Laminate Structure


· Overlay
which is a very strong, transparent, and highly resistant overlay. A laminate flooring is scratch RESISTANT, but not scratchPROOF. Sharp objects can scratch the floor. The norms and tolerances in this respect have been established in European Norms. (prEn13329)

· Printed Paper
which is a PHOTOGRAPH of real wood or tiles, which is printed on paper. This paper is impregnated with a melamine resin.

· HDF Core
which should be a high-density moisture resistant (Standard V313) HDF core board with sealed edges.

· Balance Paper
which is a balancing and isolating layer.

  • Structure
  • Classification
  • UniClic System
  • Installation Demo
finfloor laminate structure


The laminate floor covering usage level is classified according to the European Standard prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association and supports essential requirements of EU Directive(s).

The European Standard specifies characteristics, states requirements and gives test methods such as Abrasion, Impact, Stains, Cigarette Burn, Effect of Furniture Legs, Castor Chairs, High Heel, Thickness Swelling, Squareness, Straightness, Flatness, Light Fastness and Dimensional Variation for the laminate floor.

CEN (European Committee for Standardization) members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.


Classification Symbols Table
(Test Method prEn - 13329)
SYMBOL CLASS FOR USAGE EXAMPLES
class 21 21 Private Domestic Areas Light Private guest room,
bedroom
class 22 22 Private Domestic Areas General Living room, dining room,
children's room
class 23 23 Private Domestic Areas Heavy Entrance halls,
kitchens
class 31 31 Public Commercial Areas Light Hotel room,
small office
class 32 32 Public Commercial Areas General Office, boutique, cafe,
waiting rooms, hotel lobbies
class 33 33 Public Commercial Areas Heavy Corridors, open plan offices,
department stores, classroom


prEN13329
uniclic logoThere are many locking systems available for laminate floors. High-end laminate manufactures tend to use Patented versions such as UniClic system.


uniClicSince 1996, a revolution has taken place in the flooring business with at its basis the Uniclic® technology. Take a closer look at tongue and groove, and you'll discover a whole array of unparalleled qualities. It works in all kinds of materials as effective as it does in laminate with the following advantages: Precise milling, Pretension, Anti-Creak, and Easy Installation.


Precise Milling

This profile can be milled with a minimum of knives, so that the machine operator has a better control.


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Pretension

Tongue and groove are designed with a small overlap. When they are connected, the lower lip of the groove is bent out. As a result, it is pushing back due to the flexibility of the material. This pretension force creates a constant tension in the joint and avoids gaps between the panels, so that dust, dirt and moisture cannot enter. It can also compensate small (milling) machine tolerances.

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Anti-Creak

uniClicWhen walking on a floor, creaking noises can sometimes be heard with every footstep one takes. The anti-creaking noise feature is all about giving extra fixation between the panels to avoid these annoying creaking noises. The application of wax (=paraffin) in the click profile is recommendable because the wax acts as a lubricant so that boards pop in their end position even more easily. Wax is also very helpful in making the anti-creaking noise solution complete. The wax can be sprayed on the tongue, as an integrated part of the production process.
For UniClic system, panels can be installed in 2 ways: by angling or snapping. The pretension force compensates machine tolerances and avoids gaps between the panels, so that dust, dirt and moisture cannot enter in between two panels.


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