Laminate is a floor covering that is very similar in appearance to traditional wood floors, but has several significant differences.
The material is laid on a finished subfloor, which has a flat plane, is not attached to the base, but is only completely connected by all the edges of the panels into a single sheet.
This circumstance requires a different approach to installation, in particular to the use of a high-quality substrate.
At the same time, the material is very attractive in appearance, is available for self-installation and can be disassembled and re-installed in a different order or room.
Thanks to these qualities, laminate quickly gained a leading position among floor coverings, successfully displacing linoleum or parquet.
Advantages and disadvantages of class 32 laminate
Like any material, class 32 laminate has stronger and weaker sides. Let's take a closer look at them.
The advantages include:
- High decorative qualities of the material.
- Easy to install, you can do it yourself.
- Possibility of reuse or partial repair, replacement.
- Strength of the material, resistance to mechanical stress.
- High heat-saving ability.
- Does not require any special care.
- Long service life.
There are also disadvantages:
- The need for a high-quality soundproofing substrate, which complicates installation.
- Demanding on the quality of the subfloor, the coating does not tolerate unevenness or dents.
- The price of the material, although not the highest, is quite noticeable, especially when using samples of material with specific properties or products from well-known brands.
Both the pros and cons of the material must be taken into account during installation or operation in order to increase the service life of the coating and avoid mistakes leading to destruction and loss of material.
Specifications
- Thickness - 8-12 mm.
- Width - 185-195 mm.
- Length - 1260-1380-1894 mm.
- Durability in an office environment is 5 years, in an apartment environment it is 10-15 years. At the same time, office conditions can sometimes be more suitable for the use of laminate, which automatically increases its service life.
- The lock is prefabricated and does not require an adhesive layer.
- Moisture-resistant coating. Some samples can withstand being in a puddle of water for up to 6 hours.
- Resistant to active substances or detergents.
The variety of types of laminate contributes to the constant addition of new models with higher characteristics and new qualities to the range..
What is the difference between 8 and 12 mm thick laminate?
The difference in material thickness is the difference in the thickness of the supporting layer. It can be obtained due to different types of supporting layer . If HPL or HDF is used for manufacturing, instead of conventional fiberboard (MDF), then, despite the smaller thickness, the strength and moisture resistance of the material will be even higher than that of conventional varieties.
At the same time, the smaller the thickness (regardless of the material), the more noise and rumble from the coating, which forces you to lay a thick substrate.
IMPORTANT!
The presence of rumble when walking is a serious problem, which can only be eliminated by re-laying the covering with an additional layer of sound insulation. To avoid these worries, you should worry about sound insulation of the canvas in advance.
How to choose the right quality coating for an apartment - advice from a professional
If you approach the choice from a professional point of view, then, in addition to the already considered criteria for the strength or water resistance of the material, a purely practical issue of installation arises. There are also some pitfalls here that you should be aware of.
The fact is that the sizes of laminate panels can have both standard and exclusive sizes. Laying material with non-standard geometry may be difficult and may result in errors or miscalculations (this applies to self-installation).
IMPORTANT!
When choosing a laminate, you should clarify its dimensions and recalculate the quantity if they differ from the standard ones.
Main types of laminate class 32
There are different types of material:
- Moisture resistant laminate. It is made of pressed material that is impregnated with wax. The locking part has additional impregnation, which further reduces the possibility of water absorption.
- Laminate with bevel. This material looks very much like a traditional floorboard. The chamfer gives the coating a realistic look and hides cracks.
- Artistic laminate. In practice, this is a simplified and cheap version of parquet flooring.
In addition, there are various panel design options:
- Under oak.
- Under the alder.
- Under a stone.
- Under the tiles.
- Under the skin, etc.
There are really many possibilities for choosing class 32 laminate. All options have a very attractive appearance, which often makes it difficult to choose - I like all the options without exception .
Castello Collection
The manufacturer offers many series for sale, each of which has its own style and appearance. Depending on the design of the room, you have the opportunity to choose the option that is ideal for you, and will also emphasize all the advantages and eliminate possible disadvantages. In the store of relevant goods, you can choose both cold and warm decors, everything will depend on what result you expect. Kronospan Castello laminate, reviews of which are presented below, has a unique structure and rough surface. Despite the fact that the slats are just a copy of the solid board, they have many advantages. As users testify, the boards are quite easy to clean; stains, dust and dirt can be easily removed from them. Castello can be installed in areas that are subject to intensive use.
If you want your floor to resemble natural planks, then you should choose Kronospan laminate. The manufacturer made sure that the slats look natural and last as long as possible.
Other laminate classes
In addition to class 32, there are other strength classes.
