Each of us, as soon as it starts repairs in our home, dreams of doing everything quickly and efficiently. Choosing flooring is sometimes so difficult. The stores represent such a huge selection of laminate that it is very difficult to understand the stamps and properties of a popular flooring. Which company to choose a laminate for an apartment? We will talk about this today.
Content
What is a laminate?
This is a popular flooring, with which you can easily and quickly cover the floors and give the room a complete look. The combination of quality and cost of the laminate allow you to choose a coating to your taste, this is the answer to the question why the laminate is so popular at the present time.
The laminate was specially designed as an artificial substitute for a parquet board. It is impossible to fully say that the laminate consists only of synthetic materials, since it consists of 4 layers, and the lowest can be made of wood or plastic, saturated with special materials resistant to temperature and moisture changes. The lower layer also acts as a shock absorber and provides rigidity. The middle in the laminate is a layer of wood fiber, which determines the degree of durability and strength of the coating as a whole.
The upper layer is decorative, there can be different shade, with or without patterns. There is another layer - the fourth, it is designed to protect the coating, consists of polymeric materials.
Advantages of the laminate for the apartment
This material has a lot of advantages, first of all, it is an affordable price. And this is not all - the material is considered environmentally friendly, it serves a long time, easily fits and does not require increased attention.
The optimal solution for a dwelling is the acquisition of a laminate. Choosing a suitable flooring for the floor is simple, you just need to delve into a little and study all the properties of this coating. If we consider a high -quality laminate, the cost of which is slightly higher than average, you can notice that outwardly it is no different from an ordinary tree. Even if you draw a palm on the laminate board, it is unlikely that the first time you can understand what material a laminate is made of: it can be a canvas under a tree with a smooth or rough surface, you can also find a laminate that imitates natural stone and with various drawings on sale.
If we consider the laminate of the middle price category, then it can be noted that the material is environmentally friendly, so such a floor will be safe not only for people, but also for young children, as well as for animals. It does not have a specific smell, and there is no need to wait for it to disappear in a new place.
Caring for the coating is very simple, the floors from the laminate are washed with continuous pleasure, which is very important for families with children and pets. If we compare a laminate with a carpet or a parquet board, then in care this material is easy and does not require the purchase of additional funds.
If you pay attention to the laminate marking, it becomes clear that the product is divided into classes that indicate the degree of wear resistance. So, on sale in the construction market you can find a laminate with the marking Z-1, Z-2, Z-3, Z-4th class. The first two options are suitable for styling in an apartment or in the house (more for children and bedrooms), a laminate that has a Z-3 and Z-4 marking is best purchased for styling in rooms with increased cross-country ability-these are corridors, hall, kitchen, living room. This flooring can even be used in small cafes and bars in the area, as well as hotels and hospitals.
Which company to choose a laminate - you better start with the study of reviews that you can read on the forum on the Internet, you need to enter in the search line "Which company to choose a laminate." If you want to get an answer to the question, which class of wear resistance is better, then the answer may be ambiguous. The fact is that everything will depend on which room the laminate is needed for. If this is a bedroom or a children's room, then the load on the coating is supposed to be minimal, which means it is enough to purchase a class Z-1 laminate. By the way, the floor in the entire apartment can be covered with the flooring of this class and the laminate will last a very long time, of course, subject to proper care.
There is not only labeling class of wear resistance, but also a life. So, for a laminate with Z-1 marking, 12 years of operation are allocated, the laminate of the Z-2 brand will last up to 15 years, and with the Z-3 brand-up to 20 years. The most durable laminate is Z-4, the flooring can not be changed for 25 years!
What are the disadvantages of the coating:
- Very low moisture resistance. Just an hour later, if you shed half a cup of coffee or water on the floor, then the laminate can absorb liquid and swell in this place. The highest quality and expensive laminate is able to withstand water contact for 6 hours.
- Low degree of noise absorption. The laminate is very “noisy”, especially if you used chipboard as a substrate. Then every step will be heard by all home.
How to choose a laminate
When choosing a flooring, it is necessary to take into account not only the class of wear resistance, but also the thickness of the board. On sale is a laminate with a thickness of 5 to 12 mm. Of course, the thicker the coating, the stronger the floor will be. But this does not always live up to expectations. For example, a thick laminate (thickness from 10 to 12 mm) is more suitable for styling in those rooms where the floor was uneven and was not prepared in advance (when laying on an old linoleum, a bad screed, there are differences). Yes, you can buy a thick laminate. But then you will have to pay 2 times more for covering only one room, because the cost of the laminate will be higher than the price of a thin board. It turns out that it is more profitable to pay attention to the preparation of the floor, and then put on a perfectly even surface a thinner laminate (thickness 5 or 8 cm).
By the way, if you want to install the “warm floor” system at home, then keep in mind that the thin flooring will warm up faster, which means that you do not have to turn on the toggle switch for all power. Accordingly, a thick laminate will warm up more slowly, which is not very profitable.
