Features of choosing the best flooring

 Features of choosing the best flooring

At the present time on the market of building materials there are a lot of floor coverings. They differ in color, technical characteristics, peculiarities of care and many other features. This article will discuss the main types of flooring, as well as the features of choosing the best option.

Special features

Floor coverings serve not only to ensure the most comfortable movement around an apartment or house. They decorate the room, but the decorative function of the floor is performed only if it fits into the interior of the room and goes well with all its elements. That is why the choice of a suitable floor covering should be approached as seriously as possible.

It is necessary to take into account all the nuances, choose high-quality materials - and at the same time carefully consider the design.

What types are there?

Modern flooring made from a variety of materials. For example, linoleum is very popular, many people like quartz-vinyl tile. You can put on the floor soft carpet material, which is great for children's rooms. It is anti-slip for extra safety. A high-quality protective coating is suitable if you want to prevent abrasion of the surface, to keep its aesthetic appearance for a long time.

If you are interested in sound and heat insulation flooring, a very good option would be double-layer rolled material vorsolin. For rooms with high permeability, mud-proof materials are remarkably suitable.

If you want certain parts of the cover to be easily replaced if necessary, pay attention to the modular options.

Since the options are many, to decide on the choice of the most suitable coating is usually quite difficult. For this you need to understand in detail the features of the types of popular materials.

Material

The most common materials used to make floor coverings include the following:

  • Linoleum. He is chosen especially often. Such materials are commercial, semi-commercial, household. Not household, but semi-commercial coverings are more suitable for the house: they are more expensive, but at the same time very durable.
  • Polyvinyl chloride PVC coatings are created in the form of panels, tiles. The connection is usually a castle, but the installation work is also carried out using adhesive materials. If we compare modern products with Soviet-made materials, it can be noted that today the vinyl coating has a higher quality and a very aesthetic appearance. A more advanced material is a quartz vinyl coating, which is created using quartz sand.
  • Cork. Such materials are created using cork bark. Such coatings are made in slabs and rolls.
  • Laminate. For its production using fiberboard and paper (several layers). To get a certain texture, a special material is applied to the paper surface.Additionally, the surface is coated with a protective compound. Many people choose laminated flooring as an alternative to expensive parquet or not very durable linoleum.
  • Carpeting. Carpet is soft, so these materials are very popular. Popular are the various carpets that are made of polypropylene, acrylic, silk, nylon, wool, and so on.
  • Ceramic materials. On the modern market a very wide range of similar coatings is presented. They differ from each other in strength, appearance, size and other characteristics.
  • Parquet. This wooden flooring has become the epitome of classics. Typically, these materials are of high quality, but they are quite expensive. However, their cost and characteristics largely depend on what kind of wood the manufacturer used.
  • Polymeric materials (epoxy, acrylic and so on). Such floors look very interesting and very unusual, today they are loved by many. With the help of such coatings, you can create whole pictures, captivating admiring glances.

Today, rubber flooring is gaining popularity. Such materials are used not only in industrial buildings, but also in residential premises. They are moisture resistant, resistant to various mechanical stress.

Type of

On the modern market there are different types of coatings: household, commercial. The latter are resistant to stronger loads. Materials are divided into classes depending on durability, strength. Coatings also differ in thermal conductivity, resistance to fluid.

Some materials are not suitable for rooms with high humidity - this should always be remembered when choosing the most suitable option for the bathroom or kitchen.

Colors

Choosing the most appropriate color of the floor, you need to consider whether it will be in harmony with the shades of other surfaces. You should decide which tones will be complementary, which ones will dominate. Of great importance is the location of the windows, as well as their size and number. Of course, the preferences of people who live in a house or apartment are also very important. Remember that each color sets the room a certain mood.

Choosing a suitable shade, you need to decide exactly what effect you want to achieve, what kind of atmosphere you need to bring to the room. Among the most popular colors for the floor are the following:

