Today, there are many types of flooring. Each type of floor has a number of advantages and disadvantages depending on the area of \u200b\u200bapplication, more on that below.

What you should pay attention to when choosing modern floors

The first thing to consider is specifications   premises, humidity, temperature, degree of pollution, frequency of cleaning, the need for disinfection, etc. The second is to pay attention to strength. For places with huge traffic, you should choose species that are more resistant to loads, take into account the environmental indicators of the material. Coatings can be natural or artificial.

The main modern flooring:

• Laminate;
• Parquet board;
• Parquet;
• Ceramic tile;
• Vinyl laminate;
• Marmoleum;
• Cork floors
• Bulk, polymer or decorative 3D floor;

To create an interior, the external characteristics of floor coverings play a role. If you plan to install a system of underfloor heating, then you need to pay attention to materials that conduct heat well, do not deform and do not emit harmful substances when heated.

Popular modern flooring for apartments

Modern materials for flooring in apartments have different properties, characteristics, differ in color and pattern - carpet, linoleum, polyurethane (plastic or synthetic coating), self-leveling floors, wood, sisal, vinyl laminate, option based on NDF, moisture-proof vinyl laminate , cork flooring (eco-friendly floors).

The most environmentally friendly carpet is sisal, it is made of natural materials and is pleasant to the touch, it collects the least dust.

The carpet is made of natural and artificial material, with a different pile and the basis of textile or rubber. The disadvantages of this coating include the accumulation of a lot of dust and dirt in its structure, so there is no need to do without a powerful vacuum cleaner.

Synthetic carpet is not always safe for health, it has a number of disadvantages:

• The material is not recommended for people prone to allergies;
• Collects the largest amount of dust, and therefore requires frequent high-quality cleaning;
• In the most used areas, a longish pile is quickly crushed.

One of the newest developments of designers is bulk 3D floors. They are created from several layers, which makes it possible to make them exclusive. The following advantages can be distinguished from this coating: the ability to select any style, perfectly smooth surface, durability, heat resistance, environmentally friendly material, do not absorb extraneous odors, not slippery, which makes it possible to use them in the bathroom and in residential premises.

For rooms with high humidity, a vinyl laminate is a good fit. Its disadvantage is the presence of particles with a chlorine content, which leads to minimal fumes, thereby causing harm to health. The advantages of this coating include environmental friendliness (the cheapest environmentally friendly, waterproof and moisture resistant natural coating), factors such as high moisture resistance and wear resistance, pleasant to the touch, easy to clean, long life, affordable price category (you can cover a large space inexpensively) .

So, the properties of this coating include:

• Excellent sound insulation;
• Ecological purity of the material;
• Resistance to deformation;
• Good cushioning;
• Non-slip coating;
• High price;
• The ability to burst during poor installation.

Cork has excellent qualities, although these finishing and flooring are still little known. Use this safe cork composition for both floor and wall. The main advantage of this material is its naturalness, it is not dangerous, environmentally friendly, safe, it is made from oak bark, using new technologies of parquet boards. Cork is great for children's rooms to isolate from extraneous sounds.

What are the methods of laying modern flooring?

The first step is the need to prepare the foundation. A screed made of gypsum or cement must be even. Then plywood sheets are laid, which are previously cut into 50x50 cm squares.

It is worth noting that the color of the fibers of the parquet or plywood should be in different directions.

Massive boards and planks are attached to a previously prepared base with the help of special glue for parquet. The thorn-groove connection is fixed with a hammer and a chipper. Parquet laying is a job requiring professionalism. The floor covering made of natural wood is put into production both in the processed and in the unfinished state.

This process is long, requires high-quality execution:

1. After unpacking the straps must be kept at room temperature for a couple of days.
2. Special glue is applied evenly on the back surface of the plank.
3. With the help of a hammer and a chipper, the bar spike is driven into the groove.
4. Using the same tools, they tackle the transverse sides of the planks.
5. Then the massive board is fastened with bolts, screwing them alternately on the sides.

A gap of 1.5 mm is always left between the slats if deformations suddenly begin due to temperature changes, as well as air humidity. It is necessary to maintain a constant air temperature (not higher than 24 ° C) and humidity indicators (not higher than 60%).

