Creating authentic aesthetic with laminate flooring from Switzerland

24 August 2017

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Traditional wood flooring is something many covet in their homes, but the way people are achieving this is no longer with solid timber flooring; instead, the use of products that mimic the look and feel of timber so closely they are almost indistinguishable is on the rise. We talk to Parks Flooring about the benefits of using wood laminate floorboards.

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Classic timber flooring is synonymous with our older homes, and it’s popular in new builds too. But traditional solid wood flooring has its drawbacks and limitations and various other products now available are achieving more while creating the look and feel of solid timber.

But it’s not necessarily the traditional sized floor planks that people are after; in fact, a wider, large plank is becoming more popular to create a contemporary aesthetic with a nod to traditional flooring.

For the team at Parks Flooring, this nascent move towards oversized boards combined with the desire to create authentic timber flooring has seen a Swiss-made product, Grand Selection Origin, spike in use.

“Swiss Krono Grand Selection Origin flooring is a wood laminate product but it is carefully crafted to be indistinguishable from solid timber,” Parks Flooring’s David Hong says. “Because of its dimensions and depth, this product creates a totally new aesthetic – quite different from what other laminates on the market can achieve.”

The flooring comes inlengths of up to two metres, a significant shift away from traditional planks that generally come in either 1.3 or 1.4 metre lengths. It’s also 14mm thick, which again, is quite different from most other flooring planks that generally are between 7mm to 10mm thick.

“This is the only 14mm thick laminate product on the market in New Zealand,” David says. “Its thickness means it achieves that real warmth of solid timber and underfoot, it has the same feel as solid timber. The flooring system also represents one of the most advanced click-lock systems on the market. It’s known as 5G drop locking, and allows the installer to simply and quickly put it together on site.”

Compared to solid timber, which is prone to scratching and requires maintenance over time to keep in prime condition, Swiss Krono flooring is scratch and water resistant and comes with a 35-year residential warranty, and requires low maintenance over its lifetime.

Swiss Krono Grand Selection Origin – Oak

But it is not only these benefits that are attracting more people to this type of laminate flooring, it is the authentic timber look that has seen it rise so sharply in popularity. The boards have a unique, natural appearance, complete with knots and lines that are indistinguishable from real timber. “Even a flooring expert would be hard pressed to tell the difference between this flooring and solid timber planks,” David says.

It’s particularly useful for situations where children or pets are involved too because of its abrasion and scratch resistance, but also because it won’t absorb stains and is resistant to impacts. “Suitable for wet areas due its high level of water resistance, it doesn’t fade either, which makes it ideal for hard wearing applications.”

Get in touch with Parks Flooring on ArchiPro here to find out how you can incorporate Swiss Krono flooring in your next project or renovation.