Laminate: description, features, styling rules and improper use

Greetings, comrades! Do you know what is laminate and how to fit this floor? I'm going to tell you about the features of the material, share their own impressions of the experience of its operation and misuse use in decoration and manufacture of home-made furniture. Proceed.

Floor living room-office in the attic of my house. - laminated board.

What it is

This material - Finish flooring on the basis of MDF (pressed hardboard). The structure of the functional layers from bottom to top is as follows:

1. waterproof substrate (Kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resin or plastic);
2. The carrier layer (MDP) 6-8 mm thick. In this layer are cut Clicks locks responsible for a connection between boards;
3. decorative coating (Paper with the image texture of wood, stone, and other natural materials);
4. blanket - melamine or acrylic resin with mineral additives that increase the wear resistance.

The functional layers of the laminate board. In carrier-based locks are cut to ensure a reliable connection between the boards themselves.

In the manufacture of boards for the protective layer is often applied humps enabling more reliably mimic the natural material. Embossed laminate looks better, but collects more dirt and difficult to clean.

classes

In our country can be found in the sale of laminate grades 31, 32 and 33. What do they mean?

Picture	Class and Description
	31 class: Commercial premises with high traffic is up to 3 years in residential - 10-12. Usually used in the bedrooms and offices.
	class 32: Provides up to 5 years in domestic commercial operating conditions - up to 15. A suitable solution for the floor in the dining room and lounge.
	33 class: Service life - up to 6 years in commercial areas and up to 20 years in an apartment or a building. It is used in rooms with a maximum cross - hallways and reception areas.

Unofficially, there are 34 class durability. It is used under extreme conditions - in airports, dance clubs and showrooms. The class is not reflected in the European standards EN 13329: 2006, and is not very popular: it squeezed more durable competitors in the relevant market sector - granite tiles and clinker.

Humidity resistance

It is determined by the presence or absence of modifying agents in the backing layer laminate. Cellulose and produced on its basis MDF hygroscopic and increase their volume with an increase in humidity. Conformal impregnation reduces the hygroscopicity of the material, but to completely rid the ability of the cellulose fibers absorb water, they are incapable.

Swell when wetted first stitches with unprotected from water Clicks locks; then the board is deformed over the entire area. Sutures are particularly sensitive to hot water: it rapidly penetrates and soaks MDF structure recycled wood fibers.

Flooded the neighbors? Be prepared perestilat laminate floor.

That is why the floor can not be used where the floor from time to time the water gets:

• bathrooms, Showers and bathrooms with toilets;
• In the hallways. In wet weather and in the winter there is inevitable appearance of puddles.

Laminate in the kitchen can be used everywhere except in the zone near the washing and the work surface. There will need to be laid water-resistant coating.

Combined flooring in the kitchen near the work area is laid durable and water-resistant tiles.

evaluation

Benefits

laminate dignity repeatedly described the sellers and marketers. I will mention here only a brief summary of their flowery compliments with a couple of his comments.

• Low price. It is really so: the square meter of a low-cost coverage will cost 350-400 rubles. The cost of laminate allows to compete successfully with tiles (from 300 rubles per square) and linoleum (from 350 rubles per square) in the low-end market sector, which accounts for 80% of purchases;
• Strength in relation to mechanical stress. On this parameter our hero is inferior to any tile, but outperforms linoleum budget class. Last easily and naturally breaks when you try to move a little bit dragged a heavy cabinet or sofa;
• Attractive appearance. Also can not argue that even in the public sector imitation plank floor looks quite convincing. Tree fits perfectly into the design of any room;

Laminate flooring in interior design: the photo shows how convincing can be an imitation plank floor.

• "Warm" surface. Sex subjectively perceived as warm whenever the actual temperature in the room because of a relatively low thermal conductivity MDF. Linoleum and the more tiles that can not boast;
• Compatibility with underfloor heating - water and electric. On the practical side, this means that the insulating coating quality is not high enough to keep him warm throughout the entire thickness.

The attractive design of the laminate in the apartment a very pleasant manner combined with underfloor heating installation.

disadvantages

And now - what you never read in the brochures: personal experience from the use of the laminate 31-32 class in the apartment and a private home.

• seams swell where on the surface of the floor is often the water gets. Even in small quantities. Despite the declared water resistance;
• transverse seams (Between the ends of the boards) diverge appreciably during seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. Slots clogged with dirt and gradually become more and more noticeable.

The seams between the ends of the boards become visible already after a year of service coverage.

Competitors and applications

There we are interested in the floor covering two direct competitor - linoleum and tile. In what areas should use each of them? I'll take the liberty to express his own opinion on the matter:

1. For bathrooms, toilets and vestibules perfect finish - tile. In the living room and in the kitchen it is inappropriate: the floor will be cold to the touch and slippery;

Bathroom with tiled floors. Tiles are not afraid of water, mechanical wear and serves indefinitely.

In my opinion, the kitchen tiles should not put at all. Even in the work area. Any glass or ceramic dishes, which fell on the tile floor, will inevitably be broken, but the softer coating is likely to save her life.

