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Floors in the apartment: choose the best option. Floor covering in the apartment: what is better to do? How best to make the floors in the apartment

The floor in the apartment is its most important part. Firstly, furniture and most of the equipment are installed on the floor, washing machine, stove, bath, shower, toilet and other plumbing. 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. However, 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:

  1. Carrier.
  2. Warming.
  3. Soundproof.
  4. Moisture-proof.
  5. 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 is absent. 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.

AT 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 this 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 the apartment, in contrast to individual home, is arranged on the existing ceiling "from the builders" in the new house, or on the beam ceiling 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 position 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:

  1. Sand - 3-4 parts.
  2. Cement - 1 part.
  3. 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:

  1. Clean building sand, particle size modulus = 2.0; fraction up to 5 mm - 2 parts.
  2. Cement brand 400D20 - 7 parts.
  3. Water - 1 part.
  4. 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 are currently on the market building materials.

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 various 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.

  1. 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.
  2. Logs are placed directly on reinforced concrete floor or screed.
  3. Logs are wooden bars with a section of 50 × 100 from conifers tree. 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 subfloor 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. Tile or porcelain tile flooring wood flooring is possible only if a reinforcing layer is applied from above reinforced screed.

The subfloor can be assembled from a floor board, 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, on 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. Even when hit a small amount of moisture, it warps, and when flooded, it “rises”.

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, on which a cork crumb material was applied, 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 nonwovens, felt type, serving at the same time base and insulation. Numerous wear-resistant materials are used as the surface layer, such as PVC in various options 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 hallmark linoleum, which distinguishes it from ceramic tiles and stone, is its "warmth" in sensation 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 allows you to save 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 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.



The problem with old and dilapidated floors is far from new for most owners of old-style apartments. Yes, and with new apartments, an incident can come out when the floors have to be changed. How to make floors in an apartment from scratch? This is a rather laborious and time-consuming task, therefore, if you do not have the necessary self-laying gender of skills and tools, it is better to entrust this matter to experienced professionals. If you decide to mount the floors in the apartment with your own hands: what to make of is a very relevant question.


Are there environmentally friendly floor coverings? (video)

Criteria for choosing a floor covering

Not so long ago, the question of what to make floors in an apartment only concerned the choice of wood from which the boards were made. Today, everything is much more complicated, since the construction market presents a huge number of materials that differ in performance. Even with experience in the construction industry, it will be difficult to make the best choice.


Therefore, the following parameters should be taken into account:

  • the location of the apartment is an important parameter if your apartment is located on the first floor. In this case, the floor can be affected by increased humidity and evaporation from the basement, so it often makes no sense to install some wooden floors;
  • the financial well-being of the family is a detail that directly affects the cost of the purchased material. For example, artistic parquet or natural wood laminate will not be affordable for everyone;

  • family composition is one thing when one or a couple of people live in an apartment, and quite another when there are children or pets. What floor is better to do in the apartment in the last two cases? Of course - with increased strength, ease of cleaning and other useful characteristics;
  • coating strength - some types of houses do not provide for additional load on the structure, so you can’t do, for example, concrete screed gender. Violation of this parameter can cause emergency situations up to the collapse of the house.

Different types of floors in the apartment

What is better for flooring in an apartment? As already said, Various types floor coverings have different performance characteristics. The parameters by which it is worth choosing a material are described above, and below we will separately consider the properties of popular floor coverings.


Parquet floor

Parquet is a type of flooring that never goes out of style. It can be made from various types of wood, have different pattern, color and texture. The advantages of parquet include the excellent appearance of the material. But laying it on your own without the appropriate skills is quite difficult and time consuming. Another disadvantage of parquet is the high cost of natural wood species.

On the other hand, if you make a wooden parquet floor in your apartment, it will immediately show to all guests that everything is in order with you not only with a sense of beauty, but also with your financial situation. Parquet is one of the elite materials for flooring in an apartment.


