Category Multilayer Flooring

Maintenance Of Multilayer Flooring

The Maintenance Of Multilayer Flooring is: As with all wooden surfaces, the care will depend largely on the finish used. As we have already pointed out, the two main finishes are varnish and oil.

Others, like wax, have fallen into disuse. What’s more, I don’t know of any multilayer flooring manufacturer that markets their products with this finish. Which does not mean that we cannot wax a multilayer parquet bought raw.

With regard to daily cleaning, there are no big differences. It will be enough to mop or vacuum regularly to remove dirt and debris that can scratch our floor. And from time to time pass a well wrung mop with a specific product.

As for the maintenance itself, there are important differences. With normal use, a varnished multilayer floor can last for many years without the need to renew the finish. When the time comes to do it, the process is relatively complex and laborious. It will be necessary to sand and reapply the varnish (stab).

In the case of oil, the finishes need to be renewed every 6-12 months. Something more if the use is reduced. Although it is also true that for the application of a new layer of oil it is not always necessary to sand.

Repairs And Stabbing

Most of the damage that arises in wooden floors as a result of use and the passage of time, are scratches. These can be repaired through what is popularly called “slashing a parquet.” It basically consists of:

Sanding the surface with sandpaper of different grain. The thickest for greater wear, and the thinnest in the last passes to obtain a smoother surface.

Plaster or fill in case of particularly deep cracks or scratches. These areas should be sanded before applying the finish. If there are particularly deteriorated parts, and more complex repairs or replacement are necessary, we must have a professional.

Apply the varnish or oil as recommended by the manufacturer (number of coats, sanding between coats, drying times…).

Sanding wears down the hardwood surface or layer of our multilayer decking. Approximately 1.5-3mm per stab. Therefore, the number of times we can stab our pallet is limited, normally to 2.

According to this, and taking into account a stab every 10 years, the useful life of a multilayer deck is approximately 30 years.

When the hardwood layer is not thick enough, slashing the multilayer deck will damage it. We would be facing a product that does not allow repairs and that in case of deterioration it would have to be replaced. Something very similar to what happens with laminate floors.

There Are Different Ways Of Laying:

Multilayer laminate flooring . In the vast majority of cases, this type of platform is mechanized to join pieces by means of a click system, similar to that of laminate floors.

Glued . Specific glues are used to glue the laminate flooring to the existing floor.

Each method has its advantages. Here we discuss them so that the owner can choose the installation method that suits him best.

Multilayer Flooring

Multilayer flooring is a type of floor or pavement made up of several layers of glued wood. It is an option of quality, durability and enormous decorative presence due to the use of noble woods.

How is it different from other types of laminate flooring or laminate flooring? There are two big differences. The first is that all the layers that make up the platform are made of wood, or at least derivatives of it. And the second difference, derived from the first, is that the outer layer is a natural wood veneer and not a printed design, with all the advantages and disadvantages that this implies.

Composition Of Multilayer Floor

As can be seen from its name, multilayer flooring is made up of different layers. These are glued and pressed, obtaining a product of great stability and resistance. Typically, the thickness of the sandwich is between 12 mm and 16 mm.

The Layers Are As Follows:

Back side . This layer, normally formed by a veneer of coniferous wood such as pine and about 2 mm thick, has the function of stabilizing the slat.

Intermediate layer . It is the core of our multilayer flooring. It has an approximate thickness of 10-6 mm and is the layer with the mechanization of the anchoring or click system.

It can be composed of different materials or derivatives of wood:

Plywood. It is a very stable and resistant solution . Woods such as poplar, birch or eucalyptus, and adhesives or phenolic glues are used, which improves resistance to humidity.

MDF – HDF. Medium or high density fibreboard. Higher density is always preferable. It offers good performance, significantly reducing the price compared to plywood.

Solid Wood Slats. Also called blind. Something less common today, since it is not a uniform surface, it can generate waves in the noble layer after slashing.

Noble or Wear Cloak . It is the natural wood veneer that will give the appearance to our floor. Hardwood species specially selected for their decorative qualities are used. Some of these can be: walnut, oak, merbau, jatoba, mahogany, iroko …

The type of veneer or species used for this layer and its thickness are one of the determining factors in the price of multilayer parquet. The more exclusive the wood and the greater the thickness, the higher the price.

The thickness of this layer is also important from the point of view of the useful life and durability of the deck. It will determine the number of times our floor can be stabbed (sanded and varnished). The most economical ranges have such a thin layer that they do not even allow a slash, around 1 mm. The most common thicknesses are between 3.2 and 4 mm.

The design can be monolame, that is, the sheet covers the entire plank, or mosaic to achieve smaller table designs.

Surface Treatment . Multilayer flooring is not always marketed with an applied treatment, many times it is done raw, although it will finally have to be applied to protect the wood.

The two most common treatments are oil and varnish. You will find more details in the finishes section.