Laminate is a relatively new material used for flooring. Its characteristic features are excellent performance properties, thanks to which the products can be used in both residential and commercial premises. In addition, this material looks extremely stylish in appearance, ensuring a long period of use.
What does choosing the right laminate include?
The variety of products of this type from different manufacturers creates some difficulties for buyers in the process of selecting the right option. It is therefore important to take into account the designated selection criteria, which are as follows:
- Designer design. Buyers have access to variations with external coatings that imitate wood, stone, leather, and metal.
- Wear resistance class. Manufacturers offer products of classes 31, 32, 33. In the first case, the laminate is suitable for rooms with low traffic; its service life is about 3 years. Products of class 32 last from 5 to 15 years, suggesting an average degree of wear resistance. It can be laid in residential and domestic premises. Class 33 laminate will be suitable for rooms where the floors are subject to heavy loads.
- Moisture resistance level. A laminate that can repel moisture requires surface treatment with special substances. This type of material is used at home in bathrooms, kitchens and balconies, or in commercial buildings.
- Environmental friendliness. Safe operation for human health is an important consideration when choosing a laminate. Eco-friendly product formats are usually labeled as “E1” or “E0”.
Other answers to the question of how to choose a laminate include official information about the manufacturer's brand. The best European companies meet specified quality standards, providing reliable service over a specified period of time.
Dimensional parameters: laminate selection methods
The concept of size in this case provides data on length, width and thickness. The first parameter is needed to calculate the amount of material that will be purchased for the work. By and large, the size and width are more related to the designer segment. For example, for spacious rooms it is better to buy large laminate; small tiles are suitable for small rooms.
The thickness of products is assessed from the point of view of practicality. Variations in the range of 6-14 mm are available for purchase. The price directly depends on this factor - products of different thicknesses from the same manufacturer will have different prices. When choosing, you should pay attention to the following points:
- The operation of thick dies will be longer. However, 7-9 mm products are better suited for domestic premises.
- The thickness indicator is related to the thermal conductivity factor. A thin laminate will not be able to block the cold from the concrete surface. But in a heated floor system it will be indispensable.
- Thickness affects sound insulation. A home or office with thin laminate flooring will be very noisy. The clicking of heels, the tramp of children's feet, the falling of various objects and other sounds are transmitted clearly and distinctly in it.
During the selection process, attention is paid to the presence or absence of a chamfer on the die. This component changes the appearance of the coating, creating the effect of being identical to natural raw materials.
In addition, the chamfer has many advantages. With its help, visual imperfections in joints and unevenness of the base are eliminated. The chamfer also increases the shock-absorbing properties of the coating. When loads on the floors increase, it will prevent possible loads, increasing the service life of the coating.
