How to choose a laminate for an apartment in quality?

Carrying out repairs in the apartment, many owners prefer to use as a floor covering material such as laminate . Some people are attracted by the simplicity of its installation, others - the relative cheapness of this material. It should be said that such a coating is not much inferior to natural wood.

Coming to the store, we can select a laminate for decorative qualities quickly enough. But with the performance characteristics of this material to an ignorant person, it is very difficult to understand because of the large number of different icons and pictograms on the packages of the goods. Let's try to figure out how to choose a laminate for an apartment in quality.

Advantages and disadvantages of laminate

Lamella laminate is made of wood composite. Most often they can imitate boards, massive boards, parquet, cork. However, it is possible to purchase laminate with exterior decoration for ceramic tiles, stone , or even rusty metal. Among the variety of collections, you can choose the one that is right for your room.

Laminate has a small weight and sufficient strength, which is sometimes even higher than that of wood. On the surface of a quality laminate there are no dents, no scratches, no cracks.

The surface of the laminate floor does not absorb dirt, so caring for it is very simple. This coating does not rot, it does not show fungus or mold. A good laminate has water-repellent properties and does not fade under the sun. Without loss of its decorative quality coating can last for decades. In addition, the laminate is able to lay even the inexperienced owner under the force.

The disadvantage of the laminate is its low thermal insulation properties: this coating is quite cold. Sometimes cheap material can accumulate a static charge. This should be paid attention when buying a laminate and choose a coating that has antistatic properties.

If you have heated floors in the apartment, then when buying a laminate, you need to clarify whether it is possible to use this kind of it on a system of warm floors.

What is the quality of the laminate?

In order to distinguish the laminate, depending on its properties, operational and technical characteristics, a special classification has been developed. Previously, laminated floorings from 21st to 23rd grade were used for living quarters. They also produced commercial laminate of 31-34 classes for public premises with high traffic capacity.

The material of class 21 was considered to be the most unstable. It was used in rooms with the least abrasive load on the floor. Coverage it was short-lived even if it was used in the bedroom or home office - places where the traffic intensity is low.

Class 22 laminate was more durable than the previous one, so it was used in living rooms or children's rooms.

Laminate flooring of class 23 was developed for living rooms with active dynamic loads. So, it could be used in the kitchen, in the hallway or in the entrance rooms.

Today laminate of these classes is not produced due to insufficient strength of many manufacturers. Therefore, in a modern apartment you can use for floor design laminate of 31-33 classes, and class 34 material because of its high cost in living rooms is almost not used.

The laminate cover of class 31 is suitable for bedrooms and will last for 5-6 years. Laminate 32 class - the best option for use in all living rooms, including the hallway and kitchen. The service life of such coating in residential premises is up to 15 years.

Commercial class 33 material is more often used in public premises, although it is also used in apartments where it will not be necessary to replace it for more than 15 years.