A few dozen years ago, no one in Russia knew what a laminate was, but now they are flooring literally everywhere - in offices, schools, apartments and country houses. However, not everyone wants to use this flooring in their home, so they think about how it can be replaced. In fact, there is far from one alternative to laminate flooring. We offer our readers a review article on various floor coverings, their advantages and disadvantages.
Parquet
The first thing that comes to mind is parquet and parquet board. These are natural materials made from an array of different types of wood. Between themselves, they differ in size. Parquet is a plank of small size, and a parquet board looks like a laminate. The environmental friendliness and safety of this type of flooring are its main advantages. Modern samples of parquet are distinguished by good strength, moisture resistance and durability.
However, poor-quality material can shrink and deform, and partial replacement of panels is sometimes impossible. However, it is quite expensive, in addition, laying parquet is also a pleasure. The total cost of one square meter of such coverage (material and laying) starts from 2 thousand rubles, and there is no upper bar at all. Parquet is a good alternative to laminate flooring, but not the last on our list.
Cork floor
Another natural coating that many undeservedly bypass is cork. Such material looks very presentable, it perfectly absorbs sound, warm and pleasant to the touch, safe, resistant to moisture, so it is used even in unheated rooms, in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Its few drawbacks include susceptibility to mechanical damage. On this floor it is better not to walk in stilettos and not to put heavy furniture on wheels on it. Cork coating is not much cheaper than the same flooring, but its installation is not very expensive, so this is an affordable alternative to laminate flooring. It is especially good to cover their floors in houses where children live.
Floor board
Flooring - this is what people walked for several thousand years. However, recently this floor covering has been unfairly forgotten, although it is a wonderful alternative to laminate and parquet, because it has many advantages:
- low cost;
- ease of installation;
- practicality of operation;
- durability (lasts several decades).
But in order for all these advantages to truly materialize, floorboards must be made of high quality hardwood lumber.
Chipboard
Particleboard is considered by many to be extremely rough material, unsuitable for finishing. However, some craftsmen manage to use them for flooring. Especially original look surfaces for which the master uses materials of different shades, laying out the boards with a pattern (herringbone, staggered or zigzag). Also, this type of coating can be attributed to the laminated chipboard "Nevsky Laminate". Are these boards an alternative to more traditional flooring? Of course, because they have excellent quality characteristics: they use natural wood shavings, they are durable, they can be cut, drilled and glued. Plates come in different thicknesses - from 8 to 22 mm. In addition, the manufacturer offers several dozens of different shades of plates, including some rather unusual ones - Aluminum, Anthracite, and multi-color NewPort.
Pvc tile
Another alternative to laminate flooring, which is externally difficult to distinguish from the usual parquet - vinyl coating. These are thin flexible sheets of polyvinyl chloride, a plastic that does not burn, does not melt, and is resistant to abrasion, moisture, and shock. Despite the fact that it is a synthetic material, it is absolutely safe, and therefore it is often used for flooring in preschool and school institutions, hospitals and other public places. Elements are connected using special grooves, so their installation is a relatively simple and budgetary business.
Linoleum
Our review would be incomplete if we ignored this accessible and quite good material in terms of its characteristics. Linoleum is made from natural materials (linseed oil, jute fibers and wood resin) or from PVC. The first is rare and is very expensive. The second one can be bought at any hardware store, but it’s better not to skimp and pay a little more for linoleum. A high-quality coating does not have an unpleasant odor, does not rub during operation and can lie on the floor for several decades. Good linoleum absorbs sounds, it is “warm” and it is not necessary to cover it with tracks and rugs on top. Having considered all the pros and cons, you can understand that this material is another good alternative to laminate flooring. The flooring from linoleum is produced in rolls with different widths (1.5-5 m), which allows you to lay it in one piece, without making seams and joints in the canvas.
Porcelain Tiles
Floor tiles, as a rule, are laid in the bathroom, sometimes in the kitchen, even less often in the corridor. In living rooms, this material is very rare. Of course, it cannot become an alternative to laminate and linoleum in the bedroom or the nursery, but in the living room - quite. Modern technologies allow laying a heating system under ceramic flooring.
The so-called warm floors have become very popular, which is not surprising. The tile is convenient in operation - it is easy to clean, it does not deform and does not wipe, does not absorb odors and chemicals. The disadvantage of this material is fragility: ceramics burst if a heavy or sharp object falls on it, some fragments may break off. Also, choosing a model of floor tiles, you need to evaluate its smoothness: it is better to purchase a matte textured surface for a house, firstly, it is not slippery, and secondly, dust, water droplets and other pollution are less visible on it.
The modern market of building and finishing materials is diverse, and before buying this or that floor or wall covering, you need to find out all the information about the product you are interested in.