  • Gray. This flooring will give the room peace of mind, even a certain coldness, but at the same time - elegance. Gray looks very good with purple, but you should not combine it with green - these shades will oppress each other. If you want to visually enlarge the room, you can add white color, but it should be borne in mind that gray should still remain the main tone in the room. Many of the fair sex love the combination of pink and gray: thanks to him the room becomes "airy".
  • White. This color is suitable for rooms where there is little natural light. Choose green color walls and a white floor if you are looking to create an atmosphere of freshness and tranquility. The combination of yellow and white is a very good option for fans of the classics.
  • Red and orange. Such shades have expensive tree species. Rooms with similar floors look very expensive, they emphasize the high status of the owner and his good taste. These colors combine a variety of colors, but the exception is blue.
  • Beige and yellow.Such shades are associated with naturalness, they will always be in fashion. Different colors are combined with them, and in some cases the rooms become festive, elegant, and in others - quite strict.
  • The black. This color should be used with caution, because you can overdo it, as a result of which the room will become too gloomy. It is associated with extravagance, bohemian. Black goes very well with various elements of golden color.
  • Brown. Such shades can make the premises both simple and very sophisticated - it all depends on the specific interior and design features. Brown is not suitable if there is too little sunlight in the room.

The room

Selecting suitable flooring for the hall, balcony, terrace, hallway, bathroom or any other room, it should be remembered that each of them has its own characteristics. The selected material must have certain qualities.

Entrance hall

Thinking about which floor is best suited for such a room, you need to consider the durability of coatings.Remember that the floor in the corridor will have to be washed frequently, so the surface should be resistant to the effects of liquids. The selected coating should also be resistant to various mechanical effects, because the floors in the hallways are constantly subjected to loads.

Ideal options for such premises - ceramics, PVC materials, laminated parquet. It is easy to wash such floors, they differ in resistance to external influences.

Kitchen

Selecting flooring for the kitchen floor, you need to focus on the size of the room. If it is small, it is better to opt for a uniform and homogeneous material. It should be resistant to dirt, grease, fluids. Good options for the work area - PVC, ceramic materials. You can also use modern synthetic linoleum.

Living room

That room is the "face" of the apartment, it shows the guests the financial position and tastes of the apartment owner. Since people often gather in the living room, it is necessary to choose coatings for it, which are distinguished not only by aesthetics, but also by ease of care, strength. Ideal for such a room - parquet. If such materials are too expensive for you, you can opt for high-quality laminate.

To make the living room as comfortable as possible, you can choose a carpet. And it will be easier to care for him if you get a material that has dirt-repellent properties.

Bedroom

In such a room, people relax, rest, so the selected coating should contribute to this. It should be warm so that it was nice to stand barefoot. Very good options - high and medium nap covers.

If the bedroom is classic, you can choose high-quality laminate or parquet. For people who prefer environmental friendliness and naturalness, suitable cork material. This floor is safe for asthmatics, allergies, it is very pleasant to the touch.

Kids room

For such premises it is necessary to choose only materials that are different in safety and environmental friendliness. They should not be evaporated, which can adversely affect the health of the baby. Be careful with natural carpets - some are allergic to them. It is better to choose high-quality synthetic coating for the children's room.You can stop the choice on laminated, cork materials.

Bathroom

For such a room should be selected anti-slip materials that are resistant to the effects of liquids. The most popular option is ceramic coating. They are easy to care for, they are characterized by increased strength, but over time, mold can appear on such surfaces. An alternative may be vinyl tile: it is characterized by increased resistance to the effects of liquids, strength, and lack of seams.

Suitable for bathrooms and rubber materials that are very easy to use and maintain. They provide security: on this surface you will not slip.

Terraces, balconies

Many choose to terrace wood flooring. It should be borne in mind that such a surface will need to be treated with a special impregnation that protects the floor from various external influences. You can also choose tile materials or concrete floor.

Open balconies are constantly affected by precipitation, high and low temperatures, and sunlight. For them, you should choose coatings that are moisture resistant, frost resistant, high strength. Suitable frost-resistant linoleum, as well as PVC, ceramics.For a closed balcony, you can choose almost any coverage.

Advantages and disadvantages

All materials for flooring have both certain advantages and some disadvantages. It is worth a closer look at all the pros and cons of popular materials.

Linoleum

Benefits:

  • Durability.
  • Lack of sound when walking. On this floor, you can move completely silent.
  • Moisture resistance.
  • Resistance to decay.
  • Ease of care.

Disadvantages:

  • Instability to high and low temperatures - especially in cases where the materials are cheap and of low quality. On such coatings cracks appear rather quickly, they can be deformed.
  • Instability to mechanical loads. On such floors can not put heavy furniture.
  • Ecological.

