Which laminate is better to choose for an apartment or house on 7 parameters + Video

If a person chooses to use laminate as a floor, this may mean that he is trying to make his home warmer and more comfortable. Although, this does not mean that the laminate can be bought "indiscriminately", indiscriminately. Before you go to the store you need to know which laminate is best to choose. Therefore, we will tell about this, relatively new material, as much as possible and define the main criteria for its selection.

So, choosing a laminate, pay attention to such criteria as:

• Manufacturer
• Wear resistance
• Exterior design
• Price
• Scratch resistance
• Resistance to moisture
• Environmental quality of the laminate

Criteria for choosing laminate

Consider each such criterion separately, in order to know exactly which laminate is better to choose for an apartment.

Laminate manufacturers

It is not a secret that the more serious the manufacturer, the higher the quality of the laminate. But it is precisely with the definition of the "seriousness" of the manufacturer that some "friction" is obtained. Although, nothing complicated here. The main thing to know is that if a laminate manufacturer is included in the EPLF association, then its products can be considered 100% quality.

So which laminate company should I choose? So, to such manufacturers today are many well-known Western European companies and firms. In principle, it makes no sense to list them, because they are present in special product catalogs. It is also recommended to pay attention to the companies producing the release of laminate in Russia - Krontex, Tarkett, which have proven themselves well in the laminate market. Production of Russian laminate is carried out on modern equipment using modern technologies.

• See the material. . The laminate of which company is better to choose and buy - the advantages and disadvantages of manufacturers

The design of the laminate is different

The most common design is "under wooden floors" or parquet. However, in order for a laminate to resemble a parquet or floorboard, its repeatability should be minimal. Such a laminate is produced by Western European manufacturers.

True, some Russians, for some reason, do not want to see “gnarled” boards on their floors. Therefore, try to choose the color of the laminate in such a way that it is beige or brown. Just such a laminate produced by Chinese manufacturers.

It is useful to pay attention to the external embossing of the laminate, which is also a design delight. Embossing is a relief pattern of the outer layer, with the result that the laminate turns out to be as convex, which is very similar to natural wood. The embossed laminate is very practical, because it does not leave traces of stains after washing. At the moment, a smooth surface is available only for cheap laminate brands.

Under the concept of laminate chamfering falls the groove made in the shape of the letter "V", which is formed between adjacent boards (lamellae). In the presence of a chamfer, the general impression is that this flooring is not a laminate, but natural wood. In addition, using chamfers, you can easily hide the joints between the lamellae.

Wear Resistance Class

When choosing a laminate, it is important to consider the wear resistance class. In some cases, this parameter can be considered one of the most basic. As a rule, the wear resistance class can be determined using simple tests. But we must remember that when choosing a laminate class, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the room where it will lie.

The laminate class is very easy to determine. To do this, you need to know its resistance to abrasion: take sandpaper and just rub the top layer of the laminate. The longer the rub to complete abrasion layer, the higher the class of laminate. True, there are some nuances, and manufacturers are well acquainted with them, so they are trying to upgrade the class by any means. Because, the higher the class of the laminate, the less it wears off, which means that it can last longer.

However, it is desirable to choose the class of operational load with a certain margin, which, strictly speaking, can increase the service life.

• See the material. . Classification of laminate by class and durability

Laminate 21-23 class is designed for use in apartment conditions.

Laminate class 31-33 is designed for offices and similar public spaces.

Scratch resistance

Scratch resistance is the parameter that directly affects the preservation of the more attractive appearance of the laminate. This is achieved by using special protective layers. Regardless of the class of laminate, this parameter has the designation AC and marked in the range of 1-5. The higher the figure, the higher the resistance to abrasion.

Resistance to moisture

In order for the laminate to be moisture resistant, it must have a quality base. In most cases, as it is used HDF-plate, the quality of which depends on the moisture resistance of the laminate. That is, the greater the density of the plate, the less moisture will affect such a board.