NOTE!
Strength class is a category of material that is assigned only to member companies of the Association of Laminate Flooring Manufacturers, a European organization. If the firm is not a member, the class is not assigned.
However, manufacturers often arbitrarily indicate one or another class on their material in order to increase sales. In order to determine the authenticity of the material, you should check the certificate .
- 31st grade. This material is the softest and most unstable of the commercial varieties. At the same time, it is quite suitable for home use, having sufficient qualities and durability. In addition, it can be used in small offices or rooms with low floor loads.
- 33rd grade. Durable and load-resistant coating. The thickness allows the use of furniture on wheels and shopping carts. The material is resistant to abrasion and can easily withstand the movement of a large number of people in hard shoes (women in stiletto heels). At the same time, prices for class 33 differ significantly from lower categories of material, which reduces its distribution and demand.
- 34th grade. It is sometimes called sports because it can be used in gyms. It has the highest possible characteristics and is resistant to all types of loads. It is noteworthy that class 34 has not yet been officially included in the classification of the Association of Laminate Coating Manufacturers, but it is already being produced and is indicated as being fully used.
Quick Style Collection
Among the existing series of the manufacturer, the one mentioned above is considered the most popular. Kronospan Quick Style laminate perfectly imitates a natural coating made from valuable wood species. These floors are resistant to moisture, chemical attack, and abrasion. The slats are not afraid of changes in humidity and temperature. This coating can be used in tandem with heated floors. The manufacturer indicates that the slats have a high degree of fire safety. If you are interested in this line, you can count on finding a Kronospan laminate that is suitable specifically for your interior. Oak, walnut, beech, etc. - the choice of panels is more than wide.
Main foreign and domestic manufacturers
Class 32 laminate is the main material, accounting for up to 80 percent of the total mass. There are a lot of manufacturers of such coatings; it is simply impossible to list them all.
Here are some of the most famous of them:
- Balterio (Belgium).
- Quick Step (Belgium-Russia).
- Egger (Germany),
- Classen (Germany).
- Witex (Germany), etc.
The following Russian manufacturers stand out:
- Tarkett.
- Kronostar.
- Kronospan.
When choosing a material, it is a good idea to pay attention to the brand of laminate. Well-known companies guarantee quality, which cannot be said about various unknown manufacturers who skimp on everything to the detriment of quality.
Long service life and ease of installation
Kronospan laminate, reviews of which you will read in this article, has outstanding aesthetic qualities. If you prefer this brand, then you will have the opportunity to choose one of the design solutions, of which the manufacturer presented a great variety. The lamellas are characterized by a rough structure, which allows you to create an imitation of natural wood. On sale you can find options that resemble the most common valuable species, among them oak, chestnut and walnut. The modern consumer always tries to save money, but this will be impossible to do if the product loses its performance qualities a short time after purchase. The same cannot be said about the laminate described in this article. If you lay the coating correctly and then care for it in accordance with all requirements, then it can be used for 20 years. Any home craftsman who has experience in carrying out repair work can carry out the installation. The flooring may be used immediately after completion of the work. In some cases, it is possible to carry out the entire range of work without resorting to additional help. In order to lay Kronospan laminate, reviews of which you can read in the article, you will only need to prepare the tools and also use the appropriate instructions.
What rooms is it suitable for?
Class 32 laminate is the “golden mean” among all types. It is almost ideal for an apartment or house, good for medium-sized offices, shops, medium-sized conference rooms, classrooms or auditoriums, with an average or slightly increased load . The durability of the material for office use is at least 5 years, and with careful use - 10 years or more.
Moisture-resistant varieties are suitable for installation in the kitchen, hallway or corridor.
IMPORTANT!
With some restrictions, it can be used in bathrooms, but you should not relax too much; prolonged contact with water is harmful not only to the laminate, but also to the base (subfloor).
Variety of colors
Laminate flooring today comes in a variety of colors. The following shades are especially popular:
- "Antique" oak board;
- “Canyon” black oak board;
- Swedish oak board "Country";
- "Reykjavik" oak board;
- "Grey chestnut";
- "Greenland" oak board;
- "Tiger" oak board;
- "Ancient Oak";
- "Catalonia" oak board;
- "Oregon" oak board;
- "Lakeland" oak board;
- maple board "Curley";
- oak board “Nostalgia”;
- "White Ash";
- oak board “Solid”, etc.
These are the color solutions that are in demand among consumers today.