The advantage of laminate in environmental friendliness

Laminate flooring is a popular flooring; in this regard, many people have a question about the environmental cleanliness of this material. The laminate is based on a slab of wood shavings, so it is more than 90% natural. Bonding of wood elements is carried out using natural resins (sometimes varnish is used). In the manufacture of the top coating of a laminate, melamine or acrylic resin is usually used. Melamine itself does not have the necessary viscosity, so it must be mixed with formaldehyde. And formaldehyde is a toxic substance, which means it is dangerous, and esters are harmful to health (if the percentage of the norm is exceeded). But it is harmful only at elevated concentrations, but only at temperatures it is released, which significantly exceed the room temperature.

Advantages of laminate laying technology:

• Laminate fits well on almost any base, the main condition is the evenness of the base;
• The coating is easily insulated from moisture;
• Provides heat and noise insulation using special substrates.

Laminate coating is divided into several classes of degree of safety, depending on the degree of concentration of formaldehyde resin in the laminate. Most often, you can find a laminate with a class no higher than E1. It is this material that is considered absolutely harmless to humans, since the proportion of formaldehyde resin in its composition is minimal. But classes E2 and E3 have a high degree of concentration. Laminate of this class is not recommended to lay at home. There is a laminate with an emission class E0, it is even more environmentally friendly. It contains almost no toxic substances, but the price of this coating is much higher.

Attention, only TODAY!

Today's construction market has a wide selection of floor coverings for different rooms country house, cottages or cottages. If a particular type of flooring was intended for one particular room, it would be easier for us to make its choice. But the scope of use of each material is quite extensive, so different types of floors can be laid in different purpose rooms.

In a private house there are many different rooms, so that it is easier for you to choose the types of finishing coat for each of them, we offer a brief description of the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the most common floor coverings. So you can understand what floor options are most suitable for utility rooms in the basement, for the kitchen, bedroom, etc.

Floor Requirements

In order to choose the right flooring for different rooms of a summer residence, private house or cottage, you must first pay attention not to the cost and appearance or photo of the coating, but to its characteristics. So, for the floors in the basement, increased moisture resistance is important, sometimes vapor barrier must be used in the floor structure. In addition, the list of works on its arrangement depends on the choice of floor.

The choice of a finishing floor for a country house, cottage, brick or wooden cottage should be done taking into account the features of the room, which dictate certain requirements for coverage:

1. Entering any home, the first thing we get into the hallway. In this part of the cottage or cottage, it is better to use a durable durable coating, since the load on it will be significant. In addition, street shoes are often worn here, which is why a lot of dirt gathers on the surface. Therefore, when deciding which floor to choose for the hallway, give preference to surfaces that are easy to clean and do not deteriorate from dirt and moisture.
2. In the bathroom and bath There is increased humidity, so it is better to use a moisture-resistant floor covering. The floors in this part of the house or cottage should be easy to clean, hygienic, resistant to household chemicals and beautiful.
3. Moisture resistance, ease of cleaning, high wear resistance and durability are also important for floors in the kitchen. Do not choose coverage for this room only from the photo. Otherwise, the surface may be quite slippery, despite meeting other requirements. This will save you from replacing the floor after several months of service. In addition, the features of work in the kitchen require that the surface is easily washed and does not absorb grease and dirt.
4. For the living room, where guests are often welcomed, the comfort and beauty of the flooring is important. Moreover, the choice of floors for a wooden cottage, a small cottage or an impressive country house can be completely different depending on the style and interior design, building design. For example, for floors on the first floors, a vapor barrier will have to be included in the list of works. From the photo it is very difficult to decide which floor is better to lay in the living room, you need to take into account the surface texture, its resistance to stress from furniture, as well as the subtleties of using the room.
5. It is equally important to choose the right flooring for the floors in the basement. Usually in this part of a wooden or stone house, cottage or cottage there are utility rooms, but sometimes there are kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, baths or saunas. For residential premises in the basement you will definitely have to include insulation and vapor barrier in the list of works.
6. For fair floor in the nursery   environmental cleanliness, comfort and hygiene are important. Before choosing the color of the coating for this room, it is worth considering that the child is growing, his tastes and preferences are changing. Therefore, so that you do not have to do a sex change after 3-5 years, choose a neutral color suitable for different generations of children.
7. For fair floor in the adult bedroom   Comfort, environmental friendliness and practicality are also important. At the same time, such high demands are not imposed on the wear resistance of floors as in other rooms, because here we often walk barefoot or in slippers.

