When repairing housing, the question necessarily arises of how to arrange the floor. Nowadays, a laminate board imitating parquet has become very popular. It is easy to install, has a wide variety of colors and structures and is affordable in price. To understand how to choose a laminate for an apartment in terms of quality and price, you first need to familiarize yourself with the types and manufacturers of such flooring.
Content
Structure and classes
Laminate board consists of four layers. Adhering to the floor is a stabilizing layer, which also provides water resistance and sound insulation. The main layer is the carrier, usually represents different types of wood boards. The third and fourth layers perform decorative and protective functions, respectively.
The performance of a laminate is determined by its class. To household belong 21, 22, 23. They have a very short term of use from 2 to 4 years. With the number 3, commercial coating classes begin. Now European manufacturers produce only 31, 32, 33, 34 classes. This is good material for living quarters. The characteristic of the carrier layer is the second digit in the class.
Which laminate is better can be understood by paying attention to the AC marking (sometimes from 3 to 6), indicating the degree of wear resistance of the upper protective layer, because there are species with a not very strong base, but high wear resistance of the front part and vice versa.
The following information will help determine which class of laminate flooring to choose for the apartment:
- In the bedrooms you can use class 31 AC3. Price - from 200 p. for 1 square. m. Service life up to 6 years.
- A good option for the entire apartment (living rooms, nurseries, kitchens, corridors) - 32 AC4. It will last up to 15 years. Price - from 700 p. for 1 square. m
- 33 AC5 externally almost indistinguishable from classic wooden parquet. For residential premises, some manufacturers give a lifetime warranty. It costs from 1500 p. for 1 square. m
- Class 34 AC6 coating is produced by only two manufacturers - Alloc and Pergo. It can withstand very large loads, has a price of 1800 p. for 1 square. m. and a lifetime warranty.
In the house in all residential premises you can use the 31st or 32nd class, 33 is better for the corridor and bathrooms. It is important to pay attention to the thickness of the board., after repair, the floor height rises, it may be difficult to close the doors.
When buying, it is better to immediately purchase the necessary accessories and related materials: connecting and transition profiles, baseboards, substrate, and, if necessary, glue.
Coating manufacturers
You can choose a laminate from well-known European manufacturers, as well as from Russian or Chinese. It all depends on the budgetallocated to repair the floor, and the purpose of the room in which it is made.
European brands
The following brands are most popular:
- Balterio - production is located only in Belgium. Technologies are used in which the laminate cannot be distinguished from natural wood. It is considered one of the highest quality, not only the laminate itself is moisture resistant, but also all its accessories. Other properties - wear-resistant, form-resistant, shockproof (if something falls on it, does not deform, and sharp heels do not leave marks), does not ignite, there are no spots. It belongs to a high price group.
- More budget option - Egger, Austria. It has good quality and a very wide selection of colors and textures, in addition, such a laminate is durable, durable and moisture resistant.
- One of the oldest and most famous brands on the market is Kaindl, Austria.The coating of its production is highly ecological: it has a minimum formaldehyde content, 15–20% less than the norm, which is noted by the Blue Angel product certificate. Each board consists of 95% alpine spruce wood. The cost is quite reasonable due to the large volume of sales. Laminate is durable, resistant to mechanical stress, aggressive environments and ultraviolet, with hydrophobic impregnation and fire resistance. The 32nd class has a service life of 30 years.
- Another highly environmentally friendly option is Haro, Germany. It is characterized by high strength, not prone to stains and scratches, water-repellent and very expensive.
- A relatively new direction in the production of coatings is the production of highly artistic laminate. The German company Versal specializes in producing only such a class 33 coating. It is produced in the form of plates, which allows you to imitate the parquet coating flawlessly. Wear-resistant, hydrophobic impregnation.
Other famous European brands:
- Quick Step
- Maxwood.
- Kronospan.
- Tarkett.
- Kronotex
- Grunde.
Chinese and Russian brands
A high-quality laminate is characterized by the absence of a specific smell, excessive wax at the joints, even edges and sections:
- Millennium is a Russian company manufacturing products in Chinese factories. Strong collection is characterized by high wear resistance and large thickness.
- Platinum - produced at the Kostroma enterprise, belongs to the economy class, it is better not to use it in rooms with a large floor load.
- Proteco is a coating of a Sino-German manufacturer of high quality and with an affordable price. It has enhanced stiffness and water resistance due to the carrier layer of high density, antistatic, withstands exposure to sunlight and point loads.
- High-quality and inexpensive coatings are produced by the Russian company Lamineli and the Russian-Turkish Kastsmonu.
- Chinese brands such as Bode and Premium are well-known.
In today's market for laminate flooring, you can find options for every taste and budget.
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