10 tips for choosing laminate flooring

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The class of a laminate determines its main characteristics: abrasion, moisture resistance, impact resistance and sound insulation. On sale there are categories 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33 and 34 classes.

This division is carried out on the basis of GOST 32304-2013, which describes the permissible type of load. The abrasion coefficient of the laminate varies from 900 to 8500 units.GOST 32304-2013 is a new regulatory document compared to the European Directive EN13329 of 2008, therefore it contains more reliable information on how to test the strength of a floor covering. To assign a certain class, the samples are subjected to stress: a metal ball is dropped, scratched, coloring liquids are spilled from above, water is supplied from below, a lit cigarette is placed, etc.

The higher the class, the longer the laminate will last. For comparison: the service life of a board of 21-23 classes is 5-12 years, and 31 classes is 20 years. Class 34 products can last up to 40 years.

Application according to GOST 32304-2013:

Class	Load indicator	Scope of use	Abrasion coefficient
21	light	bedrooms, home library	900
22	average	living room, nursery, bathroom, balcony	1 800
23	high	kitchen, hallway	2 500
31	light industrial	conference rooms	2 500
32	medium industrial	workrooms, offices	4 000
33	high industrial	shops, cafes	6 500
34	high industrial	bars, restaurants, hotels	8 500

Conclusion: Despite this classification, we do not recommend buying laminate flooring below class 31 for houses and apartments. The higher this figure, the longer the coverage will last. This is especially true for large families with children. In addition, manufacturers often neglect the established standards, which is why the characteristics of the laminate may not actually correspond to the declared class.

One of the key criteria that is important to consider when choosing a laminate is the type of top protective layer. It depends on the technology used in the manufacture of the finishing material. Kinds:

Direct pressing. The laminate made using this technology is produced with a ready-made top layer.It is cheap and usually used for domestic purposes: it is used for laying in the hallway, kitchen, bathroom, living rooms of the house, etc.

High pressure (HPL). The top layer of a laminate made using this technology consists of kraft cardboard and a special protective coating created from melamine or acrylic resins. Its advantages are high strength, abrasion resistance and the ability to withstand even strong mechanical stress.

Conclusion: Direct-press laminate is suitable for home use. However, keep in mind that its service life is 5-7 years, and the resistance to mechanical damage and other loads is minimal. If you have small children and pets, then opt for high pressure panels, they will last you about 10-12 years.

Despite the demand for laminate, manufacturers offer a limited selection of design panels. You can easily find a coating that imitates natural wood or parquet, but there will be difficulties with choosing a color. Beige and brown laminate is found in Chinese manufacturers, other shades are difficult to find.

We recommend paying special attention not only to the color, but also to the external embossing of the material. Panels with a relief pattern look stylish in any interior, and they are also very practical, because they do not leave streaks after washing. A smooth surface is found only in cheap and not very high-quality brands of laminate.

Conclusion: the choice of design and color is determined only by your preferences and the range offered by manufacturers. But keep in mind that the glossy surface is very slippery, especially if you walk on the floor in socks, tights, and not in shoes. Even on such a laminate there are traces of the claws of cats, dogs, but such microdamages are visible only at a certain angle of incidence of light.

To choose the right laminate, you need to pay attention to its thickness. There are panels on sale, the thickness of which varies from 5 to 12 mm. The thicker the selected laminate, the higher its strength, sound absorption and, accordingly, the cost.

Panels with a thickness of 8 to 12 mm are the best choice for your apartment if there are defects in the base (for example, unevenness). If you have underfloor heating installed, then choose a thin laminate. Unlike thick panels, it warms up instantly and retains heat longer.

Conclusion: Ideally, the thickness of the laminated board should be 8 mm, a compromise solution is 7 mm, less is not recommended. However, it is much easier, cheaper and faster to prepare a high-quality base for a laminate than to overpay for its thickness.

The substrate chosen for the laminate determines the heat and sound insulation of your future floor. Main types:

Cork. Perfectly retains heat, does not deform over time and does not get trampled.When choosing a cork substrate, pay attention to the material from which it is made. To prevent condensation from forming under the laminate, we recommend buying substrates made of rubberized cork or treated with bitumen.

Polyethylene foam. Resistant to high humidity, easy to install and use, has an affordable cost. However, the polyethylene foam backing does not hold its shape well and begins to sag over time. Another disadvantage is its low thermal insulation, but this problem can be easily solved by laying a special foil or film on top.

Composite. High heat and sound insulation, ease of installation, resistance to moisture. A membrane is built into modern composite substrates that accumulates water that has fallen under the laminate. Over time, they do not deform, so they can be installed in rooms with high traffic. The only disadvantage of composite substrates is the high cost, but be sure that it pays off in full.