Roll flooring

The main advantage of all types of rolled floor materials is the speed and simplicity of the installation work. To do this, it is enough to roll the roll on the floor, cut its edges to the shape of the room and fix it with baseboards. Some types of roll flooring are suitable for installation even in the basement. There are not so many modern materials for the floor of this type:

• linoleum;
• carpet;
• cork floor.

Consider the features of each flooring separately:

1. The most popular among all rolled floor materials is linoleum. On sale, for example, in Suzdalk, you can find coatings of any color, texture, pattern, cost. Moreover, all types of linoleum can be divided into artificial and natural, as well as domestic and commercial. As a rule, we have on sale varieties of household artificial linoleum, since commercial is used only in office and public institutions, and natural material is quite expensive. It is linoleum that can be laid in the basement, since the coating is quite moisture resistant, durable and wear-resistant. There are also linoleums on a felt basis, without a base and on a layer of foamed polyurethane. In the basement and living rooms it is better to use an insulated version on a felt substrate.
2. It is better to choose a carpet for a living room, a nursery or a bedroom. This coating is on a jute, felt or latex basis. Pile products are natural or artificial. The latex-based artificial carpet is more wear-resistant and easier to clean, but its environmental cleanliness is in question. A natural wool product is more difficult to care for. The main advantage of all carpets is their warmth and comfort. The main disadvantage is the difficulty with leaving (the carpet is easily contaminated, does not tolerate wet cleaning very well, collects dust).
3. Roll cork material   Perfect for a wooden floor in the living room or bedroom. This is a rather expensive floor covering, characterized by environmental cleanliness, good heat and sound insulation, ease of walking, it does not fade, does not collect dust and dirt, has a voluminous memory (traces of furniture will quickly disappear after its rearrangement). You can do the styling yourself, the product adheres firmly to a perfectly even and smooth base, as the slightest bumps appear on the cork surface. However, laying in rooms with wet processes is best avoided.

Collapsible floor covering

For a wooden house or summer house, coatings with a wooden surface or imitating such materials, such as a laminate, parquet board, are ideal. The main thing is that the complexity of the assembly of such floors is low, if you strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions, then the assembly can be carried out independently.

The peculiarity of such floors is that they can be laid in a floating manner without gluing to the base, which allows you to disassemble and shift the coating in a new place if necessary, it is also easy to replace a worn element with a new product.

1. Laminate is a multilayer board consisting of a protective and decorative layer, a strong base of pressed wood material and a substrate. For ease of installation, each board is equipped with a locking connection, cut at the ends. Laying is done without fixing to the base on a special substrate of cork or foamed polyethylene. There are different types of laminate on sale, characterized by wear resistance, the type of lock connection, finish features, moisture resistance. Usually laying laminate flooring is done in the living room, bedroom, corridor. For the kitchen and dining area, it is better to use moisture-resistant varieties of this material. It is better not to lay the laminate in the basement due to low temperatures and high humidity.
2. A parquet board, like a laminate, after laying precisely repeats a floor surface from a massive board. However, unlike a laminate, it is made of wood veneer and plywood, therefore it is environmentally friendly and harmless. Work on laying parquet boards can be done with gluing to the base or floating method. Parquet board can be laid in the living room, hallway, corridor, in the bedroom or in the nursery. For the kitchen or dining room, it is better to choose boards from moisture-resistant species of wood (oak, larch, ash).

Fixed floors

This is a fairly large group of diverse materials, which include:

1. Ceramic Tiles and Porcelain Tiles. This material is characterized by high moisture resistance, practicality, excellent wear resistance, hygiene, ease of care. Tiles can be laid in the kitchen, in the bathroom, bathroom, on the balcony, in the basement, hallway or corridor. The only drawback of such floors is a slippery, cold surface, so this material is hardly used in living rooms. In addition to high moisture resistance, durability and strength, an extensive selection of colors, textures, patterns and dimensions can be attributed to the advantages, which facilitates the choice of the desired material.
2. Bulk floors are ready-made dry mixes based on epoxy and polyurethane resins. The resulting surface is distinguished by beauty, strength, durability, wear and moisture resistance. To obtain a colored surface, you can use a mixture of dyes or paint the surface after pouring. Bulk floors with a 3D effect look very nice. A special technology using photos allows you to apply any pattern to the floor surface.

