When planning a renovation in a room, a person oftenwant to update everything: walls, floor, ceiling. If everything is more or less clear with the walls and ceiling, then when choosing a floor covering, many people face certain difficulties. Everyone is tired of linoleum, and not everyone can afford parquet. An excellent way out of this situation is laminate, which costs less than parquet, and with proper installation looks almost the same. Therefore, below we will consider how to choose the right laminate.
The thickness of the laminate is directly related to the following characteristics: thermal conductivity level, resistance to mechanical stress, and sound insulation quality.
Structure of the laminated coating
In order to have at least a superficial idea of the structure of a particular room, laminate is a panel that includes several layers:
Types of laminate.
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How to choose a laminate in class
Classification of laminate.Laminated flooring is divided into classes. It is the class that determines the main performance characteristics of the material and its service life. There are 6 classes of laminate: 21, 22, 23 and 31, 32, 33. To find out what operating conditions the material is intended for, you should pay attention to the first digit: 2 - for residential premises, 3 - for commercial. The second digit characterizes the wear resistance of the building material:
- 21 - the service life of the coating is up to 5 years, it is intended for rooms with light floor loads (bedroom, storage room);
- 22 - service life up to 5 years, used in children's rooms and living rooms;
- 23 - service life up to 5 years, can be installed in rooms with heavy furniture and heavy floor loads;
- 31 - service life up to 8 years, perfect for children's room and bedroom;
- 32 - can be used for up to 10-15 years, can be installed in the kitchen and living room;
- 33 - the most wear-resistant material with a service life of more than 15 years, can be used in almost any room.
When choosing the best laminate by class, you need to remember that with its increase, the price of the material also increases. Therefore, before buying, it is important to correctly calculate your budget. Return to contents</a>
Environmentally friendly laminate coating
Characteristics of the laminate.Phenol-formaldehyde resin is used in the production of chipboard, fiberboard, MDF, etc. This reduces the cost of finished products, but during their use, formaldehyde is constantly released into the space - a fairly harmful substance for the human body. According to European standards, the amount of phenol-formaldehyde resin in laminated floors should not exceed a certain level. Therefore, if you smell a strong odor when opening the laminate package, this indicates a high concentration of formaldehyde in this material. It is better to refuse to buy such a product. It is not recommended to buy the cheapest laminate, since in most cases the level of formaldehyde in it will be significantly higher than the permissible standards. Many people believe that construction hypermarkets sell only high-quality goods, but in reality this is not true at all. Sometimes stores take laminated flooring for sale with a stipulation in the purchase and sale agreement that the supplier bears full responsibility for the product. Therefore, in order to choose the right laminate, you need to check it for harmful substances in any case. Return to Contents</a>
Laminate choice for thickness and density
Laminate construction. The thickness of this finishing material is directly related to the following characteristics:
- level of thermal conductivity;
- resistance to mechanical stress;
- sound quality.
When buying laminate, you should take into account that moreThick tiles will cost significantly more than thin ones. Therefore, here you need to use the "golden mean" rule. Usually, 8 mm thick floor coverings are installed in residential premises. If you want to save money, you can also lay 7 mm thick sheets. Thinner material can only be used if the floor in the room is equipped with a heating system, since in this case it will better transfer heat into the room. The density of the laminate is not always indicated by the manufacturers, although it is also an important characteristic of the material, on which its strength and reliability depend. To calculate the density, you need to do the following:
- multiply the width, length and thickness of one tile by the number of such elements in the package, after which the resulting value is converted to m3;
- multiply the mass of the laminate by the calculated value of the volume, thereby obtaining the density of the material.
A quality coating must have a density of at least 850 kg/m3. Return to contents</a>
Choice of laminate design
Laminate installation diagram. Depending on your preferences and interior style, you can purchase laminate of a certain color with imitation of natural material or with some pattern:
To achieve a cozy atmosphere, you canuse light brown laminate. The reddish shade of the material allows you to achieve an active mood. This color scheme is well suited for office premises. When choosing a flooring design, you should also pay attention to the following:
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Laminate selection by manufacturer
The most popular on the domestic market areare the brands of laminate of the middle and economy class: Tarkett and Kronostar of Russian production, as well as Kronotex - a German company, which has its factories in the territory of the Russian Federation. The great popularity of these brands is mainly due to their low cost and a good set of performance properties. They are represented by class 31 and 32 with a panel thickness of 7-10 mm. More expensive is the luxury class coating, which is represented by the Belgian company Berry Allok and the German Haro. The price for such material starts from 800 rubles. All these brands have high performance characteristics and a long service life. Return to the table of contents</a>
Recommendations for choosing a laminate
Approaching the choice of flooring with all due careresponsibility, taking into account all the recommendations of specialists, you will be able to purchase the best option for a specific case. Such a coating, if installed correctly, will be able to serve you for many years, creating comfort and coziness in your home.</ ul>
