The floor covering for the house can be made of different materials. The main requirements for it are strength, durability, appearance and cost. Natural materials are not cheap. Therefore, one of the best substitutes for natural parquet today is a laminate. This is a beautiful and practical type of finish that is available to almost all categories of buyers.
There are several classes of material presented. It is distinguished by the strength indicator of the upper layer. What class of laminate is better for an apartment , professional advice will help you figure it out. Their recommendations will be discussed later.
Material Features
To understand how to choose a good laminate for an apartment , you need to consider the features of the material presented. Its board consists of several layers. Various materials are used for them.
The bottom layer prevents deformation of the board. It contributes to moisture resistance and hardness of the coating. It is created from kraft cardboard impregnated with artificial resins. Above the bottom layer is the base of the board. This is a carrier material that is created from fiberboard. Mechanical loads are compensated by this particular material. It prevents heat loss in the room, serves as sound insulation. This layer has locks for mounting all floorboards.
This is followed by a decorative layer. This is paper with print that repeats the pattern of various types of wood, stone, any other kind of material. The paper is also saturated with synthetic materials.
Top coat prevents wear. The quality and cost of the laminate depends on this coating. The thicker and stronger it is, the more durable the material will be.
Class
Laminate flooring in an apartment can belong to different strength classes. In total there are several categories of finishes, which are designed for various types of rooms. Previously, according to the Directive EN 13329, which was approved by European manufacturers, laminate boards of class 31 to 34 were made for commercial premises. Variants of 21-23 classes were suitable for an apartment.
Today, products for the home and industrial, office institutions do not differ in group number. For apartments, classes 31-34 also began to be manufactured. Categories 21-23 were abolished. Today they are not made.
The class to which the board belongs characterizes the strength of the carrier layer. For the top coating, another classification is used, characterizing the resistance to mechanical damage. It is indicated by a scale of indicators AC. There is a laminate of categories 3-6. There are Asian products with the wear resistance class of the upper layer AC5.
What does the class show?
Considering what class of laminate is better for an apartment , you need to delve into the system of such marking. Before indicating this indicator, manufacturers conduct a series of tests. Based on the results obtained, a strength class is assigned.
The material is examined for a number of indicators. First of all, the resistance of the laminate to the load for a long time is determined. Its heat resistance, endurance to mechanical wear, impacts are checked. The traction of the layers of the boards is also controlled.
A high-class laminate should be hardy to the sun, not to lose its original qualities. It should not appear stains from dirt, liquids. When hit on the surface of the water, a quality board does not swell. The surface cannot be slippery. A good laminate does not release formaldehyde in the surrounding area. The antistaticity indicator is checked. Only having received high characteristics in the listed categories, the product can be assigned to a high strength class.
Features of choice
A review of the laminate allows you to choose the right type of finish. It is important to understand what issues need to be addressed first. The more the load will affect the floor, the stronger it should be.
When choosing take into account how many people live in the apartment, how much they weigh. Also take into account which furniture will be installed in the room, which items will have to be moved without taking them off the surface.
It should be provided what liquids, chemicals can get to the surface. If the exposure to moisture is long, you will need to buy the most durable type of laminate. Under heavy conditions, it will last a long time. You should also correlate the strength class of the base with the characteristics of the surface of the board. For example, the bottom layer may be durable, but the top coating will quickly wear out and lose its appearance due to scratches.
How to choose a class?
Today, there are a number of generally accepted recommendations that allow you to choose the strength class in accordance with the needs of the room. The most inexpensive and simple laminate of class 31 is suitable for rooms such as an office and a bedroom. The floor in such rooms is less susceptible to stress.
Class 32 laminate is designed primarily for the living room and the nursery. Here the floor load will be higher. The 33rd class is designed for the bathroom and kitchen. Here, water often hits the surface. Also in these rooms are installed household appliances, for example, a washing machine or dishwasher. In the process of their work on the flooring there is a large mechanical load, vibration. In order not to damage the laminate, it must be very durable in such places.
There is a 34 grade laminate. It is considered the most durable, but expensive. It is used in rooms with very high loads. For example, it can be a bathroom or a corridor in a large family.
Features 31 classes
The thickness of the laminate for the apartment should be 7-8 mm. This condition is fully consistent with the 31st class of material. It is able to provide reliable flooring both in the apartment and in the office.
