is slid across the floor for 425 passes. Various floor protectors, grit, and number of passes can be requested. The testing equipment pictured is also used for seam rolling and key drag tests.

Traffic Wheel – Gloss Reduction Test 

Purpose: To determine the degree of gloss loss using the traffic wheel. This simulates gradual loss by means of an artificial soil spread under a leather wheel.

Stain Resistance Test – Household Reagents 

Purpose: To determine the stain resistance of resilient flooring or wood flooring when subjected to: · various household and commercial reagents, or · various hospital reagents, or · Neozone (N-Phenyl-1-Naphthylamine, 98%). This is to reproduce the staining that occurs under pedestrian traffic conditions from the antioxidants in rubber soles of shoes.

Instron Machine – Strength Test 

Purpose: The Instron is used for a wide variety of Strength tests, including Tensile Strength tests on various products/materials, Brown Tear test, and Tear Resistance test (Trouser method