Substrate under the laminate - an important point when laying the floor

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Contents:
  • Why is a substrate needed?
  • Requirements for the correct substrate selection
  • Substrate types
  • Cork
  • Coniferous
  • Foam polyethylene - pros and cons
  • Foamed propylene
  • Composite
  • Best substrate manufacturers

Laminate is the most versatile version of the decorative flooring for today. It is much cheaper than a parquet and a wooden board, although in appearance it can be done in a complete imitation of these materials, better in many properties and more presentable than linoleum and carpet, and its service life is quite attractive for those who do not want to often perform repairs. But in order to get a really high-quality result after completing all the finishing works, you must follow the rules of the technology of laying such a coating. To do this, you need to know which substrate under the laminate is better and how to choose it. This is exactly what will be discussed in this article.

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Why is a substrate needed?

The substrate for the laminate carries a certain functional load, so it is unacceptable to ignore the stage of its selection and styling. To understand how important this is, it is sufficient to know that the laminate substrate provides:

  • additional sound insulation, which is very important in cases of a large number of household appliances in the house or when living in an apartment of a multi-storey building with "very thin walls";
  • improved thermal insulation, which will improve the heat-saving properties of the premises and save on heating it;
  • save money on roughing works, as preliminary careful leveling of the floor is not required, because the substrate will level out minor surface defects and height differences;
  • protection against moisture, temperature fluctuations, which is very important for observing the correct operating conditions of the laminate;
  • correct distribution of the load on the surface of the floor covering, which entails a longer period of operation of the material as a whole.

Important! Correctly selected substrate for the laminate will prevent the deformation of the slats, their squeaking, will create the effect of optimal cushioning during walking, which will greatly increase the comfort of the occupants when moving around the room.

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Requirements for the correct choice of the substrate

Before deciding which substrate to choose for the laminate, it is necessary to understand what properties it should possess.

Important! Be sure to take into account the price factor, as it is inappropriate to purchase a very expensive substrate for economy class material and vice versa.

The main selection criteria for this material are:

  • the operating conditions of a particular room, that is, the expected stable temperature and humidity values;
  • thickness;
  • hygienic cleanliness;
  • simplicity of laying;
  • properties for such important parameters as noise insulation, durability, moisture resistance, fire resistance.
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Types of substrates

The broadest assortment of substrates for various production methods, prices, characteristics and purposes is presented in the building materials market today. The most suitable for making a competent laminate laying are the following materials:

  • cork;
  • coniferous substrate;
  • polyethylene foam;
  • foamed polypropylene;
  • composite materials.

Important! Depending on the raw materials in the base and the shape of the release, the thickness of the substrate under the laminate will change. And this criterion is also significant. Here the principle of choice is this: the worse the quality of the base, the more defects and irregularities on it, the worse the insulation of the room, the thicker the material should be.

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Stopper

Substrate under the laminate made of cork - this is an excellent solution when choosing a material of any class. Excellent performance characteristics, favorable price, variety of forms of release allow you to choose exactly the material that best suits exactly under the conditions of your premises.

Forms of release

Such a laminate substrate is commercially available in the following variations:

  • roll stock - thickness is 2-8 mm, length - 8-10 m;
  • plates with a thickness of 1 to 5 mm, dimensions of 60 * 30 and 60 * 60 mm.

Composition

The base of the cork substrate is pressed cork chips. But manufacturers of such building and finishing materials, striving to improve still and so good properties of the coating, expand their model lines with such modifications:

  • cork-bitumen substrate for laminate;
  • plug-and-rubber.

Advantages:

  1. High strength.
  2. Durability.
  3. Perfect hygienic cleanliness.
  4. Resistance to decay.
  5. Resistance to mechanical damage.
  6. Flexibility and high cushioning characteristics.
  7. The possibility of leveling even large differences in the height of the floor without additional spending.

Important! The disadvantage of such a substrate for a laminate can be called only a lower threshold of moisture resistance in comparison with alternative materials of similar purpose. Therefore, this type of web is usually used in combination with a waterproofing thickness of 1.5 mm. But if you use a simple plug, but with the inclusion of bitumen or rubber, it is suitable without auxiliary waterproofing materials, even for rooms with unstable or high humidity levels.

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Coniferous

Coniferous substrate is another kind of natural, environmentally friendly material, all properties and characteristics of which are due to the original qualities of valuable wood species. That is why such a substrate for laminate is the best, but accordingly - and the most expensive.

Important! Due to the high cost of the material, it is advisable to use it in combination with a laminate of the appropriate quality class.

Form

Coniferous substrate - a plate of different sizes, which makes the entire installation process very convenient, easy and fast. To find the necessary parameters of the modules and the thickness to perform the laying without residues and additional trimming is very simple.

Advantages:

  1. High strength and durability.
  2. Excellent performance characteristics such as noise and thermal insulation.
  3. Good density, which eliminates deformation, sagging of the floor covering, the appearance of an unpleasant squeak after a long operation of the laminate.
  4. The ability to reduce all preparatory work to a minimum and save money on floor leveling.
  5. Resistance to moisture.
  6. Vibration damping.

Important! The disadvantages of such material, in addition to its high cost, no.

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Polyethylene foam - pros and cons

Polyethylene is one of the most popular synthetic materials used to solve various technical problems in construction and finishing works. As a substrate for a laminate, it is also suitable.

Advantages:

  1. Biostability - the material is not susceptible to mold fungi, it is not interesting to rodents, insects.
  2. Mechanical durability.
  3. Inertness to moisture.
  4. Optimum thermal insulation properties.
  5. Chemical resistance, due to which it is ideal if you need to choose a substrate for the laminate on the concrete floor.
  6. Low cost.

Important! Disadvantages of this material also has and consist in the following:

  • completely synthetic chemical composition, although harmless to humans;
  • possibility of loss of elasticity as the operation, as a result - the laminate can sag and deform;
  • at constant exposure to ultraviolet radiation in solar rooms, the structure of expanded polyethylene is destroyed.
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Foamed Propylene

If the main purpose in laying flooring is the greatest possible savings, foamed propylene is the best substrate for laminate.

Advantages:

  1. Good noise and thermal insulation due to porous structure.
  2. Air permeability.
  3. Water resistance and good condensate protection.
  4. Optimal strength.

Important! Before choosing such a substrate for a laminate, consider its shortcomings - they are also significant:

  • susceptibility to ignition;
  • relative toxicity;
  • maximum service life - 7 years with high quality material.
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Composite

Composite laminate substrate is a multi-layer roll coating that includes a protective polymer film on both sides and a polystyrene foam.

Pluses:

  1. Water resistance.
  2. Uncertainty of condensate formation.
  3. Optimal strength.
  4. Minimum thickness with good depreciation.
  5. Longevity.

Important! The drawbacks can be attributed entirely to the artificial composition of the components.

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The best manufacturers of the

substrate To finally decide which substrate to choose for the laminate floor for an apartment, pay attention to the products of manufacturers that have won the trust of consumers. These materials are from trade marks:

  • Isoplatform;
  • Quiet Flow;
  • Teplon;
  • Arbiton;
  • Isolon;
  • Tuplex;
  • Parkol;
  • Isoshum.

We hope that after reviewing the information in this review, you have no doubts as to which laminate substrate is better for you. Choose the finishing materials correctly and then created a beautiful interior for a long time to retain its original appearance, and you will feel comfortable in your reliable and durable house.