(End user title) The quality of laminate flooring made in Europe: Technically mature and reliable ‒ and with a variety of design options

Nearly 40 years of research, design and development have resulted in European laminate being one of the world’s most popular, high-quality floor coverings. Whether for renovating an apartment, moving into a new family home or creating a trendy new look for a living environment, laminate is the floor covering that gives extra benefits – extra variety in the choice of decors, extra user comfort and extra pleasure from made-to-last, environmentally-friendly flooring.

No other floor covering offers such a large choice of attractive surface decors and textures. With authentic wood finishes ranging from rustic to elegant and featuring stone, metal or graphic decors, laminate allows everyone to express their own personal taste underfoot.

There is more to laminate than meets the eye

Modern laminate planks manufactured in Europe (www.eplf.com) are certified according to strict EU guidelines. The independent seals of approval that they carry confirm their excellent characteristics for use. Their superb life cycle assessment, which is documented in specific environmental declarations (EPDs), supports the reputation that these laminate floors have long since gained as a plasticiser-free, “green” high-tech product, produced sustainably and even entirely recyclable. Only products carrying the official CE mark comply with European regulations on quality and safety. Laminate floors are predominantly subject to strict requirements on emissions, fire behaviour and slip resistance. “If the CE mark and the wear class according to EU standard EN 13329 are shown on the packaging of the laminate flooring, or it also carries an original EPLF logo, then it is a safe and tested product that you can trust,” advises Ludger Schindler of the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF).

High quality products with outstanding properties

The winning features of superior quality European laminates are not only “superficial”, i.e. in their perfect look and feel, but also in their technical properties: they are produced to a high quality, which makes for extremely hard-wearing and durable flooring. Intelligent click systems make it is easy for people to lay or swap out extra-long or extra-wide planks themselves – perfect when moving house or renovating, or simply bringing in a change of style now and then. Laminate is easy to maintain and can be used in any living or working area. On request, manufacturers can offer planks with useful additional features such as integral sound insulation to reduce footfall noise, anti-static surface, edge protection or special moisture protection for use in bathrooms and kitchens. Many producers also include skirting boards and finishing edges in their range which match their board decors. And, as a matter of course, customers will always receive sound, professional advice from retailers who are there to help them search through the huge selection on offer and pick just the right laminate floor to suit their needs and requirements.
www.eplf.com

Images

elnd1504_b1: Nearly 40 years of research, design and development have resulted in European laminate being one of the world’s most popular, high-quality floor coverings. – Photo: Meister

elnd1504_b2: Intelligent click systems: Even extra-long or extra-wide laminate boards are easy to lay in the home. – Photo: Kronotex

elnd1504_b3: Environmentally-friendly flooring with excellent product characteristics: due to their high production quality, laminate planks are very hard-wearing and durable. – Photo: Haro

elnd1504_b4: Laminate planks equipped with special moisture protection are ideally suited for use in bathrooms and kitchens. – Photo: Unilin/Quickstep

elnd1504_b5: Alongside the CE mark, the original EPLF logo also represents tested quality for laminate flooring made in Europe. – Graphic: EPLF