What can be used as flooring. Which floor covering is better? Main types of flooring

A modern apartment is represented by a concrete box, which is subject to rough or finishing processing. When deciding what the floors in the apartment will be like and what to make them from, you need to pay attention to the fact that the work involves insulation and sound insulation, preparation of the base in accordance with established standards.

Installation of floors in the apartment

Installation of most coatings requires a level and solid base. In some cases, high-quality slabs allow installation without preparation. The type of structure determines the reliability, practicality and durability of the coating being created.

The rough screed acts as a special layer that provides favorable conditions operation of the finishing coating. The floors in an apartment in most cases consist of several layers:

Reinforced concrete floor. Acts as the main material used in the construction of structures. It is often difficult to make a floor in an apartment from scratch due to the displacement of the slabs relative to each other.
Thermal insulation. This layer protects the base from temperature changes that can change the properties of the finish.
Waterproofing. High humidity negatively affects the properties of many finishing materials, especially those made of wood.
Reinforced screed. The purpose is to evenly distribute the load, level the base and protect intermediate materials from impact environment.
Decorative coating. It is laid down last. Some technologies involve the use of additional leveling materials and adhesives.

Each technological layer has its own purpose. Therefore, when considering how to make floors in an apartment, you need to take into account that the absence of one of the layers causes a decrease in service life.

Types of screeds

The floor in the apartment is laid on a leveling screed, which can be created when using various materials. It is created to ensure the required level of rigidity, leveling the base, and protecting the laid communications. In some cases, a slope is created to drain water.

Modern floors are made using various types of screeds, the most common are wet, dry and semi-dry. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and manufacturing technology.

Wet screed

When considering what to make a floor from, you need to take into account that the most common technology wet screed. It is characterized as follows:

The composition includes large number water, so you need to carry out high-quality insulation of the surface, otherwise the liquid may leak to the neighbors.
To create a waterproofing layer, coating compounds are used. When used, a seamless coating is obtained. To simplify the procedure, polyethylene is used, which is laid with an overlap of at least 15 cm. The joints are carefully taped with a special tape.
Considered the cheapest option. You can do it yourself; there are self-leveling compounds on sale that are easy to use.

To prepare the solution, cement of a grade of at least M400 is used, which is mixed with sand and water. Adding plasticizers changes the properties of the composition:

The mobility of the solution increases to ensure high fluidity.
The strength of the composition increases by 50%.
They decided to make floors on this screed due to saving cement by 20%.
The degree of adhesion to the base increases by 1.5 times.
The amount of water in the composition is reduced.

When considering which floor is best to install in an apartment, you should take into account several disadvantages of a wet screed:

High labor intensity of work.
To obtain a flat surface, skills in working with beacons are required.
It takes at least 3 weeks for the composition to dry.
During the hardening process, the surface must be wetted, otherwise cracks may appear.

The strength of the screed is ensured by its thickness, which must be at least 2 cm. Modern floor coverings can only be laid on a surface without defects, since even minor bumps or depressions will cause uneven distribution of the load.

Semi-dry screed

A subfloor can be created using a semi-dry screed. This method is considered inexpensive and requires a small amount of water. This screed is characterized as follows:

The mixture used is a composition consisting of sand, cement, and a small amount of water.
There are relatively few requirements for waterproofing, since the work does not use a large amount of water.
The composition can be used in new and old apartments.
The use of a small amount of water during operation means that installation can be carried out on any floor.
Low probability of cracks forming in the composition.
Provides a high degree of sound insulation.
The composition used provides high thermal insulation of the surface.
When laying communications, it is possible to protect them from environmental influences.
The process of creating a screed is accelerated due to the fact that it takes a short amount of time to dry.
Relatively low cost of the composition.

This type of screed has disadvantages:

Without experience, it is difficult to choose the right amount of water.
Due to low fluidity, difficulties arise in obtaining an even coating. Various tools are used for leveling.
Screed height to ensure load-bearing capacity must be at least 4 cm.
When creating a layer of large thickness, a reinforcing mesh is used.

In this case, the floor pie should also have several layers, each responsible for its own functions.

Dry screed

You can make a screed using a dry compound. Its advantages are as follows:

The amount of time required for the base to dry is significantly reduced.
Changes in almost any height can be effectively leveled.
Laying of the finishing coating can be carried out almost immediately after the foundation is created.
Dry material has high insulating properties.
Due to the low weight of the screed, the load on load-bearing element. Therefore, the technology can be used to create a base on a balcony or loggia.
It is possible to install communications.

You can install the screed yourself. There are a large number of different versions of this material on sale.

Floor construction based on joists

When installing floors in a kartire, a technology that involves laying joists can be used. These materials are characterized by high environmental friendliness.

The technology for creating such a base involves dividing the lags into simple and adjustable ones. The resulting space can be used for insulation or laying communications.

