Having started a renovation in the kitchen, many are faced with the problem of choosing a floor covering. Often doubts are caused by the operational characteristics of a particular material. And therefore, the risk of putting the wrong coating on the floor can result in the creation of an inaccurate picture of the design or simply an early deterioration of the material.
About what kind of coatings are ideal for arranging the floor of the kitchen and advice on which interior is better to put this or that material, we analyze in this article.
Ceramic tiles
The most familiar and proven material for flooring since the days of the Soviet Union. Tile tiles have high strength and hardness. Therefore, such a floor covering is absolutely not afraid of mechanical influences, shocks, abrasions, UV rays. In addition, ceramic tiles are inert even to a large amount of water on the floor, not to mention accidental drops that have fallen on the floor. The tile reacts better than others to spilled products on the floor. Wine, fat, ketchup, etc. are washed off with a warm soapy solution, without forming unsightly stains on their surface.
The disadvantages of such a practical flooring are:
- Moderately high price (especially if the tile is bought from well-known European manufacturers);
- Some dirty work when laying the material;
- Cold tiles. If you make the floor tiled, then walking barefoot on such a floor is uncomfortable. The situation can be corrected with the help of indoor slippers or a “warm floor” system installed at the stage of the repair.
Important: ceramic tiles look best on the floor of a kitchen made in classic, Provence or country styles.
Porcelain stoneware
A coating that is identical to tile, but with higher strength and higher wear rates. Porcelain stoneware slabs are quite massive and have large parameters, unlike tiles.
Such a floor covering for the kitchen can be made in a variety of designs from a monochromatic design to applying an intricate pattern to each slab.
Porcelain stoneware, as well as ceramic tiles, is not afraid of moisture, temperature changes, mechanical stress and sunlight. The material is not subject to deformation and perfectly interacts with any aggressive detergents.
Porcelain tile is better to lay in kitchens in modern or classic style. Massive stoves look perfect in spacious and bright kitchens with large-sized furniture, which allows you to create an unusual interior in the room.
The disadvantages of covering the field are:
- Price;
- The coldness of the stone (but this can be corrected either by floor heating or slippers worn on the feet).
Important: it is best to choose porcelain stoneware slabs with a corrugated or rough surface. This will avoid possible injury in the kitchen on a wet floor.
cork floor
This type of coating is ideal for finishing the kitchen floor. Moderately elastic cork boards have excellent thermal insulation properties and are very pleasant to use, which allows you to make the kitchen cozy. Walking on the cork floor is a pleasure.
Cork slabs resemble laminate (when laid with a locking method) or PVC tiles (when laid with an adhesive method). Both types of cork coating are good and unpretentious.
Cork flooring for the kitchen responds well to temperature changes, mechanical stress and UV rays. The only disadvantage of such a coating is its fear of water. As a result of getting a large amount of moisture on the floor, the cork swells and turns into crumbs. To prevent this from happening, after installation, the cork floor is covered with two or three layers of special acrylic or water-dispersion varnish. The product protects the floor from wear and the negative effects of water.
Important: for the kitchen, it is still better to choose a cork with adhesive fastening. Glue additionally protect the grooves between the plates from accidentally getting moisture.
Linoleum
The perfect flooring for your kitchen. The coating is practical, durable, resistant to moisture and temperature extremes. In addition, the cost of linoleum on the modern market is the most affordable compared to all other floor coverings.
Modern technologies make it possible to produce linoleum, the strength of which is designed for 15 years or more. This is especially true of natural material made on the basis of linseed oil, jute fibers and wood flour.
Designers offer the modern buyer flooring with imitation of parquet, laminate, marble, natural stone or ceramic tiles. Which of the above is better should be determined based on the intended interior.
Important: when buying linoleum, you can smell it. Natural flooring will smell of oil and natural ingredients. PVC linoleum will have a specific synthetic fragrance.
Laminate
Moderately good coverage, but for very careful housewives. Laminate has long and firmly won its position in the market of finishing materials and is one of the most popular. Its robust structure allows it to withstand fairly high mechanical loads. Especially if corundum was added to the structure of the protective top layer during manufacture.
In addition, laminate flooring is warm and comfortable. It creates coziness and warmth in the kitchen.