Wooden parquet is laid in the classic way "Christmas tree"

Parquet boards

In fact, this is the same parquet, only cheaper and easier to install. Parquet boards are wider and larger than ordinary parquet tiles, you can no longer lay out a complex pattern from them, but such a floor still looks very attractive. Parquet boards are also good because they can be cycled and updated several times without much loss of appearance and properties.

What floors to make in the apartment so that they look original? You can pick up boards of various shades and make a simple pattern out of them. Usually the designer does this, but you can try to do it yourself.


mats

This is a newfangled type of flooring that is often used to create minimalist interiors. A mat is a carpet woven from natural materials such as cane, jute, linen and others. This floor not only looks original, but also has a massage effect on the feet. Mats are the answer to the question: what kind of floors can be made in an apartment if you are a supporter of natural materials.


Laminate

Laminate is one of the best flooring options in terms of value for money. By appearance it is very similar to natural wood, and if desired, it can be easily styled as any other material - stone, ceramics, cork, leather and others. And if you need a completely original looking floor, then you can draw patterns and complex paintings on the laminate. Laminate floors in an apartment from scratch - one of the best options gender.


Tile

If you need the most durable and durable floors in your apartment, there are not so many options from which to make them. Tile - perfect option for the corridor, hallway, bathroom, kitchen, that is, rooms where the floor needs to be cleaned frequently and a large load is planned for it.

In addition to excellent performance characteristics, ceramic tiles are also the widest scope for imagination in terms of floor pattern. You can buy tiles different shades, colors and textures and lay out whole pictures from it on the floor. A good option on how to properly make the floor in an apartment from analogues of traditional ceramic tiles is porcelain stoneware.


Ceramic tiles in the kitchen are laid "chess"

Cork

Natural, environmentally friendly, warm, strong and durable material. The cork floor is made where it is planned to walk barefoot, it reduces the load on the spine, springs underfoot. The cork floor can be additionally treated with special varnishes or oils, which will extend its service life, protect it from moisture and dirt. Cork flooring is easy to lay on your own. To understand this issue, you can look on the Internet for materials on the topic: how to make floors in an apartment with your own hands from cork.


Wood

Wood is a fairly cheap and easy-to-install floor option. The disadvantage of wooden boards is their low durability compared to many other materials, so they need to be further processed using special compounds. But the floor made of natural wood will immediately create a feeling of coziness and comfort in any room. If you are thinking about the question of how to make a wooden floor in an apartment, then you should start by choosing the type of wood.


Linoleum

If you need to know what to make the floor in the apartment cheaply, then linoleum is your choice. Most cheap material, very easy to install, not afraid of moisture and dirt and has a lot of other useful properties. Linoleum floors are by far the most popular and affordable option.


Floors covered with linoleum - an economical option for home, office, industrial premises.

The floors in the apartment are often judged on the wealth and taste of the owner. In addition to the aesthetic function, they must have high performance and long service life. Therefore, it is important to know what to make the floors in the apartment from, how to choose the right screed for the base and flooring.

Types of floor coverings in rooms with high humidity

There is a large selection of floor coverings on the construction market. To make the right choice, you need to know what floor coverings are, their main characteristics and purpose.

One of the high-quality durable coatings is ceramic tile. It is most often placed in damp rooms or those subjected to significant mechanical stress, for example, in a bathroom, hallway, kitchen and other rooms. Its main characteristics:

  • high wear resistance;
  • easy care;
  • a large selection of colors and patterns;
  • does not lose properties at high humidity;
  • resistant to temperature extremes;
  • durability.

For damp rooms, it is better to choose corrugated or rough tiles, they should not be slippery.

Porcelain stoneware is similar to ceramic tiles in its composition, but it is used in its manufacture. special technology. This is a very durable coating, which has increased frost resistance and wear resistance. The material is stronger than natural stone, it is not afraid even of hammer blows. Porcelain stoneware is produced with varying degrees of surface smoothness, with imitation of marble, mosaic, granite, natural stone, etc.

