Laminated wood options abound. Many brands impressively claim superiority. Prices vary widely, and there are no direct comparisons. Which is the best for you?
If you're in the market for laminated wood floors, you know that choosing the right one can be downright confusing! There are so many brands, many claiming some kind of advantage, while others simply say they perform the same as the expensive ones but at half or a third of the price.
Check out premium Inovar by Daiken laminated wood options at the Kibu Design Concepts showroom in Ortigas. The large spreads let you appreciate and choose wood patterns and colors that appeal to you, while you're given impressive info on why the brand is a sound choice.
Prices can vary from as low as PhP 550 (USD 12.40) per sqm, to over PhP 3k (USD 67.60) per sqm. And there are overlaps. At PhP 1,800 per sqm and up you can start to consider Engineered wood and Bamboo wood. At PhP 2,500 per sqm and up you can start to consider the Matimco Luxe HD Wood Plastic Composite and some kinds of solid wood. How do the wood materials differ? Check my previous blog on Wood Floor Options.
In my own quest for a wood floor, having weighed so many factors - I've settled on using laminated wood. a primary option was the Kronotex Laminated Wood new Exquisit model with v-cuts. This stemmed from another performance comparison I did, which I've shared in this other blog.
Then I discovered the Inovar Floor by Daiken, marketed and distributed in the Philippines by Kibu Design Concepts which has a beautiful showroom at Ortigas Avenue. I get really engaged with high technology products, so this wood floor grabbed my attention. Here is a cross section of the material and it's components, as published in the Kibu official website.
Inovar Floor components.
A. Highly Anti-Abrasive Protective Overlay. The anti-abrasive overlay consist of millions of aluminium oxide particles per square foot which resist scuffing, scratches and wear. This is the 4th hardest man made material.
B. Melamine Impregnated decorative film. The decorative layer is impregnated with melamine resin and is available in various colours and designs.
C. CoreGuard – Superior Water & Termite Resistant high density hardwood fibre board (HDF). The high density wood fibreboard is made from tropical hardwood fibres compressed under high temperature and pressure. Tropical wood has excellent water and termite resistant making it suitable for use as core material in laminate flooring. This gives Inovar laminate flooring superior water & termite resistant properties. The higher density of HDF (>850 kg/m3) gives the flooring better stability when laid using the underlay system.
D. Balancing Film for dimension. The bottom layer balancing firm provide good dimensional stability to the board preventing it from warping. Impregnated with melamine resin, it acts as a moisture barrier for the board.
E. Nova Clic. The state-of-the-art interlocking system acquired from Germany has high precision & superb locking mechanism that creates a strong & seamless joint for excellent aesthetic value apart from prevention of water seepage. Mechanical joint strength is in excess of 6800 N (700 kg/m) under stress test.
F. Waxguard Plus. Applied using the latest and enhance vacumat technology Waxguard Plus forms a layer of paraffin over the interlocking joint hence reducing ‘squeking’ sound under pressure and improved water resistant.
G. SilentPro Is a layer of 1.6mm EVA sheet glued to the bottom of the board to improve sound absorption hence making it suitable for commercial floor application.
The Inovar floor component descriptions are very impressive and highly technical, like the anti-abrasive layer with aluminum oxide particles, the melamine-impregnated decorative film (same material as hard melamine dinnerware), the presence of tropical hardwood fibers in the HDF, and even a separately branded interlocking Nova Clic system. But then the real question is - how does the material perform, and does it live up to its high claims?
I subjected the Inovar floor to my standard round of homemade tests. I was also able to obtain the Kronotex new Exqusit with v-cuts, and I threw in the Hornitex and the Matimco Luxe HD Wood Plastic Composite samples in the set for reference and objectivity. Here is the rundown.
On Resistance to Impact from a heavy sharp object, they all fared pretty well, with the Luxe HD WPC having a slight advantage, Inovar and Kronotex being at parity and Hornitex having slightly more denting.
On Resistance to pressure, rocking and pressing with a wood chair foot having an 85 kg weight, they all fared excellently. No damage or indentation was visible.
On Acoustics and quietness via coin dropping, the Luxe HD WPC had a distinct advantage, while the Inovar, Kronotex and Hornitex were relatively similar, with the Inovar material being slightly better.
Note that my Inovar sample was not the high-end model with the SilentPro component. See more of my comments on this, below.
On mars resulting from the coin drop test, all fared excellently. No marks were visible.
On Resistance to scratching with a rough weight, the unpolished edge of a 20-lb dumbbell, all samples fared well, none suffered any scratches.
I observed that the Kronotex and Inovar samples had sheen marks where the weight was repeatedly applied, while the Hornitex had slightly dull and faint dark streaks (see Figure 1). None of these were concerning though.
