Choosing flooring. Will your feet like the floor?
Floor covering is an important element of the interior not only from an aesthetic point of view. Reliable floors provide sound insulation, warmth and comfort. Flooring is one of the main touches of any repair.
What floors to choose from a variety of promotional offers?
Let's try to figure it out. The first thing that determines the choice is the material of manufacture: artificial and natural floor coverings are distinguished. The first group includes linoleum, tiles, self-leveling floors. Natural ones include flooring from wooden boards, parquet, floors made of natural stone. It is necessary to consider where we choose the floors. The flooring must be functional.
The second thing that will help in the difficult decision is the floor coverings are divided into types depending on the method of dividing the constituent elements of the floor. Artificial flooring - floor tiles, laminate, stone slab, wooden board, parquet. Roll flooring - carpet, linoleum. Monolithic flooring - bulk seamless floor made of polymeric materials.
Consider the most popular types of floor coverings:
Linoleum was or is in almost every apartment or house. There are two types of linoleum: heterogeneous and homogeneous commercial and household linoleum on a non-woven or foamed basis. For the basis of heterogeneous linoleum, felt, PVC, polyester, jute are used. Such linoleum has a larger assortment and is produced in rolls of 2, 3 and 4 meters wide. Homogeneous - 2, 3 meters, has a homogeneous structure without a base.
The advantages of linoleum include:
- Universality. Suitable for both the kitchen and the room.
- Color and stylistic diversity.
- Unpretentiousness. Wet and dry cleanable. Under laying linoleum it is not necessary to perfectly level the floor.
- It does not require large expenditures of finance, time and effort.
- The commercial type of linoleum is very resistant to damage and friction.
The disadvantages of linoleum:
- He does not like direct sunlight, it can fade.
- At very low temperatures - it cracks.
- Dents from heavy furniture may remain on household linoleum, and tears and damage may form on it.
Despite the unpretentiousness of linoleum, it can be ruined if you do not follow elementary tips: do not use shrinkage on PVA or bustilate, apply special glue to linoleum only at the junction, lay only on the treated cement screed.
Laminate - A popular and stylish floor covering. In fact, this is a multilayer board. The main layer of the laminate is made of particleboard or fiberboard.
Advantages of the laminate:
- It does not fade, it has a beautiful appearance.
- Dirt does not stick to it, it is easy to do cleaning.
- No need to varnish, grind.
- Has a large assortment.
- A wide price range allows you to choose a budget option.
Disadvantages:
- You need to be careful with water - the laminate is deformed from excess moisture.
- Cheap laminate is short-lived.
Ceramic tile - quite practical and modern flooring. The advantages of tiles include moisture resistance, decorativeness, durability, relevance, a huge selection of colors and styles. The disadvantages are that the tile is not universal and is more suitable for the kitchen and the bathroom than the bedroom; the tile may crack from a strong blow, cold to the touch. Professional tile laying is recommended.
Parquet floor, a floor made of massive wooden boards, a floor made of typesetting elements is one of the oldest types of floor coverings. Always stylish and relevant. Its main advantage is environmental friendliness. The wooden floor is durable, very resistant to deformation. However, such flooring requires serious care. More suited to the classic interior.
Natural stone floors. It is appropriate in the corridor, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, without installing the “warm floor” system, floors made of natural stone are quite cold. The main disadvantage is the high cost. Such floors are leading in resistance to wear - they do not deform, they tolerate moisture and light well.
Carpet - nice and comfortable flooring. The advantages include: good soundproofing properties, a variety of colors and textures, does not crack and does not break when a heavy object falls on it. The disadvantage of such a coating is the difficulty of caring for it. Any stain will have to be removed by special means, so you can hardly put a carpet in the kitchen or in the hallway.
Polymer bulk floor - The most modern and relevant floors. They do not require a good screed of the base floor, because they themselves are leveled thanks to their liquid texture - any irregularities are poured with liquid polymers and get an ideal, beautiful, smooth surface. Modern technologies make it possible to obtain a bulk floor of any color and texture. This floor is moisture resistant and reliable. Disadvantages: high-quality bulk floors are quite expensive, cheap bulk floors may turn yellow when exposed to direct sunlight.
Wooden plank floor - warm, eco-friendly and beautiful. Planks correctly laid on logs, without cracks and fastenings with nails, unpainted, and coated with wax or special varnish is one of the best options. Advantages: the use of natural, expensive lumber with a beautiful pattern and color of wood, a natural gap for ventilation due to the height of the lags, a warm, pleasant surface of the sanded board. The disadvantages include - if, during the formation of the floor, the boards are half-finished or vice versa, deformations occur or cracks appear, it requires constant care.
Glass floors - very fashionable and exotic floors made of knee-high glass of large thickness. They are made in the form of inserts in the main canvas of another coating or solid. The floor pattern can be monophonic, ornamental, landscapes and paintings, and a 3D effect. Advantages can be called - ecology, high aesthetics, style, and to the disadvantages - the coating is slippery, can be a source of injury.
Technology is fast moving forward and giving us new offers. Fashion is also not far behind. When choosing a floor, think about the fact that this is not for one day, but, most importantly, will your feet like the floor?