The weak point of the laminate is its fear of water. Spilled liquid that has fallen into the joints between the plates can seriously damage the wood-fiber material from which the laminate is made.
Tip: if you really want to lay a laminate in the kitchen, then it is better to make the floor combined. That is, in the working area, lay porcelain stoneware, tiles or linoleum, and cover the dining area of the kitchen with a laminate that matches the color of the tile. This solution looks original in any of the interiors. The main thing is to choose the right pattern on the tile and the shade of the laminate.
PVC tiles
This floor covering is akin to linoleum. The only difference is that the material for the floor is made in the form of modules. Sometimes such a coating is called a “modular PVC floor”.
PAX tiles are highly durable and inert to water, temperature changes or any pollution. When laying PAH tiles form a monolithic coating. The floor of modular tiles is easy to clean and can be installed on the "warm floor" system. Tip: depending on the color and pattern of PVC tiles, it is better to lay them in modern, high-tech, art deco interiors.
self-leveling floor
3D floor installation technology allows you to create truly original solutions in the kitchen. The self-leveling floor system involves laying a three-dimensional image on the base and filling it with a special agent based on polyurethane or epoxy resin. Making such a floor is quite simple, but expensive. For example, a kitchen with an area of 2 to 5 m2 will require you to spend $600 or more.
Self-leveling floors are a monolithic coating that is not afraid of water, temperature changes and mechanical stress. The service life of such a floor is 40 years or more. At the same time, it is quite difficult to dismantle the coating.
Important: self-leveling floor can also be done on top of the "warm floor" system.
Parquet
Worst choice for the kitchen. Although the parquet board is an environmentally friendly and attractive material, it is better not to use it for the kitchen. Such a coating is afraid of water and fire. And any debris falling on the kitchen floor will eventually clog into the joints and cracks between the parquet planks. Not even lacquer will help here. After a few years, you will have to carefully clean and renew the coating.
Flooring is an important part of home furnishing. Your comfort depends on it. The flooring suffers the most, so you need to choose a wear-resistant material so that over time it does not become unusable. In addition, the floor must be warm, otherwise who likes to walk on a cold floor? For each room, the criterion for choosing floor cladding is different. Which floor is better to choose for an apartment and what types of flooring are, we will consider in the article.
In modern buildings, the base of the floor is most often made of concrete. By itself, it is a durable material, but very cold and allows any sounds to penetrate without protecting against noise. Another problem associated with concrete is uneven floors. This is especially true for new homes. Developers rarely bother creating flat surfaces, so this problem falls on the owners of apartments. Screeding is necessary if you have uneven floors. In addition, the screed will add sound insulation. 
If your house is not new, but the floors are not even, you may not need to level them. Different types of cladding are laid on floors of different conditions. So, for example, a laminate can be laid on a floor with slight irregularities, but for linoleum, you will have to carefully prepare the floor, because it does not hide flaws.
Also, when choosing facing materials, you should rely on the purpose of your room. For different rooms and the selection criterion is different. For the kitchen, the most important thing is water resistance. The kitchen, first of all, is characterized by a high level of humidity. In addition, direct contact of materials with water is possible. This should be taken into account when choosing a cladding. Another criterion is ease of maintenance. Dirt will certainly fall on the floor and therefore it will have to be cleaned often. 
For the bathroom and toilet, the criteria are the same, excluding cleaning. There is not much dirt there. Most often, tiles are laid on the floor, but then the floor remains constantly cold. For warmth, you can install a warm floor. Especially when there are children. Despite the fact that many people think that underfloor heating burns through a lot of electricity, this is actually not the case. Electricity consumption will increase, but not critical. 
The corridor usually suffers the most. The flooring material must be very durable and wear-resistant. Facing should not be afraid of dirt and moisture. For the bedroom and the nursery, the safety criterion is at the top of the list. It is not worth saving, it is better to turn to environmentally friendly, albeit expensive materials. The coating should provide an additional layer of thermal insulation, if it is still cold in the room, you can spread rugs in the bedside and play areas.
Consider the most common options for flooring in an apartment.
Based on all the requirements, choosing the right material seems to be not such an easy task. But in fact, the modern market offers a variety of materials, among which you can find any even for the most demanding taste.
