Parquet flooring is very prestigious and expensive. Those who decided to choose this particular option of flooring should consider, among other things, which substrate is best for it. In today's market there is simply a huge amount of materials designed for this purpose. One of the most popular is the Tuplex substrate, reviews of which are very good. We will talk about the properties of this material further.
What are the benefits of using a substrate?
There are several advantages of using parquet linings. The substrate increases the service life of this type of coating, prevents the formation of scratches, suppresses steps. If you wish, you can purchase both natural versions of this material, as well as artificial ones. The former is notable for its absolute environmental safety, but in terms of its performance, the latter may be inferior. The substrate "Duplex" belongs to the group of artificial materials and is considered almost the best of them.
It is necessary to use the lower lining layer when installing the parquet. Most manufacturers provide a guarantee for this expensive coating. If the substrate is not used during installation, the company - in case of any problems - will surely refuse its obligations.
Design Features
The structure of the substrate for the Tuplex laminate (reviews of which are mostly positive) has a special structure, which determines its excellent operational characteristics. This gasket has a layered structure, which makes it unusually durable. The bottom layer is vapor barrier. It consists of polyethylene made using nanotechnology. This modern material allows water molecules to pass in only one direction. The top layer is made of very dense polyethylene having a smooth surface. Thanks to this texture, the Tuplex substrate does not interfere with the micromotion of a laminate or parquet canvas (with increasing air humidity, room temperature, etc.). As a result, the risk of squeaks due to loosening of the locks is significantly reduced.
The middle layer of such a material as a substrate for the Tuplex laminate (reviews of which are actually quite good) is made of polystyrene foam granules that do not hold water at all. Perhaps the only drawback of this type of lining material can be considered not too high environmental safety of this component. Styrofoam is made from very unhealthy styrene. In air, this poisonous liquid polymerizes. Moreover, she loses her harmful qualities. However, the finished granules may still contain 1-2% styrene in a free state. But, since their layer in the Tuplex substrate is not too large, and the parquet coatings themselves (plus polyethylene on top) are quite leakproof, this material can be considered environmentally safe.
The ability to hide irregularities
The rough floor under the parquet should be as even as possible. It is difficult to achieve an ideal surface using conventional construction methods. Especially on concrete screed. In this case, such a material as a substrate comes to the rescue. "Tuplex" easily compensates for small differences in the rough floor (up to 2 mm), as well as all irregularities and roughness. For concrete pavement, this type of material is just perfect. On wooden and plywood rough floors, experts recommend laying a natural cork backing. But since such material is quite expensive, many apartment owners still use Tuplex for parquet.
Moisture resistant
Above, we have already discussed a little the ability to retain moisture in a material such as a Tuplex substrate. “Duplex” for parquet and laminate, due to its ability to remove water, fits simply perfectly, because when wet this type of coating can deform. Steam from the lower floors to the flooring will not allow this material to pass under any circumstances. If the owners of the apartment accidentally spill water on the floor, it will not stagnate under the dice either. It is all a matter of design and laying features of this material.
Soundproofing
The ability to drown out the noise of steps, this elastic material is also very good. In addition, the Tuplex substrate can also delay noise coming from the neighbors below. The sound absorption level of this material is about 20 dB. This, of course, is not so much, but still better than nothing.
Strain resistance
One of the undoubted advantages of such a material as a substrate for a Tuplex floorboard can be considered that even with significant loads it practically does not lose in volume. Throughout the entire life of this material settles by only 4-6%. Natural substrates can shrink up to 50%. A similar property of Duplex is explained, first of all, by the same design features. Synthetic rigid materials, even with a high degree of elasticity, generally have very good resistance to stress.
Use for underfloor heating
In this case, the Tuplex substrate can also be just the perfect option for parquet. Her thermal resistance is very low (0.0363 W / m * K). That is, it will not become an insurmountable barrier between the floor heating system and the parquet. The floor will warm up just as well as without a backing.
"Duplex" (substrate): installation instructions
It is very easy to lay this material. Of course, specialists usually install parquet. They also lay a rough floor and a substrate. But even in the case of self-assembly, laying "Duplex" will be completely uncomplicated. Sheets of this material are mounted end-to-end with an overlap of the top layer. The material is elastic, does not move, and therefore putting it on smoothly will not be difficult. When installing "Duplex", it is imperative to overlap the walls (4 cm).
After laying the parquet itself, the substrate is trimmed around the perimeter of the room with a sharp knife. As a result, the channels present in perforated polyethylene and the edge of the polypropylene layer remain outside. This contributes to the ventilation of the substrate and the complete removal of evaporating water from it. The lining itself, according to the recommendations of specialists, should not have a thickness of more than 2 mm (both under the laminate and under the parquet). Therefore, one layer of Duplex will be quite enough. Exceeding this parameter, despite the stiffness of the material, can lead to such troubles as deformation of lamellas or creaking dies.
Substrate "Duplex": reviews
Most people really like this stuff. Its longevity, lack of shrinkage, and not too high cost are noted. Also, some parquet owners advise to purchase this particular material, since the wooden coating when using it from below is not covered with fungus and does not begin to rot.
Only proponents of natural materials do not respond well to this type of substrate. Their opinion, of course, also has a right to exist. Parquet is a natural coating, so not everyone will want to spoil it with synthetics. However, natural lining materials are very expensive. Given the high price of the parquet itself, the resulting coating can fly into a pretty penny.
Thus, the use of Tuplex substrates for parquet and laminate floors is quite advisable. Especially when it comes to concrete screeds, or if the budget allocated to flooring is limited.