Laminate flooring, also known as laminate for short, has become the most popular and popular flooring for homes in recent years, mainly due to its value for money. The reason is that this flooring fits perfectly into the interior of any home and is easy to maintain.
Laminate flooring is a pressed multilayer flooring, composed of 80% wood particles and 2% resins. It is environmentally friendly, is a wonderful insulator, excellently retains heat, and is easy to install. Laminate has another advantage - it is strong and will easily withstand your dog's claws or walking in shoes. To clean it, you only need to wipe it with a damp cloth and your floor will look like new for many years. The good thing is that it does not require special maintenance efforts, and at the same time it is a stylish and practical solution, while simultaneously insulating and retaining heat in the room. You will hardly have any problems with the color of the laminated flooring, because the market offers all possible options so that the material matches that of the furniture.
HOW TO CHOOSE LAMINATE PARQUET?
To choose the right laminate for your home, you need to be aware of the characteristics of this flooring. Laminate flooring is made up of several layers, the purpose of which is to both provide stability to the flooring and protection from external factors that can damage it.
The most common option in terms of materials for manufacturing is laminated parquet made of chipboard - pressed wood particles. The majority of buyers choose it. The other option is laminated parquet made of MDF - medium-density fiberboard. The highest quality parquet is considered to be HDF - high-density fiberboard, but it is, of course, more expensive. High-quality laminates have a lower water absorption rate, since the material (HDF) from which they are made is impregnated with special water-resistant resins. This is not the case with cheap versions.
A more important indicator of the quality of the flooring is its wear resistance class, not its thickness. Laminate flooring is available in different thicknesses, most often 7-8 mm.
Laminate is divided into two main groups – for residential and public buildings. Each of these groups is divided into three subgroups – light, normal and intensively loaded.
When choosing a laminate, one basic recommendation can be given. First, determine what rooms the coating will be used for and what load it is intended for. And more likely to buy a laminate with a higher class. Be careful when trying to save on the price of the laminate, because you can score an own goal and subsequently suffer much greater losses than the saved investment.
Perhaps the most important factor that affects you when buying laminate flooring is how resistant the flooring is to wear and tear. Depending on how busy the room the parquet is intended for is, you can judge which class you need.
WEAR AND PHYSICAL LOAD CLASS OF LAMINATE PARQUET
Laminate production is standardized and differentiated into classes according to the level of resistance to wear /physical stress/. The class of the laminate is indicated by a two-digit number, there are six in total (21-23 and 31-33). The first digit indicates the type of premises for which the laminate is used. The number 2 - laminate for residential premises, 3 - for public (offices, shops, etc.) The second digit indicates the permissible intensity of operation.
Laminate class 21 and 22 are designed for rooms with low and medium load, such as bedrooms. It is designed for use for 2-3 years.
Laminate class 23 and 31 are the next in terms of wear resistance. The first of them is intended for residential premises where many people live, and the second is recommended for small offices, guest rooms. At the same time, class 31 can be used in an apartment, but 23 cannot be used in an office. The service life of class 23 with careful treatment is 6 years. The service life of class 31 in offices is similar, but in a home it doubles.
Laminate class 32 and 33 is intended mainly for shops, restaurants, etc. with high daily traffic. They have a thick protective layer, often additional sound insulation, which fully replaces the underlay during installation. The service life of this laminate in public spaces is 6 years, but if you buy such a laminate for your home, it will need to be replaced only after 15-20 years. In addition, the same class can have a different thickness, which also affects its price.
WHAT LAMINATE COLOR SHOULD WE CHOOSE?
Colors are one of the determining factors for the mood of your interior. It is important to choose the right combination. Colors, light and space influence each other to a large extent. The colors of the laminate, ceiling and walls have a significant optical impact on the way we perceive the room. You can make the room look bigger, smaller, wider, narrower, deeper, higher, brighter and warmer.
Laminate flooring is chosen not only for its practical characteristics (wear resistance class, thickness), but also for its color. When choosing the color of the flooring, you need to take into account what the final result will be for the interior. Each room is different and requires a specific approach.
Light colors make a room look bigger, while dark colors make it look smaller. Light laminates reflect light, which will make the room look brighter and larger. Pale colors are associated with cleanliness and tranquility. Dark furniture and light wood decors go very well together and create a cozy atmosphere.
Dark flooring is ideal for creating contrast, combining it with light-colored walls or another dark color used as an accent.
If your parquet and furniture are in the same color, it is advisable to have a carpet in a contrasting color.
If you have chosen a neutral colored laminate , for example natural oak, don't be afraid to combine with furniture made of dark wood such as walnut or wenge.
Parquet with a yellowish-beige color gives a feeling of coziness and a sense of optimism. Laminates with oak decors , beech or maple can make a dark room warmer. A reddish-orange floor creates a very warm feeling, often combined with yellow accents. Brown laminates Brown is not a bad color, it is universal and suitable for various interiors, but on one condition - that enough light enters the room.
HOW IS LAMINATE PARQUET INSTALLED?
When purchasing laminate flooring, you should allow for a certain amount of excess. Typically, a normal room requires about 5% of the excess. However, if the room is broken, arched, under 10 sq m or is a corridor, you should allow for 10% more.
It is recommended that the parquet be left in the room for at least 24 hours before proceeding with installation. During this period, the lamellas adapt to the temperature and humidity in the room, thus avoiding any potential problems from their shrinkage or expansion in the already installed flooring.
Once you have brought the parquet into the room, it is important to prepare a good base. If the base has irregularities deeper than 3 mm, this can cause this area to sink when you step on it.
To install parquet easily and efficiently, you must have the following tools:
- Saw (you use it to cut the slats to the desired size before installation);
- Hammer (rubber, so as not to damage the slats);
- Saw (when the door frames are not aligned, you need to cut them);
- Roller blind (measure the lengths of the slats);
- Pull-out bracket (you pull the slats with it to fasten the click system)
- Wedges (you can cut them from the laminate flooring, they are placed as a distance between the wall and the laminate).
The practical installation of laminate flooring begins with laying an underlay on the floor. Thanks to it, the parquet shrinks and expands smoothly with temperature differences. In addition, the underlay absorbs unevenness in the floor depending on its thickness. There are different types of underlays, the most commonly used being polyethylene. , fibrous and coconut. For noise and heat insulation, fiberboard or coconut are preferable. The underlay should be placed in the direction of the laminate, taking care not to have their joints coincide. Then, the slats are laid. Visually, the laminate looks best when laid in such a way that the lengths of the slats are perpendicular to the window in the room. For this reason, the installation of the parquet starts from the wall perpendicular to the one with the window. It is possible to install the laminate diagonally, you just need to consider how you would like the final result the most.
When installing laminate flooring, a step of divergence of the laminate slats is also observed - from 30 to 40 cm. Another way of divergence is according to the German standard - the divergence is exactly half a laminate board.
After the laminate is laid, the skirting boards are installed. and corresponding accessories - external corners , internal angles , joints and plugs Regardless of their type, the skirting boards are attached to the walls every 30 cm. This is the only way you don't risk them coming loose from the walls.
Finally, laminate skirting boards are usually installed. Skirting boards are usually used at room doors or when part of the room has a different floor covering. The transition strip is installed either with a dowel and screw (concealed installation) or with mounting silicone. If pipes run along the floor, no holes are drilled - the strip must be glued.
IMPORTANT: Laminate is a "floating" floor and is not attached to the subfloor. It is absolutely forbidden to hammer or glue it!
