Laminate
Which laminate to choose for an apartment and a house?
Laminate flooring is a modern and stylish floor covering that is growing in popularity from year to year.
In this article, together with experts from B.I.G. Let's figure out how to choose the right laminate and what is important to consider when choosing it.
In this article, together with experts from B.I.G. Let's figure out how to choose the right laminate and what is important to consider when choosing it.
Laminate for an apartment
To the kitchen and hallway
Mechanical load ***
Exposure to moisture ***
Kitchens, hallways and corridors belong to living quarters with increased stress on the flooring. Households move here more often and more, and everyday contact with water is not excluded - it gets into the hallway from outerwear, shoes, umbrellas, and in the kitchen you can accidentally spill something while cooking or eating.
In addition, these areas have to be cleaned more often. Street dirt and sand near the front door, drops of grease and sauces, crumbs from food - all this must be constantly washed off.
Therefore, when choosing a laminate for the kitchen, corridor and hallway, first of all, you need to pay attention to its strength, durability and resistance to moisture.
Exposure to moisture ***
Kitchens, hallways and corridors belong to living quarters with increased stress on the flooring. Households move here more often and more, and everyday contact with water is not excluded - it gets into the hallway from outerwear, shoes, umbrellas, and in the kitchen you can accidentally spill something while cooking or eating.
In addition, these areas have to be cleaned more often. Street dirt and sand near the front door, drops of grease and sauces, crumbs from food - all this must be constantly washed off.
Therefore, when choosing a laminate for the kitchen, corridor and hallway, first of all, you need to pay attention to its strength, durability and resistance to moisture.
Expert recommendations B.I.G.
In terms of strength, laminate flooring is recommended for class 33 rooms. For example, from the collections of Raspberry (Ideal brand) or Eternity (BerryAlloc brand). Due to the addition of corundum to the finishing layer of the coating, its service life is at least 20 years.
For increased protection against moisture, the edges of the boards are treated with a special water-repellent liquid - impregnation HydroPlus. The result is that the coating is not afraid of exposure to water. Among the laminates of the BerryAlloc brand are the Ocean, Eternity collections.
Do I need to seal laminate joints with sealant?
No, it doesn `t need. The use of additional sealing compounds when installing the laminate is not recommended by the manufacturer. Foreign matter violates the original geometry of the castle abutment. As a result, the laminate quickly deteriorates.
To the living room and study
Mechanical load **
Exposure to moisture *
Living rooms are also characterized by high traffic. Not as extreme as in kitchens and hallways, but still quite intense. The likelihood of contact with water is lower here.
The optimal level of wear resistance is a coating for class 32 rooms. The assortment of B.I.G. all laminate flooring belongs to the class of rooms not lower than 32, therefore the maximum number of options is available.
Separately, it should be noted that living rooms and offices traditionally perform a representative ceremonial function. A suitable laminate design will help to emphasize the features of the space.
Exposure to moisture *
Living rooms are also characterized by high traffic. Not as extreme as in kitchens and hallways, but still quite intense. The likelihood of contact with water is lower here.
The optimal level of wear resistance is a coating for class 32 rooms. The assortment of B.I.G. all laminate flooring belongs to the class of rooms not lower than 32, therefore the maximum number of options is available.
Separately, it should be noted that living rooms and offices traditionally perform a representative ceremonial function. A suitable laminate design will help to emphasize the features of the space.
Expert recommendations B.I.G.
The living room will look good with a natural wood laminate with embossing and natural texture of fibers - the Glorious, Impulse V4 and Chateau collections (BerryAlloc brand).
For the decoration of the cabinet, the laminate looks advantageous under oak noble dark shades from the Touch collection (brand Ideal), allowing you to tune in to a business or creative mood.
For the decoration of the cabinet, the laminate looks advantageous under oak noble dark shades from the Touch collection (brand Ideal), allowing you to tune in to a business or creative mood.
To the bedroom
Mechanical load *
Exposure to moisture *
In the bedroom, floor loads are minimal, and the main task of the room is rest. Therefore, it is not the technical characteristics of the laminate that come to the fore, but its appearance.
Exposure to moisture *
In the bedroom, floor loads are minimal, and the main task of the room is rest. Therefore, it is not the technical characteristics of the laminate that come to the fore, but its appearance.
Design 8020 DUB LATTE
Expert recommendations B.I.G.
The class of the room for the laminate in the bedroom may be the lowest. But since B.I.G. all laminate is suitable for rooms of 32 class and higher, the coating will be with a large margin of safety. This is another reason to consider the choice of design carefully, because this floor is more likely to get bored than wear out and require replacement.
The optimal color scheme for the bedroom is calm light tones. Scandinavian-style flooring, which is characterized by light shades of natural untreated wood, will look good. For example, the Cranberry collection (Ideal brand).
The optimal color scheme for the bedroom is calm light tones. Scandinavian-style flooring, which is characterized by light shades of natural untreated wood, will look good. For example, the Cranberry collection (Ideal brand).
Laminate for a cottage
Mechanical load **
Exposure to moisture **
For a country house, all the same features of the selection of a laminate are true as in an apartment. But there are also a number of additional nuances that should be considered.
First, the layout of a house often involves a large living space. The same kitchen or living room can be many times larger than similar premises in an apartment.
