Choosing a floor covering is not easy: the modern market offers a huge selection of materials with different characteristics and textures. Laminate is an artificial material that is gaining popularity among consumers. If you want to make your apartment cozy and comfortable, look at the photo of laminate flooring in the interior of the apartment for inspiration.
Laminate is a laminated floor covering made from wood fiber boards.
Features and nuances of using laminate in the interior of an apartment
You need to choose a laminate for laying on the floor in the interior of an apartment, as in the photo, based on the type of room. For example, for the kitchen it is imperative to select a moisture-resistant material, the surface of which should be textured. A high level of moisture protection is selected for the bathroom. Light shades are preferred.
It gained popularity due to its original styling options, as well as a variety of colors and textures.
A noble wood-look type will look harmonious in the living room; its task is to create coziness and emphasize attractiveness, to delimit space. The sleeping area and children's room are living spaces in which the main criterion must be: safety. To avoid problems with the flooring in the hallway, resistance to heavy loads is important.
The original flooring has a high density and varying degrees of wear resistance.
Laying features
The slats give unlimited freedom to creativity. Laminate resembles a mosaic with which you can experiment endlessly. But it’s worth considering: the more complex the design, the more expensive the finishing will ultimately cost. The simplest and most popular installation methods:
- horizontally. The slats are mounted parallel to the floor. The technique visually expands the space, extends it in length or width (depending on the type of wall). According to the basic design rules, a wide and long board is chosen for large rooms, and a narrow and short one for small rooms;
- vertically. This method of decorating walls is used in rooms with low ceilings. The solution allows you to increase the height of the room and add volume. Laminate on the wall looks especially impressive, matching the color and texture of the flooring;
- diagonally. The original decor can be used in rooms of any size. The decoration in the corridors looks especially good. The combination of laminate and sophisticated lighting makes the interior unusual and ultra-modern.
Laminate on the wall in the interior is not recommended for use on all surfaces at once. Using textured slats, individual accents are created. For example, above a soft area in the living room or above a bed in the bedroom, laminate looks elegant and soft. If you cover the entire room, it will already resemble a hunting lodge or a bath complex.
The main advantages and disadvantages of laminate flooring in an apartment
A significant criterion is the price range. Laminate is cheaper than parquet, marble, ceramic tiles, and solid wood. The second plus: practicality - resistance to fading, long-term operation while maintaining appearance. Let's look at the positive characteristics:
- Durability, endurance - the manufacturer has endowed it with the ability to withstand different load parameters, depending on the quality of the boards used.
- Assortment, decorative solutions - it’s easy to create an imitation of natural solid wood, granite, marble, ceramics. A modern manufacturer creates floral, newspaper, and fruit prints on boards. Just choose a pattern with animals for a nursery or vegetables for decorating a kitchen.
- Simplicity of installation work. There is a lock on the board that is easy to attach. Advice! For quick assembly, the boards are assembled into separate blocks and then fastened together. This is convenient in small room settings.
- No processing during installation. Maximum: owners can optionally purchase additional sound insulation and a thermal underlay (felt, cork, jute).
- Cleaning is done with the usual detergents diluted in water.
Laminate flooring can create an imitation of any texture and pattern.
The modern market offers models with antistatic properties - dust and dirt do not settle, just wipe with a damp cloth or vacuum.
Flaws:
- from exposure to water, liquid, the floor swells;
- repair work is required in case of mechanical damage: boards will need to be replaced;
- preparation of the floor base - the base must be level, smooth and cleaned; if the rules are not followed, the structure will lie crooked.
In addition to aesthetic beauty, these products are distinguished by high quality, durability, environmental friendliness and safety for use in residential areas.
Advice! Choose high-quality models with a high class of water resistance. Buy more boards - this will save time and nerves when choosing an identical product (in case of repair). The batches differ in color, which will spoil the aesthetics of the appearance.
Types of laminate surfaces in an apartment
The aesthetics of appearance is important: the house is filled with coziness, comfort, furniture is purchased for the flooring. Focus on the style and design of your living space and budget. There are several types:
- standard – characterized by a slight silky shine, small indentations (imitation of wood pores), found in all manufacturers;
- textured surface - small relief, wood-type fibers, prominent pores, large pattern under the texture of wood;
- embossed – a pronounced relief, it is smooth and clear, the lines are longitudinal;
- country – the relief is made using hand-processed wood;
- wood under oil is a beautiful imitation of wood coating, with a smooth matte surface, no pores.
