What to make floors from in an apartment - the right choice of coating and screed. What floors are best for an apartment? Recommendations

For a comfortable life in an apartment you cannot do without repair work related to flooring. Options for what exactly can be laid on the floor in different rooms ah na this moment enough, therefore it is important to know the basic rules and patterns of choice.

In order to lay a suitable floor yourself, you need to have sufficient knowledge and skills that will allow you to do the job efficiently and for many years.

Design Features

Since each living space in an apartment involves a certain type of occupation, everything must be subordinated to this. That’s why they put wallpaper in the bedroom and children’s room, tiles are laid in the kitchen and bathroom, and in the hallway you can generally use decorative brick. But the floors become especially important; it is on them that a person spends the entire time at home. Thanks to the good and high-quality coating it is possible to achieve maximum comfort in the room and ease of use by household members.

It is important not only the covering itself, which is located under your feet, but also the structure itself, which is hidden under it.

In apartments, floors are mounted on interfloor slabs and have two main layers:

1. intermediate;
2. the floor covering itself.

In some homes, the intermediate layer is not installed and the covering is placed directly on the slab. It can be PVC, linoleum, laminate, carpet or parquet. Due to this design, sound and heat insulation is very weak. The evenness of the floors also suffers because there is no leveling layer. Modern buildings have a completely different flooring system; it is reinforced concrete and metal structure with a complex device. They initially have a layer of thermal insulation and an additional soundproofing layer.

If the house is built in the form of frame-monolithic elements, then the floors are made of expanded clay concrete. This material has good insulating qualities. If the coating has weak insulating properties, then it is advisable to install an additional insulating layer for it. When creating a ceiling from beams, mineral wool can serve as a heat and moisture insulation material, which is placed between the beams, where, if necessary, a layer of waterproofing can be added.

When the beams are ready, an intermediate layer can be mounted on them, for which they use logs, a subfloor, layers of insulation and waterproofing, and screeds on which the floor covering is laid. Wooden flooring can also be laid over wooden beams, which will ultimately create a solid floor covering..

For some rooms it is possible not to make floors at all, these include basements, cellars, in which the floor is a screed that is as close as possible to the ground. IN strip foundation sheet bases can help make the floor warmer and suitable for long-term occupancy. For such rooms, ventilation plays a special role, because they do not have windows and if there is no air outlet, it will be impossible to be in such conditions. The size of the ventilation shaft will depend on the size of the room. If the basement is small, then the pipe removed will be enough; if it is large, you need to plan a more complex system.

If the quality of the floors is not satisfactory, you need to dismantle the old covering and install a DSP on which a new floor can be formed.

To delimit rooms you can use thresholds. They are especially important in the bathroom, because they will help protect other rooms from moisture accumulated after swimming and washing. When the base for the floor is done, the underlay is laid, especially if laminate was chosen as the flooring. If there is a need to insulate the floor, then you need to prepare a cake and pour it into the place where a heated floor is planned in the future.

Options floor coverings There are a wide variety of them, and the work involved in installing them differs radically. Some surfaces can be laid on a finished floor, but for some you need to screed and raise the level up to 10 cm to achieve the desired result.

Sound and noise insulation

In order to insulate the floor and reduce the noise level, there are various different materials, which can be used during repair work.

These include:

• Foamed polyethylene. This material is installed in the form of a layer that fits under the main floor covering and helps muffle noise and partially influence the warmth of the covering. The presence of such a layer alone will not be enough to finish the floor; it is important to equip it with additional elements.
• Construction of a structure from wooden beams . If the room has high ceilings, then you can raise the floor level using beams that are installed on spread polyethylene foam. Mineral wool or polystyrene foam is placed between the beams, but expanded clay can also be poured. When everything is ready, sheets of plywood or OSB cover the floor. It is on such a coating that any base can be laid.

• Dry screed option. In this case, a polyethylene film is placed on the coating, on which beacons are placed, according to which the height of the heat-insulating material is then adjusted. Only after this can a gypsum fiber sheet be laid on which any coating can easily be applied.
• One of the simple but reliable coating options that can be used to achieve good insulation, is ecowool. Quiet running on this floor is ensured thanks to complex composition coating and its characteristics.
• A simple but effective insulation option is polystyrene. It is laid directly on the concrete floor. Based on the height of the ceilings, you can raise the floors to a certain level by laying the above material in several layers. On such a covering you can lay solid options floor.

In a new building, you can get any type of coating, and it is on this basis that you can plan subsequent work. A variety of materials will be used for each room; for the bathroom, toilet and kitchen it is necessary to lay a waterproof floor, since the presence of moisture on the surface will be constant. Vapor barrier floors will also help cope with condensation, which often accumulates in rooms with high humidity.

If repairs are made in the kitchen, then the first criterion when choosing a floor will be its non-flammable properties and polyurethane backing. The combination of these components will achieve best result. Bulk flooring can be used in any room, the main thing is to choose the right type of content, so that it helps to enhance sound insulation and create an additional layer of thermal insulation, making the floor in the room warm and pleasant in any weather.

Types of coatings

For a comfortable stay in any room, it is important to choose the right flooring. If the renovation is carried out at home on your own, then it is important to lay new floors well and efficiently.

There are now many options for such coatings, the main ones are:

• board;
• parquet or a more modern variation - laminate;
• linoleum, or alternatively PVC plates;
• ceramic floor tiles or porcelain stoneware.

Choosing a board to cover, it is important to select only tongue and groove materials. These are planed boards that have the shape of a parallelepiped. One edge has a ridge that runs along the entire length of the product. This is done using a cutter, which helps make the shape even, which is convenient to work with. The other side of the same board piece has a groove that fits into the tongue and snaps it into place.