Linoleum is only suitable if the base is perfectly smooth. Otherwise, the coating will not last long.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Benefits:

  1. Durability.
  2. Moisture resistance.
  3. Resistance to mechanical stress.
  4. A variety of textures and colors.
  5. The ability to provide good sound insulation.
  6. Ease of installation work.

Disadvantages:

  • Ecological. If such a coating will burn, it will begin to release substances that are dangerous to human health. Substandard materials are dangerous even when nothing happens to them.
  • Instability to UV radiation (if the coating is cheap and not distinguished by high quality). Spots appear on such floors, the colors of materials become less bright over time.

Polyvinyl chloride can be purchased if the floor humidity is no more than 5%. The surface must be flat, otherwise defects will appear on the coating.

Cork materials

Benefits:

  1. Pest resistance.
  2. Resistance to heavy objects (large-sized furniture can be installed on such floors).
  3. The ability to provide insulation as well as sound insulation.
  4. Resistance to chemicals.

The cork floor does not slip feet, which is a significant advantage of such a coating. This is especially true if there are active children living in the house who love to run around the rooms.

Disadvantages:

  • Instability to moisture. Contacting with the liquid, the cork floor begins to swell.For this reason, these materials are not suitable for rooms where humidity is high.
  • Low thermal conductivity.
  • High price.

Cork floors are easily damaged by heels, claws and other sharp objects. In this regard, they should be handled very carefully.

Laminate

Benefits:

  1. Affordable price.
  2. Ease of installation work.
  3. Resistance to high temperatures.
  4. Durability.
  5. Environmental friendliness.
  6. Ease of care.

Disadvantages:

  • Sounds when walking (if the base is not sufficiently smooth).
  • The likelihood of blistering, bubbles - if violated the rules of the installation work.
  • Non-resistant to liquid. Not all such coatings are suitable even for kitchen floors.

Carpet flooring

Benefits:

  1. The ability to provide good sound insulation.
  2. Minimal crushing.
  3. A large number of flowers.
  4. Abrasion resistance.

Disadvantages:

  • Non-resistant to liquid.
  • Low resistance to sunlight (especially in cases where coatings are cheap). Color may fade, with time it will become less aesthetic.

Carpets quickly accumulate dust.You need to take care of them regularly: the ideal option is to use a vacuum cleaner.

Ceramic materials

Benefits:

  1. Ease of care.
  2. The ability to create a variety of compositions, translate into reality interesting design ideas.
  3. Increased strength.

Disadvantages:

  • Cold from the surface. Standing on such a floor barefoot will be very unpleasant. A good way out of this situation is to use a floor heating system with such materials.
  • Stitches. In any case, they will be noticeable, but how much depends on the skills of the person who was involved in the installation work.
  • The complexity of installation.

Parquet

Benefits:

  1. Environmental friendliness.
  2. Durability.
  3. Aesthetic appearance.

Disadvantages:

  • High price. However, this disadvantage is compensated by the high quality of such materials: they do not have to be replaced often.
  • High probability of deformation. When laying the panels, one should not forget about the technological gaps.

Polymer materials

Benefits:

  • Ease of care.
  • Resistance to chemicals.
  • Good adhesive properties.
  • Resistant to high and low temperatures.
  • Durability.
  • Resistant to liquid.
  • Aesthetic appearance.

Disadvantages:

  • The complexity of the arrangement.
  • The complexity of the dismantling.
  • High price.
  • Requirement to the base.

Style and design

Interior styles can be divided into classic and modern. Nowadays, some even prefer to mix them. Classics fans usually choose wood flooring. The ideal option for a room decorated in a classic style is high-quality parquet.

You can also use massive boards (some specially create the effect of the old surface).

If you want to create an atmosphere of antiquity in a room, you can choose coatings with floral, geometric patterns. For a Japanese-style room, a dark floor will do, but other surfaces should be made light, otherwise the interior will be too gloomy.

Modern styles allow a greater variety of flooring options. You can choose, for example, epoxy materials - and create a real picture on the floor. A bright “puzzle” cover will suit the modern children's room: the kid will be delighted with such a rug.However, many modern styles imply restraint in interior design - for example, minimalism, high-tech. The floors in such rooms are usually plain.

It is also worth noting the features of the floors in ethnic style. These are sharp color transitions, raw surfaces, styling. You can use leather, cork materials, make bright accents.

Necessary means and accessories

If you are going to install linoleum, you will need to prepare glue, knife, tape measure, masking tape, notched trowel, long metal ruler, roller. For laying the carpet will need a roller, tape measure, slats of metal, a knife.

