This kind of coating successfully combines good quality and reasonable cost. But the final result of finishing the floors with a laminate can only rejoice if the optimal variant of the board is correctly determined, since its characteristics depend on several factors. Choose a laminate for a city apartment is a bit simpler than for an office building or a private house, although there are some nuances that need to be considered.
Such questions as "whether the board will fit into the overall design of the room", "is it difficult to lay it on its own", "by what technique is it better to do and what is needed" will be left aside. These are separate topics, which we wrote about here and here. But with the technical parameters( characteristics) that you should pay attention to before buying this type of coating, it is worthwhile to understand in more detail. Otherwise, even a professional will not be able to trim the floors so that they have served the entire period declared by the manufacturer.
Manufacturer
It's no secret that a quality thing always costs more. But at the same time, it is not a secret that in many cases we trite overpaid for just one name. Laminate - a rare exception, as applied to this flooring "name" is a guarantee that the money will not be wasted. At least, as experts say, the products under the brands "Quick Step", "HDM", "LaminatPark", "Yildiz Sunta", "Parkelam", "Kronotex", "Kaindl" claims after even a few yearsjust will not be. Although this is not a complete list of really high-quality products. No less well-known laminate, sold under the brands "Balterio", "Wineo", "MeisterWerke" and a number of others.
Yes, such products are more expensive than analogues, which are supplied to the market by lesser known manufacturers. But if you take into account all the difficulties that you have to deal with when repairing the floors( just dragging furniture which is worth it), then in this case, money investments are fully justified.
Class
This parameter characterizes the degree of wear resistance of the material. Naturally, the higher its numerical expression, the longer the coating is. With regard to the apartment is recommended in rooms with intensive movement of people( vestibule, kitchen, living room) to lay the boards of the 23rd class. In the rest - 21 or 22. Read more in the article on the choice of a class of laminate.
But now, as experts say, the release of products of the "20" classes( for domestic use) is discontinued. If at the point of sale of finishing materials of this category there is no, then it is necessary to focus on samples with the designations from 31 to 33. These products are considered commercial type. It is more resistant to mechanical influences, but it costs, accordingly, more expensive.
If you think about it, it probably makes sense to pay attention to the boards of these classes. At least, after their installation on the repair can be forgotten for a long time. For example, cheaper models of the "20" category are operated up to 5 - 6 years, and "thirty" do not need to be replaced within 10-15( of course, with the technology of laying).
Structural composition of
You can tell a lot about this, as the number of layers, as well as the materials used for them differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, even in samples of the same class. Here we should pay attention to such an indicator as resistance to liquids. If the laminate is to remove rooms that are characterized by a high degree of humidity, then you should choose a moisture-resistant laminate. The difference is in the material that serves as the basis of the entire multilayered structure. For conventional products it is chipboard, and for moisture resistant - plastic.
Given that in the same bathroom, in addition to moisture, there is also a periodic increase in temperature, then harmful vapors from low-grade plastic are guaranteed to be.
laminate joining method
There are 2 methods - gluing and with the help of "locks"( grooves on the ends of the boards).The latter option is much better. Firstly, , any glutinous composition contains a share of synthetics( chemistry), and already therefore it is not necessary to speak about ecology. Secondly, , if you need to replace the damaged board, then you will have to tinker with the glued pattern.
Thickness of
Here it is necessary to be guided not only by the expected load, but also by the type of substrate to be assembled. Thicker boards are more expensive, but they are stronger. Do not forget that the more massive the sample, the better it silences sounds and keeps the heat. From this it follows that the choice of boards is determined by the specifics of the finishing works, the location of the room in the house( number of storeys) and its destination.
Compliance with environmental standards
Products that are not claimed in this respect are marked with an "E1" symbol. This designation should be sought on the package.
Warranty period
This indicator for any kind of product is one of the main. But with regard to the laminate it hardly makes sense to pay attention to it. Why? Firstly, , after a certain time, making a claim and seeking replacement boards, will have to prove that its installation was carried out by a professional, and all the requirements of the manufacturer were met. Secondly , that the exploitation of the floor was carried out without violations. Will it be, considering that in large companies only high-class lawyers who know their business perfectly work?
And before you start laying, it is worthwhile to carefully study the installation recommendations. Also it is not necessary to tighten with it. If in the course of work a defective product appears that was not found in the store, then according to the law there are 2 weeks, during which the goods can be exchanged without unnecessary hassle.
