The slab divides the space between the floors and the basement. For finishing the floors in the apartment, various types of coatings are used to decorate the interior beautifully. Floor cladding is chosen depending on the functionality of the room and the microclimate in it. The coating must ensure safe movement and last a long time without repair.
Design features
In apartments, reinforced concrete floor slabs are placed between floors, sometimes wooden beams are used, to which logs are nailed.
Floor structures are made according to the continuous overlap:
- Wet screed. A simple layer of sand and cement includes plastic or metal mesh for reinforcement. Ready dry mixtures are dissolved with water and poured into the base of the floor, while the mesh is not used. Reinforcing fibers and polymer additives have been added to self-leveling floors to increase strength and rigidity.
- Floating floor. The screed is separated from the slab by layers of moisture and cold insulation. The polymer membrane is placed on the walls, thermal insulation is placed on top, then a wet screed is performed.
- Dry screed. So you can make a floor from prefabricated gypsum fiber board (gypsum fiber), chipboard (chipboard). They are attached to the slab with hardware along the insulating layers.
An adjustable base is made when wooden or plastic logs are used. They can be laid on a concrete slab or beams, and the horizontal position is adjusted by setting the longitudinal elements in height. Sheet material or plank covering is placed on the logs.
Sound and noise insulation
Noise reduction methods:
- Floating floor technology reduces sound propagation as the top layer does not come into contact with the slab.
- In the process of installing laminate, linoleum, parquet, gaskets and substrates are made of cork, foamed PVC with a high noise absorption coefficient.
- Used for finishing carpet, linoleum on a thick felt or foam base.
Modern materials for noise insulation are produced with different characteristics in an expensive and budgetary version. As insulation, you can lay polymer layers (foam), install insulators based on minerals (mineral wool, expanded clay) and silicates (glass wool). Chipboards and plywood also reduce sound propagation.
Reflects noise brick, concrete, drywall, stone. Absorbs sound and dampens its material with a grainy, fibrous and cellular structure.
Varieties of flooring for an apartment
The type of coating is determined by the purpose of the room and the state of the atmosphere, while taking into account the durability.
- The bedroom has no high traffic, no dampness. In this room, residents often walk barefoot, so the floor finish is chosen at the request of the owner so that the flooring is pleasant, warm and cozy to the touch. They use natural wood, parquet, carpet in combination with a heating installation.
- In a children's room, the flooring should be environmentally friendly and practical at the same time, so a high-quality laminate is suitable in all respects. Linoleum or carpet will have to be repaired after a short period of time.
- A lot of people pass in the hallway, dirt and water from shoes get on the floor, so the coating must be washable. Ceramic tiles, laminate flooring are suitable.
- In the kitchen and bathrooms, as well as on the balcony, tiles are laid, since water gets on the base, and resistance against moisture is required.
What material to put on the floor in the apartment depends on the preferences of the owners, technical requirements and the financial situation of the owner.
Ceramic tile
The main feature of a tiled floor is its durability. Ceramics are divided into classes depending on the degree of this indicator. For residential apartments, classes 1 - 2 are used, and 3 - 5 are put in conditions of increased exploitation in shops, workshops.
Ceramic tiles are characterized by water absorption. This indicator is influenced by the porosity of the products. Strength and degradability in frost depends on the amount of absorbed water. Of the four categories for the home, group 1 and 2 (floor) are used.
The strength of the floor tiles depends on the thickness, while the elements are laid so that the joints are completely filled with mortar and subsequently with a trowel. The index of hardness matters, the number of scratches on the floor surface depends on it. A matte surface is capable of hiding stripes, while a glossy surface emphasizes defects.
Ceramics are resistant to chemicals and oils, which is important for kitchens and bathrooms. For the joints, an epoxy-based grout is used.
Linoleum
A common floor covering has been used for a long time, but the material is being improved in structure and gets new characteristics. The surface color can be different, rolls are produced with imitation of natural stone, wood, ceramics and other types.
According to the application, linoleum is produced for household, commercial and semi-commercial. For an apartment, wear resistance classes 21,22,23 are used, which are intended for bedrooms and living rooms, hallways. The rolls of household material are up to 4 m wide and 1 - 4 mm thick. On a flat floor, put 1 - 2 mm, and for a poorly leveled screed area, a thick layer is suitable. 3 and 4 mm are laid in nurseries, kitchens, corridors.
The material is produced on a felt substrate or a polyvinyl chloride underlay is placed; baseless varieties are also available for sale. If the rooms are adjacent and the door is without a threshold, it is better to take the same thickness in adjacent rooms. Linoleum is laid without glue and pressed down with baseboards or fixing mixtures are used.
The width of the roll is determined so that there are fewer cuttings when stacking. It is better to do the joints under the furniture so that it is not visible.
Cork covering
The material is made from the bark of cork oak. According to the technology, it is crushed, dried and pressed with the addition of polymer adhesives. Pigments, modifiers are added to the mixture to increase the strength to mechanical action and moisture.