By the way, it’s foolish to think that if laminate locks are waxed, then it can be generally considered to be moisture resistant. In fact, the moisture on the laminate with wax impregnation acts in the same way as on the laminate without impregnation. However, in time this process is delayed a little longer.

In fact, the best indicator of the water resistance of a laminate is the increased density of the HDF board and the presence of a special water-repellent composition on such a plate. The density of laminate plates should be from 850 kg / m3 and more. Types of laminate with a completely 900 kg / m3 can withstand water up to 3 hours and at the same time do not change their structure.

Environmental cleanliness of the laminate

The environmental quality of the laminate is directly related to the presence of formaldehyde in it. It is known that once formaldehyde is a part of the plates from which the laminate is made, therefore it will be present in the laminate. However, in order to make sure whether the laminate is of high quality or not, one should pay attention to the presence of the “E1” marking. If such marking is present, it means that the laminate is environmentally safe and can be considered as high quality.

Laminate thickness

The optimum thickness of the laminate should be in the region from 0.7 to 0.8 cm. Thicker thickness is usually not necessary. The thing is that such a panel thickness is sufficient for the required rigidity. An attempt to sell you a thicker, and accordingly more expensive laminate can be nothing more than a seller’s speculation.

• See the material. . Laminate sizes of various brands and collections

The basis of the laminate

High-quality laminate is made on the basis of HDF (HDF) plates. Some manufacturers use MDF or hardboard as a basis for cost reduction, which reduces the service life of the laminate. From the purchase of such a laminate is better to refuse.

Laminate cost

Laminate cost is entirely dependent on all of the above, as well as on the class of laminate. That is, the higher the class, the more expensive the laminate will be. In addition, the cost may depend on the popularity of the manufacturer’s brand, its pricing policy, the size of the panels, etc.

Table of the main criteria for choosing laminate

Features of the choice of laminate for different rooms

Which laminate is best for the kitchen

Kitchen - this is one of the most difficult rooms in the house in terms of the correctness of the choice of finishing materials. Laminate is no exception. Before choosing a laminate for the kitchen, it is necessary to determine its appearance, the most suitable for the kitchen. Due to the complexity of the room, it is better to choose a laminate of high wear resistance class. Of course, not forgetting to choose laminate and taking into account its moisture resistance. Laminate for kitchen floors must have a chamfer hiding joints. For if water gets between the lamellas, it can cause deformation of the laminate panels. Moreover, to fix this already does not work. Therefore, after laying the laminate, the joints between the lamellae are recommended to be additionally impregnated with special mastic.

Laminate in the kitchen. Photo - www. ideasforinterior.com

Which laminate is suitable for bedroom

Depending on the existing interior of the bedroom, you should select a laminate for it. Of course, it will be much better if the room is bright and well illuminated by the sun. In such a bedroom you can even lay a laminate of dark color so that you can see the contrasts of colors and their shades well.

But, which laminate is better, light or dark in this case? If the room is bright, but very small, then lay a laminate of dark colors in it is not recommended. For all this can only lead to the fact that such a dark floor will significantly reduce the space of an already small bedroom. And vice versa - if you want to enlarge the room in the visual plan, then you need to choose a laminate with a pattern in the form of longitudinal strips.

True, in this case laminate is laid across the room. To visually make the bedroom longer, laminate with such a pattern must be laid along the room. True, in this case, the room is also narrowed. Moreover, this condition is directly related to the hallway, especially if it is in a standard apartment.

Laminate in the bedroom. Photo - popularflooring. com

Which laminate is suitable for a nursery

A floor laminated floor for a nursery should have hypoallergenic properties, fire-safe, warm and environmentally friendly. In any case, the laminate for the nursery should be like a child. Therefore, it should be beautiful and pleasant to the touch. Due to the fact that the children's room, in some respects, is also a playroom, the floors in it must have a long service life.

If the nursery already has heated floors, then the laminate in them will be very helpful. Only in this case it is necessary to acquire such laminate, which has a special marking, indicating that it can be used in conjunction with heated floors.

Video: How to choose the right laminate