Such boards can have a thickness from 25 mm to 45. Hollow floors need to be covered with thicker boards, while cast floors can be covered with thinner ones. The thickness level allows you to regulate the strength of the coating and the level of its vibrations. Thin boards are laid at a minimum distance from each other and the logs should not be located more than sixty centimeters from each other.

When installing such a floor, it is important not to reach the wall itself, leaving about one centimeter for the size of the board to change under the influence of temperatures.

When choosing materials, it is important to pay attention to the material itself. Floor boards must be well dried. After installing the entire covering, the boards can be painted, polished or varnished. The gaps from the walls, which allow the covering to expand, are covered with a plinth. When choosing the material from which it is best to make a floor for a living room, you should not give preference to alder or linden, they are not suitable for this function.

Larch floor has similar characteristics, but its distinctive feature is the ability to absorb moisture in the room itself. Thanks to this property, a person can feel great at any time of the year. Moisture does not spoil the coating and it serves long time, bringing pleasure from use.

Parquet and laminate have many similarities to wood floors.. Parquet has pairs that are located on each side of the board, which is small in size. Small sizes make it possible to use valuable wood species and produce a high percentage of products without any defects. For parquet floors, a subfloor will be required., to which you need to attach every fifth board using a self-tapping screw, which is screwed in diagonally so that it is not visible.

Laying parquet boards can be done in several ways. The most popular are herringbone and chessboard. For large areas, you can combine different installation options, creating unique designs. This type of floor is one of the most expensive.

Despite all the positive aspects of this material, it has a very important drawback. When moisture gets in, it deteriorates, and if there is a lot of it, it rises and putting it back is an extremely difficult task. That's why it was invented alternative to parquet boards in the form of laminate. It is very similar to parquet, but is not made of wood, but of a four-layer material. It is based on a wood fiber layer, which is thoroughly impregnated with resin, and with reverse side Additionally, there is a mounting layer that helps make the coating more rigid.

The top layer is paper on which a certain design is applied. The most common option is imitation wood. Another layer of melamine or acrylic resins, which ensures resistance to abrasion and moisture. Installation of the laminate almost exactly repeats the system of parquet boards, which allows you to quickly and without much difficulty install a new coating.

Linoleum is a radically different floor covering.. It is very popular and finds its application in almost any room. It consists of a layer of fabric and its coating, which has wear-resistant characteristics. For the fabric layer, they now use both real fabric and non-woven felt-type options, which at the same time also insulate the floor. A variety of materials are applied on top. It can be PVC with various options and compositions.

The design of linoleum can be very diverse - from various patterns and shapes to a huge palette of colors. In addition, there is a wide variety of this coating in terms of strength and wear resistance.

Another flooring option is PVC tiles, which is a composite material having several layers. The base is stone, which is very crushed, and the top layer is vinyl with high strength characteristics. They lay her on bitumen mastic or glue, which simplifies the process, and damaged elements can be easily dismantled and new ones installed, which allows us to talk about the versatility of the coating.

The low cost makes it possible to periodically replace the flooring, changing colors or patterns and updating the space. A high degree of wear resistance makes it irreplaceable, and its good adherence to the surface makes it possible to use it in a wide variety of rooms.

For more information about PVC tiles, watch the following video.

Oldest material used for installation of floors, ceramic tiles are considered. The modern variety of shapes, textures and colors allows it to fit into any interior. Its main characteristics are strength and resistance to any external factors. The only disadvantages include fragility when hit by heavy objects and slippery floors if water gets on them.

Modern tiles are laid using mounting adhesive, which speeds up the process. During installation, a seam is left between each tile, designed to change the shape of the product when different temperatures. All seams are sealed using a special product.

A similar material is porcelain stoneware, which was obtained by baking ceramics at high temperatures and pressure. The resulting floor covering has unique strength characteristics. Externally it looks like a product from natural stone, but much lighter in weight. The stone floor looks very impressive and expensive. The hygienic properties of this coating allow it to be successfully used in the bathroom and kitchen.

These are some of the most common floor coverings that you can use in your apartment and install them yourself.

Design

In order to create a cozy atmosphere in the apartment, attention is paid not only to the walls and furniture, but also to the floor covering. It is important to choose correctly both the material from which it is made and color scheme so that it harmonizes with the entire environment. Walls often create the main accent in a room, so the color selection of the floor will often come from them.

Material for living rooms, such as a bedroom, children's room, living room, the most natural so that there are no harmful fumes or other negative effects on the body. For the hallway, bath, kitchen and corridor, you can use a floor made of practical materials that will withstand moisture, high-heeled shoes and other factors.

The variety of coatings also gives rise to new trends in interior design, and specifically floor coverings. New materials make it possible to use them in any room, while receiving the priorities necessary for a given space. Classic version flooring design assumes a monochromatic color palette, close to natural shades and textures. Modern tendencies dictate a riot of colors, a variety of textures and patterns that can fit into any interior.

Classic floors were often made of wood, and to create them you need to order parquet from solid real wood. The parquet itself can be piece, artistic or panel. For the same task, you can use massive boards made of oak or exotic species: acacia, walnut, elm and others. Oak boards are often artificially aged.

You can also use parquet boards, but you need to choose a pattern that will fill the space with the era of classicism.

Modern design interior requires and modern coatings. The use of laminate, parquet boards, solid wood, carpet, carpet tiles - everything is suitable for making the interior modern. The only exception is the bathroom, for which it is better to use vinyl coverings.

Laminate is considered the most versatile, because it can be used throughout the apartment.

An original solution will be using tiles in the kitchen or bathroom. For a shower room, using a marble finish will create an atmosphere of luxury and wealth. The marble floor will fit well into the design of the corridor, where the coating should be wear-resistant, but at the same time beautiful, in order to present the room to everyone who enters.