Ceramic tile
The most common option for facing the kitchen, bath and bathroom. Often it is laid in the hallway. The tile does not like unevenness, so before laying it, you will have to take care of the smoothness of the base. Even with small tubercles, it can lie unevenly, which will inevitably lead to the fact that the entire structure will be crooked. 
One of the main disadvantages of tiles is coldness. It will remain so at any time of the year. This problem is solved by laying underfloor heating, so tiles are now used even for laying in bedrooms. But this option is not for everyone. There is a simple budget solution - rugs. And in the bathroom, they are required, since the tiles are very slippery and the risk of injury is very high. To avoid this, you can use unglazed tiles with a relief pattern, so it will not be slippery. There are no other unpleasant shortcomings in the tile, and even those that are easy to deal with. 
Tiles are popular due to their strengths. The tile will serve you for many years without losing its decorative and operational characteristics. In many apartments, it has been used for several generations and they change it already because it is simply tired.
Tile is a durable and wear-resistant material. She is not afraid of stains of grease or dirt. It is easy to clean it, during cleaning you can use any means. Also, tiles are environmentally friendly materials.
It is made from clay, without the addition of toxins. By itself, the material does not support combustion and does not contribute to the development of fungus and mold.
Now many refuse tiles, because they associate it with Soviet times. And that's in vain. Now tiles are of much better quality and their decorative properties are not inferior to other materials. On the market you can find tiles with any pattern, shape or color.
Independent work on the installation of tiles can be performed. The process is not laborious. However, it is still not without difficulties. If you mark up incorrectly, there is a risk of crooked laying, so it may be worth contacting specialists if you have not encountered this kind of work before.
Linoleum
A common option for finishing the floor in bedrooms is linoleum. One of its advantages is the price. This is one of the most affordable materials that everyone can afford. 
Although it is not environmentally friendly. Linoleum can be made on the basis of natural substances or polymers. PVC material is not environmentally friendly, and natural is not cheap. But it remains one of the most popular due to a number of its advantages over expensive counterparts.
Working with linoleum is very easy. Even a novice in repair work can complete the entire process on their own without the involvement of specialists or friends.
This allows you to save. You can choose linoleum for any interior. Now it is presented on the market in a wide range with various patterns. Many choose material with imitation of various natural materials, but here you need to pay attention to the appearance of the cladding. Cheap goods usually do not differ in the quality of the picture, and it will look ridiculous in the end. It is worth choosing another pattern in this case. 
Linoleum is easy to care for and stays warm. The service life depends on the type, it will last you at least 20 years. But, despite the positive characteristics, everything is worth paying attention to the minuses. Linoleum is not a particularly resistant material. From heavy furniture, dents will remain on it and over time it will be wiped.
Laminate
For many, laminate is associated with finishing only sleeping quarters, but now there are also waterproof types. Some cover the entire apartment with laminate, without worrying about anything. Now they produce a laminate of special strength with waterproof characteristics, but this also affects the price of the material. 
Laminate is divided into classes. The most expensive is 34. This type will serve you for decades in any room, no matter what the conditions. However, the price for it will be the highest. If you decide to cover the entire apartment, then class 34 should be used for the kitchen. But for the bedroom, you can choose cheaper options related to the class starting with the number 2. 
The characteristics of the material will directly depend on its price. Wear resistance and strength depend on the class. 30s are made from five layers, and 20s from only three.
Laminate is chosen because of its high decorative properties. The surface of the material can imitate any pattern, creating an imitation of natural wood, stone and other materials. In addition, the material remains warm, it is pleasant to walk on it.
But it has an extremely costly drawback - it can only be laid on a substrate, which costs almost the same as the laminate itself. Some consider the substrate not fundamental, but it is impossible to lay a laminate without it. Some firms do not even give a guarantee for it without a backing. The fact is that it provides better conditions for the material itself, which increases its service life.
wooden floors
Wood is a natural material, which is why it is among the first in the price category. However, despite the price, many turn to it during repairs because of its properties. The tree is absolutely safe and environmentally friendly. But it is not suitable for decoration in the kitchen or in the bath. Sometimes it is impregnated with special means for resistance to contact with water, but in this case its environmental friendliness is lost. 
The wooden floor will delight you with its warmth and soundproofing characteristics. But it absorbs odors, so it is rarely used in the kitchen, even for styling in the dining area.
