What is laminated wood and how is it different from solid wood

I said in the article about wood derivativesthat I'm going to come back to laminated wood as it's a broader topic. In short, laminated wood is still a wood derivative that retains the look and beauty of solid wood but eliminates its shortcomings. Not all laminated wood is produced in the same way, and it differs depending on the area of use.

One of the areas in which laminated wood is used is that of obtaining parchment. I have also talked about it in the article on the 3 types of flooring and their comparison. Laminated wood flooring basically looks like solid wood, but has different characteristics. It is made from several layers of wood, glued together as in tackleThe top layer is thicker, giving the appearance of solid wood.

Not all laminate flooring is made from the same number of layers or from the same types of wood. Hence the difference in quality or price. Basically, there are two types of laminate flooring most commonly found:

• parquet flooring made from a solid wood middle over which 2 "blinds", 2 thicker veneers, also made of solid wood, are laid,
• parquet made from a thick solid wood 'face', like a veneer, laid on top of plywood made from an odd number of wood veneers laid perpendicular to each other.

The thickness of the front blind depends on the quality of the flooring. A thicker blind means a quality parquet floor with a higher price, and a thinner one will have a lower price, being of poorer quality.

Laminate flooring is made with the aim of having the same appearance as solid wood flooring, but superior characteristics, such as:

• dimensional stability - the wood does not swell or shrink due to the variation of humidity in the environment,
• Increased resistance to moisture and heat - no longer affected by a humid environment with excessive heat,
• lower price - the lower layers are made of lower quality wood, resulting in a lower price for the flooring. This makes the flooring made of special woods more affordable.

Thanks to these properties the pole can also be installed in areas with higher humidity, such as the ground floor of a house, bathroom or basement, or directly on the concrete floor, and no space is left next to the wall for any dimensional changes.

Although there aren't many, there are still disadvantages. Because of the thinner surface layer, resurfacing can be done 1 or 2 times, as opposed to solid wood, which can be resurfaced more than 10 times. And the price is not always lower than solid wood. There are types of laminate flooring made from exotic species that cost even more than solid wood.

There is another type of laminated wood that is used in obtaining window frames and doors.Unlike parquet, it is made by laying the layers of wood on top of each other along the grain, not perpendicular, which is why many also use the term laminate. The resulting wood is more stable and has superior qualities to solid wood, making it very suitable for windows thermopane type and doors used outdoors, but also in other types of construction.

The steps to obtain laminated wood for window frames are as follows:

• cutting logs into planks
• drying
• cutting planks to size
• sort: knot removal and other defects
• joining elements lengthwise (in teeth)

• calibration
• layering

The most important step for the subsequent qualities of the laminate is the elimination of knots and defects. This results in healthier and more uniform wood with much better strengths over time. The lamination of these elements is done by gluing with special adhesives, type D4, which is highly resistant to repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

The use of laminated wood for windows has a number of advantages that make it preferable to solid wood:

• is safe, durable and resistant
• no bending, no cracking, no "working"
• allows air exchange - "breathes"
• you can create the most diverse shapes: rhombus, arch, circle, etc.

For staining this type of laminate it is best to use uniforming products so as not to highlight the joint lines. Otherwise, finishing can be made in the same way as solid wood.

Laminated timber was born out of the desire to use wood in some of the more difficult areas, without taking on the risks of using it in those conditions. It retains everything we love about wood - the beauty, the natural pattern, the warmth - while also gaining stability and strength. With its help we can enjoy the beauty of special species at a more affordable price, and the special shapes that designers imagine for windows are no longer a dream.