Which laminate for an apartment is better to choose - advantages and disadvantages
Before deciding which laminate flooring for an apartment is better to choose, pay attention to the advantages and disadvantages
Dignity | Description |
---|---|
Budgetary | The price, in comparison with tiles or parquet, is extremely low. Therefore, if you need to lay the floor in several large rooms, we recommend that you consider this option. |
Ease of stacking material | It is not difficult to cope on your own, even without special knowledge of working with flooring. It does not need to be glued (which usually causes difficulties), because it is fastened in a "lock" way. |
Variety of colors | A variety of colors allows you to use the material in the design of almost any interior. |
Wear resistance | Suitable for offices, public places such as cafes or shops. For rooms where there is a threat of constant humidity, purchase just such a coating. |
The cover is produced by a large number of manufacturers, but only two types of locks have been created - Lock and Click. The first is a tongue and groove latch and is simple and economical. The second type appeared later, it is considered more advanced, because it contains a collapsible mechanism.
Locks lock and click
There are also disadvantages. Most often, there is a leakage of the seams, as a result of which dirt and dust slip into the joints and are extremely difficult to eliminate. Improper care will damage the laminate - streaks and stains will appear on it over time, it will turn pale. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to use special cleaning agents.
General description of the laminate
Laminate means a panel made of a board based on fiberboard, chipboard and several layers of paper material impregnated with melamine resins. The presented panels are processed at high pressures and temperatures and pressed.
To understand how to choose a laminate for the floor in an apartment, you need to study the principle of such a coating. So, the layers are arranged in the following order:
- upper;
- decorative;
- fiberboard plate, chipboard;
- stabilizing layer.
The top layer is acrylic or melamine resin laminated film. Such a coating takes care of improved characteristics of resistance to abrasion, moisture, dirt, UV rays.
The decorative layer is paper with the image of valuable wood species or other structure.
Fiberboard or chipboard is necessary to ensure the mechanical strength of the entire structure. It should be borne in mind that between the decorative layer and the base, additional layers impregnated with special synthetic resins can be introduced.
The stabilizing layer is represented by a waterproof melamine layer, which gives the panel additional rigidity and preserves it from various kinds of deformations.
FAQ
A few words about the most common questions asked by buyers when deciding which laminate flooring for an apartment is better to choose. Let's analyze such moments:
- Which mop to wash correctly;
- What kind of vacuum cleaner is suitable for cleaning;
- Sealant - which is better;
- Selection of colors.
In the living room
Which mop is better to wash laminate flooring - expert advice
Experts do not recommend using an ordinary mop for cleaning the floor. It is advisable to purchase a variety that does not need wetting and absorbs moisture. After cleaning, the laminate should be free of wet streaks and streaks. An excellent option is to spray the coating with a spray gun followed by wiping.
What do you think is the best vacuum cleaner for laminate flooring?
For cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, it is important to pay attention to the power of the device - the floor surface must be dry. If the vacuum cleaner is washing, then use special liquids that will protect against the appearance of streaks and soap stains.
To prevent the vacuum cleaner from damaging the laminate, pay attention to the wheels when buying it. It is desirable that they are rubberized, otherwise scratches will remain on the coating.
Laminate sealant - which is better and why
Silicone sealant is considered ideal. It is produced recently, but has already managed to gain the confidence of builders due to its resistance to temperature extremes.
Silicone MomentSilicone "Bison"
The sealant must be moisture resistant - this way you will count on a longer service life of the coating. The sealants themselves fall into two categories:
- silicone (which was discussed above);
- acrylic (their peculiarity lies in the possibility of staining after the substance has completely dried).
What color to choose a laminate - dependence on the interior
The choice of laminate color largely depends on the interior design - it should be in harmony with thoughtful images and stylistic solutions. The color combination in these cases will play a key role: there are no wrong colors, but there are definitely wrong combinations of them.
The color of the floor should match the color of the furniture and doors in the range - either warm or cold is chosen. We recommend that you think in advance about the color of the skirting board - it should not be too dark, because it will stand out from the overall appearance of the room.