Durability and beauty - laminate and parquet flooring

The parquet board has become a worthy substitute for parquet. A special manufacturing technology has increased the service life of the coating. The parquet is varnished after laying, the parquet board is varnished at the factory. The board is produced in the form of multilayer lamellas. The appearance of the board is given by the top layer, for which valuable species of wood (oak, beech, maple, etc.) are used.

Laminate flooring has become increasingly popular in recent years. It can also act as a substitute for parquet. It can be used by those for whom a wooden floor is not affordable. The range includes laminate flooring that imitates marble, tiles and other materials. It is made of chipboard and covered with paper on which the drawing is applied. From above the boards are covered with a protective layer. Expensive coating options have increased protection against moisture, they can be used even in wet areas.

Cork, linoleum and carpet - alternative types of coating

Cork is an expensive flooring, but its characteristics make it one of the best choices for flooring. It is an environmentally friendly natural material. It is an excellent sound and heat insulator, has an elastic and elastic surface. Cork is not suitable only for wet rooms. She is laid on level ground usually on plywood. Cork coverings are decorative, in the form of panels with an MDF base, used as a substrate for another covering.

Carpet is the perfect flooring for a bedroom. A large selection of colors makes it possible to create coziness in the room. It has good sound and heat insulation properties. It's nice to walk on it with bare feet in the morning. Carpet is produced from both natural and artificial materials, with different pile lengths. The disadvantage of such a coating is the fragility and complexity of care. The pile is quickly crushed, overwritten. Dust accumulates in the pile surface, so the carpet requires frequent cleaning, preferably with a powerful vacuum cleaner. More practical and durable nylon carpet, but it comes at a high price.

A cheap and popular flooring is linoleum. Artificial linoleum has a reputation for being a short-lived material. This cover is made from natural materials(cork, resin, linseed oil, jute fabric, etc.), durable, resistant to moisture, mechanical stress. A dropped cup won't break on a floor like it does on ceramic tiles. Linoleum is easy to install and easy to maintain. The construction market has a large selection of colors and patterns. Especially in demand is a coating that imitates expensive materials: parquet, marble, ceramic tiles.

How to choose the right coverage

Floors should have not only a beautiful attractive appearance, but also high performance that meets the purpose of the room. Therefore, it is important to know what exactly to make the floors from, taking into account the purpose of each room in the apartment.

In bathrooms and bathrooms, the floor must be resistant to damp environments. At the same time, it must correspond to the general style of the room. Requirements for coating in the kitchen are almost the same as for the bathroom. In addition to resistance to moisture, floors must be wear-resistant and well tolerated by mechanical stress.

Liquids are often spilled in the kitchen, so floors must be well washed, resistant to chemicals, and have anti-slip properties. Floors in the hallway should have high resilience.

On balconies and loggias, the floor covering must withstand temperature fluctuations over a wide range. In addition, it experiences significant mechanical stress and must be sufficiently wear-resistant and durable. It is better to choose stone or ceramic options for these rooms.

In living rooms, the floor should be beautiful, durable and environmentally friendly, especially in the nursery. The floors should be in harmony with the furniture, wallpaper, that is, correspond to the style of the room. Wooden floors and parquet make the room most comfortable. These are expensive materials, but they can be perfectly replaced with a laminate that imitates various types of wood, or a parquet board. A good option for living rooms is carpet.

The basis of the floor is the key to its durability

Almost all floor coverings require a perfectly level base, so you need to level the floor surface before installing them. The question arises, which screed is better to do in the apartment? When choosing, you need to consider in which rooms the screed will be performed. Depending on the installation location, it can perform the following functions:

  • levels the surface and makes the base more durable;
  • serves as a heat, sound and waterproofing layer;
  • hides communications;
  • screed can be made required slope in a bathroom or bathtub for draining water.