Methods of heat and sound insulation

When considering how to properly construct a floor, it should be taken into account that different insulating materials can be used. They are divided into sheet, tile and coating. Leaf ones are most often used. Coatings allow you to get a seamless coating.

What should the floor be like in rooms for different purposes?

Which flooring to choose for an apartment should be considered taking into account the purpose of the premises. The living room and bedroom have different requirements, which are reflected in the choice of material.

Bedroom floor

You need to choose a floor for the bedroom taking into account the fact that this room is the quietest in the apartment. The material must meet the following requirements:

It is recommended to make a floor in the bedroom that absorbs noise when walking.
The room should create an optimal microclimate for relaxation.
The surface must be antistatic.
The selected material must have high wear resistance.

Suitable for the criteria under consideration various types floor coverings.

Children's room

Many people think about how to lay the floor in a nursery, since there are a large number of different materials on sale. The requirements for the floor in this room are as follows:

High quality.
Good sound insulation.
The surface must be non-slip and hypoallergenic.
Must withstand wet cleaning.

The materials used should be well cushioned, which will reduce the likelihood of injury if a child falls.

Living room floor

When considering what floors can be made in the living room, it is worth considering that in this room the material is exposed to high mechanical stress, so the coating must be wear-resistant.

Often chosen for the living room natural materials, since they look more expensive than artificial ones. This category includes cork and parquet

Kitchen floor

The kitchen floor experiences the most wear and tear. The indoor microclimate is characterized by high humidity and constant temperature changes.

A combination of several materials is often used in the kitchen. They must have high moisture resistance and not absorb pollutants.

Hallway floor

This room can be finished inexpensively by using various materials. The following criteria are taken into account:

Aesthetic appearance.
High resistance to mechanical stress.
Resistance to aggressive chemicals.

The high strength of the surface layer should protect the coating from impacts.

Bathroom floor

Materials for the bathroom floor are selected taking into account their resistance to high humidity and constant temperature changes characteristic of this room. In addition to moisture resistance, the main selection criteria are hygiene, mechanical strength and ease of maintenance. The surface should not be slippery, as this may result in a fall and injury.

Types of floor coverings, their characteristics and installation features

When deciding what to lay on the floor in an apartment, you need to pay attention to the installation technology used and the requirements for the base.

Tiles and mosaics

Beautiful coatings can be created using tiles. It is characterized by the following positive qualities:

High hardness.
Resistance to humidity and temperature changes.
Fire resistance.
Wear resistance.

Can be used in most environments, but is expensive and not suitable if there is a risk of exposure to pinpoint impacts.

Carpet, linoleum and marmoleum

Linoleum, marmoleum and carpet are the most common materials. The relatively low cost allows them to be used in various rooms. Linoleum has high insulating qualities; carpet is often installed in the bedroom.

When using these materials, it is possible to create the effect of a seamless coating.

Laminate and parquet

Laminate and parquet are installed in most residential premises. The question often arises as to which parquet flooring is best to choose for an apartment. When selecting the material, take into account the type of wood used, the number and type of layers, as well as the lock with which the individual planks are connected.

Laminate is used more often because it is much cheaper and can withstand environmental stress.

Self-leveling floor

Self-leveling floors are created in various rooms. It has an attractive appearance and high mechanical stability, providing reliable insulation. It is difficult to make such a floor covering yourself, since a special technology is used for this.

Polyvinyl chloride

Modern materials can withstand environmental influences, such as polyvinyl chloride. Its low cost allows it to be used for finishing various premises in cases where a small budget is allocated for the work.

Due to its low degree of environmental friendliness, polyvinyl chloride is rarely used for finishing residential premises.

Cork floor

This coating is made from natural raw materials. Cork flooring is pleasant to the touch and has high shock-absorbing capabilities.

There are several types of cork floors on sale; they are made using different technologies.

tongue and groove board

The tongue and groove board is an environmentally friendly material. It can last for several decades.

You can install tongue and groove boards yourself. To protect the coating, it is treated with various compounds.

Summary table of materials for flooring in an apartment

The pivot table is used to select the most suitable material. It was created to compare key indicators.

Indicator	Laminate, parquet	Self-leveling floor	tongue and groove board	Cork	Linoleum	Ceramic tiles	Polyvinyl chloride
Service life, years	5-15	10-30	Up to 40	Up to 50	3-7	5-15	2-5
Decorativeness	low	high	low	low	low	average	average
Environmental friendliness	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Care	average	easily	average	average	easily	average	average
Repairability	No	high	average	No	No	No	No
Thermal insulation	low	low	high	high	low	low	low
Moisture resistance	low	high	low	low	high	high	high
Scope of application	hallway, living room, kitchen, bedroom	bathroom, kitchen, hallway, living room	living room, hallway, children's room, bedroom	living room, children's room, bedroom	hallway, living room, bathroom, kitchen	hallway, kitchen, bathroom, living room	hallway, utility rooms

In order to choose the right flooring for your apartment, you first need to find out what materials it is made from and consider all the pros and cons of different types.