Choosing laminate flooring is an opportunity to individually and original decorate the interior of your apartment.
The latter option is called oil-absorbed wood. Photos of the types of laminate on the floors and walls in the apartment can be found on design websites.
Standard surface
Wood (aged wood)
This type is distinguished by a large and smooth relief, exactly imitating the texture of wood that has chips. The effect can be created by leaving the boards outdoors for a long time. The board will be exposed to moisture, wind, and light. Next, it is cleaned with a metal scraper and polished. Covered with paint and oil.
Consumers have a wide choice of more than one hundred types of products.
Gloss
The wood is varnished with a shiny sheen. Often manufacturers use two technologies in one: glossy and silky-glossy look.
Recommended for use at home.
Wax
Beautiful imitation of wood treated with wax. The surface is perfectly flat, clean, smooth. There are small ripples, no pores, the reflection is soft and warm.
It is the most optimal and popular option.
Natural structure
A clear imitation of natural wood coated with paint and varnish. The board is smooth, without nicks, has a silky shine, the pattern repeats the grain of the wood.
Today, such products are increasingly used at home.
What laminate can be used for wall decoration
You can use the same laminate for finishing the walls as for the floor. But since the load on the material placed on the wall will not be high, you can use a laminate of small thickness and a lower wear resistance class.
At the moment, the most common are the following locks used to connect laminate boards:
The most common type is click. Wall finishing with laminate of this type is possible on a finished wooden frame or on a flat surface using glue. The panels are locked together.
An equally strong fastening is provided by a laminate with a Lock type lock, or as it is also called tongue-and-groove. It is also attached to a wooden lattice using staples or nails.
Advice: you should not attach the laminate to a wooden lattice using glue, since the adhesion area to the surface in this case is reduced and the panel can come off at any time. To attach the laminate to the sheathing, use special clips or screw it with small self-tapping screws.
Advice: if it is important to buy a durable, wear-resistant laminate of class 31 or class 32 for the floor, then thin material of class 21 is suitable for the wall. In terms of cost, it will be noticeably cheaper.
The combination of laminate of different colors with walls, ceilings, windows and doorways
The range of finishing materials is wide, but when choosing the color scheme of the floor you need to focus on the wallpaper, door, combination of flooring and walls.
A beautiful and stylish appearance is the first guideline when choosing flooring.
Note! Remember the features of day and night lighting: during the day, a dark color will reveal all the imperfections and dirt. If the room is light, it is better not to use brown or black laminate.
Bright hues
Gray, beige, white tones will visually enlarge the room and reflect sunlight well. Thanks to them, freshness, cleanliness and comfort are ensured; they are well suited for bright wall coverings.
A silky shine will give a natural finish.
Important! Do not use cool shades of wallpaper - it will look uncomfortable.
Dark colors
The room looks luxurious. Light walls and dark floors look good.
The natural surface type reflects the appearance of varnished wood.
Important! In darkened rooms with small or no windows, the flooring should not be dark. For laminate flooring with imitation of expensive wood, appropriate furniture is purchased.
Combining laminate
For multifunctional rooms, different flooring options are usually selected, which serves as visual zoning. Often designers suggest combining, for example, parquet and tiles, boards and linoleum. With the right solution, such surfaces look original.
Thanks to the variety of designs, modern laminate 2021 allows you to create combinations without the need to combine and adjust different types of materials. You can use laminated planks with the texture of wood, stone, leather, or imitate parquet and tiles. Combinations of different shades, such as brown and beige, look stylish.
In 2022, eccentricity becomes the trend. Bright color combinations on the floor, for example, noble wenge and regal red-burgundy, bring freshness and novelty to the interior. It is important that the overall interior be designed in a light monochrome version, which will avoid unnecessary diversity.
While maintaining fashion trends when combining, it is recommended to match warm shades with colors from the cold part of the spectrum. This solution to the floor plane is a universal option that favorably emphasizes almost any wall color.
Advice! If the room already has high-quality cabinet furniture with dark facades, use laminated panels with a muted silver color in combination with slats in a sophisticated beige tone. Ocher and soft chocolate shade harmonize well.
When decorating the flooring, pearl gray color forms an organic tandem with white laminate planks. If one of the elements in the floor covering is dark brown laminated tiles, then the second shade is selected so that it does not contrast with the overall color scheme of the room. They also combine lamellas of different sizes, achieving dynamism in the final sound of the floor surface.
