The laminate as a flooring has received tremendous prevalence around the world. Of course, all this thanks to the low cost of the material, as well as excellent quality. Outwardly, the laminate is not much different from an expensive and elite parquet, but it has a number of internal differences. First of all, this is a structure. Parquet consists of solid wood, while a laminate is a wood -fiber plate. The density of these products allows you to completely forget about all the problems that have occurred in floor products based on fibrous material.
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In addition, the laminate has a protective upper layer, which does not allow the material to actively wear out over time. No, of course, there is still a certain wear, it occurs incredibly slowly.
It is worth mentioning that it is very easy to care for a laminate. To do this, it is enough to ensure that the surface of the coating is not subjected to moisture. Otherwise, the material has no features in terms of leaving. This is a much more practical material in this aspect than the same wood parquet.
Many believe that it is because of their fibrous structure that the laminate is not able to last the owners for more than several years. However, practice shows that this product even after 15 years of use remains in perfect condition, so we have every reason to say that the laminate is better than the parquet.
The main features of the laminate
It is worth saying that the fibrous component of the laminate is far from a drawback. It is interesting that wood fiber provides a high level of flexibility of the floor product. Accordingly, this is an increase in the reliability of the coating, as well as a certain level of density. The bends of the material will not lead to the fact that the laminate will be damaged or at least a little deformed.
To date, hundreds of Russian companies are engaged in the production of laminate. Accordingly, the competition in this market is simply colossal. For an ordinary consumer, this is definitely good, since prices for this product are reduced all the time, although not as fast as we would like. On the market you can find various types of laminate, which, respectively, are located in different price niches.
It should be noted that it is advisable to use laminate exclusively at home. These are precisely those places in which the flooring wear out very slowly. At the same time, you can find a laminate on the market, which is intended for industrial premises, as well as offices. In such cases, the service life of the coating rarely reaches 5-6 years. However, many manufacturers boldly say that their material will last at least 10 years. In such cases, we are talking about using a laminate exclusively in private houses or small warehouses, where a person’s leg rarely steps.
More recently, it was possible to find on sale a wide variety of color options for laminate. Of course, if you try, then now you can find many different variations on this topic, but in recent years the number of laminate with the original color design has declined sharply. Consumers began to make a choice in favor of natural color variations. Of course, many want a laminate resembling expensive parquet. The naked eye to distinguish these two types of coatings is incredibly difficult.
Types of laminate surfaces
Again, on sale you can find a huge range of coatings called laminate. However, in this case, we will not talk about the color color of the material, but about the types of surfaces.
Glossy laminate was greater. It looks bright and attractive. This solution is perfect for the kitchen, as well as pantries. Also, solid shine goes well with extravagant and classic interiors. The almost mirror surface of such a laminate is incredibly easy to clean and washed.
In construction stores, you can also find a matte laminate. It has no less attractive appearance than a glossy version. At the same time, the matte surface looks neutral, so this type of material can be used in the kitchen, and in the main room of the dwelling, and in the bedroom.
The classic type of surface is a laminate called “natural wood”. Such material is almost similar to classical parquet, but at the same time we can find the surfaces that will correspond to certain breeds of trees. In this regard, there is a huge selection.
In addition, you can find a laminate in the form of tiles. This product can also have a glossy or matte surfaces. Perhaps in certain cases the shape and size of the tile are more practical solutions.
Laminate classification
As already mentioned, on sale you can find a laminate that can wear out both quickly and very slowly. Accordingly, a classification has been created that allows you to determine how durable and wear -resistant the material is. Next, consider the classification itself.
- 33rd grade. This, without exaggeration, is the most durable option that can be used not only in dwellings, but also in industrial buildings, shops and municipal institutions. Despite this, such a coating (when used in places where there are many people) can last no more than 5-6 years. If the laminate of the 33rd grade is used in a regular apartment, then it will last an impeccably 10, 15 or even 20 years. In addition, this coating is in contact with water without problems and does not lose its initial properties.
- 32nd and 31st classes. Again, these laminate surfaces are actively used in commercial rooms. We are talking again about stores and other institutions where there is a large cross -country ability, and they constantly affect the surface of the floor. Unlike the past class, these coatings will last slightly less. Therefore, it is advisable to choose 32 and 31 grades of laminate for office premises, as well as stores where there are not a lot of people.
