Plastic laminate is a popular remodeling material.
While you’re remodeling or building your home, you are undoubtedly sorting through countless building materials to choose the right product for the right place. Plastic laminate is an incredibly popular building material—for a good reason!
Plastic Laminate 101
Plastic laminate is a composite building material that is composed of kraft paper, resin, and various adhesives. Kraft paper is soaked in resin and then bonded to other layers of kraft paper at high heat and pressure to make a single sheet. Next, plastic laminate adhesive is used to place a decorative paper or melamine layer on top. Last, a urethane top coat for protection or a wear coat for strength and endurance is added.
Beautiful Substitute
Plastic laminate is particularly popular because it is a beautiful substitute for more costly or complicated building materials like wood, stone, tile, or metal. Plastic laminate has a very realistic finish, and many times untrained observers cannot tell it is any different than the gorgeous wood you initially had in mind. The realistic finish comes from the paper or melamine layer placed near the top of the laminate. The paper is actually printed with a very high quality image of those materials, so you can see true wood grain, stone veining, or other textures that add to the realism of your laminate.
Use it Everywhere
Plastic laminate can be bonded to both wood and composite bases by using specially designed laminate glue, adhesives, or resin. You can use plastic laminate on your kitchen countertops, as a stunning floor finish, or as unique paneling for your walls. You can also utilize plastic laminate as a decorative finishing material throughout your home and décor.
Plastic laminate is a popular choice in all of those areas because it is very easy to clean or wipe down and very low-maintenance when compared to other building materials. Plastic laminate is waterproof and resistant to staining, so your toddler’s lunch is no match for your kitchen floor. It also is much less expensive than real stone, tile, or hardwood building materials. Color and finish options are also almost endless, so your creativity can run wild.
Potential Disadvantages
While plastic laminate can be great for homeowners, there are a couple downsides to the material. The adhesive used to bond the layers of kraft paper typically contains volatile organic compounds or VOCs that can contribute to poor air quality in your home. You can choose from low or no-VOC products, but your options may be more limited. Plastic laminate is also not as durable as the materials it mimics (like wood), so chipping and cracking may occur.
Ready to Try Plastic Laminate?
Mahogany Inc. is a general contractor that specializes in quality construction for residential and commercial projects. If you are looking for work that will set your living room, kitchen, or business apart, contact us online or give us a call at (410) 727-0334. To see examples of our wonderful work and see what our customers have to say, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.