In order for the laminate to serve its owners for many years, it is important to pay due attention to its proper installation. Almost always, a special substrate is mounted under it. It performs a number of important functions. Of particular note is the foil laminate substrate. Its features will be discussed later.
general description
It is worth noting that the substrate under the laminate is necessarily laid on the floor during installation. Many varieties of this material are on sale. It differs in a mass of parameters. Therefore, the choice must be made depending on the characteristics of the base, as well as the laminate itself.
The flooring can vary significantly in the way lamellas are joined, in thickness, and other important characteristics. If the backing is not selected correctly, loosening in the lock joints is possible. The laminate will creak, and eventually become deformed. Therefore, you need to consider what qualities an optimal type of substrate should have.
On sale are materials that differ in material, cost and performance. One of the best options will be a substrate with a layer of foil. Especially this option will become relevant if the owners install a warm floor system. However, if there are other heaters in the room, the foil will reflect the infrared rays back into the room.
Considering the types and prices of the foil laminate substrate, a significant difference can be noted. The fact is that the base under the foil layer can be very different. It is made from several types of materials. Moreover, the thickness of such a layer may be different. However, almost all varieties of substrates have their positive and negative sides.
Material Features
The foil laminate substrate has a number of distinctive features. It is made primarily of foamed polyethylene. Varieties are on sale, the basis of which is foamed rubber or other materials. Each manufacturer develops special formulas to create their products.
The top layer is a foil or metal film. It can have markup or not. This type of material reflects heat well, returning it back to the room. As a result, the owners can save about 30% of the resources for heating the premises in the winter. This is due to its high thermal insulation qualities.
Thickness
Moreover, the material has a very small thickness. So, professional builders recommend purchasing a foil substrate for a laminate from 2 mm to 5 mm thick. Although materials up to 10 mm thick are on sale. They are not suitable for laying under the laminate. Their scope is completely different.
Also, a substrate with a thickness of 1 mm is not suitable for installation under a laminate. This will not be enough to retain heat in the room, not to let it out through the ceiling. It is worth considering that the thicker the substrate, the more expensive it is. However, in this case, its thermal insulation and other operational characteristics also increase.
When choosing a foil substrate, it is worth considering that this material has certain advantages and disadvantages.
Positive and negative sides
The material presented has many positive qualities. The disadvantage of a foil substrate is the price. She's tall enough. However, it is worth noting that some varieties of such substrates can replace, for example, a sheet of expanded polystyrene with a thickness of 3 cm in terms of thermal conductivity. Therefore, the high price is due to the high performance of foil insulation.
Even the simplest polyethylene varieties can prevent heat leakage through the floor from 30 to 97%. If an electric underfloor heating system is mounted under the laminate, the substrate will additionally protect the infrared film from being hit by moisture from below.
In addition, the foil substrate, like other types of materials for laying under the laminate, evens the floor. If the differences in height, roughnesses on the surface are relatively small, they can not be repaired with a solution. Sheets of foil substrate of sufficient thickness are simply laid on a clean base.
In addition, the substrate also has noise insulation qualities. Steps on the surface of the laminate will be much quieter. This is especially good for apartments and houses in which there are small children. The child constantly runs around the house. So that his sonorous steps do not interfere with his parents' rest, you can simply put a sufficient layer of substrate under the laminate. The surface of the floor will be warmer. Even a barefoot baby will be comfortable walking on the laminate.
Electric heating
It is worth noting that one of the main areas of application of the foil substrate is the arrangement of an electric heating system under the laminate. It is a film in which a current-conducting substance is laminated. This paste is heated by emitting infrared rays. It is the foil that is able to reflect such heat as qualitatively as possible, sending it back to the room. Therefore, for electrical systems, the present type of substrate is preferred.
The foil backing up to 5 mm thick allows the electrical system to work as efficiently as possible. The fact is that this material evenly distributes heat on the surface of the floor. The energy spent on the operation of the system in this case is spent much more efficiently.
It is thanks to the foil layer of the substrate that heat can spread not only directly above the heating element, but also to the sides. As a result, a large floor area will transfer stored heat to the room. It will warm up faster.
Studies have shown that thanks to this substrate, the room warms up 2 times faster. Therefore, installation under the laminate of more expensive material is fully justified. This acquisition pays off in just a few months of underfloor heating. It is also worth considering that the foil material removes heat from the heating elements. This additionally protects them from overheating. The heating film will last much longer. When choosing a foil material, you should not purchase varieties with a metal coating. It conducts current. Shiny coating can be made of various polymeric materials. This option will be preferable when using an electric floor system.
Material basis
It is worth noting that various varieties of foil substrates are on sale. They differ in the manufacturing method. So, you can see in a specialized store a foil substrate for a laminate of 3 mm LMP, PPE, NPE, etc. It is made by different manufacturers.
The abbreviations presented speak of a method for foaming polyethylene. The operational characteristics of the material directly depend on this. The listed popular varieties of materials indicate the type of substrate base. These are all varieties of polyethylene.