How to choose a color for doors and walls
The laminate flooring must be chosen in such a way that the floor does not blend in shade with other elements of the living room: doors and walls. The floor should carry the task of background design, on which elements of furniture, as well as other structural parts of the living room, will look advantageous.
In addition, the floor, walls should not be selected in the same tone: they must contrast harmoniously, otherwise the living room elements will merge in one shade.
If, after all, it turns out that the color of the floor matches the color of the furniture, then a carpet should be laid on the laminate, which will contrast in color.
If a dark floor is selected, then it is advisable to make the walls in light colors. When flooring in light colors, a dark contrast should be made on the walls (or one wall), and it is better to use a shade for the walls several shades darker than the floor.
The color ratio of the floor and doors should be harmonious. In addition, all interior details should be taken into account so that there are no ridiculous combinations, sharp and multi-colored contrasts. Shades should not be scattered: there should be no more than three or four, taking into account furniture, decor elements and walls.
The floor is several shades lighter than the doors, if the texture is the same.
NOTE!
If the laminate is dark, white doors should not be selected. At a minimum, their color should be as close as possible to beige or similar to the color of the floor .. Dark door colors can be in harmony with many shades of the floor: gray, brown, beige
But if the color of the doors is close to red, then the flooring should not be brown
Dark door colors can be in harmony with many shades of the floor: gray, brown, beige. But if the color of the doors is close to red, then the flooring should not be brown.
Wenge color can be equally suitable for doors and for flooring. This tone is comfortable for a calm living room. In addition, this door color matches well with any shades of laminated boards.
Laminate classes
For each room, you need to choose a separate flooring, since the requirements for it will be completely different. So, how to choose a good laminate flooring for different rooms, depending on the classes.
Scope of application | Load degree | Laminate class | Abrasion resistance EN 13329 | IP abrasion rate, EN 13329 | Impact resistance EN 13329 |
Living spaces: bedroom, library, study |
easy | 21 | AC 1 | >900 | IC 1 |
Living spaces: children's room, living room |
average | 22 | AC 2 | >1800 | IC 1 |
Living spaces: hallway, kitchen |
high | 23 | AC 3 | >2500 | IC 1 |
Public spaces: small office, conference room |
easy | 31 | AC 3 | >2500 | IC 1 |
Public spaces: office, reception, boutique, classrooms |
average | 32 | AC 4 | >4000 | IC 2 |
Public spaces: shop, restaurant, gym |
high | 33 | AC 5 | >6500 | IC 3 |
- Grade 21 - The durability of this flooring is limited to 4 years and no more. Large loads are too heavy for such material. Today it is rarely stacked.
- Class 22 - the service life does not exceed 4 years.
- Class 23 - such material can be installed in a room where heavy furniture is supposed to be placed. Such a laminate will last no more than 4 years.
- Class 31 - the presented type is commercial. Its service life increases to 8 years.
- Class 32 - the service life reaches 12 years.
- Class 33 is the type that is the most wear-resistant, since it can withstand heavy loads. The durability of such a material can reach 15 years.
A little about laminate - why is this covering so popular?
The laminated coating is made from wood-fiber boards obtained by pressing under pressure under conditions of a certain temperature regime.
The bottom layer of the material is a moisture-resistant substrate, which also acts as sound insulation. If the backing is made of cork, it can act as thermal insulation. The second layer is the slab itself, which has a high density. On top of it, a layer is applied that protects the base of the laminate from aggressive effects. This is followed by a decorative coating that imitates wood, tiles and other finishing materials. And last but not least, the boards are covered with a protective film that protects them from mechanical damage.
Laminate on the floor in the room
What are the advantages of this flooring? First of all, immediately after installation, the floors are ready for use - no additional finishing work is required. An important advantage can be called the ease of installation, because the laying of the boards can be done independently, even without having experience in carrying out such work.