When purchasing a new home or restoring an old one, each of us sees the process of home renovation differently. Some take a radical approach and decide to refurbish the entire living space, while others intend to make do with a simple cosmetic repairs. If you see that more than 30 percent of the room needs repair, then it is better to choose a major type of restoration of an apartment or house. After all, what is visible is only part of what needs to be done. Usually the most severe damage is hidden from the naked eye.

When renovating a room, it is always necessary to first analyze the condition of the floors, walls and ceiling. These major structural elements of your home are fundamental, and their integrity determines the condition of your entire home.

Repairing floors in an apartment, the options for which are presented below, must begin with overhaul throughout the house. This is the only way the renovation you have started will make sense and have an excellent result.

You shouldn’t start renovating the floors in your apartment if you don’t have enough time and money. This type of repair is highly costly, and if halfway through it turns out that you have run out of money, then your whole family will be jumping on joists and bags of cement for a long time. Do-it-yourself repairs will help you save a lot of money. But to carry it out correctly, you need to develop a plan in which all stages of the repair work should be clearly defined.

Stages of repairing floors in an apartment:

1. Before starting any repairs, it is necessary to make a sketch of the finished object. Take a pencil, a sheet of paper and a tape measure, draw a surface, and put on it everything you want to do in the future.
2. According to your visions, divide the space into zones. Determine where you will use which finishing material.
3. Arrange future or existing furniture in the order in which it will be placed.
4. Number the stages using numbers construction work. They begin with the dismantling of old surfaces, in the middle of the journey you have to replace communications, and the repair ends with laying the floor.
5. Create a cost estimate.

Once again, weigh your financial capabilities and determination, read the reviews, these types of work are not cheap. If you decide to carry out repairs yourself, then it will not be superfluous for you to get advice from a specialist or consult a professional.

Existing types of floors in the apartment: 10 installation options

The floor is the upper part of the floor between floors apartment building or house and soil. The quality of floors greatly influences the entire structure of the building; a well-made house can last for decades without requiring replacement or repair.

There are different types of flooring in an apartment. They differ in the type of flooring base and floor covering.

The floor also has several functions that we sometimes don’t even think about, believing that its main task is to provide us with convenient movement around the apartment. The floor must provide soundproofing, thermal insulation, moisture resistance, load-bearing function and, of course, aesthetic appearance.

Types of floors that exist:

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

In luxury homes, it is customary to use marble or granite tiles for flooring in problem rooms.

Which flooring is better for an apartment: what to choose

The specifics of buildings require the use of various building materials. Sometimes, where it is possible to use wooden floor boards, it is completely impossible to equip the floor with ceramic tiles. To change building materials from one to another, it is necessary to completely change the structure of the floors.

Which floor covering is best for an apartment? What do professionals think about this? Like everyone existing species choose your flooring?

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

Properties and characteristics of types of flooring:

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

Tiles of all types are used mainly in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and hallway. This use is due to its special strength and water resistance.

Let's figure out which floor is better to make in the apartment

In modern apartments, the main theme of renovation is energy saving. To achieve this, their owners take a number of measures to ensure heat retention in the apartment.

What flooring is best to install in an apartment to make it warmer and more economical? Experts recommend installing types of floors where there is space between the base of the floor and the floor covering.

Heated floors allow you to save from 25 to 50 percent of heat in the house thanks to the heated floor system. You can even equip it yourself, the main thing is to plan it in advance, even before the start of major floor repairs.

Kinds heating systems for floors:

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

It is the infrared heating system that is the highest quality, affordable and practical for insulating houses in apartments. It fits almost any floor covering.

Wooden floors in an apartment: material features

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

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

It is not for nothing that the most expensive interior design styles imply the presence of only wooden floors. In the modern world of designer fashion, such a floor indicates good wealth, financial stability and excellent taste of the owner of the house.

Advantages of wooden floors:

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

There are several types of wood flooring. Parquet and parquet boards are currently considered the most expensive of wooden types. A simpler option is a regular tongue and groove board.

Self-leveling coating for the floor in a room: fashion trends

Laying parquet or laying parquet slabs on a concrete floor is now not difficult for many, as is laying cheaper options. The simplest thing that will cost the least is to make linoleum flooring or cover the floor with laminate. But decorating houses in this way is no longer fashionable.

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

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

Self-leveling floors are made from:

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

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

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

A huge number of materials for flooring give you the opportunity to choose. For different rooms of the house you can choose different coating, which will ensure more reliable functionality of the premises. Your main task is to correctly complete the construction and finishing of floors.

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It is equally important to consider the number of floors of the apartment. I’ll explain why: if you live on the ground floor, then remember that there is an unheated basement below. This means increased humidity and cold. If you live on the second floor or higher, then below you there will be a residential heated and dry apartment.

When choosing a floor covering, I also recommend taking into account the height of the room. Some technologies are simply unrealistic to introduce into an apartment, for example, wooden floors on joists if the ceiling height is 220 cm. Another point is the difference in floors between rooms. We level the floors at all our facilities.

If in your apartment wooden floor, then I don’t recommend filling concrete screed. There will be a lot of stress on him. On the contrary, choose a coating that is light in weight, such as laminate or linoleum. Well, it’s also important to pay attention to aesthetics.

From a practical point of view, I also advise you to choose flooring by zone. For example, you can use tiles for the kitchen and bathroom; you can lay wood, laminate, and the like in the bedroom.

Advice

Zone the area. Separate it with color, it’s beautiful and convenient.

Here's what zoning floors look like:

What base to use

The rough foundation in an apartment can be made from:

1. Wet screed.

2. Semi-dry screeds.

3. Dry screeds.

Wet screed

· Long drying time. After pouring, it should take about 30 days or more for complete hardening.

• There is a lot of dirt during the work process.

· On square meter there is a serious load that can reach up to 70 kg/m2.

· Shrinkage may occur as moisture evaporates.

• Serious labor costs are required.