1. For living rooms, children's rooms and corridors linoleum with a warming appropriate substrate. In these spaces is not ruled ingress of water to the floor. Linoleum is non-hygroscopic and can tolerate contact with any liquid for an unlimited time;
2. In the bedroom Adult family members can use a laminated board. Constant low humidity and lack of puddles on the floor will make this material is sufficiently durable.

Laminate flooring in the interior of the living room looks impressive, but short-lived. The first is a puddle on the floor hopelessly spoil its appearance.

Color spectrum

When choosing a color coating remember a few simple rules:

• Dark colors visually reduce the room light - expand;
• A dark floor with light walls make the room seem small and high;

Dark brown floor, combined with white walls reduces the visible area of ​​the room and visually increases the height.

• Interior with light laminate flooring and dark wallpaper on the walls, on the contrary, increase the visibility of the area and reduce the height of the ceiling.

laying

How to lay laminate flooring with your own hands?

Substrate Quality

It should be:

• tough. Deflection of the flooring joists may damage Clicks locks on the connection boards;
• smooth. The maximum size of depressions and projections - 3 millimeters. Irregularities larger fraught with the same dangers as the resilience of the flooring - Finish coating will sag, resulting in damage to the locks.

Here are some typical ways of preparing for the installation of the base coating.

Picture	preparation method of the base
	reinforced screed: Sand-cement mix is ​​laid out on a mesh. It is used for high differential between the floor slabs.
	self-leveling floor: Leveling the mixture to polymer-cement binder is poured over the screed or monolithic slab after priming penetrating soil. Eliminates the differences of height of 10-20 mm.
	alignment plywood: Used for grazing wooden floors. 10-15 mm thick plywood attracted screws to the wooden flooring. The step between the mounting points - no more than 30 centimeters.

Substrate

It performs two functions:

1. Eliminates minor irregularities grounds;
2. Eliminates creaking floor when walking. If you put the bare laminate boards or concrete, its rear side will move relative to the base load and jarring.

The thickness of the substrate - from 2 to 10 millimeters. The most popular materials:

Picture	The substrate material
	Polystyrene sheet. It combines flexibility with excellent insulating properties.
	polyethylene foam. It is the most affordable material for the substrate.
	natural cork (Recycled cork). Depending on the thickness of it is sold in rolls or sheets.
	Substrate "Silent stroke" - wood products, fluff and bonded cellulose fibers.

In general: the soft substrate used to uneven bases, rigid - for flat. The thickness of the soft substrate 3 millimeters limited too elastic base again lead to sagging and breakage of the board locks.

When laying on a perfectly flat surface (self-leveling floor or wooden floor, leveled plywood) used as a substrate dense polyethylene. It has a low coefficient of friction and eliminate squeaking when walking.

I used when laying finishing coating plank floor joists SIR for a substrate of polyethylene foam 3 millimeters thick. The strips were placed back to back and glued together with adhesive tape.

Technology

Here is the step by step guide on paving.

Picture	stage laying
	First row: Lay along one of the walls of a number of boards. To connect Clicks locks at the ends, one of the planks lift enter its ridge into the groove of the adjacent board, and pressing the floor elements to each other, align them in a single plane. Last in a series of board is cut along the length; the remainder becomes the first board in the next row.
	The second and subsequent rowsGather a number, and lifting the edge, connect the longitudinal locks planks from the first row locks. Wreck of the board to the first row after pressed against the edge of the bar. Between the rows there should be no gaps.
	The last row: Trim boards in width and firmly press them into the slots of the penultimate row.

Between the extremes of the laminate in rows and walls must remain gaps 8-10 mm wide, carpet sizes compensating fluctuations with changes in humidity and temperature. To create these gaps, set along the wall wedges (for example, cutting the same laminated boards). After the paving baseboards slits will be hidden.

crazy hands

I want to share with readers a few ideas of misuse of laminated floor boards that have been tested at various times at home decoration and furniture manufacturing.

My desktop. Basis countertop - 15 mm plywood sheet covering - 7-mm laminated board.

The edges of the table tops are finished with duralumin area size 10h24 mm. Area protects the ends of the cover against accidental damage.

TV table. Material - laminated board, glued in two layers, substrate to substrate. Racks are made of chrome steel pipe edging - U-shaped plastic profile.

The structure of the stone countertop is clearly visible, if you remove the part of the border.

Work surface fitted kitchen. Here we have used the same scheme that and on the desktop - laying boards on the plywood countertop. Because of constant contact with water seams slightly swelled.

Desk. Table top consists of two layers of 8 mm laminated board.

With a large span between the uprights worktop flex under load, so it had to strengthen the ribs.

The bedroom of the first floor. Made of laminated board bedside. The same board, glued on a silicone sealant is protected by a wall in the headboard of the bed-podium.

Children's room. The walls are covered with laminated board to a height of 1.2 meters. The coating protects against splashes of cereal or fruit puree and toys from the blows. Children with children ...

conclusion

I hope that my tips will help dear reader choose laminate flooring and put it right. As usual, you can find additional information in the video in this article. I am waiting for your comments and additions to it. Good luck, comrades!