On Resistance to partial water immersion, observed after 30 minutes, 100 minutes and 10 hours, then allowed to air dry and observed, I noted that the Inovar floor had a slight advantage.
At 30 minutes and 100 minutes, the Inovar floor had noticeably less water absorption and material thickening than the comparator set of laminated wood. And after 10 hours (see Figure 2) the Nova Clic connector on the Inovar floor had the most integrity as it was the most distinct and functional versus the profiles of Kronotex and Hornitex, and also there was less thickening and "curling" at the edge of the Inovar, which would result to unsightly "bunching" on an installed floor. For the Kronotex with v-cuts, removal of the small section of the v-cuts will potentially address the bunching and help maintain a good look despite some material thickening.
So that's my open assessment. The Inovar by Daiken floors (made in Malaysia with German technology and components and also Japanese technology with Asian HDF) I find are elegant, and with how they perform a cut better than the rest, I've decided to use this material as part of my floor solution. Inovar floors are more expensive than many brands, but I see them holding their beauty and value longer, especially after some weather exposure and wear (as lower-priced brands had water resistance results that were not as good).
Compared to Kronotex floors the Inovar floors are only slightly more expensive, while they are markedly lower than equivalent floors from Parador of Germany or Pergo of Sweden or Malaysia.
More on floor acoustics. The high-end model of the Inovar floors by Daiken have a sound absorbing layer integrated with each individual plank. This is aside from the PE foam layer that is standard when installing these floors. This uncommon layer reminded me of our Franke of Switzerland kitchen sinks, where all their sink models have a sound absorbing layer for premium effect, to deaden kitchen sink sounds. If you are particular on floor sound insulation yet don't want to spend on a solid wood floor or a Matimco Luxe HD WPC floor, then the Inovar premium floor at PhP 1500 per sqm is an excellent choice. The other laminate floors with sound insulation options are Parador and Pergo, but you'll end up shelling out more for those.
That's it! If you're in Manila, be sure to visit the Kibu Design Concepts showroom at Ortigas where you'll see the Inovar floors beautifully showcased. They have a number of other innovative materials that I'll share in a later blog. If you can, introduce yourself to the upbeat gentleman and Managing Partner Mr. Benjo Marquez who is very passionate about his chosen materials portfolio. Mention that you've learned of their material in this Reflections In Time Blog :)
The Inovar floor by Daiken is also available in Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan, and it is advertised as the only brand accredited by world-renowned IKEA for use in their showrooms in Asia.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
If you're in the market for laminated wood floors, you know that choosing the right one can be downright confusing! There are so many brands, many claiming some kind of advantage, while others simply say they perform the same as the expensive ones but at half or a third of the price.
Check out premium Inovar by Daiken laminated wood options at the Kibu Design Concepts showroom in Ortigas. The large spreads let you appreciate and choose wood patterns and colors that appeal to you, while you're given impressive info on why the brand is a sound choice.
Prices can vary from as low as PhP 550 (USD 12.40) per sqm, to over PhP 3k (USD 67.60) per sqm. And there are overlaps. At PhP 1,800 per sqm and up you can start to consider Engineered wood and Bamboo wood. At PhP 2,500 per sqm and up you can start to consider the Matimco Luxe HD Wood Plastic Composite and some kinds of solid wood. How do the wood materials differ? Check my previous blog on Wood Floor Options.
In my own quest for a wood floor, having weighed so many factors - I've settled on using laminated wood. a primary option was the Kronotex Laminated Wood new Exquisit model with v-cuts. This stemmed from another performance comparison I did, which I've shared in this other blog.
Then I discovered the Inovar Floor by Daiken, marketed and distributed in the Philippines by Kibu Design Concepts which has a beautiful showroom at Ortigas Avenue. I get really engaged with high technology products, so this wood floor grabbed my attention. Here is a cross section of the material and it's components, as published in the Kibu official website.
Inovar Floor components.
A. Highly Anti-Abrasive Protective Overlay. The anti-abrasive overlay consist of millions of aluminium oxide particles per square foot which resist scuffing, scratches and wear. This is the 4th hardest man made material.
B. Melamine Impregnated decorative film. The decorative layer is impregnated with melamine resin and is available in various colours and designs.
C. CoreGuard – Superior Water & Termite Resistant high density hardwood fibre board (HDF). The high density wood fibreboard is made from tropical hardwood fibres compressed under high temperature and pressure. Tropical wood has excellent water and termite resistant making it suitable for use as core material in laminate flooring. This gives Inovar laminate flooring superior water & termite resistant properties. The higher density of HDF (>850 kg/m3) gives the flooring better stability when laid using the underlay system.
D. Balancing Film for dimension. The bottom layer balancing firm provide good dimensional stability to the board preventing it from warping. Impregnated with melamine resin, it acts as a moisture barrier for the board.
