Laminate - how to choose which class?

One of the most important components in the process of interior design, apartment or home repair is the choice of flooring. All rough and preparatory work in the repair process depends on this. Depending on what you choose - linoleum, laminate, parquet, tile or self-leveling floor, the preparatory work for the stage of laying the selected coating will accordingly change. In this article we will talk about laminate flooring, since it competes well with all materials for flooring on the market. For an affordable fee, you can get a decent replacement for flooring, while the laminate is easy to use and less whimsical. Let's consider everything that a laminate can please us with, how to choose which class.

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What is a laminated coating?

Laminate flooring is a rather strong floor covering, which is made of a very dense wood-fiber board with lamination. It consists of five layers that are fastened together by pressing and sizing. Let's take a closer look at what the layers are made of and what their function is:

• Waterproof and stabilizing layer made from moisture resistant paper or melamine. This layer protects the plate from deformation.
• Laminate base made of fiberboard panel. It performs the most important functions, makes up the main thickness of the plate. A lock is cut out in this layer, which fastens the laminate boards together.

Important! The higher the density of this layer and the better the moisture resistance, the less the plate will be subject to deformation. This layer to some extent plays the role of thermal insulation and sound insulation.

• Film that increases moisture resistance. The layer is quite thin, serves as additional protection against moisture of the main layer.
• Layer of decorative paper. It is this layer that determines the appearance of your flooring. It is a paper layer on which a drawing of wood, tile, marble, granite or any other material is applied.
• Protective film, the so-called lamination of the floor plate. Consists of melamine coating or acrylic resin. It has wear resistance, protection against burnout and water, to some extent protects against shock loads and mechanical stress.

Important! With the development of technology, this layer began to perform an additional decorative function, but already in terms of texture - bumps, roughnesses are applied to it to completely imitate wood or stone.

The manufacturing technology of the laminate today is so perfect that some of its types are difficult to distinguish from the floor of natural wood. It completely repeats the texture and texture of wood. The differences are visible, perhaps, only to the professional.

Important! Laminate coating looks much more spectacular and more natural than linoleum, warmer than tiles and will suit every interior, as the manufacturers have in their arsenal a whole palette of colors, textures and textures.

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Laminate selection criteria

When choosing a laminate, it is not enough to rely solely on external characteristics. Since the floor covering is designed to serve for many years and is extremely rarely subject to replacement, it is important to approach the choice thoroughly.

Let's look at the main characteristics by which it is worth choosing a laminate:

• wear resistance class;
• panel thickness;
• connection type;
• the presence or absence of a chamfer;
• design;
• manufacturing firm.

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Wear resistance class of laminated board

How to choose a laminate according to this criterion, which class will satisfy your needs - let's take a closer look. Classes are assigned to this coating based on its degree of wear resistance. To date, four classes are distinguished: 31, 32, 33, 34.

Important! Previously, the so-called household classes 21-23 existed, but they ceased to be popular because of the low margin of safety and the desire of ordinary townsfolk to purchase goods for a longer period with an extended service life.

Consider the main differences between the classes:

• 31 class - used in residential premises with a small load and traffic. It can be used in bedrooms, dressing rooms, halls, living rooms. The service life is about 10 years. Also suitable in small office rooms with low traffic, but at the same time, the service life is reduced to 3 years.
• 32 class - used in any residential premises with an average degree of load, as well as in commercial premises with a low load. When operating at home, the service life is up to 15 years, for commercial purposes it is reduced to 5 years. This class is the most universal and prevails among the total availability on sale.

Important! It can be used almost everywhere, including in the corridor, the nursery, but with careful use and the absence of aggressive effects of water and dirt. This class of laminate is most often chosen for residential premises.

• Grade 33 - can be used in all commercial premises, reception offices, shops, bars, restaurants and its service life reaches 8-10 years. As for home use, this coating will cope with any loads and can last more than 20 years. It will be indispensable in the kitchen, in the dining room, in the corridor, bathroom and even the balcony.
• 34 class - is the most wear-resistant, can withstand any load, whether it is a dance floor, gym, airport, car dealership. It has increased moisture resistance and is resistant to certain chemical influences associated with regular cleaning in crowded places.

Important! Since the price of this class of laminate is too high, it is rarely used in residential premises, although it is sometimes used in bathrooms and rooms with high humidity.

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Choosing a laminate in a room

If it is difficult for you to decide which laminate is better to choose in the room, the following tips will facilitate your choice:

• For residential premises, a laminate of class 32 is perfect. But if you always prefer longevity and practicality, it is better to opt for 33 class, betting on a longer service life and additional moisture resistance.
• Pay attention to the presence of a chamfer in the laminated plate - it will add to the laminate even more similarity to natural wood.

Important! The chamfer is able to visually hide cracks that may one way or another appear over time between the boards, since the floating laying method is used.

• It will not be superfluous to choose a laminate with additional waxing on the locks of the compound - this will extend the life of the product and provide additional protection against moisture.
• In small rooms, it is best to abandon the flooring in dark colors.
• The light floor visually increases the space. Do not use the dark floor in well-lit, bright rooms - it threatens that you will see every speck of dust on it. Choose a laminate for a couple of tones darker than wallpaper.
• Laminate is better to lay the long side of the light source.

Important! A laminate board with a natural wood pattern will be appropriate in almost any interior, especially if it imitates wood as much as possible.

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Stock footage

To summarize. How to choose a laminate for quality? It is definitely better not to save on this, since the floor is rarely susceptible to updates and repairs.If there is a choice between several options, always give preference to what is a step higher in quality. Saving on such a purchase is permissible only if it is intended for bedrooms and underutilized pantries and dressing rooms. In other cases, do not forget that this is an investment for many years. And if you divide the amount of overpayment by the extended life, you will get real pennies, and in return you will become the owner of a quality product!