What are Laminates?
Laminates are the most commonly used finishing layer for Plywood, Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), particle board, furniture, wall panels and floorings. These are composite artificial material which is bound under pressure by pressing thin layers of flat paper and plastic resin. The top layer generally consists of paper which has beautiful shades, colours and patterns printed on it.
Types of Laminates
Laminates can be of various types based on their characteristics
Based on their usage
(a) Decorative Laminates Sheets: These laminates provide a greater aesthetic appeal as far as finishes and patterns are concerned. With a thickness of about 1 mm they are mostly used to give a finished look to your furniture elements. Generally used in the interior decoration of your beautiful homes, Star Laminates is the leading producer of the widest range of Decorative Laminates.
(b) Industrial laminates: Such laminates have higher durability so that they offer higher resistance to scratches and can face undue wear & tear over long durations of time. They are also made fire resistant, chemical resistant and antibacterial. They have a wide application in industries and hospitals.
Based on pressure
applied during production
(a) High Pressure Laminates: These laminates are produced by attaching the décor paper under a high pressure with the kraft paper to provide a top surface which looks elegant as well as provide durability to the furniture element. Carpenters commonly fix these over plywood and MDF to create furniture pieces.
(b) Low Pressure laminates: Such laminates are created by soaking the creative paper in melamine resin and then directly bonded with particle board or fibre board at low pressure
Based on Finish
(a) Gloss Finished Laminates: It has a glossy finish to the décor paper. Such laminates are most commonly used in restaurants and hotels.
(b) Matt Finished laminates: These laminates give a matt finish to the surface they are applied to. These are usually used in corporate areas.
(c) Solid Coloured laminates: The whole laminate is a single colour sheet. You usually see such laminates being used in kitchen or washrooms but slowly the trend for such laminates is on the decline
(d) Textured laminates: You can feel the texture or pattern made on such laminates. The aim is to give a realistic effect to the elements it is applied upon.
(e) Wood Grain laminates: They provide aesthetic feel like real wood. Similarly, you can find metal or leather laminates to give you a metal or leather feel to your decorative elements.
How to choose the Right Laminate?
Based on Budget : Decorative laminates sheets help you to enjoy high quality looks at a fraction of the cost of real leather, metal or solid wood. Though they don’t achieve the exact aesthetic standards of the natural material they score high when ease of maintenance and cost-effectiveness is weighed. Star Laminates – a leading laminates manufacturer in India offers the best wood finish laminates which are hard to differentiate from real wood and can only be distinguished by the repetitive pattern.
Even in laminates, you can find products which appear similar in look to our products and are cheaper in cost. But when you take the durability into consideration you will find them to be a costlier option. For affordable laminates, Star laminates have always scored high.
Based on Usage: You must choose the laminate based on its usage. High gloss laminates may look stylish in a kitchen but they are high on maintenance. Every stain or fingerprint is visible and hence frequent cleaning is required. Matt laminates on the other hand do now require frequent cleaning and also are easy to clean. One can use darker coloured matt laminates at areas frequently used and light coloured gloss laminates at areas less frequented. Our widest range of laminates for kitchen, wardrobe, living room, bedroom etc. will help you to choose the perfect laminate as per your requirement.
Based on Décor Theme: If you have a sleek or contemporary décor theme we advise you to go for High Gloss laminates. For abstract and eclectic décor style we will recommend our traditional patterns and prints. You can mix n match textures, solid colours and wood grains to get the two-tone finish. At Star Laminates, India’s best Decorative Laminates Brand, we advise our customers to use light colours to enhance space perception in closed up spaces or dark shades to make a room look closed in and cosy. Our widest variety of laminates is there to satisfy all your needs.
A word of caution: Never chose a laminate from a printed catalogue as it does not give you an insight into the actual finish or textures. That’s why Star Laminates have brought you a laminate catalogue with actual samples.
We hope this gives you some insights about laminates. In case you need further assistance please take a look at Star Laminate’s Newest 1 mm Laminate Catalogue. You can also email us any query and we will be glad to help you.