In this article, we will acquaint you with such material as laminate flooring, the characteristics and advantages of this material, we will tell you about some of the rules for its flooring and advice when choosing. Video. Currently, the cost of laminate is not much different from the cost of linoleum, but the first, in our opinion, has a more beautiful appearance and looks more solid compared to linoleum. In addition, the market is filled with different types with a huge assortment of different colors.
Read our article: “DIY laminate flooring. Video lesson"
So, let's start with the main thing! First of all, make sure that all plumbing and heating work has been completed before laying this flooring.
Video about selection criteria:
What color to choose laminate flooring?
There are certain rules for choosing the color of the laminate for rooms, and the main factor in choosing is the degree of illumination of the room:
- So, for example, in rooms well-lit by the sun's rays, almost any shades and colors are suitable, but it is not advised to choose colors close to white, yellow, pale pink and similar shades, as well as a laminate without a pronounced pattern, that is, monotonous. When sunlight hits it, there will be pronounced monotonous glare.
- In dark rooms, light shades are preferable, since a dark color visually reduces the area of the room. In most cases, many people prefer to lay the laminate in one color and do not experience any discomfort, the main criterion, of course, is a harmonious combination with the overall interior of the home.
Types of laminate
On the market, it is presented in two main types - smooth and rough. There is a misconception that a smooth laminate is slippery, and a rough one clogs up dirt. This opinion is erroneous, just the latest types of laminate have an additional top layer imitating the texture of wood, and the early models did not have such a layer and, accordingly, it is smooth. There are no differences in durability or quality between such models.
Paraffin impregnated laminate may not be a bad choice. Whether it is saturated with paraffin or not, it is easy to check, run your fingernail along the long end, the paraffin scraping will certainly remain or the fingers will remain greasy. The advantage of such a coating is increased water resistance, unless, of course, you spill water for a long time, and wipe the coating dry in time. This type of flooring is recommended, impregnated with paraffin in places of high humidity, that is, in the kitchen and in the hallway. An important factor in the comfortable use of the laminate is the substrate. The underlay will relieve you of the crunch that occurs when sand gets under the laminate, smooths out surface irregularities and is a thermal and sound insulator. Typical substrate thickness is two to three millimeters.
Laminate is a fairly durable material and is rarely seen to wear off. Basically, many people face a problem when it moves apart, that is, gaps appear between the boards. The reason for this, first of all, is the poorly leveled surface on which the coating spreads. In order to perfectly level the surface, there are several methods, concrete floor screed, self-leveling mixtures, or level the floor with plywood, mainly from birch.
How much laminate do you need to buy?
Basically, many people use the area of the apartment from the payment receipts or the apartment plan when calculating. It is best to measure it yourself with a tape measure and often the area is smaller. When buying laminate flooring, you should always consider cutting stock. Usually, with rectangular rooms, you need to add a margin of three, five percent, with various bends or protrusions, the margin is seven percent, laying diagonally from five to 15 percent. We do not recommend taking more, because it is easier to buy in addition than to hand over the surplus, save the receipt with the characteristics of the goods or the pack itself with the laminate data.
In the store, do not buy for a good discount of more than seven percent, basically it says that the price in the store itself is overpriced. All stores have approximately the same price, but our advice is, do not be lazy and go through not one, but several stores. Do not hesitate to ask the sellers for a certificate for laminate flooring, this will make sure the manufacturer of the product, since South China is not exactly South Korea. We have sorted out the main questions about the installation and choice of laminate, we hope they will be useful to you, in conclusion, we want to wish you a good purchase and long-term operation!
Video on how to choose the right laminate:
I hope the article helped you a lot when choosing this floor covering, since there is nowhere else to write and paint more extensively. Our advice, like any other specialist in this field, is - do not save, because the laminate is laid for a long time! Good luck with your choice!