How to make floors in the apartment with your own hands
Before proceeding with the cladding, any base needs to be prepared. This also applies to gender. On the subfloor, first of all, you need to perform a screed if you have a new house. If the floors are being replaced in the apartment, then you need to get rid of all the bumps and protrusions so that the cladding lays evenly. If necessary, you can additionally lay the substrate to increase heat and sound insulation.
The floor in the apartment is its most important part. Firstly, furniture and most of the equipment, washing machine, stove, bath, shower, toilet and other plumbing are installed on the floor. A person constantly contacts the floor, walks on it, often barefoot. Sometimes you have to lie on the floor, even sleep. The floor must be well adapted for cleaning, as any debris falls on it, liquids and food remains are spilled. The floor separates us from the people living in the lower apartment, and comfort in the apartment depends on how well it is insulated.
That is, in addition to strength, it must protect the apartment from extraneous sounds and alien climate. It is a finished, well-executed floor that completes the apartment ensemble.
The device of the floor is an expensive undertaking. Nonetheless, variety of materials and methods of its device allows you to build a fairly comfortable and aesthetic floor based on the very modest budget.
Thus, the floor in the apartment carries the following functional loads, which must be taken into account when designing it:
- Carrier.
- Warming.
- Soundproof.
- Moisture-proof.
- Aesthetic.
Floor construction in the apartment
The floor in the apartment is mounted on upper surface interfloor overlap and consists of two main layers:
- intermediate;
- flooring.
In the simplest cases, for example, in Khrushchev's apartment intermediate layer missing. The flooring in it, most often PVC tiles, linoleum, or thin cotterless parquet planks, are glued directly to the top surface concrete floor slab with bituminous mastic, latex or PVA glue.
In the best case, the top surface of the board before gluing was smoothed with a thin layer cement screed. No wonder that in such apartments audibility and thermal qualities leave much to be desired. The horizontal plane of the floor in such apartments is also far from ideal.
In modern houses, inter-apartment floors are complex reinforced concrete or metal structures , equipped with layers of heat, moisture, sound insulation. In frame-monolithic structures, floors are most often poured from expanded clay concrete- excellent insulating material. In these cases, insulating layers should be installed in the intermediate layer if the insulating properties of the overlap are insufficient.
A timber beam may also contain thermal and moisture insulation. Most often it is mineral wool laid between the beams. A layer of waterproofing can also be provided there. Already on the beams, an intermediate layer is mounted, which may consist of logs, subfloor, insulating layers of insulation and waterproofing, screeds, and a floor covering is placed on top. The wooden floor, which forms a single sheet thanks to the cottered boards, can be laid directly on the beams. If the beams are located far from each other, on logs attached to beams.
Overlapping may be absent, for example, in basements or basements. In this case, the floor is mounted on a screed, which covers specially prepared pillow, consisting of compacted layers of sand and gravel, lying on the ground.
Types of bases for the floor
The floor in an apartment, in contrast to an individual house, is laid on the existing floor "from the builders" in the new house, or on the beam floor in the old one. For this reason, before laying the floor, it is necessary thoroughly examine the cover. In old houses, it is necessary to raise the old floor and conduct an examination of the floor beams. Replace or reinforce damaged beams or replace them with new ones. The best solution would be to replace the beam covering with reinforced concrete.
Ceilings in new houses, depending on building technology, can be from reinforced concrete panel ceilings, or in monolithic-frame houses - solid expanded clay concrete.
As beams can be used:
- wooden beam;
- reinforced concrete beam;
- metal profile (tee or I-beam or rail).
Beams are mounted during construction straight into the wall or on concrete crossbars built into the wall.
Beams can be wooden and concrete. In Khrushchev's houses, most often used as a ceiling hollow panels, which served as the basis for the floor on one side and the ceiling on the other.
Ceilings from builders, except surface defects may have bias. Therefore, the floor surface is covered with a screed, which solves two issues:
- makes the surface smooth enough for the position of the floor covering;
- makes the surface horizontal.
Cement strainer
The simplest type of screed is a cement screed. The filling solution is being prepared cement grade 400 and river washed and screened sand. Currently, ready-mixed dry mixes are commercially available. But you can cook on your own. The composition of the mixture:
- Sand - 3-4 parts.