Laminate

The laminate is based on MDF panels, carefully pressed with a paper layer and varnished.

Depending on the thickness of the panels, the quantity and quality of the primary material, the laminate can be of several strength classes. How to choose a substrate for laminate -.

The advantages of this flooring:

simple installation with or without glue (in the second case there is always the possibility of replacing damaged panels);
resistance to mechanical stress;
fire safety;
easy care thanks to the antistatic layer applied on top;
durability (provided that the wear resistance class is selected correctly);
extensive product range;
affordable price.

Disadvantages of the material include:

fear of humidity;
insufficient environmental friendliness due to the use of resins, varnishes, and impregnating chemicals in production.

An overview of various floor coverings can be seen in the following video:

Linoleum

The coating intended for a residential apartment is a multilayer system. Heterogeneous linoleum, which is presented in stores, consists of the following layers:

Frame (fiberglass), impregnated with PVC paste.
Pigment that determines the color and pattern of the final product.
Protective.

Linoleum can also be equipped with an additional layer - a substrate, which determines its sound and heat insulation properties, and also hides uneven floors.

Linoleum is sold either in rolls 1–6 m wide and 1.5 to 5.0 mm thick, or in the form of tiles (another name is PVC tiles). The floor surface is carefully prepared, and then the linoleum is laid with special glue.

Advantages of linoleum:

ease of installation;
ease of care;
variety of design;
excellent moisture resistance;
wear resistance;
low price;
soundproofing.

The disadvantages are insufficient environmental friendliness, sensitivity to temperature changes, and a tendency to squeezing under intense loads.

It is worth noting that there is another type of linoleum made from natural materials– flax oils, pigments, additives. The complexity of producing such coatings makes their cost quite high, so they are not widely used.

Carpet

In cross-section, this coating is represented by the following components:

Pile.
The base is the primary lining.
A secondary lining plus an anchoring layer (usually latex).

The materials themselves can be artificial - nylon (polyamide), polypropylene, polyacrylic, polyester, and natural - wool or a mixture of materials with 10-30% wool.

Laying is done with glue, like linoleum.

Advantages of carpeting:

ease of installation;
ergonomics;
injury safety;
large selection of colors;
long-term operation.

There are few disadvantages:

rabies;
difficulty of cleaning.

The environmental friendliness of the product will depend on the materials underlying the carpet. Accordingly, the price category of natural and synthetic coatings differs.

Self-leveling (liquid) floors

Self-leveling flooring is a new product in the world of modern floor coverings.

Liquid flooring may contain different substances:

polyurethane;
epoxide;
methyl methacrylate;
cement and acrylic.

The last name is the most environmentally friendly option, and the most expensive self-leveling floor is methyl methacrylate.

The advantages of self-leveling floors are:

durability (perhaps one of the greatest for floor coverings);
environmental friendliness;
strength;
water resistance, as well as resistance to chemicals, oil, solvents, etc.;
ease of care.

Such floors are particularly demanding on the surface for installation, and their installation is quite complicated. Among the negative aspects, owners also note a tendency to burn out in the sun. In terms of price, the option is quite affordable.

Tile

The most popular are ceramic products. They are durable, passable and water resistant. By appearance Ceramic tiles are very diverse; they can imitate wood or other natural materials.

From tiles you can create a real work of art on the floor, it becomes possible to zone the room and visually optimize the size of the room. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about mechanical loads on the floor, exposure to sunlight, high humidity. Excellent wear resistance is another advantage of ceramic tiles.

Disadvantages:

complexity of installation and subsequent repairs;
presence of seams;
cold (this problem can be solved by installing a heated floor under the tiles).

Cork floor

They are plates measuring 90.0 by 18.5 cm and 9 mm thick (sometimes can be found in the form of rolls), which are based on veneered or pressed chips of natural cork tree bark.

Other layers may include resin-coated wood dust (function to provide strength and rigidity) and a face finish (increases wear resistance and provides an aesthetic appearance).

Cork flooring has many advantages over the above mentioned coatings, in particular this material:

environmentally friendly and natural;
provides sound insulation in the room;
has a variety of models;
keep warm;
pleasant to the touch;
able to absorb mechanical pressure;
has a long service life (guarantee for at least 10 years);
water resistant;
doesn't slip.

The negative point is the complexity of installation, since before this it is necessary to very carefully level the base, and the rather high price.

Another eco-friendly option.

In production parquet board made of a wooden base covered with a layer of valuable species (thickness 3–5 mm).

They are usually laid by gluing the panels to the base. The base is prepared in advance.

