The floor in the apartment is the most important part of it. Firstly, furniture and most of the equipment are installed on the floor, washing machine, stove, bath, shower, toilet and other plumbing. 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 to 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 foreign climate. It is the finished, well-executed floor that makes the apartment ensemble complete.

Floor installation is not a cheap undertaking. However, 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:

1. Carrier.
2. Warming.
3. Sound insulating.
4. Moisture insulating.
5. 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 cotterless parquet strips are glued directly to the top surface concrete slab with bitumen mastic, latex or PVA glue.

At best, 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 houses 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.

Timber joist floor can also contain heat and sound insulation. Most often it is mineral wool laid between the beams. A waterproofing layer can also be provided there. Already on the beams, an intermediate layer is mounted, which can consist of logs, a subfloor, 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 according to girder floor in the old. 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 ceilings, 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 right 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 to fit 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. Mix composition:

1. Sand - 3-4 parts.
2. Cement - 1 part.
3. 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 pouring surface 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:

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

The styling 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 through 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 minor 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 polyethylene sheet with a thickness of 0.2 mm 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 laminate, 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 from 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 felt. If the size of the film is not enough, its sheets should be overlapped, sealing the edges with tape.

1. 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.
2. Lags are also placed directly on the reinforced concrete floor or screed.
3. Lags are wooden beams section 50 × 100 of conifers 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.

A cut is superimposed on the logs 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 Siberian larch boards.

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.

The subfloor 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 subfloor.

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 shape allows, by assembling the boards so that the tongue of one goes into the groove of the other, and to form from individual boards lasting 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. When installing, 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 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 makes it easy, quick and reliable to 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 binding material. It has proven itself over the years as a covering 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 nonwoven 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 favorably distinguishes it from ceramic tiles and stone, is its "warmth" in feeling and some softness. Dishes that have fallen on the linoleum floor will not break so unambiguously. And bruises from falling on linoleum will not be as painful.

PVC tiles are tiles made from a special multi-layer composite material based on crushed natural stone and very durable vinyl. It comes in a 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;
• ease of installation 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. The adhesive is applied to the tile and then the tile is 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 tile, 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 get good result a synthesis of knowledge, experience and practical skills of a person constantly engaged in work in this important direction is necessary.

The basic interior issues include the decision on how to make the floors in the apartment, which determines the overall style of each room.

Not only the artistic part is important, but also resistance to wear and tear, ease of cleaning, environmental component and just a feeling of comfort underfoot.

The desired effect will be achieved by choosing a material corresponding to its characteristics and observing the technology of its laying.

The main elements of the device

Repair the concrete base before finishing the floor

Regardless of the decision of how to cover the floor in the apartment, whether new floors are being laid or the floor in the apartment is being replaced with our own hands, work starts from a concrete base.

The slab floor may already have a high-quality screed, otherwise it will have to be done - to concrete large drops and fill it with a self-leveling compound. The horizontal plane will give confident support to all areas and layers of future beautiful floors.

If the floors are not insulated, it is necessary to install insulation

The floor structure for an apartment is a sequential alternation of the following levels:

• concrete floor slab;
• waterproofing (for bathroom, kitchen, toilet);
• thermal insulation (while performing the task of soundproofing);
• floor covering (also includes additional technological accessories - a plinth, ventilation grilles for a wooden floor on logs).

It is necessary to determine which floor in the room is better to make (PVC tiles or parquet), it is necessary for each room separately, depending on its purpose. Children's room, bedroom, corner for sports activities differ in loads and intensity of impact on the entire structure to the very foundation.

Protective level

A crucial step in the work is to calculate what to put on the screed under the selected floor, which material is better to use as insulation.

Each species has specific characteristics, including minimum thickness, at which they appear in standard values ​​and determine which floors are best done in the apartment.