- Cement - 1 part.
- Water - so much that the solution resembles sour cream.
The sequence of actions when installing a cement screed:
After completion of all work, during the entire curing time, it is necessary daily moisten the surface filling by sprinkling it with water. It is possible to cover the surface of the filling with polyethylene to preserve moisture.
The term of the final setting and drying of the screed 28−29 days.
Semi-dry cement screed
Recently, the semi-dry screed method has become widespread. Its main advantages are:
- short curing time of the mixture, sufficient for laying flooring;
- no risk of leakage to the lower floor;
- plasticity of the screed and, as a result, the absence of cracks and cavities after hardening;
- additional heat and sound insulating properties.
The composition of the mixture for laying a semi-dry screed differs significantly from a wet one. smaller water content. In addition, a significant amount of plasticizer is added to the solution - fiber, which keeps the screed from cracking.
The composition of the mixture is as follows:
- Clean building sand, particle size modulus = 2.0; fraction up to 5 mm - 2 parts.
- Cement brand 400D20 - 7 parts.
- Water - 1 part.
- Fiber - 700 gr. for 1 cu. m solution.
The laying procedure is the same as in the case of a cement screed, with the difference that:
The main advantage of a semi-dry screed is that it is already through 12 hours Hardens enough to walk on. After 42 hours, porcelain stoneware and tiles can be laid on it, and after 7 nights- laminate, PVC tiles or linoleum. The fact is that although a semi-dry screed gains strength very quickly, moisture evaporates little by little over the course of a month. Therefore, it is better to arrange a parquet floor on a fresh screed after a month of exposure, since even slight evaporation can damage dry parquet.
Dry screed
The main advantage of a dry screed is that it can be covered with a floor covering. immediately after installation. The intermediate layer of dry screed is formed as follows. Waterproofing is laid on the surface of the ceiling in the form of a polyethylene sheet 0.2 mm thick. From above, it is covered with expanded clay or sand, which is carefully leveled and compacted with a flat vibrator or roller.
A special layer is placed on the layer thus formed. metallic profile, which is covered from above with gypsum-fiber boards arranged in a checkerboard pattern, which are fastened mounting screws to this profile. If the backfill is more than 7 cm thick, the top layer is reinforced with another layer of gypsum fiber boards. On the finished screed, the floor covering is immediately laid.
Self-leveling floors
In the event that it is necessary to receive perfectly smooth horizontal surface, ready for laying linoleum, PVC tiles or laminate, the best intermediate layer can be obtained by pouring on well waterproofed the basis of a liquid solution of a certain composition. Such a solution is formed by dilution with water, in accordance with the instructions attached to each package. ready mix, a wide variety of which is currently available on the building materials market.
The mixture consists of cement, gypsum, fine sand type fillers and contains various chemical components, which contribute to the rapid and uniform spreading, plasticization and stabilization of the resulting coating. Ideal horizontal surface formed by itself under the influence of gravity. That is why these mixtures are called self-levelling. Various compositions are connected with different conditions and different thicknesses of the formed coating.
Before installing the floor, heat and sound insulation should be placed between the beams. It can be mineral wool, expanded clay or slag. Porous insulating material loses its insulating properties to a large extent when moisture or steam is absorbed. Therefore, it must be carefully isolated waterproof film, such as polyethylene or roofing material. If the size of the film is insufficient, its sheets should be overlapped, sealing the edges with adhesive tape.
- If the distance between the beams does not exceed 60 cm, then the floor can be laid directly on the beams. If not, then logs are laid on the beams perpendicular to their direction at a distance of 50–60 cm.
- Logs are also placed directly on the reinforced concrete floor or screed.
- Logs are wooden bars with a section of 50 × 100 made of coniferous wood. When laying, it is necessary to set the upper edge strictly horizontally using a level. The distance between the lags should not exceed 60 cm.
A cut-off is superimposed on the logs in advance floorboard, which, thanks to the cotter pin, forms a single floor sheet. It is necessary to install ventilation ducts in the walls, coming out of the walls at a distance of several centimeters from the plinth, closed with openwork hatches. These steps are necessary in order to ventilated the space between the joists and the underside of the board. For greater strength, the boards are attached to the joists with self-tapping screws inserted at an angle at the level of the cotter pin in order to hide their heads and be able to process a single floor surface with a polishing machine.