In addition to the fact that a natural wooden floor will create special comfort and coziness in the house, it has other merits:

durability and reliability;
ease of cleaning;
ease of installation;
low thermal conductivity.

The disadvantages are related to the natural nature of the material - wood can be deformed, because in cold weather it somewhat decreases in volume, and in summer, on the contrary, it expands. Due to the naturalness and high cost of the material.

How to choose the right flooring for your room: advice from professionals

When choosing a floor covering for a living room, you must focus on the following criteria:

room humidity;
requirement for frequent cleaning;
frequency and type of mechanical impacts;
temperature difference;
environmental friendliness.

Video tips for choosing environmentally friendly floor coverings:

Based on these parameters, the following rooms will be particularly demanding in terms of coating:

hallway;
kitchen;
bathroom;
children's;
loggia.

For these rooms, flooring should be selected with special care. So, in a living room (bedroom, living room) you can put laminate of class 21–23, and in the hallway and kitchen - more durable class 31–33.

The bathroom and kitchen should be equipped with moisture-resistant floor coverings, for example, linoleum, tiles or self-leveling flooring.

The children's room is usually chosen the most environmentally friendly materials. Floor coverings can be cork, parquet, or carpet.

Different interior styles are demanding when it comes to choosing flooring. High-tech style good options there will be tiles, parquet or laminate (more details –), and in a room decorated like shabby chic there will be wooden parquet (on our website).

Remember that a properly selected floor in a room will not only be strong and durable, but will also give warmth, comfort, and a complete look to the entire interior.

Instructions

Choose flooring based on the target factor, i.e. purpose of the room. Agree that you most likely will not buy the same material for the kitchen and bedroom. You can opt for a universal coating that can meet the requirements for all rooms.

Consider statistics when choosing a floor covering. The common practice is that for living rooms most often they choose parquet or laminate, for the hallway - linoleum, and for the kitchen and bathroom - porcelain stoneware or tiles. But the choice is far from limited to these materials. And standard coatings differ within each type in terms of quality.

Choose parquet for living rooms: living room, children's room, bedroom, office. But laying it on a kitchen faucet is not recommended because wood does not like moisture. Parquet is one of the most elite, expensive and durable coatings for the floor. It is environmentally friendly, has increased strength and good thermal insulation properties. The service life is more than 50 years. Parquet boards are made from expensive wood species - oak, ash, beech. When deciding to give preference to parquet, keep in mind that this coating requires special care and is susceptible to moisture. It also requires an ideal “sub-floor”. The cost of parquet varies from 15 to 150 dollars per sq.m.

Think carefully before choosing a traffic jam. This material is less popular than parquet. It is unique in design and is not suitable for all rooms. Its most valuable quality is high heat and sound insulation. Therefore, it is best to lay it in the living room and bedroom. Available in the form of rectangular or square slabs. This coating will last you from 5 to 20 years. It should be taken into account that cork has low resistance to mechanical damage. Therefore, if a neat appearance of the floor is important to you, do not lay this expensive material in the nursery. After all, its price ranges from 20 to 70 dollars per sq.m.

If you are planning to make high-quality renovations in the middle price range, choose laminate. In recent decades, it has simply become a bestseller on construction market. Low price(it ranges from 4 to 60 dollars per sq.m.), good performance, ease of installation and a wide variety of designs made it truly popular. The composition of the laminate resembles a multi-layer cake, pressed at high temperatures. Material high class resistant to moisture and mechanical stress, any type can withstand UV rays. Low class will serve you for about 5 years, high class – 20 years or more. Thanks to the special substrate on which the coating is laid, it has excellent shock-absorbing, heat-insulating and sound-proofing properties. Great for any living room in an apartment.

When choosing flooring for the hallway, kitchen and bathroom, first of all take into account wear-resistant, moisture-resistant qualities, ease of maintenance and immunity to stains and dirt. The best are linoleum for the hallway and porcelain tiles for the kitchen and bathroom. Recently, self-leveling flooring, which was previously used in industrial premises and enterprises, has also gained great popularity. But new aesthetic qualities have allowed it to become an excellent floor covering for residential premises.

Floors, in addition to the interior, perform many other important functions - they protect the house from moisture, soundproof, and heat in cold weather. When choosing which flooring is best, you should take into account not only their aesthetics, but also functionality, and the place/conditions of use. That is, the choice of flooring should be approached as seriously and thoroughly as possible.

The materials used to make floors are varied - wood, laminate, tiles, parquet, porcelain stoneware, self-leveling floors, vinyl and even glass.

Laminate

It is a coating consisting of the following layers:

Kraft paper.
Printed drawing.
Protective layer made of polymers.

Panels are divided into classes depending on the load they can withstand. Wear resistance, impact resistance, sensitivity to light, and fire resistance are taken into account.

Installation is carried out on a prepared, perfectly flat surface.
Afraid of moisture.
Impossibility of restoration.