Laminate is laid using a saw or electric jigsaw, hammer, film of polyethylene, pencil, ruler. To the floor was as flat as possible, use the substrate.

When laying parquet can be used cement screed: for such work will need special tools that allow to fill the floor. To the base surface will need to glue the plywood (or fix it with screws). Parquet itself is laid using galvanized nails, special glue.For laying such flooring you will also need to use a spatula made of wood, with which you will level the adhesive composition, brushes, spatulas, hammers, level.

Do not forget about the precautions. When carrying out any installation work it is recommended to use protective gloves.

Which is better to choose?

When deciding which floor is best to buy, you should avoid haste. Certain factors must be considered:

  • Own tastes. Pay attention to the coverage that you like, do not immediately buy the cheapest. Otherwise, it is possible that over time the floor will annoy you.
  • Price. Of course, the cost is still one of the most important factors when choosing a floor covering.
  • The state in which the base is located. Tiles, for example, are not suitable for uneven floors. If you still want to use just such a floor, you will need to make the surface as flat as possible.
  • Room It should be taken into account exactly where you choose the flooring: in the room for children, in the study under the computer chair, in the bathroom or anywhere else.Consider not only aesthetics, but also the functionality, characteristics, safety of the selected material.

Care Tips

Each type of flooring has its own characteristics, so you need to take care of the floors in different ways. Consider certain recommendations:

  • In rooms with parquet floors it is necessary to maintain a certain level of humidity. You can apply a special paste on such a surface. To clean the parquet flooring, you must first use a vacuum cleaner. Then scrub the floor with a special mop - plain warm water, without using detergents. Wet cleaning of parquet should be carried out twice a year, it is not recommended to do it more often.

You can use gasoline or a regular soap sponge to remove stains. Turpentine helps to remove fat. Wash the parquet surface should be in the direction of the wood fibers.

  • Laminate is usually simply wiped with a damp cloth, special cleaning products can be used. They not only allow to get rid of pollution, but also strengthen the protective layer of such coatings.
  • Tiled materials have a high resistance to liquids and detergents, they can be washed quickly and easily. That is why such coatings are often used in kitchens.
  • Linoleum can not be cleaned with ammonia and soda ash, suitable for this conventional detergents and warm water. The liquid should not be too hot, otherwise the image will fade over time. To remove the ink from the surface, you can use sandpaper or pumice.
  • To care for the floor of the boards you can use warm water with detergent or soda. You can get rid of fat on such surfaces with gasoline, a mixture of white clay and vinegar.
  • The painted wooden surface can be washed with water and ammonia or vinegar, after which the surface will start to shine. It is not recommended to use soda or soapy water for the maintenance of such floors - the color of the surface may change. Pour cold water on a greasy stain, and then remove it using a knife. You can purchase special products to care for unpainted and painted surfaces.
  • To care for the carpet is better to use a washing vacuum cleaner. You can clean this surface every month with a detergent and a damp cloth.
  • Do not wet the carpet too much. On such a coating may be a special tool that does not allow dust to accumulate, and the excess liquid will remove it.It is better to use a vacuum cleaner, rather than brushes and brooms - so you can remove dust as efficiently as possible. About once every six months, you should contact the experts involved in cleaning such coatings. It is necessary to get rid of spots on such surfaces immediately, because then it will be much more difficult to do.

Manufacturers and reviews

Among the most popular companies specializing in the production of floor coverings, Tarkett. This manufacturer produces high-quality products, using the latest technology to achieve the best results. Negative reviews about such coatings are very rarely left by consumers. Some grievances relate to difficulties in care.

High user ratings also won Quick Step, Classen, Juteks. Many Russian consumers emit materials Ikea - protective flooring to avoid contamination and wear of the surface, pleasant to the touch carpets. Manufacturers of flooring at the present time a lot, and get lost in this variety is very easy. If you want to get high-quality products, pay attention to the rating of flooring manufacturers, customer reviews.

Exclusive examples and options

Designers offer the following options:

  • The original option for a house or apartment - polymer floors. They look very beautiful.
  • The floor that passes into the wall is a very interesting and harmonious design.
  • The combination of dark floor and light walls - a common and very effective option.
  • Cork is a very good option for the bedroom. Such materials are environmentally friendly, they are pleasant to the touch.

Recommendations for choosing flooring can be found in the video below.

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