The beautiful floor immediately transforms the appearance of the apartment and decorates the interior. Manufacturers offer consumers a wide selection of floor coverings made of different materials, having different appearance and performance characteristics. The most popular are linoleum, laminate, parquet, and ceramic tile. There are other less commonly used materials. Depending on the design of the house and personal preferences, everyone chooses their flooring. How to cover the floor in the apartment is up to you, and we will show you the advantages and disadvantages of each type of flooring.

When choosing a flooring, each is guided by its own criteria. For someone it is important that the material is natural, and he prefers a wooden floor or parquet. Someone appreciates the practicality and affordable price and chooses linoleum, and ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. Well, someone for a modern look and a wide range of attractive laminate. Solving the problem of how to make the floor in the apartment you, of course, will be faced with the choice of flooring. Consider the most popular.

Parquet

Parquet floors never go out of style. However, modern parquet does not resemble a similar material known in the last century. Today, piece parquet is rarely used. You do not have to lay down each plank with a Christmas tree or a checkerboard, the manufacturers did it for you. Buyers are offered large billboards with a pattern laid out on them. For the manufacture of such shields, valuable wood species are used.

Piece parquet allows you to create your own floor of your dreams with your own hands

However, if you want to create your own floor design, then it is worth taking a piece parquet. They make it from oak, maple, beech, ash and other strong woods. There are computer programs that allow you to create your own drawing of parquet boards. In the same program, you can calculate the number of required slats of each color.

Parquet is quite an expensive pleasure, but such floors look respectable and respectable. However, keep in mind that parquet floors require special care. This is especially true for piece parquet.

Parquet board

This type of flooring is cheaper than parquet, but also made from natural wood. Such material is easier both in laying and in further care. Parquet board is a wide single-lane board. It is made with several rows of dies in the finish layer. Models with a selected chamfer are produced. Parquet boards come in different shades, which will help to get an individual floor design in your apartment.

Parquet board structure

Parquet boards can cycle, which makes it possible to update them many times. Parquet boards are laid according to the type of a floating floor, that is, with locks and without gluing.

Laminate

This material, created to simulate, as a rule, surfaces made of wood. It consists of several layers. The top layer is a paper coated with a special composition with an image applied to it.

Laminate structure

3 classes are issued:

• domestic;
• commercial;
• semi-commercial.

The surface of this material can have not only a different pattern, but also a different texture:

• brilliant;
• matte;
• smooth;
• raised.

Most often, this material in its appearance conveys the texture and color of natural wood. However, there is a laminate for tiles, stone and even leather. For lovers of original designs, manufacturers produce models with multi-colored lamellas.

Laminate has an affordable price and due to the ease of installation allows you to get beautiful floors in a short time. The commercial laminate line offers models with a sufficiently high moisture resistance, but in general this material is not intended for rooms with high humidity and is afraid of water. To increase the service life, the laminate floor should be protected from excess moisture and high mechanical stress.

Wooden

This floor is eco-friendly, has a classic look and fits well into any interior. This material is natural and warm in itself, it is nice to walk on it barefoot, which attracts many users. The wooden floor is easy to insulate and its installation is not difficult. This is usually a multilayer construction:

• waterproofing;
• rough floor;
• insulation;
• fair floor.

A board for a wooden floor can be made both from budget species (pine, spruce, alder), and from more expensive ones (oak, larch, mahogany, wenge).

Wooden floor - warm and comfortable

With proper care, this gender will last at least 30 years.

Linoleum

This is the most common flooring in the residential sector today. Consumers are attracted by the low price and a large selection of this material. The proposed linoleum differs not only in color and printed pattern, but also in surface texture. This is a coating that can be chosen for any design.

Modern linoleum is made from high quality polymer materials and is absolutely harmless to human health. Available on a polyurethane basis and without it.

Laying linoleum does not require special skills

Linoleum is not afraid of moisture. It is easy to install and has a fairly durable coating. With the correct preparation of the base of the floor and the choice of high-quality material, such a coating will serve for many years. The floor covered with linoleum does not require special care.

Ceramic tile

This is practically an indispensable material for arranging the floor in the bathroom, toilet, kitchen and hallway. Manufacturers offer a wide selection of ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles, which are not only various design, but also different sizes, shape, surface texture.

