The coatings are suitable for residential premises. Choosing a floor covering for an apartment

Choosing the best floor covering

1. Linoleum

Option from the series "cheap and cheerful". The most affordable and inexpensive synthetic material. There are no restrictions in colors and patterns, it happens with or without insulation. It is customary to divide linoleum into three types, depending on its strength: household, semi-commercial and commercial.If you decide to opt for linoleum, then take a semi-commercial for the house: from it is much stronger, although slightly more expensive than household.By the way, the same story happens with the laminate, which will be discussed a little later: for the house, most often they take a laminate, which is intended for public premises.Linoleum can be laid in any home room, except cold ones: in severe frost, it will crack.Pros:

Does not rot, is not subject to the harmful effects of moisture With proper care, it has a long service life - over 10 years.
Good noise insulation properties
Easy to clean
A huge number of design options and colors

Minuses:

Linoleum is picky about the base, it needs to be laid on a perfectly flat floor, then it will last a very long time. Otherwise, it will soon crack and "creases" will be visible.
Non-environmental friendliness: linoleum is a completely artificial material, and noticeably loses in this regard to natural coatings.
Low mechanical strength. Heavy furniture or even sharp heels can damage linoleum. Pets, especially large dogs, can destroy linoleum in a very short time.

2. Carpets and other carpets

Another inexpensive and very common flooring option. It has a low cost, is easy to install and does not require special maintenance. Synthetic carpets have absolutely no interest in rodents and insects. Plus to this - a huge selection of colors and patterns, from classic "carpet" to radically avant-garde.Carpet can be used in any room except damp ones: kitchen, bathroom, toilet.Pros:

Resistance to external influences - abrasion and various mechanical damage.
Large selection of designs and colors
High noise-absorbing qualities
Excellent heat retention

Minuses:

3. Laminate

Laminate is the third most popular inexpensive and common flooring material. It consists of special panels made of fiberboard (fiberboard) and several layers of special thick paper. A drawing is applied to the paper (most often the texture of wood is imitated) and a special durable protective layer of lamination. Hence the name - laminate.Pros:

Strength. Laminate flooring copes well with any mechanical stress, scratches and so on. If you have pets, their claws will not be scary to him. Laminate perfectly tolerates high temperatures, and is able to withstand short-term contact with fire (for example, with a match that accidentally fell on the floor). Laminate can be used together with underfloor heating systems, such as electric ones. and water. Affordable price. Laminate is more expensive than carpet or linoleum, but nevertheless, it is cheaper than many other types of flooring, for example, a parquet board that is visually similar to it.Minuses:

4. Floor board

Probably the most classic version of a floor made from natural materials is a floor made of wooden planks. Solid wood flooring is expensive, but it is one of the safest and most sustainable types of flooring.Modern solid wood floorboards are made using a special technology, dried and processed using special equipment. The boards have locking joints that simplify installation - the floor is obtained without gaps and height differences, as it was in the old grandmother's apartment.The solid wood floor does not need to be painted: the boards are already ready for use, covered with pest control compounds and a layer of varnish.Pros:

Strength and durability. Solid wood flooring can last more than 50 years without the need to replace the boards. This floor can be scraped and sanded as often as you like - the thickness of the boards allows it. Although, as in the case of laminate flooring, you should not do it yourself - it is better to hire specialists.Minuses:

5. Parquet and parquet board

Parquet made of solid parquet planks is an expensive pleasure. This type of parquet is used to lay the floors in royal palaces and very rich houses. Modern parquet is cheaper, as it is made of composite materials: its base is thick plywood, and only the top layer of 3 - 5 mm is valuable wood.The parquet board has the same structure as the inlaid parquet: thick plywood with a thin face layer. Because of this, both parquet and parquet board today are quite affordable for people with an average income (trick: take a three-strip parquet board, it is much cheaper).Pros:

Environmental friendliness. Parquet and parquet boards are, first of all, natural wood. Natural resin adhesive is used as internal bonding material. Long service life. Good parquet can last up to 20 years. Parquet and parquet board keep you warm perfectly. Inlaid parquet can become a real work of art (for this there is a name - art parquet). Using parquet from different types of wood, you can create original ornaments and patterns on the floor. It can be restored (this is a definite plus, but it applies only to parquet treated with oil. The varnish is more difficult to restore, you will have to replace the whole board).Minuses:

High price. And this is not only the cost of the material, but also the cost of installation work. If you want a really high-quality parquet, you will have to spend money on a cool parquet flooring. The parquet is prone to mechanical damage, so it is not recommended to use it in a house with large animals - their claws will render the parquet unusable in a very short time. The parquet is afraid of moisture. Although it is less prone to warping than solid wood boards, it is not recommended to allow prolonged contact with water.

6. Engineering board

Engineered board is a relatively new type of coating. In fact, this is a parquet board, but made using a slightly different technology. An engineered board consists of two or three layers: a thick (up to 1 cm) layer of expensive wood, a layer of cheaper wood or plywood, and another layer of expensive wood (for a three-layer engineered board).Another difference between an engineered board and parquet: it contains only water-soluble glue that does not contain toxins, while in some inexpensive parquet varieties, synthetic compounds can also be used.Pros:

Strength and durability. Engineered board is much stronger than ordinary parquet, its service life is longer - 20 - 25 years. The thick top layer allows it to be scraped and polished more times than parquet. Good heat retention. Less susceptible to moisture than ordinary parquet. Easy to install.Minuses:

The price is still quite high: the cost of an engineered board is comparable to the cost of a good parquet. For its installation, you need to prepare a good, even base and a plywood or fiberboard backing. Despite the increased moisture resistance, it is still not recommended to use the engineered board in wet rooms.