Which company is better to choose for an apartment? The highest quality and best laminate is produced in Norway, Germany and Sweden. For example, the artificial parquet of the Norwegian company "Alloc" is considered the most resilient and high -quality. Naturally, the cost of such a laminated parquet is too high for the average buyer. Norwegians give an unlimited guarantee for their product. This means that even after 100 years of operation, the floor covering will not deteriorate.
The second place is occupied by a parquet made in Sweden. Its cost is as high as the parquet made in Norway, but the quality is somewhat lame. Pergo parquet, although it is considered very durable, the seams will be noticeable when laying. If this does not bother you at all, you can safely buy the flooring of this company.
In third place, the popular laminate of Tarkett, the production of Germany. A variety of colors and types, plus good quality and acceptable price - these are the main advantages of this laminate. The construction market offers consumers a wide selection of laminate of this company.
As practice has shown, to answer the most popular question to buyers “which company is better to choose” consultants in the construction stores of the floor covering - only Tarkett company. This is the most affordable laminate in price and quality.
By the way, studying customer reviews, which company to choose a laminate for an apartment, it is worth mentioning the budget line of the laminate - this is the manufacturer of Kronoshpan produced by Belarus. The cost of the laminate of this company is slightly lower than “Tarkett”, and the quality remains as high. So you should pay attention to the laminate of this company.
And another company can apply for positive customer reviews - this is the floor covering of Classen. What is the peculiarity of this coating? The manufacturer (Germany) tried to ensure that the laminate meets all the requirements. Most importantly, this is an imitation of natural wood texture, as well as a high degree of protection of seams and in general, the canvas from the penetration of moisture and chemicals. And all this at a completely acceptable price.
If you delve into the study of reviews on request: “Which company is better to choose,” you can also find such an opinion of people that it is better to opt for a Chinese -made product is inexpensive, outwardly the board is no different from branded models. It is clear that you can choose a flooring not only to your taste, but also a wallet.
One understanding of the brand of flooring is sometimes not enough, you need to know for which room what coating is suitable. For example, for one room you need to buy a laminate of light shades, and for the other dark, somewhere to put more durable and thick, and somewhere-moisture resistant. In order to have no discrepancies, you need to buy a laminate of one manufacturer for an apartment, since a laminate of different companies may differ in thickness.
Which coating to buy for the kitchen?
The laminate can also be laid in the kitchen - it is practical and inexpensive, it is very simple to care for a laminate in the kitchen. Since the kitchen is the place where you have to often wash the floors, it is best to purchase a laminate with increased moisture resistance. To be confident in this property, joints must be additionally processed with grout.
Tip: so that spots and prints are not visible on the floor, and it was not slippery, it is best to buy a laminate with a ribbed surface. The optimal class is Z-3, since the load on this room is high.
Which laminate is suitable for the bathroom?
The moisture -resistant flooring is suitable for the bathroom, such a laminate will not be afraid of moisture and will not lose its original appearance even after several years of operation. The coating is made of PVC plates that do not absorb water - this is the main advantage of the laminate board. If we compare the characteristics of the coating, then the laminate is on the same level with ceramic tiles. To achieve complete protection against moisture, pay attention to a laminate board with an additional rubber strip.
Laminate for living rooms
Children's, bedroom and living room - it is important not only to choose a laminate to your liking, but also to pay attention to the noise -absorbing characteristics. By the way, additional laying of the substrate will help reduce noise when walking. Pay attention to the laminate with an additional layer - protection against noise.
Laminate in the hallway and corridors
These rooms are considered zones of high patency, dirt and dust accumulate on the floor, which is entered into the house from the street. The floor has to be washed every day. For these rooms, it is better to buy a laminate with a high degree of wear resistance (Z-3 or Z-4) and preferably moisture resistant.
Visor of the premium laminate:
- The laminate of the Austrian company "KAINDL" is a quality tested by time. The laminate fully meets safety standards, it does not have formaldehydes and resins (they are present in the parquet board). It is difficult to distinguish an artificial board from real parquet not only externally, but also tactile. Laying such a coating is continuous pleasure. By the way, the board can be laid both on the floor and on the wall. Of the shortcomings, only a high price should be allocated.
- The floor covering of "Quick-STEP" joint production of Russia and Belgium. It differs in that this laminate was the first to be produced with the castle system. Disturrently resistant, does not scratch and does not wipe even after a few years of operation. A lot of color variations, imitation of surfaces under stone, wood and even skin. Of the shortcomings, the high cost can be noted. If you lay the laminate in a large area, then the coating will be sensitive to humidity and temperature difference, which means that over time the edges will begin to turn out.
- The floor covering of Germany’s production “HDM” is distinguished by high characteristics - this is an absolutely smooth glossy surface is not afraid of scratches and moisture. What are the shortcomings: nothing can be hidden on the glossy surface of the floor: even the fingerprints of bare feet and dust will be clearly visible on the floor. We need increased care, the price remains stably high.
Parquet laying:
