Choosing a floor covering from a laminate to stoneware

The modern market offers a lot of options for flooring materials, from simple to luxury, but the most widely used four kinds of materials:

• Laminate;
• granite tiles;
• Ceramic tile;
• Wood.

But before we look at every detail they need to remember that any floor covering laid on the need to carefully prepared and leveled base.

Nikolai Yakubchik (Expert Tarkett company):

–Installation of the flooring should be done after all other finishing works, namely:

• Erection and the alignment of walls and ceilings;
• Completion of the glazing;
• Wiring and connection of utilities.

Only after we checked heating, sanitation, cold water supply and ventilation in the glazed areas without drafts a temperature not lower than 15 ° C and relative humidity not greater than 60%, it is possible to start laying a floor covering - this depends directly on the quality and durability of your floor.

Laminate

We can say that the laminate is considered one of the most popular types of flooring. After all, this material does not deteriorate from moisture and direct sunlight, easy to assemble and requires no special expensive care.

Quality laminate any kind nor to the touch does not differ from the wood, it is available in various patterns, and texture in different shades.

In order to correctly pick up the materials you need to know that the quality of the outer cover laminate is divided into several classes, indicating its durability.

Vyacheslav Skachkov (CTO Holzplast):

– In today's market you can find laminate 31, 32, 33 and 34 classes. 31 and 32 are suitable for most rooms in the living quarters. 33 and 34 classes are used in places with high cross and where the floor is constantly experiencing heavy loads - shopping malls, movie theaters, hospitals, hotels, bars and cafes.

Choosing laminate class primarily depends on where and how you intend to use it. For example - in rooms where there are constantly people better put laminate class above, and for bedrooms, pantries and closets enough class 31 laminate.

With proper care laminate 31 class in a normal apartment it can serve up to 12 years, 32 - 15, 33 - 20, and most durable laminate 34 class does not require replacement for over 25 years.

Vyacheslav Skachkov:

–To choose the right laminate flooring, it is necessary to take into account the nuances related to its thickness. It can be 5, 8, 10 or 12 millimeters. On the one hand, the thicker the laminate, so it is stronger.

Thicker laminate is preferable for the rooms where the quality of the basecoat is poor. However much more advantageous to provide quality basecoat and use thinner laminates. Furthermore, it is important to consider that the presence of warm floors thinner laminate instantly heated: this means that do not have to wait and to increase heating capacity.

It is also necessary to know that for rooms with different purposes required laminate with different characteristics. In some important areas moisture, in others - strength somewhere laminate will be more appropriate light shades, but somewhere - dark.

Vyacheslav Skachkov:

- stacking technology allows to combine in one room several types of laminate, but in the implementation of the design solutions need to remember is that the thickness of the vinyl laminate from different manufacturers can vary by several millimeters.

And to avoid annoying discrepancy between sizes, laminate is best to buy from a single source.

So, what kind of laminate flooring to choose? To do this, stick to simple rules - namely, any home can be divided into functional areas:

• Entrance hall;
• Working spaces - kitchen, bathroom;
• living room;
• Living rooms - bedroom, children.

Hallways - a zone with high traffic, also because of the dust and dirt that we bring to the shoes, wash the floor here often enough. Therefore corridor should be chosen moisture resistant laminate with high wear resistance class - 33 or even 34.

Kitchen. Because this is where the cooking and have to be cleaned frequently, it is better to give preference to moisture-proof laminate.

For reliability can be treated with special seams with mastic. To the kitchen floor was comfortable, not slippery, it could not see any fingerprints or smudges better to choose a laminate with textured surface. With regard to the class of the laminate, the best for the kitchen will be 33 class, as in this room is large enough load on the floor.

Bathroom. It is better to use water-resistant laminate as He is not afraid of a long exposure to moisture, does not warp and does not lose its appearance.

Water resistant laminate made based on PVC plates, does not absorb water - the main difference from the waterproof moisture-resistant laminate which is made of pressed wood fibers. Some manufacturers produce a laminate with a sealing rubber strip along the longitudinal side of the panel - this allows for the absolute waterproofing.

Living spaces. In the living room, bedroom and children are not only design and laminate class, but also other characteristics - such as noise reduction.

To reduce the possibility of walking and echo appearance unpleasant creaking, be sure to provide an additional layer of soundproofing. Since living rooms are used sparingly, for they will approach the laminate 31 and 32 classes.