7. Cork floor

It is a natural coating with good heat-insulating and sound-absorbing properties, pleasant to the touch and easy to install. Made from pressed bark of balsa tree. Available in slabs and rolls.A cork floor is ideal for a nursery, bedroom or living room. It is absolutely environmentally friendly.Pros:

Good thermal insulation. You can walk barefoot on such a floor even in winter - it keeps the room temperature.
Good soundproofing. In professional recording studios, for example, the floor and walls must be finished with cork panels.
Resistant to deformation. Heavy furniture does not leave marks on the cork floor - dents are self-leveling within a short time.

Minuses:

The prices for the material and the cost of laying work are comparable to the cost of laying parquet - not the most economical option.
Cork floors can swell and deform with prolonged contact with water.
Not recommended for indoor use with pets: the claws will easily damage the cork floor. Also, don't walk on a cork floor in heels.

8. Ceramic tiles and natural stone

Surely in any apartment there is a room (and certainly more than one) with a ceramic tile floor. Most often it is a bathroom, toilet, kitchen, less often a hallway. Durable, abrasion-resistant and moisture-resistant tiles are ideal for wet and walk-through environments.In principle, a ceramic or stone floor can be arranged both in the living room and in the bedroom, but in this case it is ideal to combine such a covering with a warm floor, otherwise your feet will simply freeze.It is probably not worth saying that the assortment of tiles and artificial stone is huge - in any, even the smallest construction store, there are at least a dozen types of tiles for every taste and budget. This gives unlimited possibilities in terms of room design.Pros:

Affordable price. From the wide range of ceramics, you can always find exactly the option that suits you both in price and quality.
Strength. When laid correctly, ceramic tiles can last forever. An example of this is the ancient Greek temples, the floors of which are still decorated with ceramics.
Ease of maintenance. Ceramic tiles and artificial stone are easy to clean, they are not afraid of moisture.

Minuses:

Time consuming installation. Laying tiles or artificial stone requires a long and thorough preparatory work.
The presence of seams between the tiles. No matter how hard the master tries, the seams will always remain. It is necessary to carefully close them up, and this is also a rather laborious process.
The need to combine ceramic tiles with underfloor heating systems, and these are additional costs that increase the total cost of the coating.

9. Polymer coatings or self-leveling floors

Self-leveling floors have recently yielded the palm to more environmentally friendly materials - wood, cork or parquet, but they are still in demand. The reasons - the self-leveling floor is very durable, not afraid of moisture and provides unlimited opportunities for the embodiment of design ideas.The materials for such floors are cement-acrylic, epoxyurethane, polyurethane and epoxy compounds. In houses and apartments, the last two types are most often used. Self-leveling floors can be one-color, with a simple or three-dimensional pattern - the so-called 3D floors.Pros:

Self-leveling floors are not afraid of moisture, therefore they are most often suited in bathrooms and kitchens. Ample opportunities for design. Self-leveling floor is perfect for installing warm floors. Durability. A properly made self-leveling floor can last up to 50 years. Resistant to fire and temperature. Easy to clean.Minuses:

The results of the hit parade

In our hit parade, we tried to briefly talk about all the most popular types of flooring that can be found on the market. Which of these do we recommend you to choose?

If you are an adherent of eco-style and like to experiment - try cork flooring. Love classics and reliability - there is nothing better than a real wooden floor from solid wood or good parquet. Save, or do not want to invest a lot of money in a rented apartment - take inexpensive linoleum, carpet or laminate ...In any case, it's up to you. And we will help you make your choice easy and enjoyable. Live easy!

The floor in the apartment is the most important part of it. Firstly, furniture and most of the equipment, a washing machine, a stove, a bathtub, a shower stall, a toilet and other plumbing fixtures are installed on the floor. A person is constantly in contact with the floor, walks on it, often barefoot. Sometimes you have to lie on the floor, even sleep. The floor must be well adapted for cleaning, as all debris falls on it, liquids and food debris are spilled. The floor separates us from the people living in the lower apartment, and the comfort in the apartment depends on how well it is insulated.

That is, in addition to strength, it must defend an apartment from extraneous sounds and alien climate. It is the finished, well-executed floor that makes the apartment ensemble complete.

Floor installation is not a cheap undertaking. Nevertheless, variety of materials and the methods of its device allows you to build a fairly comfortable and aesthetic floor based on the very modest budget.

Thus, the floor in the apartment bears the following functional loads, which must be taken into account when constructing it:

Carrier.
Warming.
Sound insulating.
Moisture insulating.
Aesthetic.

Floor construction in the apartment

The floor in the apartment is mounted on top surface interfloor overlap and consists of two main layers:

intermediate;
flooring.

In the simplest cases, for example, in a Khrushchev apartment intermediate layer absent. The floor covering in it, most often PVC tiles, linoleum, or thin spline-free parquet strips are glued directly to the top surface concrete slab with bitumen mastic, latex or PVA glue.

In the best case, the top surface of the board before gluing was smoothed with a thin layer cement screed. It is not surprising that in such apartments audibility and thermal qualities leave much to be desired. The flatness of the floor plane in such apartments is also far from ideal.

In modern buildings, inter-apartment floors are complex reinforced concrete or metal structures , equipped with layers of heat, moisture, sound insulation. In frame-monolithic structures, floors are most often poured from expanded clay concrete- an excellent insulating material. In these cases, insulating layers should be installed in the intermediate layer if the insulating properties of the floor are insufficient.