• High strength.
• Relatively low cost.

· Various engineering systems can be installed in the screed.

· To achieve the required level, a thick layer can be poured without consequences.

Important! Provided that there will be at least three people pouring the screed: one on the batch, the second on the rule, the third on the tray, then on average you can fill the screed per working day with an area of ​​up to 50 m2 with a thickness of about 50 mm. In this case, it takes about a day to install the beacons.

The work of pouring a wet screed costs about 400 rubles. per m 2.

Semi-dry screed

We use this option at all of our sites. You can read more about the technology on our second website - http://qualityfloor.ru/

· Dependence on weather conditions. At sub-zero temperature work is prohibited.

• Difficult to implement on your own.

· Excellent quality is maintained at high speed.

· After time, cracks do not appear on the surface.

· Eliminates the possibility of water leaking into the lower room.

· Unlike wet screed, semi-dry screed is 15% cheaper.

Important! One team using the traditional method of pouring semi-dry screed can fill up to 100 m2. If you use the mechanized method, then up to 300 m2 in one day.

Cost of materials: cement M500 50 kg - 350 rubles, washed sand 1 m 3 - 1100 rubles. The cost of work, which includes work by rule and helicopter, reaches up to 150 rubles. per m 2.

Dry screed

Flaws:

· Hydrophilicity. Let me explain: if a pipe breaks under a dry screed, then the screed will have to be completely re-done, with preliminary dismantling work.

• Cannot be installed in a shower or bathroom.

Advantages:

• There are no wet processes at all.
• Sound insulation and thermal insulation are increased.
• Environmental friendliness.

· Little weight. Three times lighter than wet concrete screed.

• After installation, the floors are ready for use.

Important! In one day, a team of qualified specialists is capable of producing 50 m2 of dry screed.

The cost of installing Knauf dry screed per m2 ranges from 450 to 1300 rubles. The price depends on the manufacturing method and volumes. For example, dry floor screed up to 10 m2, which includes dry backfill and a floor element 1000 rub./m2. With a similar composition, a volume of 30 m3 or more will cost you 450 rubles. I advise you to compare offers from several construction companies at once to choose the best price.

Noise insulation

Styrofoam

Advantages:

• Easy installation.
• Easy to cut.
• Elastic and strong material.
• Service life up to 25 years.
• Not afraid of moisture.

• Highly flammable material.

· The presence of joints, which reduces sound insulation properties.

The cost of polystyrene foam per m 3 with a thickness of 10 mm is 280 rubles. (I couldn’t find a price for the work)

Mineral wool

In my opinion, mineral wool is one of the best building materials, providing excellent sound insulation of the floor. However, mineral wool cannot be poured into concrete. It is only suitable for wooden floors. For example, laying between floor beams.

• The ability to absorb sound waves.
• Does not burn.
• Does not emit harmful and dangerous toxic gases.
• The ability to cope with temperatures up to +1000°C.
• Possibility of installation without a cold bridge.
• Service life up to 25 years.
• Mineral wool is resistant to various aggressive environments.

· Throughout the entire service life, mineral wool retains its properties.

• Vapor permeability.

• Afraid of moisture.

· Difficulties during installation (it is necessary to wear protective clothing).

Price mineral wool per package differs based on its thickness. For example, mineral wool 100 mm thick 600×800 mm costs 450 rubles. Mineral wool 600 mm thick 600×100 mm costs 650 rubles.

Important! The cost of installing sound insulation with mineral wool per m 2 will cost 200 rubles.

Expanded clay

If the screed is poured, then in my experience and practice, expanded clay is the best solution. Its price is much lower. The price depends on the faction. It is sold in bags. For example, a fraction of 10–20 mm with a volume of 0.05 m 3 costs 85 rubles, and a fraction up to 5 mm with a volume of 0.05 m 3 costs 140 rubles.

Important! The cost of filling expanded clay per m 2 is 60 rubles.

Positive sides:

• Low price.
• Natural product – environmentally friendly.

· Does not change its structure when temperature changes.

• Various microorganisms do not grow in it.
• Fireproof material.
• Sound insulation is provided by the porosity of its structure.

Negative sides:

• Due to porosity it is very fragile.

· Due to the low density, it is necessary to fill in a soundproofing cushion of a decent height. Impossible to implement in apartments with small ceilings.

• Ability to absorb moisture.

Insulation

As for insulating the floor in the apartment, I advise all my customers not to miss this opportunity. Especially when the apartment is on the ground floor and there is an unheated basement below you. Insulating the floor will eliminate heat loss.

Important! If a heated floor system is installed on the floor, then insulation of the floor is simply necessary. The insulation must have a reflective film on it. Due to this, all the heat generated will rise to the top of the apartment.

Various materials are used for insulation.

Expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene is sold in packages. Depending on the manufacturer, the price ranges from 1.1 to 4 thousand rubles. Work per m2 will cost you 150 rubles.

• Easy installation.
• Light weight.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Various microorganisms do not live in it.
• Does not allow moisture and heat to pass through.
• Service life 50 years and above.

• Flammable
• When the temperature reaches 90° it deforms.

Cork

A roll of cork 2 mm thick costs 1,200 rubles. The thickness of the cork is 6 mm and the price per roll is 3800 rubles. In my opinion, the use of this insulation is unjustified. There are much cheaper insulation materials. But in some cases this is the only optimal solution. The price for installation is 320 rubles. m 2.

• Long service life.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Does not rot, does not spread mold.
• After time it does not lose its characteristics.
• Lets air through.

• Difficult installation process.

· High price. But in my opinion, the quality is completely worth the price.

Ecowool

One of modern solutions. In my opinion, the most effective method insulation of a wooden floor in an apartment. Cost 1 kg – 28 rubles. Work for 1m2 costs from 1600 rubles. ( wet method). In my opinion, the ideal combination of quality and low cost.

