Poor quality laminate is bad investment

Warning: using poor quality laminates may cost more rather than save more.

The admonition comes from Joseph L. Ang, president of Multi-Rich Home Decors, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Wilsonart laminates in the Philippines, who noted the recent influx of cheaper but substandard laminate brands from neighboring Asian countries in the local market.

"In these trying times, many people opt to cut on expenses to make ends meet. However, there are cases when the notion cheaper is better does not necessarily apply," said Ang.

Ang explained that the problem with substandard laminate brands is that it is difficult to differentiate them from the top quality laminates such as Wilsonart. At first glance, these products look almost the same and to the untrained eye, they may even look fancier, he added.

But lo and behold! The "rich" surface of these cheaper laminates has the tendency to become shabby in no time. According to Ang, these products do not undergo meticulous product control and testing hence, the materials are substandard and vulnerable to simple wear and tear. The substandard laminate will not stand constant wiping; much more if one uses acidic and abrasive cleansing agents. They are also prone to permanent stains, even from simple household chemicals.

"In the end, you will have to repair the damage and the few pesos you may have initially saved will just go down the drain," added Ang.

Ang said Wilsonart, the leading laminate brand in the USA, offers a better alternative to these substandard laminates. Wilsonart has a high surface wear resistance so it can withstand constant pressure from ordinary cleaning. As an added bonus, it is also bacterial-resistant.

Wilsonart laminates are 1.27 millimeters thick, the thickest among the laminates available in market. A four-by-eight-feet wood laminate may cost a fraction more for the same area than using conventional methods like wallpaper and paint. "But considering the lasting quality of Wilsonart, paying a few additional pesos is really worth it," said Ang.

Ang further explained that Wilsonart laminates do not easily stain because they are resistant to most household chemicals such as alcohol, iodine, Mercurochrome, Lysol and petroleum jelly. They are even acid-resistant up to a certain degree.

Most important is that Wilsonart is competitively priced in comparison to the substandard laminate brands, he pointed out.