Laminate is a panel with various dimensions, made on the basis of fiberboard or chipboard, as well as several layers of paper, impregnated and pressed with special resins. This material, used for interior decoration, has gained great popularity over the past decades, including due to the rather low price of some models.
Criteria and how to choose the right laminate?
The fundamental criterion when choosing a laminate is its class, on which the cost of the material depends. So, the building material of class 32-33 is the most resistant to abrasion, which tolerates well the loads and impacts from female hairpins, claws of pets and other things. The price of one “square” of such a laminate in modern hardware stores is about 400-600 rubles.
The degree of water resistance of the laminate. This criterion is important in rooms with high humidity levels. Manufacturers of building materials use special impregnations, varnishes and other protective materials for this.
The thickness of the laminate panel is also important. With a standard release, this is about 8 millimeters, but there are also variations. For example, a material with a thickness of 5–7 centimeters and even less makes it possible to save money, although it has other characteristics similar to the traditional modification.
Company and place of production. Of course, these factors also affect the final price of the building material. In addition, products imported from the EU or the USA have conformity and quality certificates that increase the cost of the laminate flooring.
But do not forget that sometimes little-known domestic manufacturers selling their building materials under not the most popular brands may not be inferior in quality and characteristics to their foreign counterparts.
And finally, the design of the laminate for a particular apartment. Here you should be guided solely by your taste and preferences, whether it be the structure of natural wood or a material imitating a plank floor, various colors and shades.
Laminate Buyers Tips
A sign of a good and correct laminate is its expiration date. For good manufacturers, this figure reaches 20-25 years.
Also, be sure to ask the consultant in the store whether this or that building material has a protective layer, which has moisture-resistant properties. Otherwise, after you have laid the laminate flooring, but spilled water on it and forgot to wipe it, the geometry of the pattern on the floor may be disturbed.
If you do not want to re-lay the flooring after six months or a year, then do not choose the cheapest laminate. It is better to buy a building material that is more expensive or in the middle price category. Remember, the miser pays twice
Buy laminate with a small margin, not end-to-end. Otherwise, literally 1-2 boards may not be enough, which will not be in the store. As a result, you will have to run to hardware stores to buy the desired laminate.