Consider the brand and type of insulation under different options floor finishing is needed according to the following characteristics:

• thermal conductivity ( important indicator for the first floors, cottages with non-residential basement levels with low air temperatures);
• recommended thickness;
• absorption of noise;
• water absorption coefficient, vapor permeability;
• fire resistance;
• weight, ability to withstand load (density);
• application technology, consumption per 1 m², amount of waste;
• health safety.

The difference in floor levels between rooms is not desirable (not safe), with the exception of sanitary and hygienic premises, in which it is provided for by building codes in case of accidents with water spills.

Material

Combine foamed polyethylene with other materials

Before you make the floor in the apartment with your own hands, you need to calculate the expected effect in comparison with the budget and the availability of the preparation of the selected material for different kinds finishes:

In the rooms where it is planned to lay ceramic tiles, it is advisable to apply the "warm floor" technology.

Surface layer

In all the variety of coatings, you need to figure out which floors are best made for each specific setting (concrete floor or parquet).

So, what to use for covering the floor, which room the material will correspond to, is chosen from the following basic positions:

• wood board;
• parquet;
• ceramic or polymer tiles;
• laminate;
• linoleum;
• carpet;
• cork sheet.

A clear comparison in terms of performance can be seen from the table:

The flooring materials presented can cover a concrete, wooden base, lined with sheets of plywood or moisture resistant plasterboard. Manufacturers produce products for finishing the floor in an apartment, having a variety of color solutions, texture, patterns and whole compositions, panels.

Linoleum

A modern manufacturer offers a wide range of colors and properties of this finishing material.

It belongs to the most popular coatings today. Easy to fit, waterproof, fairly affordable price, the assortment has a wide variety in color and pattern. It can be insulated with fibrous substrates, placed on a foamed bottom layer, so that it can be immediately laid on the concrete floor in the apartment.

The material is quite soft, subject to permanent deformation from heavy objects, and needs to be treated with care. Of all the options that can be used to cover the finished base, the fastest.

Linoleum is made using a natural or polymer base. According to its purpose, it is divided into 2 types: commercial (intensive loads in office, industrial buildings) and household (non-commercial).

In comparison, which floor covering to choose, the first type wins in terms of resistance to wear, but one must pay attention to the fact that it was originally designed not for rooms with a small volume and poor ventilation.

The commercial type has a higher content of harmful components, therefore it is not recommended to use it in residential premises.

Laminate flooring

Laminate slabs imitate any textures and colors

Natural wood has been replaced by floor finishing with multi-layer types of artificial boards with increased performance characteristics. The texture and pattern successfully imitate parquet, stone, precious woods and much more.

At the same time, laminate is much more affordable and easier to install than parquet. Standard size is 0.25 × 1.5 m, the structure is prudently equipped with locks that connect the lamellas to the overall picture of a beautiful floor. The set surface without breaks in area can reach up to 100 m².

For rooms for different purposes, when asked which floor to choose, a material of the corresponding strength class is used (marked with a two-digit number, starting with 2 for domestic needs or 3 for commercial).

Carpet

It is a common decision when choosing which floor is better to make in the recreation area, children's (play) room. The canvas is made from synthetic, natural threads.

The pile can be long or absent, like a carpet. They are based on rubber, felt or jute.

The carpet structure can wrinkle under load, become clogged with dirt, and absorb liquids. Carpet requires careful handling, careful maintenance, cleaning. Therefore, you should not start the hallway with them, apply it in the kitchen, but rather lay it in the living room or bedroom.

Cork covering

Available in 2 types: decorative and technical (for the substrate). It comes in a roll version and a plate version. For the pros and cons of cork flooring, see this video:

The cork has a full range of desirable qualities in all respects, except for the price. The material is environmentally friendly, has excellent thermal resistance, low sound conductivity, mechanical strength at low thickness.

The roll is unrolled, cut to size, laid on a base prepared with an adhesive. The slab is laid end-to-end. When laying directly on a concrete floor, a softening underlay is required so as not to be squeezed by small particles.