It is an environmentally friendly material that is made from natural materials. The tiled floor is durable and not afraid of moisture. Such floors with high-quality installation have a neat beautiful appearance and are durable.

Tile on the floor in the bathroom is not only beautiful, but also practical

It is important that the floor covered with ceramic tiles is very easy to care for.

Bung

This is a natural floor covering, which has the only negative - it is quite expensive. Such floors are durable, warm, pleasant to walk barefoot. Cork floors are easy to install and durable. Gently springing underfoot, they thereby reduce the load on the spine, which is extremely beneficial for the human body.

Construction stores offer cork in various colors and patterns.

Self-leveling floors

This new type of coating is gaining more and more fans. It is used as a rough coating for the floor materials described above, and as a finishing floor. Particularly popular are bulk floors with a 3D pattern, which have realistic three-dimensional image on their surface.

3d floors look very realistic

To give the bulk floor additional strength and decorative effect, it is covered with a layer of polymer or special varnish. Polymer floors are resistant to aggressive substances and mechanical stress. They are easy to maintain and durable.

Custom approach

Sometimes to create a complete interior composition requires the use of unusual floor materials.

Mats

These are original carpets woven from natural fibers of reed, jute, linen or hemp. Such floors are used when creating a design in the style of minimalism or for folklore interiors. Mats can have various shapes, sizes and colors. They are antistatic and have a massage effect on the foot.

Floor covering "Mat"

As a rule, a bulk floor is made under such a coating.

The effect of rough wood and color schemes

Wooden floors are very fashionable now, creating the visual effect of rough wood or an aged surface. Such a floor only seems rough and uncouth, in fact, wood processing in this style requires great skill. To the touch, such boards are smooth and carefully crafted.

Color contrast is fashionable today. The most popular floor colors are considered very dark, black and almost white, very light colors.

Warm floor

Manufacturers of flooring are constantly working to make them comfortable and convenient for humans. A comfortable floor must be warm and pleasant to move on it, not only in shoes, but also barefoot.

Warm floors can solve the problem of heating the house and make it comfortable for the human body. Using the “Warm floor” system, you can make the flooring comfortable not only in the room, but also in the corridor, bathroom and on the glazed balcony or loggia.

Warm water floor - comfort and convenience!

There are 3 types of underfloor heating:

• cable;
• film;
• water.

Heat-insulated floors can be mounted practically under any covering, and allow to hide interchanges of pipes, conducting and to remove batteries from the room.

Insulation and floor repair

The floor should be not only beautiful, but also necessarily warm. The warm floor preserves the health of those living in the house, and also gives them coziness and comfort. A properly insulated floor will prevent the formation of condensation and freezing corners, protect the house from mold.

Traditionally, several methods of floor insulation are used:

1. Laying under the main floor of stone, mineral or glass wool. When creating an insulating “pie”, vapor barrier and waterproofing materials are additionally used.
2. Use for warming expanded polystyrene. Additionally lay vapor barrier. Seams and joints are covered with putty or mastic.
3. Spraying liquid polyurethane foam, which creates a monolithic coating. This insulation layer has excellent thermal insulation properties.
4. The use of thermal insulation materials based on foamed polyethylene or fiberboard.
5. Warming with special thick linoleum.

Do not save on floor repairs. Both during the arrangement and during the repair, it is important to observe the stages and the sequence of work. By purchasing high-quality materials and observing the installation technology, you will get a strong, beautiful and durable flooring in your home.

In our photo gallery you can see the floor options in the apartment.

3d effect with piece parquet Parquet board - reliable and solid floor Parquet floor
   Parquet never goes out of fashion Piece parquet allows you to create your dream floor with your own hands Beautiful laminate
   Modern flooring Laminate flooring Linoleum remains the most popular flooring
   Cork flooring Linoleum - practical and inexpensive Natural linoleum - eco-friendly and stylish
   Unusual wooden floor

Video: flooring selection

Walls and even ceilings can be updated “cosmetically” at least every year. How to choose the floor for the apartment so as not to return to this issue for at least a dozen years? With a huge selection of materials in stores for flooring is not surprising and confused. Parquet is beautiful, but expensive. Linoleum - they say that emits harmful fumes. Tile - the floor will be cold, and everything beats on it ...