A timber joist floor can also contain heat and sound insulation. Most often it is mineral wool, laid between the beams. A waterproofing layer may also be provided there. Already on the beams, an intermediate layer is mounted, which can consist of logs, a sub-floor, insulating layers of insulation and waterproofing, a screed, and a floor covering is placed on top. The wooden floor, which forms a single sheet thanks to the split planks, can be laid directly on the joists. If the beams are located far from each other, on the logs attached to the beams.

There may be no overlap, for example, in basements or basements. In this case, the floor is mounted on a screed that covers specially prepared pillow, consisting of compacted layers of sand and gravel, lying on the ground.

Types of floor bases

The floor in the apartment, in contrast to the individual house, is arranged according to the existing floor "from the builders" in the new house, or along the girder floor in the old one. For this reason, before laying the floor, it is necessary to thoroughly examine the overlap. In old houses, it is necessary to raise the old floor and carry out an examination of the floor beams. Replace or reinforce damaged beams or replace them with new ones. The best solution would be to replace the beam covering with reinforced concrete.

Overlapping in new homes, depending on construction technologies, can be made of reinforced concrete panel floors, or in monolithic frame houses - solid expanded clay concrete.

The following can be used as beams:

wooden beam;
reinforced concrete beam;
metal profile (T-beam or I-beam or rail).

Beams are mounted during construction straight into the wall or on concrete beams built into the wall.

The beams can be wood or concrete. In Khrushchev's houses, the floors were most often used hollow-core panels, which served as the basis for the floor on one side and the ceiling on the other.

Overlappings from builders, except surface defects may have a bias. Therefore, the floor surface is covered with a screed, which solves two issues:

makes the surface smooth enough for the position of the floor covering;
makes the surface horizontal.

Cement strainer

The simplest type of screed is a cement screed. The pouring solution is being prepared cement grade 400 and river washed and sieved sand. Currently, ready-mixed dry mixes are available for sale. But you can cook and yourself. The composition of the mixture:

Sand - 3-4 parts.
Cement - 1 part.
Water - so much that the solution resembles sour cream.

The sequence of actions when installing a cement screed:

After the end of all work, during the entire curing time, it is necessary daily moisturize the surface pouring, spraying it with water. It is possible to cover the surface of the filling with polyethylene to preserve moisture.

The term of the final setting and drying of the screed 28-29 days.

Semi-dry cement screed

Recently, the semi-dry screed method has become widespread. Its main advantages are:

short curing time of the mixture, sufficient for laying the floor covering;
no risk of leaks to the lower floor;
plasticity of the screed and, as a result, the absence of cracks and cavities after hardening;
additional heat and sound insulating properties.

The composition of the mixture for laying a semi-dry screed differs from the wet one significantly smaller water content. In addition, a significant amount of plasticizer is added to the solution - fiber, which keeps the screed from cracking.

The composition of the mixture is as follows:

Clean building sand, fineness modulus = 2.0; fraction up to 5 mm - 2 parts.
Cement grade 400D20 - 7 parts.
Water - 1 part.
Fiber - 700 gr. for 1 cubic meter m solution.

The laying procedure is the same as for cement screed, with the difference that:

The main advantage of a semi-dry screed is that it is already after 12 hours hardens enough to be walked on. After 42 hours, porcelain stoneware and tiles can be laid on it, and after 7 days- laminate, PVC or linoleum tiles. The fact is that although a semi-dry screed is gaining strength very quickly, moisture evaporates from it little by little over the course of a month. Therefore, it is better to arrange a parquet floor on a fresh screed after a month of exposure, since even slight fumes can damage dry parquet.

Dry screed

The main advantage of a dry screed is that it can be covered with a floor covering. immediately after installation. The intermediate layer of dry screed is formed as follows. Waterproofing in the form of a 0.2 mm thick polyethylene sheet is laid on the floor surface. From above it is covered with expanded clay or sand, which is carefully leveled and compacted with a flat vibrator or roller.

A special layer is laid on the layer formed in this way. metallic profile, which is covered from above with staggered gypsum-fiber plates, which are attached mounting screws to this profile. If the backfill is more than 7 cm thick, the top layer is reinforced with another layer of gypsum fiber boards. The floor covering is immediately laid on the finished screed.

Self-leveling floors

In the event that it is necessary to receive perfectly smooth a horizontal surface, ready for laying linoleum, PVC tiles or laminates, the best intermediate layer can be obtained by pouring on well waterproofed base liquid solution of a certain composition. Such a solution is formed by dilution with water, in accordance with the instructions attached to each bag. ready mix a wide variety of which is currently available on the building materials market.

The mixture consists of cement, gypsum, fillers such as fine sand and contains various chemical components, which contribute to the rapid and uniform spreading, plasticization and stabilization of the resulting coating. Ideal horizontal surface is formed by itself under the influence of gravity. That is why these mixtures are called self-leveling. Various lineups are linked with different conditions and different thickness of the formed coating.

In front of the floor, heat and sound insulation should be placed between the beams. It can be mineral wool, expanded clay or slag. Porous insulating material loses its insulating properties to a large extent when it absorbs moisture or steam. Therefore, it must be carefully insulated. moisture-proof film, for example, polyethylene or roofing material. If the size of the film is not enough, its sheets should be overlapped, sealing the edges with tape.