Attractive price.
A huge range of colors to suit every taste.
Ease of installation.

When choosing a laminate, you need to consider some features:

On light laminate The dust is hardly noticeable, it looks very noble. Better not to use dark colors, if the room is located on sunny side– in the side rays of the incident sunlight Even the smallest specks of dust settling on the floor will be noticeable.

The moisture-resistant laminate has a greenish tint, its facing part has a protective coating against fungus, and the middle of the panel contains substances that absorb moisture.

Parquet board

Parquet boards are the most natural and environmentally friendly type of flooring. It consists of several layers of wooden slats, up to 5 mm thick, connected to each other by strips glued on top.

Parquet boards are much easier to scratch, they are less durable and more difficult to use than laminate.
If even a medium-sized dog is kept in the room, such a coating will quickly deteriorate due to claw marks.
Damaged by sharp heels and stilettos.
Does not tolerate dry air, in which it dries out and cracks.

Natural, environmentally friendly product, with a real wood pattern and appropriate appearance;
Undergoing restoration.

Parquet is made from durum varieties tree. The most common materials are oak, ash, beech, and maple. These materials are durable and recommended for high traffic areas.

Ash has a more pronounced pattern than oak, which is why the latter is used for standard flooring, while ash is used for mosaic parquet.

The board itself can be made in completely different configurations - rectangle, rhombus, “Christmas tree” and even round. Parquet is much more durable than laminate and is used in living rooms and bedrooms.

The choice of color can be anything, the main thing is to adhere to the rule that the floor and walls are of different shades. This is necessary so that their boundaries do not merge. That is, if the walls are light, then the parquet board or laminate should be a couple of shades darker and vice versa.

Due to widespread Scandinavian style, performed in light colors, interiors with white floors are increasingly appearing.

Tile

The most wear-resistant type of flooring. Made from sand, clay and other materials natural origin. The tile plates are fired at high temperatures, so they are durable and wear-resistant.

They are not subject to deformation, so they can crack if something really heavy falls. But a damaged fragment can be replaced with another.

Key Features:

Wear resistance.
Moisture resistance.
Fire resistance.
It is not afraid of light and will not lose its color.
Susceptible to external household influences.
Easy to clean and hygienic.

A prerequisite for laying tiles is the evenness and smoothness of the base. This may include:

Drywall.
Plaster.
Old tiles.
Previous paint.
Plywood.

The most common tile shapes are rectangular, square, and diamond. But there are also samples with six and eight corners, as well as specially shaped tiles for decorating corners and cornices.

The sizes are completely different - from huge slabs to small mosaics. Designers are increasingly using several shapes and sizes of tiles simultaneously when decorating the floors of one room.

Tiles can also be porous or dense. Since porous material absorbs moisture well, this type is more relevant in the bathroom or kitchen.

These rooms require a coating with high chemical and mechanical properties, such as surface hardness and bending resistance. For floors in these rooms, third and fourth class tiles are recommended.

This season, gray, beige, electric colors, as well as lavender and shades of blue are relevant. Oriental designs are popular in bathrooms.

Porcelain tiles for parquet

In fact, these are ordinary tiles that imitate parquet boards. It is based on two types of clay, it is environmentally friendly and natural. Unlike natural wood, wood-look porcelain tiles are more practical and are not afraid of water.

It can be used in any room of the apartment, especially in a Provence-style kitchen or bathroom, in the interior of which wooden furniture has been especially popular in recent seasons.

Glass floors

Recently, designers have increasingly begun to use glass floors and other translucent structures in their work, which can be found at www.glassproekt.ru, and not only in individual houses, but also in apartments.

This type of flooring is quite extravagant, giving a feeling of emptiness under your feet and creating a feeling of weightlessness. The room becomes airy and spacious.

Design possibilities are limited only by imagination. You can darken the surface using different colors, or apply photo printing or ornamentation. The niche under the glass is often decorated with interior items, which enhances the effect of transparency.

In addition, the impression made can be enhanced by decorating it with lighting. There is only one nuance that needs to be taken into account - halogen lighting produces a lot of heat, the glass can overheat and become deformed, so it is better to use other lighting materials.

A glass floor looks very good in a small hallway or as a zoning element for a living room or bedroom.

Self-leveling floors

They are made from polymers and based on materials they are basically divided into:

Polyurethane.
Epoxy.
Methyl methacrylate.

This is the best price-quality option, which has recently become increasingly popular.

Advantages of self-leveling floors:

Thermal insulation.
Environmental friendliness.
Durability.
Strength characteristics.
Fire resistance.
Chemical resistance.

The minimum working life of such a floor is two decades, and with proper care it will last much longer.

Polymer floors are applied to concrete base, sometimes it is allowed to pour them onto a well-prepared wood base. The concrete must be perfectly smooth; after screeding, you must wait at least 28 days.