The cellular structure of the floor contains air spaces, so the material insulates the room from cold and sound. If the material is wax-impregnated, its moisture resistance is increased and it can be used in the kitchen. The plug dampens echoes in large rooms, the coating absorbs, restores its shape after dynamic or static loading. Non-slip when walking in heels and barefoot.
The cork is classified as a heat-resistant material that, when heated, does not emit harmful components. The coating does not react to most alkalis, acids, is inert to organic chemistry, suitable for flooring in a room for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. No static electricity is generated in the layer, the material does not conduct electric current.
Carpet
Nice and cozy flooring, pleasant to the touch. The carpet is sound absorbing and highly elastic. Depending on the category, different grades are distinguished in terms of wear resistance. Easy to install on the floor, available in a wide range of colors.
The standard web widths range from 2.5 to 4 m, the roll length is 10 - 15 meters, and the thickness can be selected in the range of 5 - 10 mm. Most often, the pattern on the carpet has a chaotic look, so this coating is suitable for rooms of different configurations.
Material types:
- short-haired - hair length 2–3 mm;
- medium pile - 3-5 mm;
- long-haired - over 5 mm.
The structure includes a pile, primary (base) and secondary liner (anchorage latex layer). Natural and synthetic fibers are used for production. Sometimes a mixed composition of pile is used, which includes up to 30% of natural raw materials. Natural fibers are made from silk, wool, paper, jute, cotton. For synthetic, polyamide, nylon, propylene, polyester are used.
Laminate
Previously, the laminate was laid on glue, now two types of locks are used, so the coating can be disassembled. Each manufacturer makes its own fasteners, but according to the principle of operation, they are all divided into Click and Lock. The first type can be handled by a simple user, the connection belongs to the collapsible type. The boards are joined by simply pressing at 45 °.
The second lock is represented by a groove and a latch and is reliable. In addition to the groove and the tenon, which are inserted into one another, there are also combs for additional locking. It bears the name of a hammer, since a rubber hammer is used when laying.
Laminate board consists of four layers:
- lower stabilizing layer for rigidity, sometimes there is a collection version with sound insulation;
- the middle load-bearing layer of wood-fiber mass, it determines the sound insulation, thermal insulation characteristics;
- decorative paper covering with a printed pattern;
- protective lamination made of resin based on malamine or acrylic, the abrasion class of the material depends on its thickness.
The strength of the laminate is subdivided according to the European standard. For an apartment, classes 21, 23, 31, 32, 33 are used.
Wooden floor
Choose floorboards according to the strength of the wood, it is best to use maple, oak, beech, ash. These are expensive materials. To reduce the cost, use pine, spruce and larch, aspen. Consider the decorative appearance, resistance to abrasion, decay and moisture. The wood should not warp during use.
The pine tree is easy to install, lightweight and inexpensive, but quickly trampled underfoot. Oak is strong and durable, but has a high price tag and is difficult to process due to its hardness. Siberian larch serves equally long in damp and dry rooms, since it does not absorb water due to the high content of resinous components.
The beautiful pattern of the fibers on the cut is not dyed, but only varnished, oil compositions are applied to less decorative species. The characteristics of the coating are influenced by the width of the boards. For the floor, lumber is taken with a length of 2.5 -4 m, a width of 120 - 180 mm, while laying it so that there are fewer end joints. Narrow elements warp less, so wide boards are fastened with additional hardware.
Modern design of floors in the apartment
Divide the floor into zones depending on functionality. Kitchen and dining rooms are often combined. The corresponding areas are allocated on the floor, sometimes a different surface level is used. You can also make the floor in the apartment separately by zones in the combined study with the bedroom, or designate the play area in the children's room from the territory of study.
Monolithic polycarbonate is used, which is based on an artistic drawing. Self-leveling floors are increasingly being installed in living rooms, despite the fact that the coating requires multi-stage work.
They use light colors when decorating the floor in apartments and private houses, such tones are combined with the loft style, Provence, minimalism. Dark tones are combined with light elements of decor and furniture. Such surfaces are more practical from a cleaning point of view, but show scratches and other defects.The classic style combines a dark floor and light surfaces of walls, ceilings, furniture.
Tips for choosing flooring
First of all, the financial situation of the owner plays a role, since not everyone can afford artistic parquet, natural wood laminate or self-leveling floors. Take into account the location and microclimate in the room. It is better not to lay carpet or laminate on the balcony, but to lay ceramic tiles.
The height of the ceilings in the room affects the choice of coverage. If the device of a log and boards requires raising the floor, as well as installing a heating system, this must be taken into account in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and other rooms that are small in height.
The age of the house is taken into account, sometimes it is impossible to create an additional load on the foundation by pouring a concrete screed. On the ground floor, before using laminate, parquet, carpet, thorough waterproofing is done. The overlap of the first level is often saturated with moisture from the basement.
In a large apartment, where many people, children and animals live, a strong coating is laid so that it will serve without destruction from increased traffic. The surface of the finishing layer must resist shock, moisture and create a level surface.