If the distance between the beams does not exceed 60 cm, then the floor can be laid directly on the beams. If not, then logs are laid on the beams, perpendicular to their direction at a distance of 50-60 cm.
Lags are also placed directly on the reinforced concrete floor or screed.
Logs are wooden beams with a section of 50 × 100 made of coniferous wood. When laying, it is necessary to set the upper edge strictly horizontally using a level. The distance between the lags should not exceed 60 cm.

The cut is superimposed on the lags in advance floorboard, which, thanks to the cotter pin, forms a single floor sheet. It is necessary to mount ventilation ducts in the walls, leaving the walls at a distance of several centimeters from the plinth, closed with openwork hatches. These moves are necessary in order to ventilated the space between the lags and the underside of the board. For greater strength, the boards are attached to the logs with self-tapping screws inserted at an angle at the level of the cotter pin in order to hide their heads and to be able to process a single floor surface with a polishing machine.

The best planks for flooring are mahogany and oak, but most often they are made from softwood. Optimal ratio price quality have boards from Siberian larch.

After polishing, the floor can be varnished or painted. In both cases, it is necessary follow instructions for painting and, if necessary, pre-coat with special primers. This will significantly lengthen life span paint layer.

A sub-floor can also be laid on the logs, on which PVC tiles, linoleum, laminate can be laid as a floor covering. To do this, the subfloor is covered additional leveling sheet material, such as fiberboard. Covering from tiles or porcelain stoneware on a wooden covering is possible only if a reinforcing reinforced screed.

The subfloor can be recruited from a floorboard, chipboard, OSB. In this case, an additional leveling layer not needed. Parquet is laid on the sub-floor.

Types of flooring

Floor coverings complete the installation of the floor. This is exactly the material that will be addressed to the person, will be with him contact directly and which will take on all external influences.

Board

For covering with a wooden board, a grooved floorboard is used. She represents planed board in the form of a regular parallelepiped, along one of the narrow edges of which a ridge (tongue) is milled to the entire length, and on the other, opposite, corresponding groove. This form makes it possible, by assembling the boards so that the tongue of one goes into the groove of the other, and to form a strong solid canvas of the floor.

The thickness of the floorboards fluctuates from 25 to 45 mm. The thicker the board, the less "plays", that is, the floor bends. The thinner the floorboard, the smaller the distance between the logs should be. For example, with a board 25 mm thick, the distance between the lags cannot exceed 60 cm. During installation, the floor from the floorboard must be leave a gap between the wall and the edge of the floor at least 1 cm for expansion from moisture and temperature.

The board should be well dried(at least 10% humidity). After installation, the wood floor can be polished, varnished or painted. The gap near the walls, at the end of the installation, is covered with a plinth. A floorboard is not made from linden and alder.

Parquet and laminate

Parquet, in fact, is a small floorboard with grooves and cotter pins on all sides in pairs. That allows you to collect the floor cloth from the dice of a relatively small size.

Parquet is undoubtedly the most human-friendly floor covering. However, it is inherent a significant drawback. When even a small amount of moisture gets into it, it warps, and when flooded, it "rears up".

An alternative to parquet is an unpretentious laminate. Externally, the laminate is very similar to parquet. In fact, it is a parquet board, but made not of solid wood, but of a four-layer material, the main one, carrier layer which is a thin fiberboard impregnated with resins. An assembly layer is glued to it from below, providing rigidity on top of paper, with a printed pattern, as a rule, imitating natural wood, covered with another layer of melamine or acrylic resin for durability. Structurally, the laminate board repeats tongue-and-groove lock parquet, which allows you to easily, quickly and reliably assemble the flooring.

Linoleum and PVC tiles

Linoleum is probably the most common and most universal coating of all that exist today. The first linoleum was a jute burlap, on which a cork crumb material was applied, pressed with linseed oil as bonding material. It has proven itself over the years as a coating material for floors, walls and countertops. The current linoleum has retained the basic idea of two layers, fabric and surface, but both have undergone many changes.

Basically, in modern linoleum, various woven and non-woven materials, such as felt, are used as a fabric base, serving at the same time base and insulation. Numerous wear-resistant materials are used as the surface layer, for example PVC in various versions and compositions. Modern technological capabilities make it possible to simulate on the surface of linoleum any material and texture and paint it with incredible patterns.

All this made it possible to produce incredible assortment by strength, insulation and other capabilities. But a distinctive feature of linoleum, which distinguishes it favorably from ceramic tiles and stone, is its "warmth" in the feeling and some softness. Dishes that have fallen on the linoleum floor will not be broken so unambiguously. And bruises from falling on linoleum will not be as painful.

PVC tiles are tiles made of a special multi-layer composite material based on crushed natural stone and very durable vinyl. It is available in a wide variety of colors. Thanks to its modularity and variety of colors, it allows you to get incredibly designer decor on the floor. Its main advantages:

ease of installation on bituminous mastics and adhesives;
simplicity of laying and dismantling makes it easy to replace damaged tiles;
and cheapness - to change the boring pattern;
the tiles are extremely durable and adhere well to the surface.

PVC tiles are the most democratic material for flooring.

Ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware

Ceramic tiles are one of the oldest facing materials. Previously, there were two varieties:

facing tiles covered with glaze and with underglaze painting;
metlakhskaya, glazeless, rough, for the floor.

Nowadays, there are also ceramic tiles of various sizes and purposes. Their main advantage is the strength of the material and resistance to any aggressive influences. However, in the manufacture of tiles, material and heat treatment modes.