Choosing a floor covering for an apartment should be based on financial capabilities and personal preferences. When purchasing a new or restoring an old home, each of us sees the process of repairing a house in a different way. Some approach radically, and decide to re-equip the entire living space, others intend to do with light cosmetic repairs... If you see that more than 30 percent of the premises are in need of repair, then it is better to choose a major type of apartment or house restoration. After all, the visible is only part of what needs to be done. Usually, the most severe damage is hidden from the naked eye.

Where to start repairing floors in an apartment: preparatory work

When renovating a room, it is always necessary to first of all analyze the condition of the floors, walls and ceiling. These essential building blocks of your home are fundamental, and the condition of your entire home depends on their integrity.

Repair of floors in an apartment, the options for which are presented below, must begin with overhaul throughout the house. Only in this way the repair that you started will make sense and an excellent result.

The first step is to level the floors in the apartment, for example, using a self-leveling mixture

You should not start repairing floors in an apartment if you do not have enough time and money. This type of repair is costly, and if halfway through the journey it turns out that you run out of money, then your whole family will jump on logs and bags of cement for a long time. Do-it-yourself repairs will help to save money. But for it to be carried out correctly, you need to develop a plan in which all stages of the repair work should be clearly defined.

Stages of repairing floors in an apartment:

1. Before starting any repairs, you must make a sketch of the finished object. Take a pencil, a piece of paper and a centimeter, draw a surface, and paint on it whatever you want to do next.
2. Divide the space into zones according to your visions. Determine where what kind of finishing material you will use.
3. Arrange future or existing furniture in the order in which it will stand.
4. Number the stages construction works... They start with the dismantling of old surfaces, in the middle of the way you have a replacement of communications, the repair ends with laying the floor.
5. Make a cost estimate.

Once again, weigh your financial capabilities and dedication, read the reviews, these types of work are not cheap. If you decide to make repairs with your own hands, then it will not be superfluous for you to advise a specialist, or consult a professional.

Existing types of floors in the apartment: 10 installation options

The floor is the upper part of the slab between floors. apartment building or home and ground. The quality of the floors greatly affects the entire structure of the building; a well-made house can serve for decades without requiring replacement or repair.

There are different types of floors in the apartment. They differ in the type of flooring and flooring.

It is better to use a concrete floor as the base for the flooring.

Also, the floor has several functions, which we sometimes do not even think about, considering that its main task is to provide us with a comfortable movement around the apartment. The floor should provide soundproofing, thermal insulation, moisture resistance, load-bearing function and, of course, aesthetic appearance.

Types of floors that exist:

• Wooden beams can be used as a base for the floor;
• Reinforced concrete beams are also suitable for these purposes;
• In modern buildings, a metal profile can be laid for arranging beams;
• For further laying of the floor covering, the space between the beams is filled with a cement screed, semi-dry or dry;
• You can lay linoleum as a floor covering;
• The wooden floor will be warm and environmentally friendly;
• Properly laid parquet or laminate flooring is often used in modern designs;
• Sometimes builders use PVC tiles;
• For arranging the floors in the corridor or kitchen, you can use ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware;

In elite houses, it is customary to use marble or granite tiles for arranging the floor in problem rooms.

Which floor covering in the apartment is better: what to choose

The specificity of buildings involves the use of various building materials. Sometimes, where wooden floor boards can be used, it is completely impossible to equip the floor with ceramic tiles. To change building materials one to another, it is necessary to completely change the structure of the floors.

What is the best floor covering for the apartment? What do professionals think about this? As of all existing species floor covering to choose your own?

Laminate flooring fits well into any interior design thanks to a wide variety of colors

To understand this problem, and make a choice, you need to carefully study specifications all types of floor coverings found in nature.