Laminate from Belarusian manufacturers has excellent aesthetic characteristics
Reviews of class 32 laminate
Let's look at some reviews about laminate flooring found online. They will be able to describe the material in the most reliable way and give it the most objective description. If you would like to add your review to the table, please write it in the comments.
| Author's name | Customer review |
| Bychkov E. | We thought for a long time which class to choose. The seller advised taking 33, but it is expensive and ugly. We would like 31, but it’s made of fiberboard, it’s somehow scary. We took the average 32nd class, so far we can’t say anything bad. Looks good, beautiful, feels so warm. |
| Staritsky E. | Our children are active and our dog is cheerful. We bought laminate flooring and took grade 32. I immediately advise everyone - do not skimp on noise protection. It’s good that we first laid it in a small corridor, walked back and forth, and it rattled under our feet like plywood. We put a layer of cork under it, now everything is fine |
| Krivorotov M. | Of all the options that were available, I chose the average value. It turned out to be class 32 laminate, Belgium. It seems that he made the right decision. It tolerates washing the floors absolutely calmly, although at first we were afraid to wash it, so just lightly with a damp cloth. Then they spilled water by accident, he should have taken a piss, and we became bolder. In a word, a good laminate, no comments. |
| Zvantseva N. | If I had known, I would have bought better parquet. Everything creaks, it shakes, there are some cracks... I didn’t like it. If it had been good, it would not have come apart at the seams after 3 years. Everyone says that I bought Chinese, maybe it is, but in the store they said that it was a good laminate, class 32. Maybe they laid it wrong, but there’s no other way to lay it there... |
| Utesov N. | We have been thinking about laying laminate flooring for a long time. Before this, the linoleum lay there, all worn out. We bought class 32, light, beautiful, honey color. Very satisfied, no problems, it’s pleasant to walk, it doesn’t make noise, we try not to pour water, but I wash the floors normally, as always. |
| Bogachev S. | Class 32 laminate is a great thing, but its owners are the same ones... They invited me to look at the coating, something was rattling, they said. I came, and everything there was hills and depressions. The floor was all crooked, they laid it right on it, it would level it... They had to re-lay it, level the floor, make a underlay. It became quiet and good, they couldn’t be happier - the money was not wasted in vain. |
| Pogrebnyak M. | I recommend German laminate class 32 to everyone! Excellent coverage, no matter what, it won’t create any problems! We have an old one in the bedroom, but in the living room and hallway we updated it with a better one. The difference is heaven and earth! There are no cracks, sounds, marks or scratches. |
| Makarov K. | We were choosing laminate, the seller advised us to buy class 32 and showed us which one was better. Thanks to him! Some acquaintances complain about their coating, saying that the edges are swollen, cracks appear... We have had it for 2 years already, during which time the problems would have appeared at least a little, but for us - nothing. Beautiful and durable material. If sellers give advice, you need to listen to them! |
| Zhuravleva V. | We chose 32 for the kitchen and 31 for the rooms. There is not much difference, but you have to constantly combine it with washing the floors. In the kitchen, everything can be washed easily, there are no problems, but in the rooms - neatly, with a slightly damp cloth... If only we knew, we would buy the same one everywhere and we wouldn’t have to constantly remember where and how to handle it. |
| Polovov N. | We laid German laminate, class 32, on the floor. Looks good, doesn't creak, doesn't make noise. Three years old - it’s like new, no scratches or other flaws are visible. The only thing is, if you knew, you bought light material, not dark - the dust is very noticeable. |
Judging by the reviews, the quality of the material is quite high, but the installation technology is not followed in many cases. In order to avoid mistakes and miscalculations, you need to familiarize yourself with the installation rules before installation work and do everything as expected, then there will be no problems.
White floor. How to avoid mistakes?
First of all, when choosing white floors, carefully consider the color theme of the entire room decoration. As we said above, you should not make the floor lighter than the walls - in rare cases it looks good, but rather you will achieve the opposite effect.
In addition, it is also important to choose the right shade of the board. It is well known that there are “cold white” and “warm white” colors. As you might guess, a cold shade will go better with cold finishing colors: blue, blue, lilac, etc., and a warm shade will go better with brown, yellow, orange, etc.
You should not choose a cold white laminate for beige wallpaper; it is better to choose a board with a brown tint or streaks. But for gray or snow-white wallpaper, snow-white floors would be the ideal solution.
Another common issue that customers face is: what is better, matte or glossy laminate? It's a matter of taste here. Designers note that the matte finish is more wear-resistant and looks more natural than glossy laminate. Although, in some cases, gloss will be more appropriate - for example, in a high-tech style finish.
Try, fantasize, experiment. You shouldn’t be afraid of the fair sex, as our ancestors were afraid of. Today, such floors are made all over the world, because they really look very vintage, impressive and stylish.
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