Such tile-producing countries as Spain, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic have proven themselves to be excellent. Choosing tiles from such new market players as Turkey and China, you can win on the budget, but lose in quality. However, these manufacturers also have high-quality products, which saves on cladding. The disadvantages of tile flooring are slipperiness when moisture gets on it, fragility when struck by a heavy object, "coldness" in sensation, hardness, which leads to the fact that the fallen glass and ceramic dishes break into small fragments, which can represent some danger for children and pets.

If earlier the installation of tiles was carried out on a solution, then with the development of the construction adhesives industry, installation is carried out with their help. The main tool is wide spatula with cutouts for glue application. Adhesive is applied to the tiles and then the tiles are fixed on the prepared surface. We must not forget to leave a small gap between the tiles, for which there is a simple and affordable equipment. This gap is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of the tile when changing ambient temperature. The joint is then sealed with special grouts and improves the aesthetic appearance of the surface.

Porcelain stoneware is very similar to tiles, but has slightly different qualities. Porcelain stoneware was obtained in Italy in the late 70s and is produced by sintering ceramics and natural minerals at very high temperatures and pressures. This process is very similar to the natural processes occurring in the bowels of the earth during the formation of granite. The result is incredible durable material, superior in strength granite and approaching corundum.

Technologies make it possible to paint it so that the tile from it not only imitates all known gems and semi-precious stones, but also allows you to get any color and pattern, and distributed over the entire thickness, and not located only on the surface. In addition, the material is lighter than natural stone and has additional thermal insulation properties. It is perfectly polished and somewhat warmer ceramic tiles.

The most important advantage of porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles is their absolute hygiene, making them an indispensable floor covering for bathrooms and kitchens.

Conclusion

The topic of flooring is very broad. It's obvious that variety of materials and technology makes it possible to build a comfortable, functional and beautiful floor for every taste and for any money. Nevertheless, I would like to note that, despite the simplicity and clarity of the flooring procedures, this responsible work is better. entrust to a professional, since to obtain a good result, a synthesis of knowledge, experience and practical skills of a person who is constantly engaged in work in this important direction is required.

It is rather difficult to answer the question "which floor is better"? After all, floor coverings differ from each other, at least in appearance. If we take the decorative factor outside the brackets, we can compare the price, service life, advantages and disadvantages of each material. We will try to find the best floor covering in this way.

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What coverage to prefer if the choice is so great?

Floor coverings can be conditionally divided into three large groups: wood (parquet, board, solid board, cork), elastic (carpets, rubber flooring), ceramic and stone. Which floors are better - decide for yourself!

1. Block parquet

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Most people mean by the word "parquet" is block parquet.

2. Parquet board

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The parquet board forms a perfectly smooth, “seamless” floor surface.

3. Cork floor

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4. Massive board

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Solid wood flooring does not look "uniform": bevels on the board separate one block from another.

coating	price	term service	advantages of a solid board	disadvantages of a solid board
Solid board	USD 30-200 sq / m	up to 50 years with proper styling	Beautiful natural finish. The solid board is versatile, suitable for almost any interior. Very durable.	Requires a high-quality "rough" floor, when laying it is necessary to use a heavy-duty two-component glue (it is quite expensive itself). A massive board reacts sharply to the indoor microclimate: temperature and humidity.

5. Artistic parquet

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Artistic parquet is a work of art: it is made in a single copy.

coating	price	life time	advantages of art parquet	disadvantages of artistic parquet
Artistic parquet	From 50-70 to 3000 USD sq / m	50-70 years old	Luxurious coverage, the ability to create a unique pattern. It is difficult to think of which floors are better and more status than artistic parquet.	High cost. It very much "dictates the terms" to the rest of the interior.

6. Laminate

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In appearance, a high-quality laminate flooring is difficult to distinguish from a parquet floor.

7. Natural linoleum, marmoleum

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Natural linoleum is made according to old technology from "pure" materials.

8. Rubber floor covering

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A not too well-known floor covering for the house, in appearance, a rubber floor is a cross between linoleum and a self-leveling floor. But much more environmentally friendly.

coating	price	life time	advantages of rubber flooring	disadvantages of rubber flooring
Rubber coating	from $ 20 sq / m	From 25 years old	The coating is extremely easy to install (tiles or rolls). It has good sound insulation, is durable (can be used even in gyms). The rubber floor is antistatic.	Rubber is sensitive to high and low temperatures. Despite the manufacturer's claims of being particularly environmentally friendly, synthetic rubber (rubber) is often used.

9.PVC linoleum

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Modern technologies make it possible to imitate almost any material with linoleum: natural board or tile, as in the picture.

10. Carpet

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For those who like to walk barefoot, there is no better floor covering for your home than a tufted carpet.

11. Modular carpet tiles

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Modular carpet tiles are an alternative to carpet.

12. Ceramic tiles

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Beautiful, bright, but not too warm. In our climate, you can walk on a ceramic tile floor only in warm socks or slippers.

13. Porcelain stoneware

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In the Russian climate, it is advisable to use floor porcelain stoneware together with the "warm floor" system.

14. Stone floor

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The floor made of natural stone is perfect for halls and atriums in the house - it will remind you of the cobbled streets of medieval squares.

15. Self-leveling floor

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There is no other way to create a white glossy floor without a single seam - only the "self-leveling floor" technology is used.

16. Cement floor

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Cement flooring is a godsend for loft-style designer interiors.

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The entire range of linoleum can be divided into three main groups: household, commercial and semi-commercial. There are also specialized coatings. How do these species differ?