There are several types of screeds, from which you need to choose, taking into account the purpose of the room and the type of flooring:

  • Concrete. It is rarely used in an apartment and takes a lot of time. It is done wet.
  • Semi-dry. The screed uses less water and dries faster than concrete. The use of a small amount of water makes the screed less durable.
  • Dry. It is carried out using dry mixes. Often used to level the base in the apartment.
  • Combined. This is best way for leveling surfaces with significant irregularities. If you use only a cement screed, then it will be too heavy, as you have to make a thick layer.
  • Self leveling compounds. They are poured with a layer of 3 cm. This allows you to reduce the weight of the base.

When choosing a screed for the floor, you need to consider the following points:

  1. 1. The time for which the repair must be completed. It will take at least two weeks for a traditional concrete screed.
  2. 2. When installing a warm floor, it is better to use a screed that can be dismantled so that there is access to the heating elements. In addition, it must be resistant to temperature extremes.
  3. 3. Type of interfloor overlap. With large gaps between the plates wet screed can leak between the slabs and create problems with neighbors living on the floor below.
  4. 4. Cost.

Making a self-levelling screed

Self-levelling screed is used if you want to get a perfectly flat floor surface. The process itself consists of the following steps:

  1. 1. First you need to prepare the floor surface by cleaning it of debris, dirt and dust.
  2. 2. Next, you need to prime the floor surface.
  3. 3. The solution is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions. To stir the solution, you can use a construction mixer or a drill with a special nozzle on.
  4. 4. The mixture should be saturated with oxygen, so it is allowed to stand for 5-7 minutes.
  5. 5. Pour the mixture along the wall, starting from the corner that is farthest from the door.
  6. 6. The mixture is leveled with a needle roller and a metal brush.
  7. 7. Completely the floor dries up within 3-5 days. To obtain a high-quality screed, it must be protected from drafts, direct sunlight, sudden changes in temperature and moisture.

If the manufacturing technology is observed, a hard and durable surface will be obtained, almost not absorbing moisture.

In order for the floors to please with their beautiful appearance for a long time, you need to choose the right floor covering, make a solid, even base under it and properly care for them.

All work can be done independently, but if there is no experience and desire, it is better to trust professionals who will perform all the work quickly and efficiently.

A beautiful floor immediately transforms the appearance of the apartment and decorates the interior. Manufacturers offer consumers a wide range of floor coverings made from different material having different appearance and performance characteristics. The most popular are linoleum, laminate, parquet, ceramic tiles. There are other less commonly used materials. Depending on the design of the house and personal preferences, everyone chooses their flooring. How to cover the floor in the apartment is up to you, and we will tell you the advantages and disadvantages of each type of flooring.

When choosing a floor covering, everyone is guided by their own criteria. For some, it is important that the material is natural, and he prefers a wooden floor or parquet. Someone appreciates practicality and affordable price and chooses linoleum, and ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. Well, for someone modern look and wide range of enticing laminate. When solving the problem of how to make a floor in an apartment, you, of course, will be faced with the choice of flooring. Consider the most popular.

Parquet

Hardwood floors never go out of style. However, modern parquet bears little resemblance to similar material known in the last century. Today piece parquet is rarely used. You do not have to lay every plank in a herringbone or checkerboard pattern, the manufacturers have done it for you. Buyers are offered large shields with a pattern laid out on them. For the manufacture of such shields, precious woods are used.

Block parquet allows with my own hands create the floor of your dreams

However, if you want to create your own floor design, then it is worth taking block parquet. It is made from oak, maple, beech, ash and other durable woods. There are computer programs that allow you to create your own pattern from parquet boards. In the same program, you can calculate the number of required lamellas of each color.

Parquet is enough expensive pleasure, but such floors look representative and solid. However, it should be borne in mind that the parquet floor requires special care. This is especially true for piece parquet.

parquet board

This type of flooring is cheaper than parquet, but is also made from natural wood. Such material is easier both in laying and in further care. The parquet board is a wide single-strip board. It is made with several rows of dies in finishing layer. Models are produced with a selected chamfer. Parquet boards are produced in different shades, which will help to get individual design floors in your apartment.

