Going to change the floor covering in the apartment, first of all, it is necessary to determine its type. It can be linoleum, tile, parquet, cork floors, etc. Also recently, a sales hit was a laminate flooring, or so-called laminate. It has excellent practical qualities, such as: wear resistance, impact resistance, incombustibility, antistatic. In addition, the laminate is easy to install and more than easy to clean. However, these properties are directly dependent on the type of laminate, the quality of its manufacture and, accordingly, the price. So, let's find out which laminate floor is better to put in the apartment and why.
Laminate choice for an apartment
The laminate itself is a chipboard board, covered on both sides with several layers of protective and decorative materials (moisture resistant film, melamine or acrylate resin, special paper that imitates various species of natural wood). The laminate boards are joined together by means of special fasteners, forming a continuous smooth and smooth surface of the floor.
Varieties of this coating differ at once in several parameters.
Firstly, it is a laminate class that indicates the optimal load that it can withstand. Previously, six classes of laminate were used: 21, 22 and 23 were considered domestic, and 31, 32, 33 - commercial. Today, the first three classes are no longer produced because of their poor quality. And three top classes are recommended for use, which are assigned to the coating after tests for strength, abrasion resistance, etc. For example, grade 31 is the lowest, it is better to put it in rooms with a minimum of terrain (for example, in the bedroom). Class 32 laminate is more durable, it can be used for all rooms. And the highest 33 class is suitable for office premises with maximum traffic. This laminate is much more expensive, and it does not make much sense to buy it for a conventional apartment.
Secondly, laminate is also different in thickness of the board. This parameter is closely related to the one described in the previous paragraph: the higher the class, the thicker the board has. So, floors in an apartment can be from a laminate in the thickness from 0,6 up to 1,2 see.
Thirdly, there are three types of locks, by means of which laminate plates are joined together in a glue-free way:
- in the form of a designer;
- using a plastic insert along the width of the plate;
- by the so-called padding, when the boards are joined along the length, and then by the physical effort "reaches" in width. This method is not recommended because of the high probability of damage to the locks.
Fourthly, there is a wide variety of types of laminate, depending on the type of surface. It can be an imitation of wood, stone or tiles of different colors and shades. The pattern can be one-, two- or three-strip, and the surface - glossy, matte or textured. Also today in the trend of imitation of an artificially aged surface - such a laminate looks ideal in the interior of the apartment in the style of the shebbie-chic . Typically, to choose a laminate for an apartment, you should take into account the stylistic orientation of interior design, color design of walls , ceiling and interior doors, lighting of each room, etc.
And finally about the shortcomings. Keep in mind that the laminate does not tolerate moisture, and accidentally spilled water puddle for 2-3 hours is able to completely ruin the coating. In addition, cheap laminate types can contain hazardous formaldehydes that have the property of being released into the air when exposed to sunlight. Categorically it is not recommended to lay such a laminate in the nursery, and in general it is better to give preference to a better product.
Only by comparing all the advantages and disadvantages of laminated flooring, you can choose which laminate is best to bed in your apartment.