However, there is no ideal material, so you should remember about the disadvantages of laminate flooring. So, if you lay it without soundproofing, the floors will turn out to be echoing - your every step will be heard throughout the apartment. Another disadvantage is that low grade materials are afraid of moisture - even a spilled cup of coffee can cause the coating to swell.
Therefore, it is important to know how laminate flooring differs according to the classes that are assigned to it after passing special tests in production. The class depends on the technical characteristics and service life of the material
Material structure
Which laminate to choose for an apartment is determined by many factors. The structure of the material of all classes is practically the same.
- The basis of each board is a fibreboard, in the production of which wood-based materials are mixed with a bonding composite and pressed with simultaneous heating. The result is a high density and strength of laminate boards.
- A decorative layer is applied on top of the base - a film or special moisture-resistant paper with an image imitating the texture of wood, marble, other natural materials, or with a fantasy pattern. Thanks to this layer, the laminate (photos in the interior of the apartment can be easily found on specialized sites) can be anything, which makes it possible to accurately select the color and pattern of the floor covering in accordance with the overall design.
- The uppermost layer is a protective laminated coating that increases resistance to wear and other external influences.
- On the other side of the base, the lowest stabilizing layer is placed to protect against moisture that may emerge from the floor slabs. This layer also protects the laminate from deformation and increases its rigidity.
Laminate structure
Panel thickness
The commercially available laminate boards are 6-12 mm thick. When deciding how to choose a high-quality laminate for an apartment, take into account that the cost of boards with a greater thickness is higher, all other things being equal. At the same time, thick laminate boards have more reliable locks, and their installation is more convenient and easier. The insulating properties of the coating also increase in proportion to the increase in panel thickness.
The most interesting design solutions in the hallway, using laminate
Laminate in one shade, evenly laid along the entire corridor, is a classic choice for floor design. But there are other, equally attractive solutions that are not difficult to implement.
A large number of colors, patterns, textures give the laminate excellent decorative properties.
Just look at these photos of the laminate in the hallway:
- Dark color combined with white or light skirting boards;
- Combination of different colors of the laminate - monochromatic along with the pattern;
- The use of laminate not only on the floor, but also on one of the walls;
For the corridor, the best option is a material with a special texture. It completely imitates natural wood, matte, non-slippery and not soiled.
The most popular is the combination with ceramic tiles to create a safer area of high humidity.
The choice of the color of the laminate is due to the dimensions of the hallway, its design and the wishes of the owners of the house, apartment.
You can beat not only the colors of the panels, but also combine their textures. We must not forget about the skirting board - there are original design ideas, where the skirting board in the hallway is completely absent.
Laminate with a smooth surface.
Types and characteristics of laminated parquet
Marking. How to read conventions correctly
Indispensable companions of a laminate board are special pictograms, which theoretically should make it easier for us to choose. About half of them look logical and intuitive, but when you look at the rest of the questions, there are more questions than answers.
To navigate the labels that the manufacturer puts on the packaging of the flooring, click here for a separate article >>>
What the laminate board consists of. Inside view
The basis of the flooring is made of HDF high density wood board (800 kg / m3). Above there is a decorative layer - paper with an applied image (see diagram). As a rule, the drawing imitates different types of wood. The transparent protective layer is a wear-resistant melamine or acrylic resin film. At the bottom of the base is melanin, which gives extra rigidity. All layers are pressed at a high temperature and a finished product is obtained.
Classification. Which class of laminate is better
When classifying the laminate, the European system EN 13329 is used. This parameter is determined according to the results of test tests (as many as 18 tests!) For wear resistance, resistance to dynamic loads and mechanical damage, moisture resistance, noise insulation. As a result, two product groups can be found on the market:
-
Index "3". It is a material for commercial use with increased wear resistance. Laminate class 31/32/33/34 is found in this category. The stability of the surface layer is determined by the AC marking, differing in values from 3 to 6.
-
Index "2". This material is intended for domestic use in residential areas. This is where classes 21/22/23 meet.
