Today no one needs to explain that the floor in the house contributes to the creation of coziness and comfort. Not a single element of the interior of your apartment needs more careful maintenance. Therefore, before choosing a flooring, study all possible types of floors.
Preparation of the base floor
Before you decide what kind of flooring you need, you should take care of the base. It should be smooth, not have height differences, protrusions and cracks. To do this, the floor is screed in one of the following ways.
Today the most common:
- Dry floor screed. It is used to level the surface with existing serious defects. Too thick a layer of such a screed does not always allow it to be used in apartments. This can be considered its only drawback. The advantages of this method include ease of coating, ease of installation, high quality. On a dry screed, you can immediately lay the top layer. The laying technology is very simple: a dry mixture is poured on a concrete base or polystyrene is covered, then slabs are laid on the floorfrom gypsum fiber.
- Semi-dry screed. This is the filling of the floor with a mixture of cement, water and sand. Alignment is carried out using special measuring instruments. Such a screed dries out within five days.
Choose floors. Types: design, technology, materials
Modern designers and manufacturers of finishing and building materials can offer customers many floor design options. They differ in manufacturing and installation technology, the material used and, of course, the price. Today we will introduce you to the most common types of floors so that you can make the right choice.
Seamed floors
In construction, this is the name of the type of screed and finish coating. When working, mixtures are used to level the surface, which are poured onto a layer of expanded polystyrene. Screeds of this type have earned the approval of experts for the small thickness of the coating, high strength and wear resistance. After the base has completely dried, you can proceed to the selection of the main floor covering.
At this point, many people have a question: “Which is better to choose floors?” Types, requirements, designs for all options are different. Which coating will last long, be durable and retain the original appearance as much as possible at a reasonable price?
There is no definite answer to these questions. A variety of floor coverings gives scope for your imagination and at the same time complicates the choice. But back to flooring as a finish.
This is a relatively new invention. They are often called"3D floors". Such coatings allow you to create real works of art in a single apartment (house). They are very effective.
Types of self-leveling floors are amazing. The cost of such coatings can not be called low. The technology for performing a self-leveling floor is very similar to the manufacture of a liquid screed.
When creating such a coating, you should carefully level the base, sand it, clean it well and prime it. Then a base coat should be applied. When it dries, you can start drawing.
How is self-leveling floor applied?
In this case, the choice depends on the fantasies and preferences of the owner. Any textures, colors, small decorative elements (shells, pebbles, artificial plants, etc.) are used - all this will add originality to your floors.
A final coat is applied. The thicker the polymer that is applied to the drawing, the more voluminous the image will appear. There are other types of self-leveling floors. In addition to a transparent coating, you can consider other options - matte fills of different colors, ornaments, large drawings. This type of flooring has high durability and is a decoration of the room.
Wooden floors
Many owners, considering the types of wooden floors, increasingly prefer solid wood. It is rightfully considered an alternative to parquet flooring. Solid board is great for large spaces.
This material is environmentally friendly, with proper care it will servedecades. In addition, it is distinguished by ease of installation, which is due to the size of the boards - their width is 10-20 cm, and the length reaches three meters.
Massive board is slightly thicker than parquet, so this material is considered more wear-resistant, durable and strong. Using modern technologies, manufacturers create a board of various colors, regardless of the type of wood. There are many modern paints and varnishes that not only protect the material, but also give the board an attractive look.
Production
Only high quality solid wood is used to make the floorboard. Most often, this material is made from maple, oak, walnut, birch, cherry, ash. In addition, there is a board made of exotic wood species - beech, mergau, bamboo, wenge, and so on.
Laying a massive board requires the preparation of the base. It cannot be placed on concrete. Usually wooden logs (rectangular bars) are used for this. Also, the coating can be laid on a plywood base. Its surface must be perfectly flat. We must not forget about the moisture barrier. It is laid on logs or on a plywood base. The foam can be replaced with mastics, primers and other special mixtures.
In apartments located on the lower floors, it is more expedient to insulate the floor by laying heat-resistant material between the layers of the coating. Experts recommend keeping the boards for at least two days before laying them indoors.
Parquet
Choosing floors, types and requirements for whichdiffer significantly, it is necessary to consider in which room you want to lay them. Surely you will not place ceramic tiles in the living room, and parquet in the bathroom. Each room has its own requirements.
