MarilynKelvin: Do I Need High Pressure Laminate Flooring?

Dear Bob and Betsy,

I am redoing my home office and anticipate that I'll have quite a bit of foot traffic coming in and out every day. Because I want to make a strong first impression to new clients, it's important to me that my flooring looks great and withstands all of the high heel foot traffic and potential scuff-marks. Do I need high pressure laminate flooring to make this happen? Thanks.

– Joel H.

Dear Joel,

Laminate flooring is considered one of the most durable types of flooring you can find. Because of its durability, it is often used in high traffic areas, on furniture, and more. With laminate's stunning decorative look combined with strong performance, you can be sure you're getting a strong flooring for your new home office.

What Is High Pressure Laminate (HPL)?

High pressure laminate flooring is only slightly different than the typical laminate flooring. It is created using a chemical called melamine. This chemical, combined with others, turns into a plastic resin. The plastic resin is then pressed firmly together to form durable, strong layers. A layer of decorative craft paper is then pressed on top with the design of your choosing.

High pressure and low pressure laminate flooring differ based on the process where melamine is infused. High pressure laminate uses more pressure to adhere the pieces together, but lower temperatures. On the other hand, low pressure uses less pressure and much higher temperatures to fuse the layers together. Another key difference is that high pressure laminate uses adhesives, while low pressure laminate does not.

A Few Considerations Before You Buy HPL

Here are a few considerations to make when choosing whether high pressure laminate flooring is right for your home office.

Flooring Risks – Both are resistant to fire, chemicals and general wear. Depending on what type of business you're running out of your home office, this is important. If your business includes food preparation, chemicals, or any other type of unusual material, you will want to use high pressure laminate.

Cost – High pressure laminate tends to be more expensive because it's more expensive to make. This is another important factor to consider when choosing your new flooring.

Furniture – The final consideration to make is how the furniture will be used on the flooring. Since you mentioned you plan to have a lot of people using your home office, you might want to spend the small extra cost to upgrade to high pressure laminate flooring.

High pressure laminate is especially beneficial for unique spaces and needs. If your home office will only see foot traffic, and is not at risk for other types of damage, you do not need high pressure laminate flooring. Request a sample today to see for yourself how durable laminate flooring is for your home office.

If you still have questions, don't hesitate to post them in the comments below or give us a call at 1-800-520-0961! We will be happy to help you!