A special primer is laid under the self-leveling floor; the thickness of the floor must be at least 2 mm.

The compound is poured in a path onto the primed screed. In this case, it is necessary to maintain the evenness of its distribution. To avoid deterioration of adhesion between layers of a two-layer finishing coating, the time gap between application of layers should not exceed two days.

When rolling with an aerator, it should not be removed from the polymer until the viscosity increases.

When installing self-leveling floors, the surface is first prepared, leveled in advance, a pattern is applied and decorative elements and fill with solution. After a few days (when the coating has hardened), it becomes matte or glossy.

The self-leveling floor looks great in the hallway, and in contrast with the glossy suspended ceiling with well-designed light, it will significantly expand its space as a whole, as well as in the living room, where it will especially highlight the light from a large chandelier.

Vinyl floor

This surface imitates wood, marble, natural stone and even leather. It can be smooth or embossed, glossy or matte. Vinyl tiles are a product of innovative technologies that have a number of unique properties:

The vinyl backing is an excellent shock absorber. Provides spring underfoot, suppresses sounds, and makes movement silent;
It is durable due to crushed quartz with plasticizers in the base;
Strength, which is formed as a result of the use of the hot pressing method in manufacturing.
Resistant to moisture and ultraviolet radiation.
Easy to care for.

Depending on the simulated material, they are produced in rolls and in the form of slabs. The slabs may have locking devices, or they may have a bottom adhesive surface, or they may even be ordinary tiles that require special glue.

Color solutions can be either monochromatic or multi-colored - it all depends on taste. There are also some disadvantages:

Contact with rubber will leave stains on the surface, which are almost impossible to get rid of.
Synthetic components in the composition.
Difficulty in restoration.

Vinyl flooring is suitable for any room, especially kitchens and bathrooms, where high humidity. But because of the fear of rubber, it is better to avoid this coating in the hallway.

Of course, it is almost impossible to say unequivocally which flooring is better, since much depends not only on the characteristics, but also on the specific case. It should be remembered that a material that is ideal in the bedroom may not live up to expectations in the kitchen, and vice versa.

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, walking on it, often barefoot. Sometimes you have to lie on the floor, even sleep. The floor must be well adapted to cleaning, since any debris falls on it, liquids are spilled, and food remains are spilled on it. The floor separates us from the people living in the lower apartment, and the comfort of the apartment depends on how well it is insulated.

That is, in addition to strength, it must protect the apartment from extraneous sounds and foreign climate. It is the finished, well-executed floor that gives the apartment ensemble completeness.

Installing a floor is not a cheap undertaking. Nevertheless, variety of materials and methods of its construction allows you to build a fairly comfortable and aesthetic floor based on the most modest budget.

Thus, the floor in the apartment bears the following functional loads, which must be taken into account when constructing it:

Carrier.
Warming.
Soundproofing.
Moisture-proof.
Aesthetic.

Floor design in the apartment

The floor in the apartment is mounted on top surface interfloor covering and consists of two main layers:

intermediate;
floor covering.

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 pinless parquet strips glued directly to the top surface concrete floor slab with bitumen mastic, latex or PVA glue.

At best, the top surface of the slab before gluing was smoothed with a thin layer cement screed. It’s no wonder that in such apartments the audibility and thermal qualities leave much to be desired. The horizontality of the floor plane in such apartments is also far from ideal.

IN modern houses inter-apartment floors are complex reinforced concrete or metal structures , equipped with layers of heat, moisture and sound insulation. In frame-monolithic structures, floors are most often cast 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 ceiling are insufficient.

The wooden beam floor may also contain thermal, moisture and sound insulation. Most often this is mineral wool laid between the beams. A layer of waterproofing may also be provided there. An intermediate layer is already installed on the beams, which can consist of joists, a subfloor, insulating layers of insulation and waterproofing, screed, and a floor covering is placed on top. The wooden floor, which, thanks to the cottered boards, forms a single sheet, can be laid directly on the beams. If the beams are located far from each other on logs attached to beams.

There may be no overlap, for example, in basements or basements. In this case, the floor is mounted on a screed that specifically covers prepared pillow, consisting of compacted layers of sand and crushed stone lying on the ground.

Types of flooring bases

The floor in an apartment, unlike an individual house, is installed on the existing floor “from the builders” in a new house, or on beam floor in the old one. For this reason, before laying the floor, it is necessary thoroughly study the overlap. In old houses, it is necessary to raise the old floor and carry out an examination of the floor beams. Replace or strengthen damaged beams or replace them with new ones. The best solution The beam covering will be replaced with reinforced concrete.

Floors in new houses, depending on construction technologies, can be made of reinforced concrete panel floors, 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 installed during construction straight into the wall or on concrete crossbars mounted into the wall.