The structure of the parquet board

Parquet boards can be cycled, which makes it possible to renew them many times. Parquet boards are laid like a floating floor, that is, with the help of locks and without gluing.

Laminate

This material, created to imitate, as a rule, natural wood surfaces. It consists of several layers. The top layer is paper coated with a special composition with an image printed on it.

The structure of the laminate

Available in 3 classes:

  • domestic;
  • commercial;
  • semi-commercial.

The surface of this material can have not only a different pattern, but also a different texture:

  • brilliant;
  • matte;
  • smooth;
  • raised.

Most often, this material in its appearance conveys the texture and color of natural wood. However, there is a laminate for tiles, stone and even leather. For lovers original designs manufacturers produce models with multi-colored lamellae.

Laminate has an affordable price and, thanks to the ease of installation, allows you to get beautiful floors in a short time. The commercial laminate line offers models with a fairly high moisture resistance, but in general this material is not intended for rooms with high humidity and afraid of water. To increase the service life of a laminate floor, it should be protected from excess moisture and high mechanical stress.

Wooden

Such a floor is eco-friendly, has a classic look and fits well into any interior. This material is natural and warm in itself, it is pleasant to walk on it barefoot, which attracts many users. Wood flooring is easy to insulate and easy to install. Usually this is a multi-layer structure:

  • waterproofing;
  • draft floor;
  • insulation;
  • clean floor.

A board for a wooden floor can be made both from budgetary species (pine, spruce, alder) and from more expensive species (oak, larch, mahogany, wenge).

Wooden floor - warm and comfortable

At proper care such a floor will last at least 30 years.

Linoleum

This is the most common floor covering in the residential sector today. Consumers are attracted by the low price and a large selection of this material. The proposed linoleum differs not only in color and applied pattern, but also in surface texture. This is a cover that can be chosen for any design.

Modern linoleum is made from high quality polymer materials and absolutely harmless to human health. Available with or without polyurethane foam.

Laying linoleum does not require special skills

Linoleum is not afraid of moisture. It is easy to install and has a fairly durable finish. At proper preparation the basis of the floor and the choice of high-quality material, such a coating will serve for many years. The floor covered with linoleum does not require special care.

Ceramic tile

This is an almost indispensable material for arranging the floor in the bathroom, toilet, kitchen and hallway. Manufacturers offer a wide selection of ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware, which not only have a different design, but also different sizes, shapes, and surface textures.

It is an environmentally friendly material that is made from natural materials. The floor, covered with tiles, is durable and not afraid of moisture. Such floors with high-quality installation have a neat beautiful view and are durable.

Tile on the floor in the bathroom is not only beautiful, but also practical

It is important that the floor covered with ceramic tiles is very easy to care for.

Cork

This is a natural floor covering, which has the only drawback - it is quite expensive. Such floors are durable, warm, pleasant for walking barefoot. Cork floors are easy to install and durable. Gently springing under your feet, they thereby reduce the load on the spine, which is extremely beneficial for the human body.

Hardware stores offer cork flooring in a variety of colors and patterns.

Self-leveling floors

This new type of coating is gaining more and more admirers. It is used as a rough coating for the floor materials described above, and as a finishing floor. Self-leveling floors with a 3d pattern, which have a realistic three-dimensional image on their surface, are especially popular.

3d floors look very realistic

To give self-leveling floor for additional strength and decorative effect, it is covered with a layer of polymer or special varnish. Polymer floors are resistant to aggressive substances and mechanical stress. They are easy to maintain and durable.

Non-standard approach

Sometimes, to create a complete interior composition, the use of unusual floor materials is required.

mats

These are original carpets woven from natural fibers of cane, jute, flax or hemp. Such floors are used to create designs in the style of minimalism or for folklore interiors. Mats can have different shapes, sizes and colors. They are antistatic and have a massage effect on the foot.