E. Nova Clic. The state-of-the-art interlocking system acquired from Germany has high precision & superb locking mechanism that creates a strong & seamless joint for excellent aesthetic value apart from prevention of water seepage. Mechanical joint strength is in excess of 6800 N (700 kg/m) under stress test.
F. Waxguard Plus. Applied using the latest and enhance vacumat technology Waxguard Plus forms a layer of paraffin over the interlocking joint hence reducing ‘squeking’ sound under pressure and improved water resistant.
G. SilentPro Is a layer of 1.6mm EVA sheet glued to the bottom of the board to improve sound absorption hence making it suitable for commercial floor application.
The Inovar floor component descriptions are very impressive and highly technical, like the anti-abrasive layer with aluminum oxide particles, the melamine-impregnated decorative film (same material as hard melamine dinnerware), the presence of tropical hardwood fibers in the HDF, and even a separately branded interlocking Nova Clic system. But then the real question is - how does the material perform, and does it live up to its high claims?
I subjected the Inovar floor to my standard round of homemade tests. I was also able to obtain the Kronotex new Exqusit with v-cuts, and I threw in the Hornitex and the Matimco Luxe HD Wood Plastic Composite samples in the set for reference and objectivity. Here is the rundown.
On Resistance to Impact from a heavy sharp object, they all fared pretty well, with the Luxe HD WPC having a slight advantage, Inovar and Kronotex being at parity and Hornitex having slightly more denting.
On Resistance to pressure, rocking and pressing with a wood chair foot having an 85 kg weight, they all fared excellently. No damage or indentation was visible.
On Acoustics and quietness via coin dropping, the Luxe HD WPC had a distinct advantage, while the Inovar, Kronotex and Hornitex were relatively similar, with the Inovar material being slightly better.
Note that my Inovar sample was not the high-end model with the SilentPro component. See more of my comments on this, below.
On mars resulting from the coin drop test, all fared excellently. No marks were visible.
On Resistance to scratching with a rough weight, the unpolished edge of a 20-lb dumbbell, all samples fared well, none suffered any scratches.
I observed that the Kronotex and Inovar samples had sheen marks where the weight was repeatedly applied, while the Hornitex had slightly dull and faint dark streaks (see Figure 1). None of these were concerning though.
On Resistance to partial water immersion, observed after 30 minutes, 100 minutes and 10 hours, then allowed to air dry and observed, I noted that the Inovar floor had a slight advantage.
At 30 minutes and 100 minutes, the Inovar floor had noticeably less water absorption and material thickening than the comparator set of laminated wood. And after 10 hours (see Figure 2) the Nova Clic connector on the Inovar floor had the most integrity as it was the most distinct and functional versus the profiles of Kronotex and Hornitex, and also there was less thickening and "curling" at the edge of the Inovar, which would result to unsightly "bunching" on an installed floor. For the Kronotex with v-cuts, removal of the small section of the v-cuts will potentially address the bunching and help maintain a good look despite some material thickening.
So that's my open assessment. The Inovar by Daiken floors (made in Malaysia with German technology and components and also Japanese technology with Asian HDF) I find are elegant, and with how they perform a cut better than the rest, I've decided to use this material as part of my floor solution. Inovar floors are more expensive than many brands, but I see them holding their beauty and value longer, especially after some weather exposure and wear (as lower-priced brands had water resistance results that were not as good).
Compared to Kronotex floors the Inovar floors are only slightly more expensive, while they are markedly lower than equivalent floors from Parador of Germany or Pergo of Sweden or Malaysia.
More on floor acoustics. The high-end model of the Inovar floors by Daiken have a sound absorbing layer integrated with each individual plank. This is aside from the PE foam layer that is standard when installing these floors. This uncommon layer reminded me of our Franke of Switzerland kitchen sinks, where all their sink models have a sound absorbing layer for premium effect, to deaden kitchen sink sounds. If you are particular on floor sound insulation yet don't want to spend on a solid wood floor or a Matimco Luxe HD WPC floor, then the Inovar premium floor at PhP 1500 per sqm is an excellent choice. The other laminate floors with sound insulation options are Parador and Pergo, but you'll end up shelling out more for those.
That's it! If you're in Manila, be sure to visit the Kibu Design Concepts showroom at Ortigas where you'll see the Inovar floors beautifully showcased. They have a number of other innovative materials that I'll share in a later blog. If you can, introduce yourself to the upbeat gentleman and Managing Partner Mr. Benjo Marquez who is very passionate about his chosen materials portfolio. Mention that you've learned of their material in this Reflections In Time Blog :)
The Inovar floor by Daiken is also available in Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan, and it is advertised as the only brand accredited by world-renowned IKEA for use in their showrooms in Asia.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Good sharing, Inovar floor offers you each component layer is made of material that meets international standards for durability. With a decade of product research and development. For detail review visit:
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