Laminate at the present stage refers to the popular and cheap floor coverings. It is characterized by high strength, durability. In construction markets, there is a wide selection of material. You can choose a budget or luxury option. There is an opportunity to make a choice, guided by color and pattern. And if you decide to finish the floor with this coating, then you need to know which substrate on the concrete floor under the laminate can be used. In this review, this is exactly what will be discussed.
Why is it necessary to use linings?
The substrate is required without fail on the technology of the floating floor device. The quality of the coating will depend on this. In addition, there are several reasons that recommend using a substrate.
- Soundproofing . If you will not use a bedding under a material, then your every step will be given to a concrete floor. Using a soft and even layer, you can hide small noises or friction. There is also such a coating in which the substrate is embedded. It is not necessary to lay additional material on the concrete floor under the laminate in such situations. It is about 32 and 33 class coverage. However, its cost is quite high.
- Using the litter, you can even out the surface . This is an important quality that should not be forgotten. It plays a special role at the time of laying the laminate. The durability of the locks will depend entirely on the evenness of the base. According to technology, differences should not exceed 2 mm per 1 meter. It should also be noted that if the substrate on the concrete floor under the laminate is too thick, it is unlikely to be able to hide irregularities. At the joints at the time of walking, she will bend. If there is no desire to change the coating in six months, then it is necessary to carefully prepare the surface for installation.
- Moisture insulation . When creating a laminate using pressed paper. Therefore, even the most moisture-resistant models should not be tested. Otherwise, the panels will simply swell. The substrate on the concrete floor under the laminate will help form additional protection against moisture. Before proceeding to the flooring of the material, it is necessary to wait about a month after the concrete screed has been produced. The readiness of the base can be checked with polyethylene. Put it overnight on the floor. If there was no moisture on the concrete in the morning, then you can start laying.
- Thermal conductivity . The litter material has good thermal insulation properties. If you lay it under a warm floor, then the effectiveness of its functioning will be reduced. There are special substrates that should be used in this situation.
What factors should be considered when choosing?
At the present stage, in almost any hardware store, a specific substrate for a laminate can be selected. The price of this material varies in different ranges. How to make a choice? After all, substrates can differ not only in cost, but also in the material used, thickness and sound insulation.
First of all, you need to find out in what condition the floor. If the base is even, then the thickness of the substrate may be 2 mm. If there are slight irregularities, then a choice should be made in favor of the litter, the thickness of which is 3 mm. Together with the laminate, this figure will reach about 11 mm, if you take the average parameters.
When choosing a specific material for the coating, do not give preference to the manufacturer who designed the laminate you use. It does not matter. Any company can come up. Some particularly popular materials should be listed.
Cheap lining option
The lining made of polyethylene foam gained great popularity. What is the fame used by this substrate? The price for it is the lowest. But, regardless of this, it is characterized by good resistance to moisture, remarkable thermal insulation properties. In addition, the substrate of this material is not affected by rodents and microorganisms. All costs will be minimized, as the litter is easy to fit. Often it is supplemented with a foil layer with aluminum. This helps reflect infrared rays.
The disadvantages of polyethylene foam
This substrate also has disadvantages, of which there are many. First of all, in its manufacture not entirely environmentally friendly synthetic materials are used. Over time, the shape of the litter will change. The material will begin to sag, losing its shape. In some situations, after laying the main coating, static electricity begins to form on such a lining . Therefore, when buying, you need to think several times whether it is worth the savings of 500 rubles.
The cheapest option is a laminate backing made by domestic manufacturers. Price per roll of 25 square meters. meters reaches about 400 rubles. Foamed polyethylene will cost 100 rubles more per square meter.
Expensive cork material
Do not know which substrate to choose for the laminate? Pay attention to cork bedding. They fit perfectly under the floating floor. This is a natural material. However, it is not susceptible to mold, rot. Perfectly able to isolate heat. Throughout the entire period of service, the substrate will not lose its size and characteristics. This material goes on sale in the form of rolls. There is also a sheet substrate under the laminate. There are some that have a self-adhesive layer on the back.
The substrate is characterized by high cost. For this reason, it is not practical to use it together with cheap coatings. However, the durability of the products is high. Among the disadvantages, in addition to the price, water permeability should be highlighted. For this reason, condensation may appear under the coating.
Laminate Bitumen Lining
The substrate can be made on the basis of kraft paper with the addition of material such as bitumen. The lining is covered on top with fine cork chips. Due to the use of bitumen, this type of litter does not have the drawbacks that characterize a sheet substrate under a laminate of cork material. Bitumen lining does not allow moisture to pass, is able to delay sounds. The material will breathe, which prevents the formation of condensation. As in the case of cork, this type of lining is advisable to use only with expensive coating. This is due to its high cost.
Extruded Styrofoam
Quite often, from the position of insulating material, extruded polystyrene foam can be used. It is perfect for those rooms that are characterized by high load. With it, you can smooth out bumps. Such a substrate is an effective insulation due to the presence of a significant amount of air in its composition. Rigidity allows you to maintain shape, effectively absorbs sounds, prevents the penetration of moisture. Using expanded polystyrene on the floor, you will get a comfortable feeling when walking.
Combined Option
Need a warm laminate backing? A rather interesting option can be considered a combination of polyethylene with expanded polystyrene. Such material is usually sold in rolls. Its thickness reaches 3 mm. Due to its structure, such a substrate is able to ventilate a room. The top layer does not allow moisture to enter. The lower layer passes it to the granules, through which it will come out with the help of special gaps.
New in hardware stores
Coniferous litter under the cover is a novelty. It is very difficult to find because of its high cost. However, sometimes "Isoplat" - a substrate under the laminate, which is completely environmentally friendly, can get caught. In addition, it is capable of passing air. For this reason, the greenhouse effect will not be created under the coating. However, the elasticity of the needles is noticeably inferior to the elasticity of cork material. It is also necessary to take into account the factor that the thickness of the tiles reaches 4-5 mm. This contradicts many of the requirements that laminate flooring manufacturers put forward. Tiles must be laid diagonally.
What to consider when laying? Reviews
Now you should tell how the substrate is laid under the laminate. The reviews of people who were able to do this will help to understand this issue.
- If the concrete screed is fresh, then thin polyethylene must be laid before laying. If the house is old, then this procedure is optional.
- Thoroughly clean the floor of debris and dirt. In addition, the base must be completely dry.
- For cutting it is worth using ordinary scissors or a construction knife. It is necessary to overlap the walls. Then it can be closed using the baseboard.
- It is not recommended to lay several layers at once in order to compensate for unevenness. One is enough. If the bumps cannot be closed with the material, then the base will need to be leveled first.
- If the material has corrugation, then it should be directed downward. In such a situation, it will be possible to hide some irregularities. The foil lining must be laid with the reflecting side up.
- It is recommended to make laying butt. There should not be overlaps on each other. For mounting, use double-sided tape. This will help prevent material displacement.
Conclusion
If all the recommendations voiced above will be taken into account during the laying of the material, then the laminate can last a very long time. Naturally, the final choice in favor of a certain substrate must be made, guided by their own material capabilities. However, we must try to purchase only high-quality and natural products. Otherwise, a new repair may be required after six months.