Ceramic tile

Perhaps there is no person who would not be familiar with this material, such as ceramic tile. But have you ever thought of what it do? After all, the type of raw material depends largely on the final properties of any material.

Ekaterina Sokolova (Deputy Director of Procurement Ceramic "Sokol" plant):

- Simply put, ceramic tile - is baked clay, covered with icing. The main raw materials - clay, despite the fact that the color of ceramic tile shard does not matter, the main thing - the chemical composition and properties of clay.

The clay mass added plasticizers, sand, and other additives. After that tile is glazed, various cements, pigments and then fired at a temperature over 1100 degrees.

More recently, the use of ceramic tiles was limited only to a bathroom. But such qualities as environmentally friendly, heat resistance, ease of installation and aesthetic properties allow the use of ceramic tiles in almost all areas.

Ekaterina Sokolova:

- Each material has its purpose. Ceramic tile is very versatile. It is recommended to use in almost any environment, especially with high humidity or a cross.

Best of all ceramic tiles has proven itself in the following locations:

• Corridor;
• Kitchen;
• Bathroom.

Ceramic tile is sufficiently durable coating designed to both protect the surface and give it aesthetic qualities. And, given the fact that it should remain unchanged for many years, the choice is desirable to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Decide on a place where you plan to lay ceramic tile.

As a rule, it is hygienic areas: bathroom, toilet, kitchen, bath - or areas designed to combine decorative points with practicality: entrance, balcony and so on.

• Critical approach to the analysis of stacking space. Consider all the positive and negative features of the area.

The use of ceramic tiles has virtually no restrictions. The main thing - quality lined surface.

• Think about what kind of quality of ceramic tiles in the best way suited to your interior.

For example, dark colors not only conceal the volume, but also to hide all sorts of pollution.

• Do not forget about the premises, located in the neighborhood of the surface on which you are planning to put ceramics.

Remember that the combination of materials is important for ease of perception of the entire surface as a whole.

Another important fact to use tiles as flooring is its excellent combination with floor heating.

Ekaterina Sokolova:

- Keep in mind that for our climate the perfect solution is to use warm floors. And the main thing here is to choose high-quality materials as well as replacementelementfloor heating is very difficult.

Caring for ceramic tile is extremely simple - just normal cleaning. special tools also exist to make it shine.

Porcelain tiles

In recent years, more and more widespread, a ceramic granite. What is unique in this stuff?

Natalia Aleinikova (Sales director Kafelnet):

- For the production of porcelain tiles are used in almost the same components as for the production of conventional ceramic tiles. The only difference in the production technology - a high temperature during the firing and the force of a powerful press, under the influence of which the pores are virtually disappear. Thanks to these technologies, ceramic granite is superior in properties and tile, and even stone.

It should be noted that the granite may vary in tone - this is the color characteristics. Tiles one series may be lighter or darker relative to the other series.

In step manufacturing to packaging occurs grouping homogeneous tone tiles.

Also, sorting is conducted and caliber.

Caliber - this is the actual size of tiles, which differs from the nominal. Within the same caliber, there tolerance ± 0.5 mm.

When laying calibrated granite should be kept short distances between the tiles (Typically 2-4 mm, depending on the size of the tile), which are then overwritten in any color selection consumer.

Natalia Aleinikova:

- The advantages of porcelain are its strength and low water absorption, resistance to temperature changes, wear resistance, since the internal structure substantially corresponds to the natural granite. Gres has low conductivity and high fire properties.

And these properties directly affect the way in which areas are best to use this floor. As ceramic tiles, granite has wear resistance, which is divided into 5 classes:

• 1-2 degrees - most commonly used in the bathroom and toilet.
• Grade 3 can be used in living rooms - kitchens, halls, corridors.
• Grade 4 can be used in public areas with a good cross. For example, a cafe, shops.
• Flooring grade 5 wear resistance is used in premises with any cross.

At home, it is recommended to lay tiles in the bathrooms and toilets, and granite - in kitchens, hallways, lobbies.

Natalia Aleinikova:

- When choosing porcelain tiles should be aware about such a feature of this material, such as lack of flexibility - in comparison, for example, linoleum, and the need for gender training - alignment.

Laying porcelain tiles made at a cement tile adhesive, which must be uniformly applied to the surface. In case of incorrect application of the adhesive at the further operation a piece of tile may break away if it drops a heavy object. .