Properties and characteristics of types of flooring:

• Board. In most cases, this is a planed, grooved board, 25-45 mm thick, adapted for laying on the floor. Such a floor provides heat and sound insulation and is the most environmentally friendly of all types of floors.
• Parquet. The principle and technical characteristics of such a floor correspond to a floor made of planks. The only difference is the size of the boards. Due to the fact that the size of the boards may not be large, they can be made from valuable types of wood, which makes the floor of higher quality and more durable.
• Laminate is very similar in appearance and installation to parquet, but it is made of four-layer fiberboard.
• Linoleum. The most common finishing material. It is easy to install, easy to maintain, and its quality is constantly being improved. Apartment owners willingly use this finishing material in their premises.

All types of tiles are mainly used in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and hallway. Such its use is due to its special strength and waterproofness.

We figure out which floor is better to make in the apartment

IN modern apartments the main theme of the renovation is energy saving. To do this, their owners are taking a number of measures that provide a delay in heat in the apartment.

Which floor is better to make in the apartment to make it warmer and more economical. Experts recommend equipping types of floors where there is a space between the base of the floor and the floor covering.

If desired, you can combine the floor covering, for example, tiles with laminate

Underfloor heating allows you to save 25 to 50 percent in the house thanks to the underfloor heating system. You can even equip it on your own, the main thing is to foresee in advance, even before the start of the floor overhaul.

Views heating systems for floors:

• Water heating;
• Electric heating;
• Infrared heating.

It is the infrared heating system that is the highest quality, affordable and practical for the insulation of houses in apartments. It fits almost any flooring.

Wooden floors in the apartment: material features

The environmental friendliness of food, clothing and building materials is becoming increasingly important. And not in vain. The objects that surround us, as well as the food we eat, greatly affect our health. That's why modern designers and homeowners are increasingly using wood for flooring.

Wooden flooring in an apartment is once again rising in the rankings among flooring materials. Designers create a variety of projects, the main idea of ​​which is precisely wooden floors.

To prolong the life of a wooden floor, it must be painted.

It is not in vain that the most expensive interior design styles imply the presence of only wooden floors. IN modern world of designer fashion, such a floor indicates good welfare, financial stability and excellent taste of the owner of the house.

The advantages of wooden floors:

• Made from environmentally friendly natural material;
• Have an excellent aesthetic appearance;
• Practical and durable;
• Even small children can easily walk on such a floor with bare feet;
• Easy to maintain and repair;
• It is not difficult to do the installation yourself,

There are several varieties of wood flooring. Parquet and parquet board are currently considered the most expensive of wood species... A simpler option is a conventional grooved board.

Self-leveling floor covering in the room: fashion trends

Laying parquet or putting slabs of parquet on a concrete floor is now easy for many people, just like putting cheaper options. The simplest thing that will be the cheapest is to make linoleum flooring or cover the floor with laminate. But decorating houses in this way is no longer fashionable.

Self-leveling coating is great for rooms made in modern or high-tech style

Covering the floor in a self-leveling room will not cost you inexpensively, but finishing with their use will make everyone "gasp".

If you are building a house from scratch and you want it to be beautiful and unusual Finishing work made it exclusive, try the new way they are covering the floor now - self-leveling.

Self-leveling floors are made from:

• Polyurethane;
• Epoxy urethane resin;
• Methyl methacrylate;
• Cement-polyurethane mixture.

The most extravagant and unusual are self-leveling floors made of polyurethane and epoxy resins.

Materials: what to make the floors in the apartment from (video)

A huge number of materials for arranging the floor provide a choice. For different rooms at home, you can choose a different covering, which will provide a more reliable functionality of the premises. Your main task is to correctly perform the construction and finishing of floors.

We will analyze the most popular coatings, and you will already decide which of the evils is the least.

To get started, consider the initial data of the kitchen

Before thinking about what is best to put on the kitchen floor, you need to think about exactly where the room is located:

1. If we are talking about a high-rise building and a middle floor, then almost any floor will be warm enough and there is no point in worrying about insulation.
2.A if you live on the ground floor or in private house, then there is already another conversation, since in winter, without special heating, the floor can simply be icy.