• Lets air through.
• Low cost.

· Does not grow mold, does not rot. It does not harbor insects and mice.

• Easy installation.
• Seamless insulation.

Important! Cons: the main disadvantage is that after a while, dry laying of ecowool cakes. Therefore, when insulating the floor, I recommend compacting it thoroughly; on average, per 1 m 3 the consumption will be 50 kg.

Water heated floor

For many customers living in apartments, I advise making a warm water floor. However, this cannot always be done. For example, in your apartment low ceilings, and the heating cake can occupy a minimum of 70 mm. It is not always possible to pour screed onto a water-heated floor due to weak overlap. It is also important to consider the choice of flooring. For example, all the heat is absorbed under the laminate and it will be difficult to achieve a comfortable temperature.

Advice! As my practice shows, water heated floors are ideally combined with ceramic tiles. She has high level thermal conductivity, which allows not to delay thermal energy in the body of the screed.

· Lining insulation (which are cheaper and better, describe briefly)

Floor materials

The modern market offers a large selection of floor finishing materials. I propose to compare the most common facing materials.

Parquet

• Ease of use.
• Durability is about 100 years.
• Beautiful appearance.
• Ideally matches any interior style.

· High price. Especially when exotic wood species are used.

• It needs polishing from time to time.
• It makes a lot of noise when walking.

The cost of piece parquet is 950 rubles/m2, and parquet boards from 800 to 2000 rubles/m2. The work will cost 1000 rubles. per m 2.

Laminate

There are many laminate manufacturers, and accordingly the cost of laminate varies. I push away from the class. For an apartment, I recommend purchasing a laminate class of at least 33. So the price per m2 is in the range from 300 to 2400 rubles/m2. The cost of installation is on average 350 rubles/m2.

Advantages of laminate:

· Packaging is convenient for transportation and hand carrying.

• Imitates various building materials.
• Easy to care for.
• Wear resistance (depending on class).
• Relatively simple and quick installation.
• Can be installed in different rooms.

· Resistant to the negative effects of UV, does not fade. Some planks are even moisture resistant.

• Does not breed mold and mildew.

Disadvantages of laminate:

· It is impossible to restore the top layer in case of wear. A complete replacement is required.

• Makes a lot of noise when walking.
• Unnatural tactile sensations.
• Rigidity.

· The presence of formaldehyde calls into question environmental friendliness.

· Without expansion joints, the coating will spread or swell.

Linoleum

The cost of linoleum ranges from 200 to 1.5 thousand rubles/m2. The cost is affected by its class, for example, commercial, household, etc. For an apartment, I recommend buying linoleum for no less than 500 rubles/m2. Installation cost: with glue 320 rub./m2, without glue 250 rub./m2.

• Relatively inexpensive flooring.

· Resistant to moisture and steam. Relevant for rooms in an apartment with high humidity, for example, a kitchen.

• Wear-resistant (depending on class).
• Easy installation. You can use glue or not.
• Does not slip when wet.
• Easy to care for.

· Linoleum has a specific smell. It goes away after two weeks.

• Poor wear resistance to punctures.
• Perfectly needed Smooth surface floor.

Tree

In my opinion, wood is the most win-win option when finishing the floor in an apartment. just keep in mind that it fits on logs. Therefore, the height of the ceilings should allow such luxury. The cost of a wooden floor per m2 varies depending on the thickness of the board. Average price 450 rub./m2. Laying boards over joists will cost 400 rubles/m2.

• Excellent aesthetic appearance.
• Pleasant tactile sensations when walking.

· Additionally, wooden floors insulate the base. You can walk barefoot.

· Easy to operate. Once every 5 years a coat of paint/varnish is applied and the floors are like new.

· New flooring can be laid over an old wooden floor.

• Easily repairable.

· Difficulties during installation. There are many nuances to consider.

• It is impossible to achieve a perfectly flat floor.
• If the installation technology is not followed, they creak.

Tile

The cost of ceramic tiles varies depending on its collection. You can find tiles for 400 rubles/m2, and there are collections for 17 thousand rubles/m2. The cost of work is within 1000 rubles/m2.

• Hard and reliable coating.
• Does not allow moisture to pass through, unless there is a flood.
• Long service life.
• Hygiene.
• Easy to clean.
• Resistance to temperature changes.
• Resistant to aggressive chemicals.

· High thermal conductivity. Without underfloor heating It's cold to walk on the tiles.

• Harmful if exposed to moisture.
• High price.
• Difficulties in installation.

Rating of flooring materials

Floor material	Appearance (10 points)	Material price	Installation cost	Price with work	Durability	Time until restoration
		950 – 2000 rub.
		300 – 2400 rub.
Linoleum		200 – 1500 rub.	For glue – 320 rubles. Without glue – 250 rub.
		400 – 17,000 rub.

Self-leveling floor in a private house

Beautiful, durable and modern floors in an apartment can decorate any interior. And the variety of floor coverings is very large. This includes regular linoleum, laminate, solid boards, carpet, tiles and many more. various options. But finishing coat- This is only the upper part of the floors. Their main and most important part is hidden from view under decorative materials.

For some, it is enough that the floor is smooth and strong. Others attach great importance to the decorative qualities of the coating. Modern industry gives you the opportunity to choose any options. There are some very original ones among them. If you decide to change the floor in your apartment, what material should you choose and what is the best way to cover the floor in your apartment?

Always in fashion and always in demand. There is no point in comparing modern parquet with what was known to us many decades ago. Ordinary parquet laid in a herringbone pattern can no longer be found in apartments today. Modern parquet is quite large boards, on which there is already a pattern laid out from valuable types of wood.

Of course, there is also piece parquet, from which you can create original and even highly artistic compositions. It uses oak, beech, maple, ash, and other types of wood. Image design is usually done on a computer. Calculations of the number of lamellas of different colors are also performed there. But piece parquet is not only very expensive, but also requires special care.