It would seem that the word "natural" cannot be applied to linoleum. In our minds, this concept is closely related to synthetic flooring. And yet, natural linoleum exists.

Tsugunov Anton Valerievich

Reading time: 6 minutes

Every person wants his apartment to be cozy, comfortable and beautiful. In solving this problem, the choice of flooring plays an important role. And since the floors in the apartment are under serious stress, the chosen material should not only be attractive, but also meet the requirements of safety, durability and ease of maintenance. Consider the most popular flooring options and find out which one is best suited for installation in an apartment.

Today's flooring materials market is full of variety. Parquet, laminate, linoleum ... Which one is better is a difficult question.

All coverage can be divided into three conditional groups:

Wooden - parquet and parquet board, solid wood, cork, laminate.
Elastic - linoleum, carpet.
Ceramic or stone - ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, self-leveling floors.

Wood panel

An honorable place among the materials for finishing the floor is occupied by floor coverings, in the manufacture of which wood is used.

Parquet is a classic flooring material. It has not gone out of fashion for many years and is an indicator of the well-being and excellent taste of the apartment owners. Today's parquet looks like a ready-made board of a fairly large size, made of valuable wood with an already existing pattern on it. There is also block parquet. You can lay out unique compositions from it. It is made most often from solid wood:

from oak;
beech;
maple;
ash.

Whatever type of parquet you choose, with proper care it will last at least 50 years.

Parquet is environmentally friendly and completely safe, but it obliges to prepare a high-quality sub-floor, refers to expensive materials and requires maintaining a certain temperature and humidity in the room.

For the manufacture of parquet boards, natural wood is also used, but each lamella is not a solid piece of wood, but a firmly glued three-layer structure. Such a coating will cost less than parquet, it is easier to install and maintain. Parquet boards are presented in different shades, they can be combined and composed. This type of floor will last about 15-20 years.

Solid wood flooring

Floors made of ordinary wooden planks laid on logs have not lost their popularity. Despite the seeming simplicity, they have many advantages:

one hundred percent environmental friendliness;
availability, practicality;
the ability to create a room interior in a specific style;
this floor is pleasant to the feet and looks great.

With proper care, this coating will delight the owners for about 30 years.

Cork

Cork cover close to ideal:

It is natural, warm, strong enough, pleasant for the feet and good for health.
Cork floors are available in a variety of colors to create interesting compositions.
This material does not accumulate static electricity at all.

The cork can be coated with special oils and varnishes, or it can be used without coating. The service life of cork floors is from 5 to 20 years.

Important! Keep in mind that strong mechanical stress may leave marks on the cork floor.

Laminate floors

Laminate flooring is gaining more and more popularity due to its outstanding characteristics:

It is affordable, practical and reliable enough.
Laminate perfectly conveys the color and texture of natural wood, stone, tiles.
Laminate boards are equipped with a locking system.
Even a beginner in the renovation business can handle the installation of such a floor.

Laminate has several strength classes. The higher the class, the more durable and expensive the material is.

Elastic coatings

These include two materials: linoleum and carpet.

Is the absolute leader among floor coverings:

affordable;
easy to install and maintain;
absolutely not afraid of moisture;
looks nice.

Linoleum comes in a wide variety of shades and patterns and is sold in rolled sheets or tiles. Such a coating is attached to the base floor with special adhesives. In 5-10 years it will have to be replaced.

It can be called a relative of the carpet, which has its own characteristics:

The carpet can contain both artificial and natural fibers.
Sold in rolls or as carpet tiles.
It is very easy to install and attached with glue.
Diverse in texture and color, injury-free.

The disadvantages of such a floor covering are a relatively short service life, lack of moisture resistance and difficulty in cleaning and cleaning.

But they also have disadvantages:

The coating turns out to be hard, traumatic and cold.
It is better to mount heating systems under it, otherwise walking on the floor without shoes will be uncomfortable.
Special preparation of the substrate is required before installation.

Self-leveling floor

Modern self-leveling floors are used not only as a rough screed. They can be an excellent topcoat and contain highly artistic three-dimensional designs and various decorations under a polymer layer. Self-leveling polymer floors are:

epoxy;
polyurethane.

Both materials are environmentally friendly and durable, they are not at all afraid of water and other liquids, and do not require any special cleaning.

The disadvantage of this type of flooring can be called a special exactingness to the surface on which it is laid. The base under them must be perfectly flat, dry and clean.

Important points when choosing a coating

Each person decides for himself how to make the floor in the apartment. But when choosing a material, several fundamental points should not be overlooked.

The main criterion for choosing a coating is the room in which it will be installed. The whole apartment can be conditionally divided into zones:

area for receiving guests and rest (these are bedrooms, living room, nursery);
"Wet" area (kitchen, bathroom);
passage area (entrance hall, corridor).

For each of these zones, you need to choose your material based on their functional characteristics and the loads that the floor carries.

The choice of gender is influenced by the lifestyle of the family and its composition. What works for a single married couple may not always work for families with children. When children are in the house, the floor should be safe, hygienic and easy to clean. Coverage must meet the same requirements if there are animals in the apartment.
Material security also plays a role. For example, floors made from natural materials are quite expensive. For families with limited means, they are likely to be beyond the means.
An apartment located on the ground floor will limit the choice of floor coverings due to the increased humidity and proximity to the basement.
In some apartments, it is impossible to make the floor heavier due to the formation of an additional load on the floors. Consequently, floors that require a concrete screed will have to be abandoned.