Methods for laying laminate flooring in an apartment
You can install the coating yourself; there are training videos on the Internet. With the help of locks, the boards are easily connected to each other without the use of glue. You can lay it in the following ways: straight, herringbone, diagonal, threshold-free.
Direct laying
A simple way: the boards are fastened with locks to each other, parallel to the wall. The second name is “deck laying”. Direction - from the door to the walls.
It is recommended to install from the door, spreading it in the direction of the light.
Diagonal laying
A more complex method: the angle of laying the boards is 45 degrees (in the direction of the walls). This way you can make the room bigger and wider. Cons: Requires more material. It is recommended to start work from a corner, the work progresses in a checkerboard pattern. The end locks are connected, the reference point is a stretched cord. After assembling the first row, they begin to make the second. The side slats are cut at an angle.
This type of installation is recommended for zoning and expanding the space of a room.
Curly styling
Original version, imitation parquet. Narrow slats are used, the locking system differs from the standard one. This is a professional type of installation: the material has different fastenings, there is a strict arrangement of products, and you need a supply of lamellas.
Using this method of laying products requires a special laminate and professional installation.
Combination of modern styles with laminate flooring in the interior of the room
Thanks to a large selection of colors, installation options, and textures, laminate flooring can be installed in a room with any interior design.
High-tech style
For the high-tech style, monochromatic shades are suitable, without bright inserts and warm tones. The laminate is selected to imitate a metal surface, the color is different, preference is given to gray.
Laminate flooring is very popular in modern styles such as high-tech.
Scandinavian style
The base shade is light, combinations are possible. Surfaces with imitation of roughness, wood, and abrasions are acceptable. The flooring should be natural, natural.
In such an interior, vintage furniture can best be emphasized by laminate in a fashionable shade of bleached oak.
Classic style
To create a classic interior, it is important to recreate the naturalness of wood. An imitation of a parquet plank laid in a herringbone pattern works well. It is necessary to fill the atmosphere with sophistication.
Laminate in this case skillfully imitates a parquet plank, filling the atmosphere with luxury and sophistication.
Provence style
Light and warm colors, natural materials, and comfort are important here. It is recommended to highlight the floor with laminate in the shade “bleached oak” - this is the trend of the season and the design of living rooms.
Natural materials, floral motifs, light warm colors - all this is harmonious in a comfortable and beautiful Provence style.
Design of different rooms using laminate flooring
Previously, there were few options for floor finishing; the materials were standard and simple. The modern market offers unlimited design possibilities - the appropriate type of coating is selected for each room.
It is important to choose the right texture.
In the living room
Living rooms are not subject to heavy loads; the wear resistance class is selected to be small. Laminate of 22, 23 classes is suitable. It is recommended to clarify the noise-absorbing features depending on the impregnation. You can prevent the occurrence of squeaks and noise by using a soundproofing substrate.
The flooring in this room must meet the requirements for wear resistance and strength, so class 31 coating is recommended for such rooms.
In the bedroom
Consider sound absorption - an important criterion for a living room. Thickness is 8 – 12 mm, the slats do not sag, and there are no gaps between the slats. If the manufacturer has not equipped the laminate with a sound insulation layer, you can install the underlay yourself.
A bedroom or children's room would benefit from a coating with decorative properties.
In the nursery
The floor in the children's room should be environmentally friendly - wear-resistant class 32, durable and practical. Suitable for creating warm floors. It has water-repellent characteristics - if water spills, the coating does not lift.
An important point when choosing laminate flooring for the bedroom is the product’s environmental safety.
In the kitchen
Choose water resistance class 33, with a durable top layer of protection and a thickness of at least 8 mm. The surface should not slip; after installation, the joints are treated with a water-repellent solution. Give preference to textured options in medium shades.
The wall, being a continuation of the floor, will visually create the effect of infinity.
Laminate is a good alternative to expensive natural parquet and impractical linoleum. A big plus is the affordable price. Proper care will increase its service life by many years.
Laminate selection criteria
Multilayer laminated panels quickly gained recognition as a reliable material for decorating floors in rooms for various functional purposes. The basis of the structure is durable fiberboard. The lower stabilizing coating protects it from deformation. A decorative layer is applied to the upper plane, which determines the texture and color. The top layer provides strength and protection from abrasion.
When choosing, pay attention to the following indicators
- wear resistance class;
- strength;
- moisture resistance;
- coating texture;
- color scheme.