Let's try to understand together the pros and cons of various coatings. After all, outwardly each type of floor looks beautiful, aesthetically pleasing and attractive in its own way. Therefore, you need to pay attention to other criteria:
   susceptibility to mechanical damage (wear resistance);
   practicality (care requirements, ease of cleaning);
   the purpose of the floor (for the kitchen and bathroom - moisture resistant, for the bedroom - warm, for the living room or hall - spectacular, for the corridor - increased strength, for the nursery - eco-friendly, etc.);
   comfort (warm / cold, coating texture).
  So, we will consider the most popular options for materials for arranging floors in an apartment.

Parquet - a classic of the genre

To equip a classic typesetting parquet, to choose a high-quality varnish, to adjust the “plaque to the plank” is a rather easy task, compared to the mass of requirements for caring for this beautiful, natural, warm, but such a whimsical tree!

Pros: it looks impressive and noble, there are a lot of styling methods that allow you to create a real work of art. Such a floor is indispensable for creating expensive interiors in historical styles. The very presence of typesetting in the home indicates respectability and financial well-being of the owner. The floor is warm, pleasant to the touch, makes you want to walk barefoot ...

Cons: Wear resistance of the floor depends on the coating. High-quality factory varnish can save wood for 5-10 years, but oil or wax will have to be updated annually. The top layer under constant mechanical load quickly loses its spectacular appearance, requires periodic restoration and scraping. It is advisable to observe the temperature and humidity in the room (the best option is from +18 to + 25 degrees). Extremely poorly tolerates moisture. It requires special attention even during wet cleaning, and if the room is suddenly flooded with water, the floor will not be able to “resurrect”.

Laminate is an imitation of parquet. But is it successful?

Laminate is not afraid of female "hairpins" and claws of pets, however, this applies to materials with a strength factor of 23 and above. Modern and budget coverage, but there is little "natural" in it. In fact, this is a beautiful laminated piece of paper (at best, a very thin top cut of wood) based on dense fiberboard.

Pros: simple and quick installation by the "floating" method, it is quite accessible for independent flooring. It has many varieties and colors that reliably imitate a wooden floor, while it costs 4-5 times cheaper. There are bright colors with original patterns for colorful interiors. Unpretentiousness in leaving, resistance to household chemicals, fireproofness and reasonable price did a laminate one of the leaders of a modern floor covering.

Cons: poor moisture resistance and sound insulation. To reduce the "sonority" of the floor and smooth out irregularities, it is necessary to level the surface and equip the substrate. Joints sometimes diverge, forming gaps. In the worst case, fasteners break if the substrate is incorrect and the load is heavy.

Alternative options: parquet board - much less whimsical to care for, than parquet, more natural than laminate, as it is made of wood. Service life - up to 15 years.

Linoleum - the budget price and a wide selection

One of the most economical flooring options. In fact, this is a multilayer roll made on the basis of polymeric materials. Although there are linoleums, made by traditional technology, from linen, linseed oil, cork, wood flour, rubber. True, only three manufacturers make such a natural floor: Sommer, Forbo, DLW. Everything else is a product of the chemical industry.

Pros: easy to stack: spread out - secured - nailed a plinth on top. Easy to clean, absolutely unpretentious in care, has many colors.

Cons: it looks exactly like linoleum, even the best imitations of a wooden structure can not be compared with that gelatin. The floor must be leveled before laying, otherwise the slightest humps or hollow will remain during the decoration. Rumors about the dangers of linoleum have a right to life: in its production they really use plasticizers, thanks to which the coating becomes flexible. However, they can have a negative effect only if they are present in large quantities (and checking this, as you know, is no easier than trying out the exact composition of the material from the manufacturer).

Alternative: use linoleum only branded manufacturers. By the way, you can check the number of plasticizers yourself: for this, a piece of the roll should be taken out in the cold. With a minimum of harmful additives, the upper protective layer crack when bent. But if the substrate also cracks - a poor quality product.

Tiles and artificial stone - reliable, beautiful ... cold

Few can afford a natural marble or granite floor. But modern porcelain tiles and other types of artificial stone will quite cope with the imitation of stone coating.

Pluses: excellent moisture resistance, fire safety, ease and unpretentiousness in cleaning.

Cons: the glossy finish is easily damaged, so it is recommended to select matte tiles for the floor. But the rough surface has both advantages and disadvantages: it provides a more “natural” look, but complicates cleaning, trapping dust and debris in the folds of the embossed texture.