The cheapest variety is the NPE substrate. This is a gas filled type of material. Its low cost is due to the relatively short life. Over time, such material sags. He loses his heat and noise insulation qualities.
More often, for arranging flooring from a laminate, more expensive types of polyethylene foil materials with the marking of PPE and LMP are now purchased. These are more modern varieties of substrates. Their performance and durability are superior to NPE. PPE and LMP materials are characterized by the presence of closed pores. The material is environmentally friendly, does not emit toxic substances.
Choosing between the substrate under the laminate NPE 4mm and PPE 2 mm, it is better to purchase the second option. In this case, the insulating qualities will be almost the same. But the durability of the PES will be many times greater than that of the NPE.
Rubber insulation
When choosing a substrate for a floor covering, it should be noted that there is an alternative to polyethylene materials. The basis for the foil may be rubber foamed in a special way. Such a substrate has a black base color. Rubber varieties of substrates in all respects superior to materials based on polyethylene.
Pores are formed in the rubber, which are smaller. In this case, the material is quite dense. It does not deform under compression, does not sag over time. It can be laid on uneven floors, choosing a roll thickness of 5 or even 6 mm. This will not damage the flooring.
The foil laminate substrate based on foamed rubber has the highest thermal insulation performance. It has the same thermal conductivity as a 3 cm thick polystyrene sheet. For the floor, this is a good option. The cost of such a material will be an order of magnitude higher than that of polyethylene based substrates. However, this pays off in the first heating season. Homeowners will be able to save on paying bills for energy resources. To heat the room will require much less thermal energy.
It is also worth noting that the life of rubber-based material is 1.5-2 times longer than that of polyethylene substrates. Therefore, the choice of this type of insulation is justified and cost-effective.
Manufacturer's Reviews
On sale a large selection of substrates of domestic and foreign production. Considering reviews of a foil substrate from 2 mm thick, it should be noted that Russian-made products are more popular. It is of high quality and reasonable cost.
Among foreign companies, customers choose products from the South Korean brand DH-Hilon and the Portuguese manufacturer Sedacor. The first of these brands specializes in the production of polypropylene substrates. This is a durable, hardy material that is not afraid of significant pressure. The cost of one roll is 1250-1300 rubles. The manufacturer leaves marking on the surface of the foil. This facilitates the installation of the material.
The substrate under the brand name Sedacor is supplied to the domestic market from Portugal. A distinctive feature of this material is the use of cork as the basis. The cost of this material increases at times, compared with competitors. However, cork has several advantages. It is an environmentally friendly coating. It does not burn, it reflects heat well. Also, the presented material has high sound-absorbing qualities.
The cost of a roll of a Portuguese manufacturer is about 2300-2400 rubles. This is an expensive type of substrate. It is acquired much less often than other types of insulation under the laminate.
Reviews about domestic manufacturers
According to customer reviews, the 5-mm substrate for the laminate LMP Normaizol has high quality. It is made by a domestic manufacturer. The structure of the material cells is closed. This ensures high performance of the polyethylene substrate. The cost of this material is approximately 800-850 rubles. per roll.
Another sought-after manufacturer is Ecofol. The company produces polyethylene substrates of different thicknesses. They can be mounted both for electric heating systems and just for laminate flooring. The cost of production of this brent is about 750-850 rubles. per roll.
Another popular manufacturer is the Polyform company. In the manufacture of the substrate, innovative technologies are used. As a result, the highest quality material is delivered to the market. Such a substrate is made of cross-linked polyethylene. His cells are closed. This improves the thermal insulation properties of the material. The cost of substrates from the Polyform company is acceptable. It is about 700-750 rubles. per roll.
Another well-known manufacturer of universal laminate linings is Thermodom. This domestic brand makes many varieties of materials for arranging the presented flooring. The average price of a foil substrate under the laminate of the brand is about 850 rubles.
Isolon Company
According to reviews, the foil substrate for the laminate produced by Izolon (Russia) has a lot of advantages. It is manufactured using the latest technology. The company supplies the market with products of both cheap and expensive segment. Each buyer will be able to choose the best option for themselves.
So the simplest and cheapest option is a substrate made of polyethylene NPE. Its cost is from 600 rubles. per roll. However, experts argue that the insulating qualities, durability of this material leave much to be desired.
The leader in sales was the Isolon PPE substrate. This is a cross-linked polyethylene material. It has closed pores. The material is resilient, elastic, does not lose its original qualities for a long time. Under normal conditions, this material can be used for more than 25 years. The cost of the PES substrate from Izolon is about 850 rubles. per roll.
This manufacturer also sells foam rubber material. This is the best option for arranging laminate flooring, including using an electric heating system. The cost of this material is about 1,500 rubles. per roll. However, the cost is consistent with the quality of this material.
Having considered the features and varieties of foil laminate substrates, everyone will be able to choose the best option for their house or apartment.