The best floor boards are mahogany and oak, but most often they are made from softwood. Optimal ratio price quality have boards made of Siberian larch.
After polishing, the floor can be varnished or painted. In both cases it is necessary follow instructions for painting and, if necessary, pre-priming with special primers. This will significantly lengthen life span paint layer.
A rough floor can also be laid on the logs, on which PVC tiles, linoleum, and laminate can be laid as a floor covering. For this, the subfloor is covered additional leveling sheet material, such as fiberboard. Coating of tiles or porcelain stoneware over wood flooring is possible only if a reinforcing layer is applied on top. reinforced screed.
The draft floor can be assembled from a floorboard, chipboard, OSB. In this case, additional leveling layer not needed. Parquet is laid on the subfloor.
Types of flooring
Floor coverings complete the laying of the floor. This is exactly the material that will be addressed to a person, will be with him contact directly and which will take on all external influences.
Board
To cover with a wooden board, a tongue-and-groove floorboard is used. She represents planed board in the form of a regular parallelepiped, along one of the narrow faces of which a comb (tongue) is milled for the entire length, and on the other, opposite, corresponding groove. This form allows, by assembling the boards so that the tongue of one enters the groove of the other, and form a strong solid flooring.
The thickness of the floorboards varies from 25 to 45 mm. The thicker the board, the less it “plays”, that is, the floor bends. The thinner the floorboard, the smaller the distance between the joists should be. For example, with a board 25 mm thick, the distance between the lags cannot exceed 60 cm. When installing, the floor from the floorboard must be leave a gap between the wall and the edge of the floor at least 1 cm for expansion from moisture and temperature.
The board must be well dried(at least 10% humidity). After installation, the wooden floor can be polished, varnished or painted. The gap near the walls, at the end of the installation, is covered with a plinth. The floorboard is not made of linden and alder.
Parquet and laminate
Parquet, in fact, is a small floorboard with grooves and cotter pins on all sides in pairs. That allows you to assemble the floor from the dies of a relatively small size.
Parquet is undoubtedly the most human-friendly floor covering. However, he has significant disadvantage. When even a small amount of moisture gets in, it warps, and when flooded, it “suspends”.
An alternative to parquet is an unpretentious laminate. Externally, the laminate is very similar to parquet. In fact, this is a parquet board, but made not from solid wood, but from a four-layer material, the main, carrier layer which is a thin fibreboard impregnated with resins. A mounting layer is glued on it from below, providing rigidity, on top, printed paper, usually imitating natural wood, covered with another layer of melamine or acrylic resin provides durability. Structurally, the laminate board repeats tongue and groove lock parquet, which allows you to easily, quickly and reliably assemble the flooring.
Linoleum and PVC tiles
Linoleum is probably the most common and most universal coating of all currently in existence. The first linoleum was a jute burlap, which was covered with cork crumb material, pressed with linseed oil as binding material. It has proven itself over the years as a flooring, wall and countertop material. The current linoleum has retained the basic idea of two layers, fabric and surface, but both have undergone many changes.
Basically, in modern linoleum, various woven and non-woven materials, such as felt, are used as a fabric base, serving simultaneously base and insulation. Numerous wear-resistant materials are used as the surface layer, such as PVC in various versions and compositions. Modern technological capabilities make it possible to imitate on the surface of linoleum any material and texture and paint it with incredible patterns.
All this made it possible to incredible range strength, insulation and other features. But the hallmark of linoleum, which distinguishes it favorably from ceramic tiles and stone, is its "warmth" in feeling and some softness. Dishes that fall on a linoleum floor are not so unambiguously broken. And bruises when falling on linoleum will not be so painful.
PVC tile is a tile made from a special multilayer composite material based on crushed natural stone and very durable vinyl. It is available in a variety of colors. Thanks to its modularity and variety of colors, it allows you to get an incredibly designer decor on the floor. Its main advantages:
- ease of installation on bituminous mastics and adhesives;
- ease of installation and dismantling makes it easy to replace damaged tiles;
- and cheapness - to change the boring pattern;
- The tile is extremely wear-resistant and adheres well to the surface.
PVC tiles - the most democratic material for flooring.
Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles
Ceramic tiles are one of the oldest facing materials. There used to be two varieties:
- facing tiles covered with glaze and having underglaze painting;
- metlakh, glazeless, rough, for the floor.
Now, too, there are ceramic tiles of various sizes and purposes. Their main advantage is the strength of the material and resistance to any aggressive influences. However, in the manufacture of tiles, the material and heat treatment modes.
Such tile-producing countries as Spain, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic have proven themselves perfectly. By choosing tiles from new market entrants such as Turkey and China, you can win on the budget but lose in quality. However, these manufacturers also have quality products, which saves on cladding. The disadvantages of tile flooring are slipperiness when wet, brittleness when struck by a heavy object, "coldness" in sensation, hardness, which leads to the fact that the fallen glassware and ceramics break into small fragments, which can represent some danger for children and pets.
If earlier the installation of tiles was carried out on the solution, then with the development of the industry of building adhesives, installation is carried out with their help. The main tool is wide spatula with cutouts for applying glue. Glue is applied to the tile and then the tile is fixed on the prepared surface. We must not forget to leave a small gap between the tiles, for which there is a simple and affordable tooling. This gap is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of the tile when changing ambient temperature. The seam is then sealed with special grouts and improves the aesthetic perception of the surface.
Porcelain stoneware is very similar to tile, but has slightly different qualities. Porcelain stoneware was obtained in Italy in the late 70s and is produced ceramic sintering method and natural minerals at very high temperatures and pressures. This process is very similar to the natural processes that occur in the bowels of the earth during the formation of granite. The end result was incredible. durable material, superior in strength to granite and approaching corundum.
Technologies make it possible to color it in such a way that tiles from it not only imitate all known gems and semi-precious stones, but also allow you to get any color and pattern, moreover, distributed throughout the thickness, and not located only on the surface. In addition, the material is lighter than natural stone and has additional thermal insulation properties. It is well polished and somewhat warmer ceramic tiles.
The most important advantage of porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles is their absolute hygiene, making them an indispensable floor covering for bathrooms and kitchens.
Conclusion
The topic of flooring is very broad. It's obvious that variety of materials and technology makes it possible to build a comfortable, functional and beautiful floor for every taste and for any money. Nevertheless, I would like to note that, despite the simplicity and clarity of the floor installation procedures, this responsible work is better trust a professional as to obtain a good result, a synthesis of knowledge, experience and practical skills of a person constantly engaged in work in this important direction is necessary.
Last update: 04-01-2019
Below is a summary of the most common types of flooring, pluses and minuses.
Laminate
This material is a hard coating, the elements of which consist of several layers, the appearance imitates the texture of wood, stone or tiles. The laminate is issued in the form of a board up to 200 mm wide.
Benefits of laminate:
- Attractive appearance.
- Strength, sufficient rigidity, the structure is resistant to mechanical stress.
- Ease of care.
- Long service life (standard laminate retains its qualities up to 15 years).
Cons of laminate:
- Limited use in rooms with high humidity (not suitable for a bathroom).
Average cost of laminate flooring:
- From 450 rubles per square meter
Parquet
This material is made in a 3-layer version: the top layer is made of valuable wood, and the intermediate and base layers are made of coniferous wood.
Advantages of parquet:
- Noble appearance, a huge selection of textures and shades.
- Versatility of use in various interiors.
- Good wear resistance.
- Possibility of scraping and polishing in case of loss of appearance.
- Service life up to 25-30 years.
Disadvantages of parquet:
- Fear of moisture.
- More complex maintenance.
- High price.
Average cost of parquet:
- From 1000 rubles per square meter, depending on the composition, manufacturer and collection.
Linoleum
This is a roll material that is mounted using adhesives, it is flexible, available in various shades, with a plain texture and ornaments.
The advantages of linoleum:
- The ability to lay the material in a room of any area and layout in one piece, i.e. seamlessly.
- Humidity resistance.
- Quality products have a protective layer that prevents fading.
- Low cost.
Cons of linoleum:
- Not the highest strength in relation to mechanical stress: linoleum wears out quickly, it can be damaged by sharp shoes, toys or pet claws, it is pressed through by heavy furniture.
- Relatively short service life (up to 10 years).
Linoleum price:
- From 150-850 rubles per square meter.