Alternative: getting rid of the main disadvantage of a stone floor - a cold surface - will help to arrange a warm floor.

Cork flooring - warm and comfortable

The floor of the cork tree bark is natural, beautiful and causes a pleasant tactile sensation. At the same time, the technology of cork processing, despite the new equipment, has not changed much over the past hundred years. For the corridor, bathroom and kitchen, glue plug is recommended; for residential premises - castle.

Pros: anti-allergenicity - cork is recommended for floors in nurseries and rooms where allergy sufferers live. The material is warm, soft, non-slippery, easily springy underfoot, positively affecting the musculoskeletal system. It has excellent sound insulation (cork is used even for finishing recording studios) and antistatic (does not attract dust, dirt is quickly removed with standard wet cleaning).

Cons: susceptibility to deformation: you can’t put a heavy closet or an old grandmother's chest of drawers from natural oak on the cork. At the same time, the cork is quite resistant to scratches (for example, from shoes with heels). High, as with all natural materials, price.

Alternative: under the legs of heavy furniture recommend special pads that reduce pressure. In addition, if you move furniture at least a couple of centimeters from time to time, the cork is restored due to the “bubble” structure of the material, which is compressed under pressure and then expanded to its original state.

Self-leveling floors - modern and spectacular

This type of coating is increasingly used in the decoration of floors, especially large areas. You should know that for apartments only polyurethane floors are used, and their "brothers" based on methyl methacrylic and epoxy resins are used in industrial premises.

Pros: durability (manufacturers give a guarantee of 40 years); good adhesion - they can be laid on almost any foundation, the floor surface will still be perfectly flat, without seams and gaps. Self-leveling floors are easy to clean, they are fireproof, not afraid of moisture.

Cons: standard bulk floors have a very modest color scheme, in which neutral shades prevail - beige, brown, gray. The price of decorative 3D bulk or floor floors is fabulously high (from 7000 rubles / m2 and higher - it depends on the volume of the room: the smaller, the more expensive).

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

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

The desired effect will be achieved by choosing the appropriate material for its characteristics and observing the technology of its installation.

  Repair the concrete base before finishing the floor.

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

A slab ceiling may already have a high-quality screed, otherwise you will have to do it - concrete large swings and fill it with a self-leveling compound. The horizontal plane will give confident support to all sections and layers of future beautiful floors.

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

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

Determine which floor in the room is best done (PVC tile or parquet), it is necessary for each room individually, depending on its purpose. Children's room, bedroom, corner for sports activities vary in load and intensity of impact on the entire structure to the very base.

Protective level

A crucial step in the work is to figure out what to lay on the screed under the selected floor, which material is best used as a heater.

Each type has certain characteristics, including the minimum thickness at which they appear in standard values \u200b\u200band determine which floors are best to make in the apartment.

It is necessary to consider the brand and type of insulation for various options for finishing the floor according to the following characteristics:

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

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

Material

Before you make the floor in the apartment yourself, you need to calculate the expected effect in comparison with the budget and the availability of the procurement of the selected material for various types of finishes:

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

Surface layer

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

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

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

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

Presented floor materials can cover a concrete, wooden base, lined with sheets of plywood or moisture-proof drywall. Manufacturers produce products for flooring in the apartment, having a variety of color solutions, texture, patterns and whole compositions, panels.

Linoleum

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

The material is quite soft, prone to permanent deformation from heavy objects, needs a careful attitude. Of all the options with which you can 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 flooring to choose, the first type wins in terms of resistance to wear, but we must pay attention to the fact that it was originally designed not for rooms of small volume and poor ventilation.

In the commercial type, the content of harmful components is higher, therefore, it is not recommended to use it in residential premises.

Laminate Flooring

Natural wood has been replaced by flooring with multi-layer types of artificial boards with enhanced performance characteristics. The texture and pattern successfully simulate parquet, stone, precious wood and much more.

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

For rooms for various purposes, to the question of which floor to choose, apply the material of the corresponding strength class (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 best done in a recreation area, a children's (play) room. The canvas is made from synthetic, natural threads.

Pile may be long or absent, like a palace. At the base, rubber, felt or jute is used.

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

Cork

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

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 a small thickness.

The roll is expanded, cut to size, laid on a base prepared by adhesive. The plate is laid end to end. When laying directly on a concrete floor, a softening substrate is needed so as not to push through small particles.