Also, very often porcelain tiles laid on the floor heating. T. a. granite conducting well and retains heat, and after heating to give it a long time.

The disadvantage in this case is that, if the warm floor goes down, it will have to change along with the granite.

And if care is not ceramic granite be used abrasives that may damage or drawing on the tile glaze.

Floor covering in solid wood

A material such as wood, and faith is the true man is not one hundred years. Durability, environmental friendliness, and most importantly - a unique feeling of warmth, which gives texture and color of natural wood make it welcome in any interior.

The advantages of wood include natural high strength at a small volumetric weight, low heat and sound conductivity, ease in handling, low coefficient of thermal linear and volumetric expansion.

In order to select a wooden floor that is optimal for your home, you must know the following characteristics of this material.

Alexander Alekseev (Art Director Finex):

- Massive flooring - a floor covering, consisting entirely of a single layer of valuable timber species.

It is believed that this is the most expensive type of flooring. As a rule, massive floors require a professional approach not only to the installation (the most reliable and classic a method of laying floors massive - plywood, using a 2-component adhesive and screws), but also in operation and care. In areas with massive floor recommended installation humectants, and to take care of such coated necessary specialized tools.

Hardwood, or engineered flooring - it is more manufacturable type of coating consisting of several layers. Top layer - a valuable wood, with the thickness of this layer may vary from 1 mm - and middle and bottom layers consist of different materials: plywood, larch.

Hardwood floors are more resistant to changes in temperature and humidity. They can be laid directly in the filler or to a substrate.

Massive floors reusable polishing when repairing. It is believed that with proper care, massive floors can serve more than 100 years. And in choosing this material you must consider the following points:

• Humidity of wood which the manufacturer specifies. On examination should verify that the ends of the boards on the surface and in the thickness of the splines are no cracks, as their presence speaks of abuse of technology of drying.
• When choosing a hardwood floor it is important to pay attention to the geometry of the board, with some quality made chamfers, slots, and, in the presence of locks.

It is also important to remember that, in fact, as the wood is in a residential area, you can use any type of wood. But for wet rooms, baths, swimming pools, etc. you need to use a massive floor from moisture resistant exotic species of wood - teak, ipe, and others.

Alexander Alekseev:

- Solid timber is made of large-size boards - 20-22 mm thickness, not whole glulam the valuable species, including exotic and different from the usual parquet, primarily for its dimensions.

Massive strips have a thickness of not less than 20 mm, a width of 100 mm and a length of 500 mm or more. Rods are supplied both in kind and treated with varnish, wax or oil.

The special features of this coating are:

• Oil-wax. Environmentally friendly coating which penetrates into the wood structure, while maintaining its texture.

Easily updated.

• Wax. Analogue antique waxed floors.

Very whimsical care and requires frequent polishing.

• Lac closed-cell - the usual cover for us.

Classic glossy varnish, which is applied in several layers, in the factory or on site. Update - only tsiklovka throughout the area and a new application of several layers of lacquer.

• Varnish open pore. It retains the texture of wood, that is, outwardly it looks like oil-wax, but it retains the properties of the varnish.

Update - tsiklovka and applying new layers. But at home to repeat the color and texture, which is made at the factory - is virtually impossible.

Alexander Alekseev:

- Solid wood is available in a wide range of sizes. The choice depends on interior design and shape of the room in which it is planned to lay a plank floors.

Using only long boards visually reduces the size of the premises. Conversely, the more short strips and thus more transverse joints, so it seems more spacious room.

The width of the strips also affects visual perception. Wide boards emphasize respectability and solidity, the material gives the room a narrow chamber, a private nature. In recent years become increasingly popular solid wood block flooring with non-fixed lengths, which is similar to the old floorboard.

In this case, the user receives a set of strips of different lengths. It looks more natural and is never bored, unlike standard parquet, where all the boards have the same length.

And in order to wooden floor will last for many years, you need to care for it properly. And here there are secrets.

Alexander Alekseev:

- Wooden floors can be vacuumed and swept, you can make a well-wrung damp cleaning cloth. It is also recommended to use special care products, which are dependent on the type of coverage.

All information on the choice of floor covering users forumhouse.ru can learn in this section our forum. With detailed and vivid story of our forumchanin about laying laminate flooring with your own hands can be found here. Heated discussion, a coating is selected instead of the old, is conducted in this branch our forum. Cork floors are discussed in this branch our forum. BUT in this video clearly it shows how to ensure that your floor gleamed.

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