Parquet board

This material is also made from natural wood, but is cheaper, easy to install and easier to care for. A wide single-strip board can be made with double or triple rows of dies in top layer. There are also options with a selected bevel and others. Parquet boards can be different shades, which designers often combine in an apartment. This type of flooring can be scraped and renewed several times.

The parquet board is made according to the principle of a floating floor, that is, on locking connections without gluing.

Laminate: an affordable flooring material with excellent quality and reliability. Laminate perfectly conveys the appearance of wood: color, texture. It can also be made to match any other materials: stone, tile, leather, etc. The most original options can be generally multi-colored, for example, blue or green.

Laminate can be very different. There are types made to look like parquet. They are specially designed with a chamfer. Laminate can be smooth, shiny, matte, embossed, moisture-resistant. It is installed using locking systems.

Mats

Often, when creating a minimalist interior, mats are used as flooring. These are quite fashionable carpets today, woven from natural materials - reed, flax fibers, jute, hemp and others. These coatings are antistatic and can have a wide variety of colors, sizes and shapes. Their additional advantage is the massage effect on the feet.

Cork

Ideal: natural, warm, durable, easy to install and maintain, durable. It is very pleasant to walk on it barefoot. In addition, it reduces the load on the spine, gently springing under your feet. There are also many design options for such a coating; you can choose different patterns and colors. can remain without additional coating or with protection from varnishes and oils. When performing renovations, a complete replacement of the floor in the apartment is not required. It is enough to change the damaged area.

Ceramic tile.

Most often used in the bathroom, on, in the hallway. There are also options for using different tile options, such as porcelain tiles. This is one of the most traditional types floor coverings. Their design knows no boundaries, providing designers with great opportunities for creating interiors. Tile floors are not afraid of moisture, very strong, durable, and beautiful.

Linoleum.

And yet the most common floor covering in apartments today can be considered linoleum. This material combines best qualities all floor coverings. It is very cheap, its installation is very simple, it is not afraid of moisture, it looks beautiful, etc.

Wood

One of the traditional floor coverings in apartments is an ordinary wooden board on joists. Using a wooden heated floor is not only profitable, but also convenient. Such floors are environmentally friendly, affordable, practical, and look good. Wooden boards can be used as a rough or finishing surface.

Solid and multi-layered wooden floors fit perfectly into the interior. Correctly selected options allow you to visually adjust the size of the room and shape. In addition, with the help of certain types of boards you can create an interior in a certain style.

Wood can create something special and cozy in a home. It is pleasant to walk on natural boards barefoot; such a floor is never cold. Service life at correct operation about thirty years old.

Fashion trends

Designers are dealing with the problem: how to make floors in apartments fashionable? The most fashionable shades of wood today are even, very dark colors, or, conversely, very light.

Low-processed rough wood is also considered the most popular. Of course, such wood, on the contrary, requires very careful processing. It just looks rough and bold. And it feels very smooth to the touch. Such a tree retains all its beneficial qualities.

Warm floor

One of the pretty current issues For residents, the question remains of heating in the off-season and additional heating in winter. Additional heating required for poor quality utilities, as well as in rooms where central heating is not provided. For example, in the bathroom, in the hallway, on the loggia.

Today, the best solution to this problem is underfloor heating systems. Of course, you can use conventional electric heating devices. But using heated floors is much more effective and functional.

Underfloor heating systems can be used in apartments with any floor covering. In addition, there will be no additional batteries, pipes, or junctions in the rooms. All components are hidden under the finishing touches.

Self-leveling floors

They are becoming more and more popular. Such systems are durable, strong and suitable for cladding with any materials. Cement-sand, leveling screeds, as well as self-leveling self-leveling floors can be used as self-leveling floors.

Self-leveling floors can be used not only as a rough screed and for leveling the base, but also as independent species floor covering. They can contain both three-dimensional designs and other decorations under the finishing layer of polymers. It is polymer that is most in demand today due to its unique decorative capabilities.

Polymer self-leveling floors are resistant to any aggressive substances and influences. They can be polyurethane or epoxy.

Insulation

If the housing is on the ground floor or in the old dilapidated house, then the question arises: how to insulate the floor in an apartment. Most often, a cold floor causes colds.

A properly insulated floor will not only preserve the health of the household, but will also give the apartment more comfort, total heat, will protect against the formation of condensation, mold, freezing of corners, and also protect furniture and interior items from damage. There are several insulation options.

• Use insulation under the main floor in the form of glass wool, stone or mineral wool. Additionally, waterproofing and vapor barrier materials are used.
• Use expanded polystyrene sheets instead of mineral wool insulation. Seams and joints are glued together with mastic. A vapor barrier is also required.
• Use sprayed polyurethane foam, creating a monolithic surface with high thermal insulation properties. Application thickness is 50-100 millimeters. In this case, waterproofing is not required, but the sound insulation of the floor is increased.
• Also suitable for insulation thermal insulation materials like isolon, shielded polyethylene foam, fiber boards and many others.
• There is also the option of insulation with special warm linoleum with an additional layer of insulation.

Floor repair

You should not save on repairs: this is what keeps the entire furnishings of the apartment in place. And the comfort and warmth in the room largely depends on it. If a floor replacement is required, all stages of the work must be completed. You need to start with screeding, thermal insulation, waterproofing, etc. Finish by laying the topcoat.

It’s worth asking the professionals how to make floors reliable and warm. Can be used for different various technologies and materials. In most cases, self-leveling floors can be used as a screed. In this case, the finishing materials can be absolutely anything.

The most important thing when performing repairs: purchase only quality materials and carry out their installation, strictly adhering to the technology.