Beams can be wooden or concrete. In Khrushchev's houses, they were most often used as ceilings. hollow-core panels, which served as the basis for the floor on one side and the ceiling on the other.

Floors from builders, except surface defects may have a bias. Therefore, the surface of the ceiling is covered with a screed, which solves two issues:

makes the surface smooth enough for the position of the floor covering;
makes the surface horizontal.

Cement screed

The simplest type of screed is a cement screed. The filling solution is being prepared made of cement 400 grade and river washed and sifted sand. Currently, ready-mixed dry mixtures are available for sale. But you can cook it yourself. Mixture composition:

Sand - 3-4 parts.
Cement - 1 part.
Water - so much so that the solution resembles sour cream.

Sequence of actions when installing cement screed:

After completion of all work, during the entire curing time, it is necessary to moisten the surface pouring, sprinkling it with water. To maintain moisture, you can cover the pouring surface with polyethylene.

Time for 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;
the 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 semi-dry screed differs significantly from wet screed smaller water content. In addition, a significant amount of plasticizer is added to the solution - fiber fiber, which keeps the screed from cracking.

The composition of the mixture is as follows:

Pure construction sand, fineness modulus = 2.0; fraction up to 5 mm - 2 parts.
Cement grade 400D20 - 7 parts.
Water - 1 part.
Fiber - 700 gr. per 1 cu. m of solution.

The installation procedure is the same as in the case of cement screed with the difference that:

The main advantage of semi-dry screed is that it is already 12 o'clock hardens enough to be walked on. After 42 hours, porcelain stoneware and tiles can be laid on it, and after 7 days- laminate, PVC tiles or linoleum. The fact is that although a semi-dry screed gains strength very quickly, moisture evaporates from it little by little over the course of a month. Therefore, it is better to install a parquet floor on a fresh screed after a month of aging, since even minor fumes can ruin dry parquet.

Dry screed

The main advantage of a dry screed is that it can be covered with flooring immediately after installation. The intermediate layer of dry screed is formed as follows. Waterproofing in the form of a polyethylene sheet 0.2 mm thick is laid on the surface of the ceiling. From above it is filled with expanded clay or sand, which is carefully leveled and compacted with a flat vibrator or roller.

A special layer is placed on the layer thus formed. metal profile, which is covered on top with gypsum fiber boards located in checkerboard pattern, 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 over the finished screed.

Self-leveling floors

In case it is necessary to receive perfectly smooth horizontal surface ready for laying linoleum, PVC tiles or laminate, the best intermediate layer can be obtained by pouring onto well waterproofed the base is a liquid solution of a certain composition. This solution is formed by diluting with water, in accordance with the instructions included with each package. ready mixture, a wide variety of which are currently available on the building materials market.

The mixture consists of cement, gypsum, fillers such as fine sand and contains various chemical components, which promote rapid and uniform spreading, plasticization and stabilization of the resulting coating. Perfect horizontal surface is formed by itself under the influence of gravity. That is why these mixtures are called self-leveling. Various formulations connected With different conditions and different thicknesses of the formed coating.

Before installing 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 much of its insulating properties when it absorbs moisture or steam. Therefore, it must be carefully isolated moisture-proof film, for example polyethylene or roofing felt. If the size of the film is insufficient, its sheets should be overlapped, sealing the edges with tape.

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.
The logs are placed directly on reinforced concrete floor or screed.
Lags are wooden beams cross-section 50×100 made of coniferous wood. When laying, it is necessary to use a level to set the top edge strictly horizontally. The distance between the logs should not exceed 60 cm.

The cut is applied to the joists in advance batten, which, thanks to the cotter pin, forms a single floor sheet. It is necessary to install ventilation ducts in the walls, coming out of the walls at a distance of several centimeters from the baseboard, closed with openwork hatches. These moves are necessary in order to ventilated the space between the joists and the underside of the board. For greater strength, the boards are attached to the joists with self-tapping screws inserted at an angle at the level of the cotter pin in order to hide their heads and make it possible to process a single floor surface with a polishing machine.

The best flooring boards are mahogany and oak, but they are most often made from softwood. Optimal ratio price-quality have boards made of Siberian larch.

After polishing, the floor can be varnished or painted. In both cases it is necessary follow instructions for painting and, if necessary, perform preliminary priming with special primers. This will significantly lengthen lifespan paint layer.

A subfloor can also be laid on the logs, on which PVC tiles, linoleum, or laminate can be laid as a floor covering. To do this, the subfloor is covered additional leveling sheet material, for example fiberboard. Covering with tiles or porcelain stoneware wooden covering possible only if a reinforcing layer is applied on top reinforced screed.

The subfloor can be made from floorboards, chipboards, or OSB. In this case, additional leveling layer not needed. Parquet is laid on the subfloor.

Types of flooring

Floor coverings finish laying the floor. This is exactly the material that will be addressed to a person, will be with him contact directly and which will take on all external influences.