Glossy tiles will not fit in the hallway. Snow becomes very slippery and can cause injury.

Linoleum is also a good option for a hallway, the main thing is not to dwell on its cheap varieties. It is better to choose a material with a natural composition, commercial or semi-commercial: such coatings are able to withstand almost everything.

If the choice fell on a laminate, you need to pay attention to its strength class. For the hallway, a coating of class 32 is suitable.

How to make a bedroom floor

What floor should be in the bedroom? This question is faced by everyone who makes repairs in an apartment. The bedroom is a room for relaxation, here people often go barefoot. Therefore, the floor should be warm, pleasant on the feet and beautiful.

From natural coatings, solid wood, parquet and cork will perfectly cope with these tasks.
From the arsenal of synthetic materials, carpet is perfect. It is pleasant to the touch, walking on it is soft and comfortable. In addition, it has good sound insulation, which cannot be achieved from other artificial materials.
Laminate is also often used for bedroom flooring. It is durable, beautiful, but it is not very pleasant to walk on it with bare feet, so it is better to put small rugs on the floor near the bed.

Whatever material for the floor is ultimately chosen, let it please the owners with its appearance for many years.

(votes: 2 , average rating: 3,50 out of 5)

A modern apartment is represented by a concrete box, which is subject to roughing or finishing. When deciding what the floors will be in the apartment and what to make them from, you need to pay attention to the fact that the work provides for insulation and sound insulation, preparation of the base in accordance with the established norms.

Installation of floors in the apartment

Most floor coverings require a flat, solid base. In some cases, high-quality slabs allow installation without preparation. The type of construction determines the reliability, practicality and durability of the created coating.

The rough screed acts as a special layer that provides favorable conditions for the use of the topcoat. The floors in an apartment in most cases consist of several layers:

W / w-overlap. Acts as the main material that is used in the construction of structures. Floor in an apartment from scratch is often difficult to make due to the displacement of the slabs relative to each other.
Thermal insulation. This layer protects the substrate from temperature extremes that can alter the properties of the finish.
Waterproofing. High humidity adversely affects the properties of many finishing materials, especially those made from wood.
Reinforced screed. The purpose is to evenly distribute the load, level the base and protect the intermediate materials from environmental influences.
Decorative coating. It fits last. Some technologies involve the use of additional leveling materials and adhesives.

Each technological layer has its own purpose. Therefore, when considering how to make floors in an apartment, it must be borne in mind that the absence of one of the layers causes a decrease in the operational life.

Varieties of screeds

The floor in the apartment is laid on a leveling screed, which can be created using various materials. It is created to ensure the required level of rigidity, leveling the base, and protecting the communications being laid. In some cases, a slope is created to drain water.

Modern floors are made using various types of screeds, the most common are wet, dry and semi-dry. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, manufacturing technology.

Wet screed

When considering what to make a floor from, it should be borne in mind that the most common technology is wet screed. It is characterized as follows:

A large amount of water is included in the composition, therefore, high-quality surface insulation must be carried out, otherwise the liquid may seep to the neighbors.
To create a waterproofing layer, coating compounds are used. When applied, a seamless coating is obtained. To simplify the procedure, polyethylene is used, which is laid with an overlap of at least 15 cm. The joints are carefully glued with a special tape.
Considered the cheapest option. You can do it yourself, there are self-leveling compounds on sale that are easy to use.

To prepare the solution, cement of a grade of at least M400 is used, which is mixed with sand and water. The addition of plasticizers changes the properties of the composition:

The mobility of the solution is increased to ensure high fluidity.
The strength of the composition is increased by 50%.
It is decided to make the floors on this screed due to the 20% savings in cement.
The degree of adhesion to the base increases by 1.5 times.
The amount of water in the composition is reduced.

When considering which floor is better to do in an apartment, several disadvantages of a wet screed should also be taken into account:

High labor intensity of work.
Getting a flat surface requires skills in working with beacons.
It takes at least 3 weeks for the composition to dry.
During the hardening process, wetting of the surface must be carried out, as otherwise cracks may appear.

The strength of the screed is ensured due to the thickness, which must be at least 2 cm. Modern floor coverings can be laid exclusively on a surface without defects, since even minor bumps or depressions will cause uneven distribution of the load.

Semi-dry screed

A sub-floor can be created using a semi-dry screed. This method is considered inexpensive and requires little water to operate. This screed is characterized as follows:

As a mixture, a composition consisting of sand, cement, a small amount of water is used.
A relatively small number of requirements are imposed on waterproofing, since a large amount of water is not used during operation.
The composition can be used in new and old apartments.
The use of a small amount of water during operation determines that the installation can be carried out on any floor.
Low likelihood of cracking in the composition.
A high degree of sound insulation is provided.
The applied composition provides high thermal insulation of the surface.
When laying communications, it is possible to protect them from environmental influences.
The screed creation process is accelerated due to the fact that it takes a little time to dry.
Relatively low cost of the composition.

Such a screed has disadvantages:

In the absence of experience, it is difficult to choose the right amount of water.
Due to the low fluidity, difficulties arise in obtaining an even coating. Various tools are used for alignment.
The height of the screed to ensure bearing capacity must be at least 4 cm.
When creating a layer of great thickness, a reinforcing mesh is used.

In this case, the floor cake should also have several layers, each one responsible for its own functions.