Cork
It is a natural material which 
walks for laying in any residential area, with the exception of those in which humidity is high.
Cork advantages:
- Environmental Safety.
- Increased service life.
- Resistance to wear and mechanical stress.
- Good indicators of heat and sound insulation.
Cork Disadvantages:
- Moisture sensitive.
- Not the least difficult to install.
- Product price.
Cork cost:
- From 1000 rubles per square, depending on the brand and collection.
Tile
This material is often laid on the floor in the hall, kitchen, bathroom, it is durable and has a rigid structure.
Advantages of tiles:
- Increased strength.
- Insensitivity to moisture, fading, temperature changes.
- Variety of shapes and shades.
- Ease of care.
Cons of the material:
- Labor intensive installation.
- High price.
Tile cost:
- From 500 rubles per square meter.
Comparison table of characteristics of popular flooring
| Operating parameters | Laminate | Parquet | Cork | Linoleum | Tile |
| Environmental friendliness | Artificial material, may be toxic | Natural material, when processed with high-quality varnish is harmless | environmentally friendly material | Artificial turf, may contain hazardous substances | Can be produced from both natural and artificial materials |
| Life time | Up to 10-15 years | Up to 30 years old | From 50 years old | Up to 10-15 years | Up to 60-80 years |
| Soundproofing | Low | Medium | high | Low | Medium |
| moisture resistance | Low | Low | Low | high | high |
| thermal insulation | Low | Low | high | Low | Low |
| Difficulty of installation | Light | Difficult | Medium | Light | Labour intensive |
| Care | Use of ordinary detergents and rags, minimum moisture | Wiping with a slightly damp sponge | Wiping with a cloth or sponge without excess moisture | Use of soft cloths and non-abrasive detergents | The use of any materials and means, including rough cleaning |
How to choose flooring for an apartment?
It must be remembered that each room has its own characteristics. This determines the lifespan of the floor covering.
Below we will analyze the options for what and where it is better to use.
For the hallway
The floor in the hallway is subjected to the most frequent mechanical stress, comes into contact with dirt and moisture from the street, so it is advisable to use materials that are NOT afraid of water and temperature changes.
It is optimal to lay the following types of floor coverings on the floor of the hallway:
- Ceramic tiles are ideal.
- Laminate or linoleum - it is better to lay a rug on top of it.
Ordinary laminate and linoleum will be NOT resistant to mechanical abrasion and moisture, but a simple rug will reduce the impact of these factors. Replacing it is easier and cheaper than flooring.
Another variant, combine different materials. Finish the place where they pass in shoes with tiles, and the rest of the surface with other laminate.
For bathroom
Most often, ceramic tiles are used here: they are not only not afraid of moisture, but are also easy to clean.
The only thing, it is better to do with the “warm floor” system, since the tile itself will be cold (especially in winter), and this, although small, is still discomfort + there is a risk of catching a cold.
In this case, you don’t even have to think about it, but just look for a suitable design.
For the hall
In the living room or hall, parquet or laminate is usually used:
- The cover is in harmony with the interior.
- retains its quality for a long time
- looks beautiful
For kitchen
For this room, tiles, linoleum, laminate are usually used.
In some cases, these materials can be combined to perform zoning of the kitchen space in places where there will be a refrigerator, stove, sink.
For children
In this room, cork will be optimal, because. itself is warmer, and also has good soundproofing properties.
Simple example, if you choose a laminate in the nursery, then the neighbors from below are unlikely to thank you. Few people will be happy after a working day with the clatter of a “herd of horses” over their heads, and so every day while the child is growing.
For balcony
If the balcony is not glazed, there is sliding glazing, it is not insulated, then the floor will be exposed to moisture and temperature changes, so wood-based coatings are not suitable here.
On the other hand, the use of tiles will make the structure heavier, which is not always possible, and linoleum flooring would be the best option.
Among the various materials, such varieties as linoleum, tile and laminate have the optimal ratio of quality and price: they are considered the most popular when finishing the floor in an apartment.
Should be remembered that each room has its own optimal coverage option:
- for the bathroom and bathroom more often choose tiles
- for the hallway and balcony - linoleum
- in living rooms, living rooms and halls, a laminate is usually mounted on the floor
Of course, if financial possibilities allow, then it is worth considering the option of using cork in the rooms.