The presented type of board is resistant to various adverse effects. It is not subject to temperature changes. A fallen cigarette will not leave a mark on the surface. The average susceptibility to abrasion allows the use of such a laminate in a bedroom or office. However, the room should not have furniture on wheels.
The presented type of laminate will serve with proper use for about 10-12 years. This category of finish has a low resistance to high humidity. Therefore, it can only be installed in dry rooms with low traffic. It is not recommended to wipe it often with a damp cloth during the day. The cost of this material will be most acceptable for all categories of buyers.
Features 32 class
Class 32 laminate is suitable for rooms with medium load, such as a children's room or living room. In such conditions, it has been in operation for about 15 years. The thickness of such a board is 7.5-9 mm.
The presented category presents a large number of textures and shades. This is due to the high demand for this category of laminate. It perfectly combines price and quality. This material repels water well. Wet cleaning can be done several times a day.
The laminate of the presented class does not fade, is not quickly covered with scratches, scuffs. On such a covering you can walk in heels. The surface is resistant to household chemicals. Good antistatic properties prevent dust from settling to the surface. Such a laminate is distinguished by high-quality sound insulation. At the same time, a special cosiness is created in the room.
Class 33 benefits
High quality laminate 33 class allows you to mount it in rooms with high load. It can be a kitchen or a corridor, a bathroom. In such conditions, the coating will last about 15 years. If a similar laminate is used for other rooms, in unloaded conditions it can be used for about 30 years.
Such a board can be chosen even for gyms, restaurants, shops. The cost of this material is higher than the two previous classes. However, the life of this laminate will be higher.
The thickness of the presented product is about 12 mm. It is a durable, quiet and comfortable floor. He is not afraid of prolonged exposure to moisture. Even if a large amount of water gets on it, cracks and swelling will not appear. Locks are saturated with special compounds. This prevents the penetration of dirt and liquids between the seams.
Class 34 Features
When considering which class of laminate is best for an apartment, you need to pay attention to the elite variety. She acts 34 class coverage. This laminate appeared later than the rest. He is able to withstand the biggest loads. Most often it is used in commercial organizations, where heavy equipment, machine tools are installed in the room, there are large vibrations and other adverse effects.
In the apartment, this laminate gives a guarantee that the coating will withstand even the highest loads. Moreover, the service life is 50 years. This is the most expensive material. It is stacked in apartments extremely rarely. This coating withstands patency of 1000 people per day. This indicator corresponds to a movie theater, airport, train station or shopping center.
This is a reliable, environmentally friendly product. It is not afraid of moisture, high temperature, direct sunlight. Laminate flooring creates the greatest sound insulation. Scratches on its surface do not appear.
Cost
The cost of the laminate is significantly different in accordance with the class and quality. The cheapest materials are 31 strength classes. The average price of 1 m² of such a laminate is about 250-600 rubles.
A bit more expensive will be the purchase of 32 class flooring. However, this, according to customers, is a material with an optimal ratio of price and quality. You can buy 1 m² of such a laminate at a price of 700-1300 rubles.
Finishing materials of 33 strength class are even more expensive. They cost from 1,500 rubles / m². Elite varieties of laminate 34 class can be purchased from 1800 rubles / m². The cost also depends on the manufacturer. Domestic companies offer the market the cheapest and fairly high-quality finishing materials. European brands will cost much more.
Manufacturer's choice
Before purchasing the products presented, it is necessary to consider the best laminate companies . Today, the market offers products of many domestic and foreign brands.
If you want to buy a laminate of 31 strength class, you can give preference to the domestic brand Kronospan, as well as German products from Klassen and Belgian Quick Step.
In class 32, the reference quality is demonstrated by the companies Klassen and Tarkett. It will be cheaper to buy Chinese brands, as well as a Belgian laminate.
33 class flooring produces a lot of companies. The market leaders today are products of joint production of Russia and Germany under the brands Tarkett, Ritter. Domestic manufacturer Synteros also demonstrate high quality products. You can highlight the products of the Belgian company "Berry Alloc", the German-Norwegian brand "Maestro Club".
Class 34 products are now delivered to the domestic market by the Swedish company Pergo, the Norwegian manufacturer Maestro Club.
Having considered what class of laminate is better for an apartment, as well as the features of this material, everyone will be able to choose the best option for themselves.