Classic parquet is a strong, durable, environmentally friendly floor covering. It always looks immaculate. Today, the parquet floor is designed not only in the form of a "herringbone" or a traditional rectangular mosaic. Modern technologies have brought a variety of colors, shapes, textures and shades to the parquet world. Now you can lay out intricate drawings from wood.
Parquet is small wooden boards up to 20 mm thick, about 10 cm wide. Parquet is made from high-quality solid wood. More often than others, walnut, oak, birch, ash, maple, larch are used. Demand today coating of beech, sandalwood, cypress, palm.
Parquet related to wooden floors, in turn, can be divided into several types - piece, parquet board, modular and artistic. I would like to dwell on the latter in more detail.
Art parquet, made by a qualified craftsman, is a real work of art. Incredible ornaments, very intricate drawings, stunning patterns - all this is available thanks to modern equipment and the latest production technologies. Artistic parquet is a piece material. It is laid in an intricate pattern.
Modular parquet can combine different colors, varieties and textures of wood. Processlaying such a coating is very laborious, requires a long time and highly qualified master.
The disadvantage of parquet, like other wood flooring, is the difficulty in maintenance. It must be monitored very carefully, protected from moisture, regularly treated with special compounds. Yes, and styling is a very complex process that requires the skill of professionals.
Floor tiles
There are floors whose types and designs are well known to our readers. First of all, this applies to floor porcelain tiles, which are made of durable and durable material. However, you are unlikely to want to have such a floor in your bedroom. This option is more suitable for rooms with high humidity - an entrance hall, a kitchen or a bathroom.
Before laying tiles, the subfloor should be well leveled and dust free. All contact points must be degreased. The material is laid on a special glue. It is necessary to ensure that the gaps between the tiles are uniform.
Live Tile
This is a brand new flooring. In order not to go into the intricacies of production technology, we can say that this is a multilayer tile, the pattern of which changes when you press on it.
Undoubtedly, this is an original and rather effective coating. It requires special conditions for installation and operation. Such a tile is installed on a completely flat horizontal surface. The smallest defects can cause its deformation, as a result of which itwill lose its "magic" properties - the gel inside will simply flow out.
Types of floors from roll materials
Linoleum is perhaps the most affordable way to upgrade your floor financially. Today, different types of this material are presented on the domestic market of building and finishing materials:
- Natural, made from natural raw materials (linseed oil, pine resin, jute fiber, wood flour).
- PVC linoleum is made from synthetic materials. It is very durable, wear-resistant, has good flexibility. PVC linoleum is single-layer and multi-layer. Traded in a huge selection of colors and patterns.
- Rubber linoleum (relin) is a two-layer coating. The bottom layer is used rubber, while the top layer consists of a mixture of rubber, pigments and fillers.
- Alkyd linoleum contains alkyd resins and a fabric base. Has strong thermal insulation properties.
Types of linoleum flooring in residential areas are different from flooring in office buildings, shops, clinics, etc.
For floors in apartments (houses), as a rule, artificial PVC linoleum is used. From it you can make different types of coverage. Modern technologies allow to produce this material of the highest quality. In addition, it perfectly imitates parquet, wood tiles and more.
Carpeting
Types of floors, photos and descriptions of which we posted in this article, will not be complete if we do not talk about the favorite material of many consumers - carpet. This is soft flooring.consists of several layers. The first is the pile, under it is the base, then comes the fixing layer, followed by a rubber or latex gasket.
For the production of carpet pile, wool, polyamide or polypropylene is used. This is probably why for many, carpeting is their favorite type of flooring. At home, I so want to relax and at least occasionally walk around without shoes. And the most pleasant thing to do is on a soft and fluffy carpet.
It can be different in the way it is made. Woven carpet is made in much the same way as a regular carpet. This is the most expensive type of this coverage. More common (mainly due to its affordable price) artificial carpet. Its quality depends on how tightly the villi fit together. The higher the density, the less dust and small specks enter the base. Dense pile is less abraded and wrinkled, and therefore retains a great appearance longer.
Carpet care is quite simple. Latex or rubber-based coating allows wet cleaning. But in this case, it is necessary to ensure that the pile dries completely. Jute carpet requires dry cleaning.
Heated floors
In conclusion, I would like to say about the "warm floor" system. This is a great way to make your home cozy. This option is especially relevant for private houses and apartments on the lower floors. The essence of this method is simple: a special structure is laid under the top layer of the floor covering, consisting ofelectrical wires. Some systems use water or gas pipes. Only regulators and temperature sensors remain on the surface. "Warm floor" can be combined with any coating.