It should be noted that laminate with the index "2" is practically not used in European countries, therefore it is gradually being phased out.It is still found in the domestic market, but is not very popular, since the evolution of technology has significantly reduced the cost of commercial varieties and consumers prefer to purchase material with a high margin of safety for residential premises.
If we talk about which class of laminate is better, you need to take into account the scope of its application and the wear resistance of the surface layer. Accordingly, the material of class 31-32 is more suitable for residential buildings. Products marked 33 and the relatively recent class 34 are used in public buildings with high traffic.
Dignity
-
Attractive price. Obviously, for this reason, laminate is one of the leaders in the flooring market.
-
Variety of design solutions. A visit to a hardware store or a short search on the Internet will surely give you an eye-opening feeling.
-
Ease of installation. A couple of calls for an advertisement in the newspaper and at your door there will be a line of people willing to put laminate flooring at low prices. It is not difficult to solve this issue with your own hands.
-
High mechanical strength. A high-quality coating is not afraid of animal claws, heavy objects, high-heeled women's shoes.
-
Durability. The service life can be viewed again in the table above.
disadvantages
-
Low water resistance.
A burst pipe, among other troubles, will most likely serve as a reason for replacing the floor interior. Some manufacturers claim that the laminate will be able to “float” for a couple of hours without consequences, but in practice this is not always the case. Edges are the Achilles' heel of a laminate board, and in the conditions of mass production, special impregnations for some of the samples in a batch will form "with a hole", which, as you know, water will always find.
Low noise insulation
The neighbors below are not happy, but they will definitely tell you that the base of the laminate - a dense slab works as a resonator and any sound in your apartment becomes public domain. The disadvantage can be eliminated by using sound-insulating substrates, which we will discuss below in the "installation" section.
Laminate joint types
There are four types of fasteners for such a floor covering:
- Thorn and tongue. Today this type of connection is very rare. As a rule, the tongue-and-groove technology is used for parquet boards. In this case, it is necessary to glue the boards and adjust them using a mallet. Dismantling such a coating is almost impossible, since the boards will break. With all this, this is not the most durable and strong connection, so it is better not to give preference to such models.
- Lock. This is a more perfect, but nevertheless not ideal, connection technology. In this case, no special glue is used, instead a special profiled spike comes into play, which snaps into the groove. This is a very strong connection, but it will also not be possible to dismantle such a "lossless" floor covering.
- Click. In this case, no hammer or glue is used. The laminate board is inserted into the groove at a slight slope, after which it is laid on the floor. It is effortless and takes a matter of seconds. But the spike firmly fixes the floor covering, so you can not be afraid that it will not withstand the loads. After that, you can easily dismantle the canvas without breaking its elements. Therefore, it is worth giving preference to this particular option.
Combined connections can also be found on sale. They are Lock and Click. This is a more convenient option, but, as a rule, the cost of such a laminate is higher.
But, you need to choose a laminate not only in terms of wear resistance or ease of attachment. It is also necessary to consider how it will interact with moisture.
Best square laminate
Square panels are characterized by ease of installation and high stabilizing characteristics. Many of them delight with original colors and are suitable for creating decorative patterns on the floor.
QUICK-STEP Arte - unusual textures
4.9
★★★★★
editorial estimate
89%
buyers recommend this product
A very unusual collection of laminate flooring, repeating the pattern of parquet blocks, marble patterns and even natural leather.
There are no chamfers here, so the gaps between the panels are almost invisible (except for the darkest models). The Arte series was created by Belgian designers, but the laminate itself is produced at Quick-Step factories in Russia.
The size of each slab is 624x624 mm with a thickness of 9.5. Thanks to these parameters and Uniclic locks, the laminate can be laid on substrates with defects of up to 3-4 mm per square meter.
Arte panels are classified as 32 strength class, but also have a moisture-resistant base and an additional Scratch Guard coating, which does not leave scratches.
Advantages:
- Exclusive design;
- Moisture resistant base;
- Can be mounted on top of a "warm floor";
- Easy installation;
- High scratch resistance.