The initial humidity of the room is also important, which, again, depends on the location. Especially humid kitchens can be found on the ground floors and in houses without a basement. Having put a wooden floor in such a kitchen, for example, you should not count on the fact that it will lie for a long time and will not need to be scraped.

But let's start in order.

What floors are there and which ones are the most practical?

Of the most popular and affordable coatings today, we can highlight:

There are, of course, cork floors, and there are stone floors, but this is not so popular anymore, since the price "bites". Therefore, we will not include them in our review, it is better to talk about them separately, taking into account all the nuances.

From all of the above, we can say that the most-most practical floors are tile and self-leveling.

But the tile has one big drawback - it is cold. Self-leveling floors are quite expensive. But we have it all we will consider in more detail in separate blocks, considering both the advantages and disadvantages.

If desired, you can also make a combined floor, this is especially true for kitchens connected to the living room. Due to the transition of textures, it is possible to successfully zone the room.

About screed and insulation

When the repair is in full swing, then the question of which coatings to prefer is not the most burning one. Now the main thing is screed and leveling the surface.

Before choosing the material from which the screed will be made, you need to think about what you will put on top.

If there is a tile, then it makes no difference what will be below and the usual one will do. cement mortar... And if it is a laminate, then it is much better to make a plaster screed using a mixture for plaster. Such a floor will come out much warmer and less moisture permeable.

Also, the thickness of the screed may depend on what type of insulation you choose.

And if you raised the screed high enough, then making a wooden flooring is no longer very reasonable if your ceiling height is standard, that is, 2.5 meters. If you "steal" the extra 10 cm, it will significantly affect the visual perception of the room.

And if you also plan to hang the ceiling, then it will not be good at all. Now let's get closer to the topic and talk about specific coatings.

Laminate in the kitchen

The good thing about laminate is that its installation is quite simple and there is no need to involve professionals for this. Also, it's enough to just take care of it, it is quite durable, it feels warm to the touch, and the choice of colors and textures is more than huge.

In general, laminate flooring is a very good choice for the kitchen if you buy it, taking into account the characteristics of wear resistance and do not choose the cheapest option.

Of course, a class for commercial premises is not always needed, but increased moisture resistance and chip resistance will not hurt. By the way, recently we wrote about that, be sure to read.

Consider that the kitchen is the kitchen. A knife, a heavy frying pan, a meat grinder may fall out of your hands ... Anything. And then it will be simply impossible to restore the floor.

Also if your room is still damp, the same first floor, then the laminate will not be the most brilliant choice due to the fact that it has the property of "driving." And if in a room of average humidity it retains its original appearance for 10 years, then in a humid one in the fifth year the joints will begin to "turn out".

Also, do not forget that the kitchen is such a room where splashing water. And the laminate does not like this very much and you need to constantly wipe off the drops in order to preserve the surface as long as possible.

Wooden floor

You can't lay the parquet on your own, of course. It is expensive, prone to abrasion and generally not the best option for a kitchen.

But ordinary deck boards are what you need. The floor comes out very warm and without insulation, it is simple to care for it, and most importantly - no screed is needed in this case, since the board is laid on the logs.

It is for sale ready-made, so there is no need to cycle anything, just lay it flat, setting the supports according to the level.

This option is not the most budgetary, but it is beautiful and environmentally friendly. And given the fact that you also save on the screed, then this option has the right to be considered.

But here, too, do not forget that if a knife that has fallen from a height sticks into a tree, a scratch will remain on it. But on the laminate - no. But walking barefoot on a laminate is unpleasant, like on oilcloth, and on a wooden one - very even.

But, as we wrote above, it is very cold in winter.

So, if your kitchen doesn't heat well, think three times before settling on the stove. Not only is it cold in itself, it also lowers the overall degree of the room. Not much, but still.

But, if the cold does not bother you, or you are ready to insulate the floor at the stage of laying the screed, then you can consider this option.

