To date, it uses a large number of all kinds of coatings for the floor in the houses that are presented on the site http://myhousewithme.com/: ceramic tiles, parquet and parquet board, linoleum and laminate. Among all of these types of coating, laminate occupies a special niche, being the most popular material, whose distinctive qualities are durability in use, resistance to scratching and abrasion, ease of cleaning, hygienic use, the ability to solve a large number of design ideas.
The main differences when choosing laminate
Laminate varies in terms of strength and is selected for each specific room, based on the intensity of its abrasion. However, the most important factor determining the long-term use of this coating is the condition of the surface on which it is to be mounted. Quite often in apartments there is already installed a parquet or wooden boards that lose their properties and appearance over time. The time comes to replace the old flooring with a new one, but there are a few rules to follow. Usually, owners are not in a hurry to throw out the boardwalk, because the coating is quite warm. Very often they decide to lay linoleum and laminate directly on the boards (the old coating).
Laminate installation technology
Laying laminate on a wooden floor is not prohibited, but it implies mandatory preparation. Since wood in the process of operation has been exposed to temperature and humidity fluctuations, drying out, in some places the boards may have swollen or come off the floor base. The floor surface is carefully tidied: where necessary filed boards and grind the surface to smoothness. It is worth to really assess the condition of the old flooring: if it has fallen into disrepair, the boards are rotten or creak strongly – perhaps there is no need to save it, and just remove and lay the laminate flooring on a concrete surface (pre-prepared, of course).
Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor implies the preliminary placement of an insulation layer, the role of which can be performed by an ordinary polyethylene film or special material, which is often offered by manufacturers of expensive brands. Laminate panels themselves are recommended to lay across the boards of the old floor. This solution will make the installation more reliable. Sometimes, on top of the insulation layer it is advised to lay sheets of plywood. This action can increase the thermal insulation of the floor and reduce unevenness of the surface.