Secondly, the house, as a more autonomous structure, has a number of technical and auxiliary premises. For them, the arrangement of floor coverings is also relevant, but there are quite reasonable reasons to save on material. We are talking about storerooms, attics and boiler rooms.
Exposure to moisture **
For a country house, all the same features of the selection of a laminate are true as in an apartment. But there are also a number of additional nuances that should be considered.
First, the layout of a house often involves a large living space. The same kitchen or living room can be many times larger than similar premises in an apartment.
Secondly, the house, as a more autonomous structure, has a number of technical and auxiliary premises. For them, the arrangement of floor coverings is also relevant, but there are quite reasonable reasons to save on material. We are talking about storerooms, attics and boiler rooms.
Design B1205 CRACKED XL LIGHT Natural
Expert recommendations B.I.G.
To simplify the decoration of large areas, under the BerryAlloc brand have developed collections with an increased length of board - Eternity Long (long board) and Glorious Small (narrow long board), Glorious XL (wide long board). A bonus to the Glorious collections is the ability to join boards of different widths to each other and create your own unique design.
In houses with more than one floor, it is recommended to use laminate of different thickness. To increase the thermal insulation properties, it is advisable to lay thicker material on the floor of the first floor - from the collections of the Aberhof brand this is Cyclone (12 mm) or Cruise (10 mm). On the upper floors, a standard thickness (8 mm) laminate is sufficient - for example, Form from the Ideal brand.
As for the decoration of auxiliary rooms, the range of the Ideal brand includes the budget Look collection - with basic natural colors and a thickness of 7 mm.
How does humidity and temperature affect laminate flooring?
At the heart of the laminate is an HDF board, it can change slightly in size depending on fluctuations in humidity and temperature. To compensate for this effect, the laminate should be installed in a floating way, without rigid attachment to the base. At walls, pipes, doorways, columns, an expansion gap of 10 mm should be left, which is beautifully decorated with plugs and baseboards.
The optimum temperature range in the rooms where the laminate is laid is from + 5 + 8 ° C to + 50 ° C.
The recommended level of air humidity is 40–65%. At the same time, a certain margin of safety inherent in the design makes it possible to successfully operate the laminate in wider ranges.
It is not recommended to use laminate flooring in country houses of inconstant residence, where in winter it will be exposed to sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Also, laminate flooring must not be installed outdoors and in open spaces. Otherwise, it is not picky about the internal microclimate.
In addition, the laminate is compatible with the underfloor heating system. However, a correct preliminary calculation of the heating power per square meter is required. The maximum heating temperature of the base surface must be within + 27 ° C.
The optimum temperature range in the rooms where the laminate is laid is from + 5 + 8 ° C to + 50 ° C.
The recommended level of air humidity is 40–65%. At the same time, a certain margin of safety inherent in the design makes it possible to successfully operate the laminate in wider ranges.
It is not recommended to use laminate flooring in country houses of inconstant residence, where in winter it will be exposed to sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Also, laminate flooring must not be installed outdoors and in open spaces. Otherwise, it is not picky about the internal microclimate.
In addition, the laminate is compatible with the underfloor heating system. However, a correct preliminary calculation of the heating power per square meter is required. The maximum heating temperature of the base surface must be within + 27 ° C.
Special types of laminate
For those who follow current trends and are not alien to design experiments, company B.I.G. has developed collections of a special appearance.
Natural wood texture
In contrast to the time-honored design of the reference wood cut, laminate with a more natural texture is gaining popularity. On such a surface, knots, abrasions, cracks and traces of natural aging are visible.Design 8014 DUB ARKTICHESKIY
Where to see - Blackberry (Ideal brand) and Storm (Aberhof brand) collections.
Chamfer
The bevel around the perimeter of the boards is laminated in the color of the laminate or painted. In the latter case, the color may be one tone darker / lighter than the front surface. As a result, after laying such a beveled laminate, a covering with an emphasized contour of the boards is obtained, creating a special atmosphere of a natural type-setting floor.
Design 2804 DUB KORIOLIS
Where to look - Enigma, Touch collections (Ideal brand).
Herringbone
One of the most fashionable and modern formats is herringbone-shaped laminate flooring. In it, each board imitates a separate parquet plank. The final finish looks solid and respectable.It is possible to create an individual floor design by mixing boards of different shades, similar or contrasting.
Design B7608 TEXAS GREY
Where to look - Chateau collection (BerryAlloc brand).
Stone and tile
Wood-textured laminate flooring accounts for the lion's share of sales in the modular flooring market, but in addition to that, B.I.G. there are collections with patterns for stone and tiles.These are thematic collections with a moisture-resistant impregnation, allowing them to be used in hallways and kitchens - an interesting alternative to floor tiles.
Design B4409 RETRO CHIC BLUE
Design B7408 STONE GREY
Where to look - Ocean collections: Retro Chic decor (tile) and Stone (stone).
Design B7408 STONE GREY
Where to look - Ocean collections: Retro Chic decor (tile) and Stone (stone).
Let's sum up
1. The main characteristics of the laminate - room class, moisture resistance, wear resistance - must be selected based on the parameters of the room in which the flooring will be laid.2. The modern variety of colors and textures allows you to create a unique floor design for each room.
3. Laminate is not only the color and texture of natural wood. There are collections with the texture of stone and ceramic floor tiles.