Tiles are very demanding on the correctness and quality of installation. If it is poorly laid, and there are air gaps between it and the screed, then it will very quickly begin to "walk" in these places, and over time it will simply burst in this place. Also, the tile bursts from falling on it. cast iron pans... To renounce such an incident is unreasonable, because anything can happen and all the options must be taken into account.

It is often impossible to find a replacement for a bursting fragment, since fashion changes quickly, the assortment in stores also, so take this into account when you buy building materials. Have a couple of extra tiles left for later.

Well, and the last point - the tiles are often very slippery and it is very easy to slip on it if water is spilled on the floor. And it hurts to fall on the tiles, yes. And the glasses crumble, falling onto a hard surface instantly. But if they fell on a laminate or wood, then nothing would happen to them.

It's hard to say which tile is better. Naturally, it should not be for walls, but floor-standing.

If a herd of rhinos does not run through your kitchen every day, you can choose the most ordinary, not the most shock-resistant. Expensive porcelain stoneware, for example, is definitely not needed; it is more suitable for outdoor patios.

Linoleum in the kitchen

Even a woman can put linoleum on the floor. But it must be laid exclusively on the smoothest surface, otherwise every grain of sand and groove will be visible under the coating. Not only is it just ugly, but it will also be wiped in these places with incredible force.

Linoleum wear depends on its original characteristics. There are softer options, which cannot be pressed with something hard, as a dent will form in an instant. And there are more dense ones for offices and other commercial premises.

The main trouble with linoleum is that it does not shine with beautiful colors.

Color options in this case: gray, light gray, dark gray, blue. If you manage to find something more interesting and with a pattern, then it will be great luck. We do not recommend imitations of wood and tiles.

But linoleum has one big drawback. On it, all the time there are black stripes from the soles, which is still a pleasure to wash. Moreover, this is not only about street shoes.

So, if you have children in your house who run a lot and "brake" with their soles, get ready for the fact that you will have to crawl with a cotton swab soaked in acetone and wipe off the marks.

Caring for him is completely minimal, this floor washes well. Also, it is not afraid of moisture, not afraid of bumps and scratches, but at the same time it cannot be called very hard to the touch.

The self-leveling floor is not cold, therefore, walking on it is much more pleasant than on tiles.

Another big plus such floors - the possibility of choosing a very non-standard color. Here you can come up with anything you want. Although the image of a volumetric aquarium with fish, with a full 3D effect.

But self-leveling floors are still a novelty, and therefore the price for them is not the most loyal.

Also great importance here has stacker skill. Some people may do this very sloppy and the floor will look uneven. And given that it is mainly glossy, every dot and bubble will be visible in the sun.

Therefore, before deciding on a self-leveling floor, look for masters and see photos of their work, and also read reviews about this company.

And so, the self-leveling floor is very durable, they say that it serves more than fifty years, while maintaining its original appearance. Honestly, we have doubts about this, since no one canceled abrasion and micro-scratches. And even if ceramic tile after 50 years it wears out, then how can a self-leveling floor be preserved if it is softer by definition?

Our article has come to an end and we hope you have decided a little on which floor is better to do in the kitchen. We wish you all the best!

Today there are enough apartment floor coverings a large number of... This is precisely the main difficulty that is encountered on the way to choosing the right material. Today we will try to figure out which floor is better to do in the apartment. We will find out which materials are the most practical, take into account the reviews about them and consider the photos of ready-made options.

The main criteria for choosing a floor covering

In whatever room of the apartment you plan to replace the floor, there are general criteria by which the type of flooring is selected:

1. First, decide how much money you are willing to give for this type building material... After all, the price categories of flooring are quite ambiguous and depend on the type of material and its quality.
2. When choosing a floor covering, the location of the apartment is taken into account. For example, the material that can be used on the second, third and higher floors is categorically not recommended to be installed on the first floor (due to the increased moisture level in the basement).
3. Lifestyle and the number of people living in the apartment. If four adults, two children live in the same room, and besides, there are animals, then preference should be given to more durable and high-quality material.

