When visiting any room it happens thatliterally in a couple of seconds we form an opinion about it, and often its negativity or positivity depends on minor factors that we rarely pay conscious attention to. This fully applies to the floor. When it is ordinary, we do not see it, just so as not to trip or slip on it. Otherwise, we immediately notice all its features. But what features should the floor in your apartment or house have? Everything depends on many factors. For example, a porcelain tile floor in the living room looks quite appropriate, while laminate in the bathroom is absolutely inappropriate. And there are quite a few reasons, from operational to aesthetic.
The porcelain tile floor in the living room is laid becausethat it is a durable coating, resistant to abrasion and loads. Let's take a closer look at what features this ceramic made to look like granite has, why it is the right place for it in the living room and not in other rooms, and finally, what are the features of laying the floor of this material.
What is porcelain stoneware?
Porcelain stoneware is a special type of stonewareceramic tiles made using a specific technology. Its essence lies in the fact that at a high temperature (about 1300 degrees Celsius) a pre-mixed powder of finely ground white clay, kaolin, quartz sand and various coloring additives is sintered. The result is a very durable slab that has a deep and rich color throughout its entire volume, and not on one side, like tiles. In addition, due to the super-powerful pressing, the structure of porcelain stoneware has almost no pores and does not absorb moisture, and is particularly durable compared to other competing ceramic coatings. Only such good indicators entail a higher price for the product, but in some cases such costs are absolutely necessary and pay off in the long term. Return to contents</a>
Requirements for the porcelain floor of the living room
Technical specifications for polishedporcelain stoneware. Using porcelain stoneware as a floor covering for a living room is entirely justified, despite the cost. This is due to the specifics of its use, when the life of a particularly durable covering pays for its price, compared to the need to frequently replace less expensive coverings (for example, laminate or linoleum). experiences high dynamic loads, and here a covering is needed that will withstand them without changing its external and operational characteristics. After all, a living room or hallway are the most “walk-through” rooms in the house, so the loads on the floor covering are much higher here. Therefore, porcelain stoneware is best suited for the floor of such rooms. Let's see what other features a floor covering for a living room should have, in addition to resistance to loads:
Return to Contents</a>
Design features of porcelain tiles
Comparison of technical characteristics of tiles.But, in addition to all this, you also need to remember the main task of the living room - the representative function. It is in this room that guests often sit, it is the calling card of the family, and therefore should look as luxurious as possible, and also reflect the taste of the family and create a certain atmosphere. That is why the appearance of porcelain tiles and the overall design solution into which the living room floor will fit are so important. A glossy type of coating is best suited for the living room, it will well emphasize the features of the structure and pattern, while additionally decorating the surface with a glossy sheen. The tile itself can be plain or decorated with a pattern, have a structure similar to various well-known materials or products (for example, porcelain tiles made to look like parquet will not only have the traditional advantages of such a coating, but will also attract with its beautiful wood color). This product has a huge number of appearance options. Do you want to make a floor under a wild stone or marble? Or maybe in the form of a wooden covering, but without the known disadvantages inherent in wood? Or are you a fan of colorful oriental-style patterns, bright mosaics, plant ornaments or other patterns? All this is quite possible with the right choice of porcelain stoneware tiles. Moreover, each of the varieties differs not only in its color and pattern, but also in texture. You can easily buy parquet tiles, which will even resemble wood to the touch, and “marble” porcelain stoneware will not only accurately imitate the shades of Greek marble, but also repeat its texture even tactilely.
The range of appearance options for porcelain stoneware is huge.quantity, these are classic colors, and colors for stone, mosaics, oriental patterns, etc. The examples and features given make it clear that the choice of porcelain stoneware as a floor covering is not only carefully verified, but also the best of all possible. As for the price of this type of building material, it varies significantly, depending on the manufacturer. The cheapest options are products of Russian and Chinese companies, the price fluctuates around 400 rubles per square meter. But the best tiles of Italian manufacturers cannot be lower than 1,500 rubles for the same square meter. But we repeat, this material is worth the money and will pay for itself by serving you faithfully for many years. Return to contents</a>
We lay the granite in the living room
Return to Contents</a>Preparatory work Laying porcelain stoneware tiles can be done in two ways:
Scheme of the device for covering the floor with porcelain tiles.
But no matter which method you choose, it is necessarydo some preliminary work. This material is very demanding of a number of factors. In order for it to lay well on the floor, it needs a practically ideal flat surface, without the slightest defects, clean and smooth. For preliminary floor leveling, you can use a special mixture. And if you want to lay a new covering over the old tiles, we advise you to thoroughly degrease its surface, dry it and then use a primer. Laying tiles on a "warm floors" system requires great care. First, it is necessary to thoroughly warm up the floors, then turn it off and start laying. Only after about two weeks, after the work is completed, can you turn on the heating again. This period is necessary for the adhesive composition to dry correctly and evenly. In some cases, the owners decide to lay porcelain tiles over wooden floors. If this cannot be avoided, then a number of measures will need to be taken:
Laying of porcelain tiles is done using a special adhesive composition.
But if you have a choice, always give it away.preference for concrete flooring, only it guarantees the best quality of flooring, especially if it is carefully pre-treated and has no defects. Return to contents</a>Installation of porcelain tiles As a rule, the laying of tiles begins from the geometric center of the room to its walls. In this case, the walls will have a strip for the same size of pieces of tiles.
Scheme of heated floor under porcelain tiles.
Return to Contents</a>Completion of all work Glue drying timeis about a day, only after that you can take out the expansion joints. After three days, the glue will have completely hardened, and you can proceed to the final work. The essence of the finishing work is that the grouting of the inter-tile joints begins. The grouting is done with a special compound matched to the color of the tile. The movements are made so as to move diagonally to the joints, the remains of the mixture on the surface are removed with a damp sponge. The joint between the walls and the floor is filled with a special sealant. Only after two weeks can you wash the floors and enjoy the work done. As can be seen from the description, there is nothing super complicated in the installation of porcelain tiles, even a beginner in the construction business can handle such work.