Disadvantages:
Quite a big price.
Arte is a beautiful, and most importantly, original laminate, which is suitable for interior decoration with low and medium operating load.
FLOORWOOD Arte - the most original laminate
4.8
★★★★★
editorial estimate
88%
buyers recommend this product
The Arte collection from the German company Floorwood has 6 articles, but only two of them are produced in the form of square panels 600x600 mm - “Venice” and “Capriccio” with imitation of artistic parquet.
The boards themselves are 97% natural wood and have a thickness of 12 mm, corresponding to the 33rd class of wear resistance.
Chamfers are applied on all four sides, the seams of the laminated "parquet" are additionally protected from moisture.
Advantages:
- Antistatic properties make it easier to care for the textured surface;
- Maximum of natural materials;
- Easy styling;
- Resistant to sunlight;
- Protection of seams from moisture.
Disadvantages:
- Only 2 colors;
- Consumption increased by 10% due to installation peculiarities.
Floorwood Arte will quietly serve for at least 25 years, even in commercial premises. It is a pity that the choice of colors of square panels is not rich here.
Class 34 characteristics
Considering which class of laminate is best for an apartment, you need to pay attention to the elite variety. She is the 34th class of coverage
This laminate appeared later than the others. He is able to withstand the heaviest loads. Most often it is used in commercial organizations where heavy equipment, machine tools are installed in the room, there are large vibrations and other adverse effects.
In an apartment, this laminate provides a guarantee that the coating will withstand even the highest loads. In this case, the service life is 50 years. This is the most expensive material. It is rarely placed in apartments. Such a coating can withstand the traffic of 1000 people per day. This figure corresponds to a movie theater, airport, train station or shopping center.
It is a reliable, environmentally friendly product. It is not afraid of moisture, high temperature, direct sunlight. Laminate flooring creates the greatest sound insulation. No scratches appear on its surface.
How to choose the right coating for an apartment - professional advice
If we approach the choice from a professional point of view, then, in addition to the already considered criteria for the strength or water resistance of the material, a purely practical issue of installation arises. There are also some pitfalls to be aware of here.
The fact is that the sizes of laminate panels can be either standard or exclusive sizes. Laying material with non-standard geometry can be difficult, lead to errors or miscalculations (this applies to self-laying).
IMPORTANT!
When choosing a laminate, you should clarify its dimensions and recalculate the quantity if they differ from the standard ones.
Laminate care
Like any flooring, laminate flooring is subject to contamination during use.In order not to damage the material during the cleaning process, you need to know how to properly care for it. Here's what the manufacturers advise:
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Wax. The use of liquid wax helps to increase the life of the locking joints, eliminate squeaking floors and get rid of minor cosmetic defects.
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Vacuum cleaner. For cleaning, you can use washing models with wheels, protected by rubber pads and brushes with a large number of lint.
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Special pencil. Sellers never offer, but if you see, then feel free to buy. An irreplaceable thing for eliminating scratches and small chips.
Hot water and an ordinary rag can be used to clean the laminate flooring from stubborn dirt. In some cases, baby shampoos or vinegar can be added to the water, in a ratio of ¼ cup per liter.
Beautiful examples and options
The most popular type of laminate design can definitely be considered an imitation of a pattern on a tree, made in a wide variety of colors and shades. It can serve as a neutral background in the living room, not shading, but emphasizing brighter furniture, walls or interior items.
The undoubted plus of the laminated flooring is that it will perfectly fit into the interior of the room in any style. It is difficult to find a design that does not look stylish and slightly minimalistic tree. Patterns and patterns on the floor can give a room a completely unexpected look, while matte or glossy surfaces show the familiar space from a completely different side.
For example, sometimes the laminate is designed to look like artistic parquet. This is one of the classic imitations of a standard floor covering, which allows you to greatly save on the covering itself, but at the same time give the appearance of the room aristocracy and sophistication. Typically, art laminate number 33 is used for this imitation.