During renovations in the kitchen, the question arises of what kind of flooring to make so that it lasts as long as possible, is pleasing to the eye, and is practical. The modern construction market offers many variations of flooring. Most of the flooring we offer looks great in the kitchen and can last quite a long time. Let's figure out which floor to make better in the kitchen.

Modern flooring is practical and durable.

When choosing floors for the kitchen, you should take into account that they will be exposed to various influences: dirt will get on the kitchen floor various kinds, water constantly spills, dishes and cutting objects fall. Ideal floors for the kitchen are those that are easy and quick to clean, withstand moisture, and are not subject to minor damage.

Types of floors

Nowadays, you can choose flooring to suit every taste and from any material.

Today, the construction industry offers a wide range of floor coverings to choose from, here are the types of floor coverings suitable for the kitchen:

1. Ceramic tile– strong and durable material, easy installation, budget price;
2. Cork flooring is a durable, natural, environmentally friendly material, installation is of average complexity, average price;
3. Parquet board is a strong, natural, environmentally friendly material, does not tolerate moisture, high price, installation is not possible without calling a construction team;
4. Wooden floor is a strong, durable, natural material, does not tolerate moisture, very high cost, difficult installation;
5. Laminate is a wear-resistant material, low cost, easy installation;
6. Linoleum is a wear-resistant, durable material, very low price, easy installation;
7. Porcelain stoneware is the strongest material, high price, difficult to install;
8. Self-leveling floors - complex installation, high wear resistance, dismantling is impossible.

Ceramic tiles are durable and easy to install at an affordable price.

Think about whether you will install a heated floor, this is important factor when choosing. Let's consider what factors influence the choice of flooring for the kitchen, and what types of flooring can be purchased in a modern hardware store.

Factors influencing choice

Choose your flooring carefully and it will last you a long time.

Of course, an important factor is the original floor covering of the kitchen area. Consider whether the base is suitable for the selected material, otherwise you will have to radically redo the floors. If you are not ready for this, then it is better not to start serious alterations, because they will not only hit your budget, but will also take a lot of time and effort. The subfloor is a decisive factor that also influences the final result of the work; its preparation should be taken seriously. Keep in mind that not all types of materials can be used for one reason or another.

The floor occupies an important part in the design of the kitchen; when choosing a covering, consider overall design interior

An important factor is the design of the room and kitchen floor. Floors should be uncluttered and look like a background to the rest of the interior. In rare cases, floors become the accent of the interior, then the design of the room is based on them. When laying flooring, you can use a variety of techniques, for example, laying different materials in different areas of the interior. This design option is suitable for kitchens that are combined with other rooms: a dining room, living room or bar. The flooring in the kitchen may be the same style as the floors throughout the house, or it may differ significantly from them.

Designer floor tiles in the kitchen interior.

When you have decided on the design and prepared the base for laying the material, you can start purchasing it; let’s look at the most popular and current flooring options.

Linoleum

This material It can be both natural and artificial. Today linoleum is probably the most practical and convenient option flooring for kitchens of a wide variety of types.

Practicality and low cost are the main qualities for which linoleum is chosen.

Linoleum has become popular due to a certain list of advantages:

1. Affordable price - compared to other types of materials, linoleum is considered one of the cheapest.
2. Durability - high-quality linoleum will serve you for at least ten years, even with the most intense loads on it, and that’s all because it can withstand high loads and is resistant to almost all types of damage.
3. Easy care is also an important advantage, because linoleum is easier to clean than other materials and does not require constant treatment.
4. Simple installation - laying linoleum yourself can be done by any owner who decides to change the flooring for the kitchen.
5. Variety - today on the construction market you can buy linoleum of almost any texture and color; choosing a material that suits the design of the room is not difficult.
6. Possibility of installing heated floors under the linoleum surface.

Practical floor covering in the kitchen.

When purchasing linoleum, you should consult with the seller, since some types of this material are not suitable for residential premises. Today there are also ecological types of linoleum - marmoleum and artoleum. They are considered environmentally friendly, but are much more expensive than their prototype.

Cork covering

For lovers of high-quality and natural materials, cork flooring is ideal suitable option for kitchen. In the manufacture of this material, cork oak, or rather its bark, is used. Cork flooring is not only absolutely safe for health, but also quite practical. It is pleasant to the touch and beneficial for the skin of the feet. This material is not able to attract dust and small pieces of debris. Doctors recommend using cork in apartments and houses where allergy and asthma sufferers live. Cork flooring for home kitchens has become widely used recently.

A high-quality and natural material, cork flooring is an ideal option for the kitchen.

Cork is easy to care for and, almost like linoleum, is not afraid of grease. It can fit into many types of interiors and with its help you can create unique design. The bark of the cork oak tree has different types shades and structures. One of the disadvantages is that cork floors need to be treated with varnish to protect it. But after you cover this material with a protective varnish, it will not be afraid of moisture and even small floods.

Wooden floors

Wood is considered an expensive material, and all because of its expensive extraction and processing. Of course, you can find inexpensive wood species for flooring, but still the total cost of the structure will be higher than linoleum or laminate flooring. But wood has many advantages, which makes this material the most desirable among opponents.

Wooden flooring is quite an expensive pleasure and capricious in everyday life.

Wood floors look rich, attractive, respectable and elegant. This is the purest material and is many times safer than others. Natural wood looks ideal in classic and country designs, but it is also suitable for other types of interiors. Of course, in the case of laying wooden floors, it is better to use only wooden furniture, this will give the kitchen an even more pleasant appearance.

In addition to the enormous cost, wood also has other disadvantages. This material does not tolerate temperature changes and is susceptible to moisture. It is not recommended to install wood floors in the kitchen. If you are ready to constantly treat the boards with protective agents - varnish and oil, as well as regularly clean the room, then the wood can be installed. The main thing is to be careful when preparing dinner, because wood is the worst material to tolerate dirt and stains.