Dry screed

You can make a screed using a dry compound. Its advantages are as follows:

The amount of time required for the substrate to dry is significantly reduced.
Differences of almost any height can be effectively evened out.
Laying the topcoat can be carried out almost immediately after the foundation is created.
The dry material has high insulating properties.
Due to the low weight of the screed, the load on the supporting element is reduced. Therefore, the technology can be used when creating a base on a balcony or loggia.
There is an opportunity to lay communications.

You can lay the screed yourself. There are a large number of different versions of this material on sale.

Floor construction on logs

When constructing floors in the carriage, a technology can be used that provides for laying a log. These materials are characterized by high environmental friendliness.

The technology for creating such a base provides for the division of lags into simple and adjusting ones. The resulting space can be used for isolation or laying communications.

Heat and sound insulation methods

When considering how to properly make a floor, it should be borne in mind that a variety of insulation materials can be used. They are divided into sheet, tile and coating. Most often, leafy ones are used. Coating coatings provide a seamless finish.

What should be the floor in rooms for different purposes

What kind of flooring to choose for an apartment should be considered taking into account the purpose of the premises. There are different requirements for the living room and bedroom, which are reflected in the choice of material.

Bedroom floor

You need to choose a floor for a bedroom taking into account the fact that this room is the quietest in the apartment. The material must meet the following requirements:

It is recommended to make a floor in the bedroom that dampens noise when walking.
An optimal microclimate for relaxation should be created in the room.
The surface must be antistatic.
The material selected must be highly wear resistant.

Various types of flooring are suitable for the criteria under consideration.

Children's room

Many people think how to lay the floor in the nursery, since there are a large number of different materials on sale. The floor requirements for this room are as follows:

High quality.
Good soundproofing.
The surface must be non-slip and hypoallergenic.
Must withstand wet cleaning.

The materials used should be well cushioned, which will reduce the likelihood of injury if the child falls.

Living room floor

When considering what kind of floors can be made in the living room, it should be borne in mind that in this room a high mechanical impact is exerted on the material, so the coating must be durable.

Natural materials are often chosen for the living room, as they look more expensive than artificial ones. This category includes cork and parquet

Kitchen floor

In the kitchen, the floor is exposed to the most wear and tear. The indoor climate is characterized by high humidity and constant temperature fluctuations.

A combination of several materials is often used in the kitchen. They must be highly moisture resistant and must not absorb contaminants.

Hallway floor

It is possible to decorate this room cheaply using various materials. The following criteria are taken into account:

Aesthetic look.
High resistance to mechanical stress.
Resistant to aggressive chemicals.

The high strength of the surface layer must protect the coating from impacts.

Bathroom floor

Materials for the bathroom floor are selected taking into account the resistance to high humidity and constant temperature changes typical for this room. In addition to moisture resistance, the main selection criteria are hygiene, mechanical strength and ease of maintenance. The surface should not be slippery, as this could lead to a fall and injury.

Types of flooring, their characteristics and installation features

When deciding what to lay on the floor in an apartment, you need to pay attention to the applied laying technology, the requirements that apply to the base.

Tile and mosaic

Beautiful coverings can be created using tiles. It is characterized by the following positive qualities:

High hardness.
Resistant to moisture and temperature extremes.
Fire resistance.
Wear resistance.

It can be used for most rooms, but is expensive and not suitable if there is a risk of being exposed to pinpoint impacts.

Carpet, linoleum and marmoleum

Linoleum, marmoleum and carpet are the most common materials. The relatively low cost allows them to be used in various premises. Linoleum has high insulating qualities; carpet is often installed in the bedroom.

When using these materials, it is possible to create a seamless coating effect.

Laminate and parquet

Most living quarters have laminate and parquet floors. The question often arises as to which parquet floor is better to choose for an apartment. When choosing a material, the type of wood used, the number and type of layers, as well as the lock with which the individual boards are connected, are taken into account.

Laminate is used more often because it is much cheaper and can withstand environmental influences.

Self-leveling floor

The self-leveling floor is created in various rooms. It has an attractive appearance and high mechanical stability, providing reliable insulation. It is difficult to make such a floor covering on your own, since a special technology is used for this.

Polyvinyl chloride

Modern materials can withstand environmental influences, such as polyvinyl chloride. Low cost allows it to be used for decoration of various premises in the case when a small budget is allocated for work.

Due to the low degree of environmental friendliness, polyvinyl chloride is rarely used in the decoration of residential premises.

Cork floor

This coating is made from natural raw materials. The cork floor is pleasant to the touch and has high shock-absorbing properties.

There are several types of cork floors on the market, they are made using various technologies.

Tongue-and-groove board

The grooved board belongs to environmentally friendly materials. It can last for several decades.

You can lay the grooved board yourself. To protect the coating, it is treated with various compounds.

Summary table of floor materials in the apartment

The summary table is used to select the most suitable material. It was created to compare the main indicators.

Index	Laminate, parquet	Self-leveling floor	Tongue-and-groove board	Cork	Linoleum	Ceramic tile	Polyvinyl chloride
Service life, years	5-15	10-30	Up to 40	Up to 50	3-7	5-15	2-5
Decorativeness	low	high	low	low	low	average	average
Environmental friendliness	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Care	average	easily	average	average	easily	average	average
Repairability	No	high	average	No	No	No	No
Thermal insulation	low	low	high	high	low	low	low
Moisture resistance	low	high	low	low	high	high	high
Application area	entrance hall, living room, kitchen, bedroom	bathroom, kitchen, hallway, living room	living room, hallway, nursery, bedroom	living room, nursery, bedroom	entrance hall, living room, bathroom, kitchen	entrance hall, kitchen, bathroom, living room	entrance hall, utility rooms