Floor covering "Mat"

As a rule, a self-leveling floor is made under such a coating.

Rough wood effect and colors

Now very fashionable wooden floors, creating a visual effect of rough wood or an aged surface. Such a floor only seems rough and uncouth, in fact, wood processing in this style requires great skill. To the touch, these boards are smooth and carefully crafted.

Fashionable today colour contrast. The most popular floor colors are very dark, black and almost white, very light colors.

Warm floor

Flooring manufacturers are constantly working to make them comfortable and convenient for people. A comfortable floor must be warm and pleasant for walking on it, not only in shoes, but also barefoot.

Warm floors allow you to solve the problem of heating the house and make it comfortable for the human body. With the help of the "Warm floor" system, you can make the flooring comfortable not only in the room, but also in the corridor, bathroom and on the glazed balcony or loggia.

Warm water floor - comfort and convenience!

There are 3 types of underfloor heating:

  • cable;
  • film;
  • water.

Warm floors can be mounted under almost any coating, and allow you to hide the junction of pipes, wiring and remove batteries from the room.

Floor insulation and repair

The floor should be not only beautiful, but also necessarily warm. A warm floor keeps the health of those living in the house, and also gives them coziness and comfort. A properly insulated floor will prevent condensation and freezing of corners, protect the house from mold.

Traditionally, several methods of floor insulation are used:

  1. Laying under the main floor of stone, mineral or glass wool. When creating an insulating "pie", vapor barrier and waterproofing materials are additionally used.
  2. Use for insulation of expanded polystyrene. Additionally, a vapor barrier is laid. Seams and joints are covered with putty or mastic.
  3. Spraying liquid polyurethane foam, which creates a monolithic coating. Such an insulating layer has excellent thermal insulation properties.
  4. Usage thermal insulation materials based on polyethylene foam or wood fiber boards.
  5. Insulation with special thick linoleum.

Don't skimp on floor repairs. Both in the arrangement and in the repair, it is important to follow the stages and sequence of work. By purchasing quality materials and following the laying technology, you will get a strong, beautiful and durable flooring in your home.

Choosing flooring for an apartment should be based on financial capabilities and personal preferences. When purchasing a new or restoring an old home, each of us sees the process of repairing a house in a different way. Some approach radically, and decide to re-equip the entire living space, while others intend to get by with a light cosmetic repair. If you see that more than 30 percent of the premises are in need of repair, then it is better to choose a major type of restoration of an apartment or house. After all, the visible is only part of what needs to be done. Usually the most severe damage is hidden from the naked eye.

How to start repairing floors in an apartment: preparatory work

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

Repair of floors in the apartment, the options for which are presented below, must be started with overhaul throughout the house. Only in this way the repair that you started will make sense, and an excellent result.

The first step is to level the floors in the apartment, for example, using a self-leveling mixture

You should not start repairing the floors in the apartment if you do not have enough time and money. This type of repair is highly costly, and if it turns out that you run out of money halfway through, then your whole family long time will jump over lags and bags of cement. Do-it-yourself repairs will help save a lot of money. But for it to be carried out correctly, you need to develop a plan in which all stages of repair work should be clearly defined.

Stages of repairing floors in an apartment:

  1. Before starting any repair, 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 whatever you want to do next.
  2. According to your visions, delimit the space into zones. Determine where is finishing material you will apply.
  3. Arrange the future or already existing furniture in the order in which it will stand.
  4. Number the steps construction works. They begin with the dismantling of old surfaces, in the middle of the way you have a replacement of communications, and the repair ends with laying the floor.
  5. Make a budget.

Once again, weigh your financial capabilities and determination, read the reviews, these types of work are not cheap. If you decide to make repairs with your own hands, then the advice of a specialist, or advice from a professional, will not be superfluous for you.