Choosing a floor for the bedroom

The bedroom is the place where we used to be as relaxed as possible. Therefore, we want to get maximum comfort from this room, so that we can relax in peace. Often, movement around the rest room occurs with bare feet, so the main quality of the floor covering should be warmth.

Warm and soft carpet: a good option for bedroom

The most suitable coating for a bedroom can be materials with high heat resistance characteristics:

• Carpet;
• Natural wood;
• Parquet.
  

  Attention! IN last years the most common material has become laminate, due to its practical, strong and durable characteristics.

  Although it is worth knowing that, in terms of its thermal properties, the laminate is significantly inferior to the carpet. Walking on such a surface should be in room slippers or covered with a carpet. Another great way to keep your laminate warm is to equip a special heating system underneath it.

Children's room - an area of ​​increased attention

We all want to provide our children with maximum warmth, comfort and protection. Therefore, the choice of flooring in the children's room should be taken with the utmost seriousness. The child spends most of his free time in his room: playing, learning lessons, resting and sleeping. The most important criterion for choosing a floor for a children's playroom is safety. The material from which the coating is made should not emit harmful toxic substances and an unpleasant odor.

Cork: one of the most sustainable materials for an apartment

One of the safest floors is considered to be cork, which is used to cork wine bottles. The main properties of a cork floor:

• Safety. The material is completely environmentally friendly, therefore it does not emit harmful and toxic substances into the air;
• Possesses excellent anti-allergenic and bactericidal properties;
• Moisture resistant, which is very important for rooms where there are small children;
• Cork flooring is an excellent soundproofing agent. Therefore, the active games of children will not be heard by the neighbors from below;
• Elasticity and strength.

Attention! Cork enough durable material, which is not subject to rotting and the formation of fungus.

The only drawback of cork flooring is its expensive price, which is equivalent to the cost of natural wood parquet.

Which floor is the best to do in the kitchen

Kitchen is a zone high humidity and temperature. Therefore, kitchen flooring must be practical, durable and hygienic. Ideal option for the kitchen can be a ceramic coating (tile). She does not require special care, in case of contamination, it is enough to take a damp cloth and wipe the floor. Today, you can simply be surprised at the variety of ornaments and patterns on the tiles, so everyone will choose the most suitable design for themselves. Another advantage of ceramics is that even after the lapse of time it does not change its original appearance and bright color.

Ceramic tiles: great for a room like a kitchen

If you are primarily interested in budget options for coatings, then you should pay attention to linoleum, which today is significantly different in its own way. appearance and the quality of the Soviet coating. Linoleum is also quite easy to care for and has good quality characteristics.

Floor covering in the corridor and hallway

The corridor and hallway are considered the most walkable places in the apartment, which are prone to frequent pollution, dust and mechanical damage. It is for these reasons that it is necessary to use high quality flooring in these premises. And here again ceramic material (tiles) comes to the rescue. It is hardwearing and durable. Ceramics do not require special maintenance, swamp, dirt and dust can be easily removed using a regular damp cloth.

Ceramic tiles are well suited for both the corridor and the hallway area

Since the corridor or hallway is often small and naturally unlit, light colors should be preferred. So you can visually enlarge the room and make it much brighter and lighter. Bright pictures and high contrast are not welcome in this case.

Attention! Whichever type of flooring you choose, the main thing is that it is safe for human health. The quality characteristics of the floor largely depend on the professionalism of the laying of the material. Therefore, the installation of the floor should be done by experienced professionals.

So, summing up, we can say that for each room you should choose a certain type of floor covering, which is characterized by certain characteristics. If you like warmth, then we recommend giving preference to parquet, natural wood or carpet. When sustainability is a priority, look for cork. Ceramics has elevated level strength and practicality. While linoleum is the most budget option flooring.

Video: What floors are better for choosing an apartment