More unusual will be a floor covering that resembles a leather surface. It costs much more, but it looks very impressive and exotic. In addition, there is a great variety of design options for laminate flooring that amaze the imagination with the most unpredictable ornaments and patterns. Abstractions or animal ornament, laminate that looks like fabric, or depicting cartoon characters and fairy tales - the latter option will be an excellent solution for a child's room.
Floor covering with a metallic sheen is no less common. This solution will look best in the kitchen, but the colors can be very diverse - it all depends on the furniture and the color of the walls. It will be interesting to look at the floor finish in the form of stone or marble tiles. With a very stylish appearance, the floors will not be cold, but warm and pleasant.
Laminate flooring can be covered with a soft rug or a large carpet: in combination with the wood texture and decoration, this will give the room a cozy feeling. It will not be superfluous to experiment with colors, for example, to play with contrasts. Light laminate flooring will look stylish with dark furniture, and dark flooring with light ones.
Do not forget that although the light laminate looks very expressive and impressive, any stains, streaks and marks from bare feet will be visible on it. Therefore, before choosing such a laminate floor for the kitchen, you should consider your readiness for daily cleaning.
For information on how to choose the right laminate, see this video.
Advantages of laminate
Like any flooring, laminate has many advantages and only a few disadvantages.
Before you study the information on how to choose a laminate for the kitchen, you need to make sure that your decision about the installation of this flooring is correct. Each person will be convinced of this by the advantages of modern material:
- extraordinary ease of assembly;
- no need for scraping, sanding, varnishing;
- increased strength characteristics of the material;
- expanding design opportunities;
- an amazing opportunity to create imitations of ceramics and natural stone.
Naturally, everyone will find for themselves even more advantages of this floor covering. However, the main ones were listed. So, ease of assembly. This dignity surpasses the expectations of any person, even one who knows nothing about repairs. The most common option is cutting a tenon and a groove. There is an adhesive option, but it is much less common due to the need to invite qualified specialists and additional spending on the adhesive. Even the owner of the apartment can perform the first option, since there is nothing complicated here.
Moisture resistance
Previously, it was impossible to spill water on the laminate on pain of death. But few people thought about the fact that the flooring is laid mainly on concrete, on which condensation will inevitably form (especially in the kitchen). Excess moisture leads to the formation of fungus, mold, and the panels themselves begin to rot.
In this regard, a moisture-resistant floor covering has appeared on the market. It can be distinguished by the corresponding picture on the packaging or by the words Water Protect, Hydro or Plus Aqua Resist. In total, there are only a few varieties of such a laminate:
- Vinyl. In this case, we are not talking about a natural, but actually about a plastic coating. Such a coating is absolutely not afraid of moisture. It is resistant to mold and mildew.
- Laminate floor. In this case, more resins are present in the material. Such a floor is capable of being in the water for up to 6 hours and nothing will happen to it. Longer exposure to moisture will lead to delamination and loss of quality.
- HDF panels. Such products are able to withstand in water for up to 3 hours without any consequences.
Considering all these parameters, then you can choose the best and most durable flooring.
Environmental friendliness
Laminate is only 80-90% wood. The rest is binders: varnishes and resins. The greatest danger is precisely the varnish, which releases substances that can cause allergies and disorders in the nervous system. Also, the flooring contains melamine, which is used to increase the wear resistance and density of the material. The more of it, the worse it is for human health, because when heated, melamine releases harmful formaldehyde.
But how to protect yourself and your loved ones? Experts advise against buying cheap low-quality products - unscrupulous firms add excessive amounts of toxic substances to them.
A safe coating is products with the E1 marking, which indicates the minimum level of formaldehyde concentration. There is no negative effect on the body. It is forbidden to produce and sell laminate of class E2 and E3 on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The most environmentally safe material is formaldehyde-free laminate. It is marked E0 and costs much more. Laminate E1 and E0 can be installed in the children's room.
In the photo there is a children's room, the flooring of which is safe and environmentally friendly, and also provides the child with protection from the cold.