Existing types of floors in the apartment: 10 installation options

Sex is called top part floors between floors apartment building or house and ground. The quality of the floors greatly affects the entire structure of the building; a well-made house can serve for decades without requiring replacement or repair.

Types of floors in the apartment are different. They differ in the type of bases for the floor and the floor covering.

It is better to use a concrete floor as a base for flooring.

Also, the floor 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 the basis for the floor;
  • Reinforced concrete beams are also suitable for these purposes;
  • In modern buildings for the arrangement of beams, a metal profile can be laid;
  • For further laying of the flooring, the space between the beams is filled with a cement screed, semi-dry or dry;
  • As a floor covering, you can lay linoleum;
  • 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;
  • For the arrangement of floors in the corridor or kitchen, you can use ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware;

In elite houses, it is customary to use marble or granite tiles for arranging the floor in problem rooms.

Which flooring in the apartment is better: what to choose

The specificity of buildings involves the use of various building materials. Sometimes where applicable wooden planks for the floor, it is completely impossible to equip the floor with ceramic tiles. To change building materials one for another, it is necessary to completely change the structure of the floors.

What is the best flooring for an apartment? What do professionals think about this? Like all existing species flooring to choose your own?

Laminate flooring fits well into any interior design thanks to a wide variety of colors.

In order to understand this problem and make a choice, it is necessary 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, adapted for laying on the floor. Such a floor provides heat and sound insulation and is the most environmentally friendly of all types of floors.
  • Parquet. The principle and technical characteristics of such a floor correspond to the floor of the 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 precious woods, which makes the floor better and more durable.
  • Laminate is very similar in appearance and laying to parquet, but is made of four-layer fiberboard.
  • Linoleum. The most common finishing material. It is easy to install, easy to care for, its quality is constantly being improved. Apartment owners willingly use this finishing material in their premises.

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

We figure out which floor is better to do in the apartment

AT modern apartments The main theme of the renovation is energy saving. To do this, their owners take a number of measures that ensure a delay in the heat in the apartment.

What floor is better to do in the apartment, so that it is warmer and more economical. Experts recommend equipping types of floors where there is space between the base of the floor and the floor covering.

If desired, you can combine flooring, for example, tiles with laminate

Underfloor heating allows you to save from 25 to 50 percent of the heat in the house thanks to the underfloor heating system. You can equip it even on your own, the main thing is to foresee it in advance, even before the start of the overhaul of the floor.

Kinds heating systems for floors:

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

It is the infrared heating system that is the most high-quality, affordable and practical for warming houses in apartments. It is suitable for almost any floor covering.

Wooden floors in the apartment: material features

Everything is given to the ecological cleanliness of food, clothing and building materials. greater value. And not in vain. The objects that surround us, as well as the food we eat, greatly affect our health. That is why modern designers and home owners are increasingly using wood for flooring.

Floors in an apartment made of wood are again rising in the ranking among the materials for creating flooring. Designers make up a variety of projects, the main idea of ​​which is precisely wooden floors.

To extend the life of a wooden floor, it needs to be painted.

It is not in vain that the most expensive styles of interior design imply the presence of only wooden floors. AT modern world design fashion, such a floor indicates good well-being, 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 such a floor with bare feet;
  • Easy to maintain and repair;
  • It is not difficult to do the installation by hand,

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

Bulk coating on the floor in the room: fashion trends

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

Bulk coating is great for rooms made in modern or high-tech style

Covering the floor in the room of the bulk plan will not cost you cheap, but finishing with their use will make everyone “gasp”.

If you are building a house from scratch and you want it to be beautiful, and unusual finishing works to make it exclusive, try a new way that flooring is now covered - 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 the floors in the apartment from (video)

A huge number of materials for arranging the floor give you a choice. For different rooms houses can be chosen different coverage, which will provide more reliable functionality of the premises. Your main task is to properly perform the work on the construction and finishing of floors.