Wood flooring in the kitchen.

In addition to the above mentioned, wooden floors have a number of other disadvantages:

1. Usykh shrinkage - in winter, due to a decrease in air temperature, the tree is able to shrink, which leads to drying out. Small gaps appear between the boards. This negatively affects the overall interior of the room. If your home has high-quality insulation, then your floors are not in danger of drying out.
2. Instability of color - since wood is a natural material, it has the disadvantage of instability of structure and color. Color can change at an unexpected moment, this is inherent in nature. It is impossible to influence this circumstance on your own. But this disadvantage is considered an advantage.
3. It is impossible to install a warm floor under the boards; if you do this, the boards may dry out and become damaged over time.

Despite its shortcomings, wood is considered the best material in terms of safety for human health and as an indicator of its respectability. Wood is considered the most beautiful material. If you are not ready for the difficulties associated with caring for it, then you can think about purchasing laminate or parquet. The pattern of laminate and parquet is similar to the structure of wooden boards.

Parquet

If the budget allows for installing parquet flooring, then it will be an excellent addition to the kitchen design, which will resemble wood material. Thanks to its surface, it is pleasant to the touch and visually attractive. It, like wood, is considered an environmentally friendly material that is harmless to humans. But, like other materials, parquet has a number of disadvantages.

An environmentally friendly material, but like wood, it is capricious in everyday life.

A disadvantage of parquet is its poor resistance to moisture. In order to avoid damage to the parquet, you need to treat it with varnish, but even then it is not recommended to spill liquids on it. It is comparatively cheaper than wooden boards, but just like them it is an expensive type of material. The price increases significantly due to complex installation and processing. Parquet flooring for your kitchen will delight you and your guests, because it is pleasant to look at and to the touch.

Laminate

Laminate is an excellent replacement for wood; it is not so demanding in everyday life.

Thanks to a pattern similar to the structure of wooden boards, laminate has become an excellent replacement for wood. Of course, it does not have the same environmental friendliness as wood or cork and is not as safe for human health. But its popularity is due to a certain list of advantages, the main one of which is its high resistance to all types of adverse external influences on its surface.

The modern building materials market offers a choice of various types of laminates, which with their patterns imitate all types of wood that are used in construction, including the rarest and most expensive types. You can even buy laminate flooring that imitates natural materials such as granite, marble, and limestone. Another advantage of laminate is its excellent compatibility with underfloor heating systems, which has made it one of the leaders among materials for kitchen floors. With all these advantages, laminate has a low cost compared to other floor coverings.

Drawing of the texture of wood boards on laminate.

Since it is possible to install heated floors under the laminate, let’s consider what types of heating systems can be installed in the kitchen:

1. Cable underfloor heating is a convenient, reliable and safe electrical system;
2. Thermomat – thin cable system;
3. Infrared heated floors are a unique electronic heating system. Allows you to save energy.

Laminate allows the installation of all types of electric heating systems in floors, which makes it popular. Installation of heated floor systems can also be installed under linoleum and tiles.

Light laminate in the kitchen interior.

Like any type of material, laminate has a number of disadvantages. These include low resistance to liquids; when using such a floor covering, special attention should be paid to high-quality waterproofing. Also, during operation of the laminate, you need to ensure that no liquid gets on it, it is afraid of flooding. If necessary, you can purchase specialized moisture-resistant panels that will help cope with this problem.

It is better to purchase laminate only from well-known manufacturers. Ask sellers for certificates so as not to stumble upon a fake.

Floor tiles

Designer kitchen design with ceramic tiles.

As with linoleum and laminate, ceramic tiles are especially popular. The tile is easy to use and has a number of advantages. Tiles are considered a cheap material, on counters construction stores you can find its diversity, which varies in a variety of colors, shapes, and patterns. Laying tiles is not difficult, it can be done in different styles, you can choose a pattern to suit your interior.

Tile has many advantages. Ceramic tiles imitate many materials, including marble, granite, plastic and even wood. Ceramic tiles are considered safe for human health; they are not afraid of exposure to liquids, temperatures and high humidity, she is not afraid, including chemistry, fire and electricity.

White kitchen with ceramic tile flooring.

The main disadvantage of tiles is its temperature. It is unpleasant for the feet, due to the constant cold surface; in the kitchen with such a floor covering you will have to wear shoes or warm socks. But since slippers have become an integral part of everyday life, this drawback ceases to be significant. For the kitchen, it is better to purchase non-slip types of tiles, such as matte tiles.

Under floor tiles You can install a heated floor system.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles are an excellent material for kitchen flooring.

Porcelain tiles are an excellent material for kitchen flooring. Thanks to its excellent imitation of natural mineral materials, it is suitable for many types unique designs. It is better not to purchase porcelain tiles with a glossy surface for installation, because they are too slippery, but the matte type of this material is perfect as a kitchen flooring.

Self-leveling floors

In the kitchen there are 3D self-leveling floors with images.

Self-leveling flooring is also called liquid linoleum. It is similar in its properties to linoleum, reminiscent tiles. The advantages of self-leveling flooring include its high resistance to influences of any type and the absence of the need for maintenance.

There is a wide range of self-leveling floors on the construction market, so you can choose the right color to suit your design. Self-leveling flooring fits perfectly into many types of interiors. But it should be understood that self-leveling floors are almost impossible to dismantle, despite their advantages, it is better to abandon them.

Suitable for any design.

As you can see in the kitchen, it is possible to install a wide variety of types of floors, you can even use PVC, the choice is yours, you just need to approach it responsibly. It all depends on your interior; the flooring for the kitchen should be selected according to it. Think about whether water will spill in your kitchen, what impact it will have on the coating, and take into account the features of the kitchen. Depending on them, select suitable material for flooring in the kitchen.

Video: Types of flooring in the kitchen