Conclusion: The choice depends only on your financial capabilities. We recommend choosing composite substrates as their performance is much higher than other substrates. Keep in mind that some manufacturers offer laminate with an already integrated underlay. An excellent choice to save money and your installation time.

The ease and speed of its installation depends on the type of laminate connection. On sale there are panels that are connected by adhesive and locking methods. The first option involves the use of glue, so it is used extremely rarely. We recommend leaving the choice on a laminated board with a locking connection (quick step), a huge advantage of which is the possibility of self-laying.

The lock connection is further divided into 2 types:

Click	lock
Collapsible locks located at an angle of 45 °. Their advantage is extreme simplicity. Firstly, they do not need to be mounted on perfectly flat bases: curvature and drop are possible. Secondly, their installation does not require special skills and can be done independently.	Latch locks, the advantage of which lies in their low cost in comparison with the collapsible type. Keep in mind that laying a laminate with a lock connection is not possible on a curved base, so the floor must first be carefully leveled.

Click locks are good because they do not move apart from the load. lock has it worse. For example, if the panels are not stacked very tightly together, or there is a gap between the board and the wall (under the baseboard), a sharp step or push to jump can lead to a gap. Dirt will begin to clog into it, which will spoil the appearance.

Conclusion: If you want to save on laminate installation and plan to install it yourself, then choose panels with collapsible locks. In cases where the installation will be carried out by a professional, and the floor in the apartment is perfectly flat, it is better to take an inexpensive laminate with a lock connection.

Almost every manufacturer claims that the laminate presented to them is an environmentally friendly material. In fact, he is not 100% like that. The composition of the laminate, especially the cheap one, almost always contains formaldehyde, which is dangerous to human health.

The remaining components used in the production of this material are quite harmless.Chipboard (chipboard) consists of waste wood processing, and therefore the “naturalness” of the laminate is about 90%.

Conclusion: If it is important for you to choose a material that does not have a negative effect, then look for products labeled E1 and E0. It has a high cost, but the formaldehyde content in it is 3 and 6 times less than in products labeled E2 and E3. Or ask the manufacturer for the results of test methods according to GOST 30255 and GOST 32155 (chamber method and gas analysis). According to the first regulatory document, the indicator should not exceed 0.124 mg / m³, and according to the second - 3.5 mg / m² * h.

To choose the right laminated board, be guided by the purpose of the rooms. In some, resistance to moisture is important, in others - strength, in others - sound insulation.

Kitchen. We recommend choosing a moisture-resistant laminated board; additionally, during installation, you can finish the butt sections with mastic. A suitable material class is 33, since the load on the floor in the kitchen is quite high. Buy embossed laminate to avoid slipping.

Bathroom. Only waterproof material is suitable, in the manufacture of which PVC plates are used. They do not absorb moisture because they are made from pressed chips. Some companies offer a laminated board with a rubber strip that is 100% waterproof.

Living room, bedroom and nursery. When choosing a laminated board for residential premises, we recommend taking into account not only the class of use, but also the sound absorption parameter. On sale you can find panels with an additional soundproofing layer, which will be an excellent choice for a child's room.

Hallway. Due to the constant accumulation of dust and dirt, the floor must be wiped very often. For this reason, we recommend choosing a laminated board with high moisture resistance for the hallway. The recommended wear resistance class is 33.

Conclusion: When buying a laminate, always be guided by the type of room in which it will be used.

The size of the laminate panels determines the appearance of the coating and the complexity of the upcoming installation. The smaller the dimensions, the more time it will take to lay. There are no standard (typical) sizes, so we will consider each parameter separately.

Width. Boards are available in a variety of configurations. The width of the laminate varies from 9 to 33 cm, but the most common is 19 cm. Such panels are easily and quickly mounted on any base.

Length. It must be taken into account in order to ensure optimal material consumption. The less waste, the more economical and better. Manufacturers offer panels whose length varies from 30 to 185 cm. The most common indicators are from 126 to 138 cm.

Conclusion: We recommend choosing laminate flooring in common sizes. It is easy to transport, stack, and, if necessary, cut.

When choosing a laminate, consider another important characteristic - density. A slab can act as a carrier material HDF or MDF. This directly affects the price of the product and the service life.

HDF board has a high rate of 750-1000 kg/m³, and some types even 1200 kg/m³. Cheaper MDF boards have a density of 450-700 kg / m³.

Conclusion: if there is no heavy furniture in the room (wardrobes, office chairs for the head, chests of drawers), you can buy a laminate based on MDF. In all other cases, so that the flooring does not receive dents, purchase products with an HDF board.