- 23rd and 22nd classes. Similar coatings are the most common in modern conditions. The thing is that these are the best options for residential premises in which several people live. Do not think that such a laminate will serve as a short time, since within a small apartment it will definitely lose its initial properties within 10 years. The 22nd grade laminate is often used in living rooms, and the 23rd in the hallway.
- The 21st grade of laminate in modern conditions is extremely rare. Of course, such coatings look just gorgeous, but they wear out too quickly. Thus, it is advisable to use the laminate of this class in bedrooms, as well as small pantries. These are exactly those places where the inhabitants of the house spend too little time. Accordingly, the laminate should last a long time.
It is worth noting that there are lower laminate classes, but recently it is almost impossible to find them in the market. Due to their low duration of operation, consumers ceased to give them preference. But still, such a laminate is made to order, and it is cheaper than other variations, but it looks still solid.
Analysis of the characteristics of the laminate
If there is a need to acquire a laminate, first of all, attention should be paid to the characteristics of the material. The thing is that each manufacturer indicates special marks on its products that correspond to one or another positive characteristic of products. Further, we will consider in detail the most common laminate parameters:
- Stability to ultraviolet. In this case, we are talking about the fact that under the influence of sunlight, the laminate will not fade. Accordingly, for many years, the material will have a bright and juicy texture. Unfortunately, not all materials can boast of this characteristic, however, gradually resistance to ultraviolet is one of the main requirements of the consumer.
- Resistance to deformations. If the laminate is used in industrial buildings or in retail outlets, you should pay attention to the tendency to deformations of the material. Of course, any object that fell on a laminate can damage it. To avoid such troubles, products should be purchased with the above characteristic. Obviously, the material under certain conditions will still be deformed, but it will not be very noticeable. Such a step allows you to save money, which are usually deposited for all the same repair work.
- Dice and fraud. In certain rooms, the issue of fire safety is in the first place. This can be, for example, industrial buildings, hospitals, as well as other places where a fire means a tremendous danger to others. A difficult to sprinkle laminate is an excellent solution that probably looks more attractive than a classic laminate. Also, from the name of this characteristic, it is clear that the laminate can still ignite, however, the probability of such an incident is extremely small. Moreover, it will be possible to extinguish the resulting ignition in a matter of seconds.
- Low wear resistance. Many believe that this characteristic means that for many years the laminate will be in the initial state. However, this is not entirely true. For the most part, this factor depends on the class of products that we spoke about earlier. And low wear resistance often means that such a laminate is best used in office rooms, where there are many chairs with soft rollers. Accordingly, such products were developed with the expectation of the movements of chairs, which often wear out the surfaces.
- Use along with the "warm floor". Recently, the floor with heating has become an almost integral part of most private houses and offices. This is a great thing that is so relevant in the winter. Accordingly, this characteristic, if indicated on products, allows the laminate as the main coating. If such a characteristic is not provided, you can encounter certain problems. For example, the laminate will not be the best to conduct heat.
- Hygiene and ease of care. Surely many have heard that the laminate is very easy to wash and clean. Often this is true, given the smoothness of the surface. However, there are exceptions, so you should pay attention to the information presented on the products itself. As for hygiene, this is an unambiguously important aspect that implies the use of a laminate in medical institutions.
Types of laminate compounds
Of course, when choosing a laminate, it is worth taking a closer look at the types of strips. Obviously, in certain cases, this issue may be very important. It is also worth knowing that in some situations this or that type of compounds may be not applicable.
- This is most likely the most common connection of laminate strips, which has been successfully used for many years. The experts themselves in the repair business note that it is Click that is the most practical and safe connection method. In this case, for high -quality fastening, it is necessary to bring another unit of material to the installed laminate strip at a certain angle (most often 45 °). Next, the installed strip is advanced to the groove, gradually making a smaller angle of inclination. After that, you can hear a characteristic click that means a successful connection.
- This connection is more like a regular castle, which has a fairly simple mechanism. For installation, it is necessary to place the laminate strips exclusively horizontally. In this case, the panels are simply clogged into each other. In this case, the already installed panel expands when the new strip is installed. In this process, there is nothing complicated, but it is worth paying attention to the fact that negligence can lead to significant deformations of the laminate.
