In the domestic market of finishing materials, floor coverings are presented in a very wide assortment. Nevertheless, almost every year new, more advanced materials appear that attract the attention of specialists and ordinary customers.
Most recently, consultants at major construction stores began offering floor artvinil to their customers. What it is? According to the manufacturer (Tarkett), this is a unique material that can be compared to ceramic tiles or parquet using assembly technology. A variety of colors and shapes of tiles allow you to create the design you dreamed about on the floor.
Artvinil for flooring - what is it?
This is a multilayer material that consists of:
- Fiberglass, responsible for the preservation of dimensional indicators. Artvinil tile does not taper or stretch under different loads.
- Calendered layers (usually two). They protect the appearance of the tiles and provide resistance to stress. On the floor of this material there is no trace of heels, furniture.
- The decorative layer creates the appearance of the coating.
- A relief transparent layer creates a relief on the outside of the tiles, emphasizing naturalness. This layer to a greater degree provides the strength of the material.
- Varnish (Extreme Protection brand), developed by Tarkett. It has a high level of wear resistance, which is 7 times higher than those of similar materials.
Material advantages
Artvinil for a floor has high quality characteristics. It is durable, moisture and wear resistant, perfectly tolerates temperature changes. All these indicators are very important when it comes to choosing flooring. In this case, other parameters must be taken into account.
Artvinil flooring has a beautiful appearance that mimics natural materials. Designers use it to carry out the most daring ideas on the floor. For example, combine oak and marble, beech and slate in a harmonious composition. There can be a huge number of options on this topic. Tiles or planks are assembled in different ways - parquet, Christmas tree, in the form of brickwork and so on. The manufacturer offers its customers 10 stacking schemes. They are described in detail in the instructions attached to the material.
It is only natural that buyers are interested in how the styling is done. Artvinil for a floor is mounted quite simply. We will talk about this a bit later.
The advantages of the material include ease of transportation, the practicality of the material. In addition, this coating has a long service life. The manufacturer, the company Tarkett, guarantees 15 years of excellent material service, without changing the appearance and technical characteristics. It should be noted that the coating is environmentally friendly, which is confirmed by the certificate “Leaflet of life”. Therefore, such a floor can be laid even in a children's room.
Many consumers have already used artvinil for flooring. What is it, they know firsthand. Often this modern coating is compared with other materials. For example, its multi-layer and practicality is very reminiscent of a good, high-quality linoleum, beauty and elegance bring it closer to the piece parquet. But there are significant differences:
- artvinil tile, unlike linoleum, is able to diversify the floor pattern, since these are modules with different designs, and not rolled material;
- unlike parquet, it can be used on the “warm floor” system;
- the coating is very nice to the touch, you can walk on it barefoot with pleasure, which can not be said about the tiles.
disadvantages
As you can see, many advantages have a new material - artvinil for the floor. Its price is equal to the cost of the laminate. It varies from 665 to 1600 rubles per square meter. Some buyers consider this a minus. Although not everyone agrees with this.
Artvinil for the floor: DIY installation instructions
As we mentioned earlier, the installation of this coating will not be too difficult even for a person who is far from construction. However, it should be borne in mind that when working with this material, accuracy and attention are necessary. A careless attitude to work will inevitably entail errors that will affect the quality of the coating.
Styling technology
Any finishing process is divided into several stages. The laying of flooring is no exception.
Mandatory surface preparation requires artvinil for flooring. Laying technology involves the implementation of this stage in the first place. The final result largely depends on the quality of this work.
Surface preparation
It should be noted on which surfaces this coating cannot be laid. This is plywood, particleboard, linoleum, fiberboard, wooden floor. In other words, on those surfaces that over time begin to deform under the influence of various loads. Therefore, the tile itself undergoes deformation, and this should not be allowed.
The ideal base for artvinil is a sturdy concrete floor poured with screed. But remember that a cement screed is not suitable in this case. It is better to use self-leveling self-leveling floors.
The modern construction market offers a large selection of dry mixes for these purposes from different manufacturers. These are cement gypsum or polymer compounds. It is more advisable to give preference to the latter. Such a surface has a small thickness, but an ideal surface, characterized by high strength.
After pouring the screed, she needs to dry well. Then the floor surface must be thoroughly cleaned of dust. An ordinary vacuum cleaner will help you with this. Before cleaning, close all windows so that there are no drafts.
Now you can start the primer. It is better to use a two-component material based on polyurethane. It will increase the adhesion coefficient and harden the top layer.
Markup
Once again, we need to be careful when laying artvinil for the floor. Laying technology involves another mandatory step, which many home masters for some reason neglect. It's about markup. Not only quality depends on it, but also simplicity, ease of installation. For example, a well-marked layout in a room with an area of 40 square meters can be tiled in one and a half to two hours.
First you need to determine the center of the room. To do this, put the diagonals - their intersection will be the point you need. Through the center, draw two perpendicular lines. They will divide the room into 4 rectangles.
It is necessary to start laying tiles from the center, gradually filling all the sections with it. This circuit is direct. If you want to conduct a diagonal assembly, then the markup will need to be done with additional lines - from the center at an angle of 45 degrees to the previously drawn lines.
The final stage - installation
For the installation of artvinil tiles use acrylic adhesive. Its uniform layer is applied to the base of the floor with a notched trowel. Note that the glue has a strictly defined time during which you can work with it. This is usually one hour. Therefore, the solution should be applied to a site that you can cover with tiles during this time. If you did not meet the deadline, then glue should be removed and a new layer applied.
After applying the adhesive, do not start work immediately. Let it stand for 8-10 minutes. After that, you can lay the tiles. On the back of each module, you will see an arrow that shows which way to mount the assembly. This greatly facilitates the process, regardless of the selected floor pattern.
Each coating element is installed on a surface previously coated with glue and pressed by hands. On the edges you can roll it with a roller. Such movements produce from the center to the edges of the panel. Tiles are laid tightly to each other, without gaps. This will not allow them to shift during operation under the action of loads. Experts advise to re-roll the new floor after 10-15 minutes to be sure that the tile is pressed well enough and its edges will not be wrapped after a while.
Artvinil panels on the edges of the room against the walls do not always come in their entirety. Therefore, they must be trimmed. Make it quite simple - with a sharp knife. Consider the following subtleties:
- trimming is carried out only on the front side of the coating;
- accurate marking should be carried out, without allowances and tolerances;
- an incision with a knife at the marking place is made strictly along the intended line.
- bend the tile in the place of the incision and cut it completely with a knife.
During installation, glue, when pressed on a tile, may protrude beyond its boundaries and leave a mark on its surface. This must be avoided. But if this still happened, immediately remove it with a napkin, which is better to moisten with alcohol.
Well, you laid artvinil for the floor. What is it, you now know how to stack it - too. It remains to learn how to care for such a floor.
After all the tiles have been laid, it is necessary to wet the floor. This can only be done in three days, when the coating is fully adhered to the base. After that, the floors can be washed with water with the addition of products that are designed for PVC products.
Customer reviews
Today we presented you a new coating - artvinil for flooring. Reviews about him were divided into enthusiastically positive and frankly negative.
The first group of customers is completely satisfied with their purchase. They are satisfied with a stylish and diverse design, a sufficiently long service life, easy care, adequate price.
The second group of buyers notes the complexity of installation, the poor quality of the tile, which after 5-6 months peels off at the seams. Specialists from the manufacturing company attribute these reviews to poor-quality installation. Therefore, if you feel that you cannot lay this coating on your own, contact a professional.