Board

To cover wooden board tongue and groove 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 along the entire length, and on the other, opposite, corresponding groove. This form allows, by assembling boards so that the tongue of one fits into the groove of another, and forming a strong continuous flooring.

The thickness of the floorboards varies from 25 to 45 mm. The thicker the board, the less it “plays”, that is, the floor bends. The thinner the floorboard, the smaller the distance between the joists should be. For example, with a board 25 mm thick, the distance between the joists cannot exceed 60 cm. When installing, the floorboard floor must 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, a wooden floor can be polished, varnished or painted. The gap near the walls, upon completion of installation, is covered with a plinth. The floorboard is not made from linden and alder.

Parquet and laminate

Parquet is essentially a floorboard small size, having grooves and cotter pins on all sides in pairs. This allows you to assemble the flooring from relatively small dies.

Parquet is undoubtedly the most human-friendly floor covering. However, it is inherent significant drawback. When even a small amount of moisture gets in, it warps, and when flooded, it “rears.”

An alternative to parquet is an unpretentious laminate. Externally, laminate is very similar to parquet. In essence, it is a parquet board, but made not from solid wood, but from a four-layer material, the main one, load-bearing layer which is a thin wood fiber board impregnated with resins. A mounting layer is glued to the bottom of it, providing rigidity, paper on top with a pattern printed on it, usually imitating natural wood, covered with another layer of melamine or acrylic resin provides wear resistance. 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 those existing today. The first linoleum was a jute burlap, onto which was applied a material made of cork chips, pressed with linseed oil as binding material. It has proven itself for many 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 lots of changes.

Basically, in modern linoleum, various woven and nonwovens, felt type, serving simultaneously base and insulation. Numerous wear-resistant materials are used as the surface layer, for example PVC in various options and compositions. Modern technological capabilities make it possible to imitate on the surface of linoleum any material and texture and paint it with incredible patterns.

All this made it possible to produce incredible assortment in terms of strength, insulation and other capabilities. But distinctive feature linoleum, which distinguishes it favorably from ceramic tiles and stone, is its “warmth” in sensation and some softness. Dishes that fall on a linoleum floor will not necessarily break. And bruises when falling on linoleum will not be so painful.

PVC tiles are tiles made from a special multilayer composite material, which is based on crushed natural stone and very durable vinyl. It comes in a wide variety of colors. Thanks to its modularity and variety of colors, it allows you to achieve incredibly designer decor on the floor. Its main advantages:

ease of installation on bitumen mastics and adhesives;
ease of installation and dismantling allows for easy replacement damaged tiles;
and cheapness means changing a boring pattern;
The tiles are extremely wear-resistant and adhere well to the surface.

PVC tiles are the most democratic material for flooring.

Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles

Ceramic tiles are one of the oldest facing materials. Previously there were two varieties:

facing tiles covered with glaze and having underglaze painting;
metlakhskaya, unglazed, rough, for the floor.

Nowadays there are also ceramic tiles of the most different sizes and purposes. Their main advantage is the strength of the material and resistance to any aggressive influences. However, when making tiles, the material and heat treatment modes.

Such tile producing countries as Spain, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic have proven themselves to be excellent. By choosing tiles from new market participants such as Türkiye and China, you can win on budget but lose in quality. However, these manufacturers also have high-quality products, which allows you to save on cladding. The disadvantages of tile flooring are slipperiness when moisture gets on it, fragility when hit by a heavy object, “coldness” in sensation, hardness, which leads to the fact that dropped 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 using mortar, then with the development of the industry construction adhesives, installation is carried out with their help. The main tool is wide spatula with cutouts for applying glue. Glue is applied to the tile and then the tile is fixed on the prepared surface. You must remember to leave a small gap between the tiles, for which there is simple and accessible equipment. This gap is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of the tile when changing ambient temperature. The seam is then sealed with special grouts and improves the aesthetic perception of the surface.

Porcelain tiles are very similar to tiles, but have slightly different qualities. Porcelain tiles originated in Italy in the late 70s and are produced ceramic sintering method 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 end result was incredible durable material, superior in strength to granite and approaching corundum.

Technologies make it possible to paint it in such a way that tiles made from it not only imitate all known gems and semi-precious stones, but also make it possible to obtain any color and pattern, moreover, distributed throughout the entire thickness, and not located only on the surface. In addition, the material is lighter natural stone and has additional thermal insulation properties. It polishes well and somewhat warmer ceramic tiles.

The most important advantage of porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles is their absolute hygiene, which makes them an indispensable floor covering for the bathroom and kitchen.

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. However, I would like to note that, despite the simplicity and clarity of floor installation procedures, it is better to carry out this important work trust a professional since to obtain a good result, a synthesis of knowledge, experience and practical skills of a person constantly engaged in work in this important area is necessary.