Which is better, laminate or parquet board: reviews and comparative characteristics

Parquet board is a durable and practical material

How the laminate works: its pros and cons

Laminate - multilayer material, each layer of which has its own function and is responsible for a specific characteristic of the coating. Externally, the laminated board is a panel about a meter long and about 20 cm wide. The internal composition is as follows:

• the bottom layer, which is the base, is made of thin plastic or special moisture-resistant paper impregnated with resins. This base provides the panels with rigidity and stability;

Laminate composition

• in the middle, as a filling, chipboard or fibreboard is used, which makes up the strong skeleton of the panel. In addition, it provides moisture resistance and resilience, which is so necessary for a floor covering to withstand heavy walking;
• the top visible layer of the panel can simulate almost any surface. The variety of colors is pleasantly surprising, and the protective film allows the drawing not to fade and remain intact. So laminated surface can retain its original appearance for a long time.

The multi-layer structure allows the use of laminated flooring in all rooms. True, most boards continue to deteriorate from prolonged exposure to moisture, but, nevertheless, they have already appeared on sale moisture resistant laminate, the installation of which is allowed even in the bathroom.

Laminate in dark colors stands out against the white walls

Advantages and disadvantages of laminate

Manufacturers awarded laminate many useful qualities that have expanded its wide application possibilities:

• the simplest way of laying the coating, available even for self-installation;
• although it is difficult to call the material completely environmentally friendly, nevertheless, it does not pose any danger to human health;
• the laminate is fireproof. Even when exposed to high temperatures, ignition will not occur;
• the top layer of the panels is resistant to ultraviolet rays, so over time it does not fade and does not lose its appearance;
• modern laminate models are equipped with a special protective film that makes contact with water completely safe for coating;
• scratching the laminate is difficult. He is not afraid of heavy furniture, constant stress and sharp claws of animals.

Moisture resistant laminate in the bathroom

However, this coverage also has disadvantages:

• there is some noise when walking on the laminate. To eliminate this problem, additional costs are required for the purchase of soundproofing material for the substrate;
• it is impossible to restore damaged areas of the coating. The only solution is a complete replacement of the constituent elements.

Helpful advice! When buying materials in the store, pay attention to the integrity of all packages. Otherwise, you run the risk of colliding with elements of damage on the surface.

Laminate classes: which is better for an apartment with a "warm floor" system

What class of laminate to choose for an apartment is a rather controversial issue. Many manufacturers claim that almost any coating will work well with a heating system. In fact, 32 or 33 grade laminate is much better. Which brand you prefer is another question. The main thing is that the strength and rigidity of the structure will be sufficient to withstand serious surface loads without harm to the underfloor heating system.

Laminate in the interior of the veranda

In addition, there is a wonderful option - a two-in-one laminate, which was produced specifically for warm floors. The system is designed in such a way that the heating elements are located between two layers - the outer one, on which you will walk, and the inner one, the substrate. Thus, you do not have to select a suitable flooring and flooring for it. The manufacturer has already taken care of everything.

In the process of laying such a coating, the wires of the heating elements are connected to each other, forming an integral system. This is a very convenient, albeit more expensive, method compared to traditional underfloor heating.

Helpful advice! Before you start laying your laminate, you need to let it stay in this room for at least two days. This will allow him to adapt to the humidity level in the room.

Laminate flooring in the bedroom

How to properly care for your laminate

Laminate is a very sensitive material, and it also needs special care. Let's consider a few basic recommendations on how to properly care for the floor covering and thereby extend its operational life:

• ideal for laminate flooring - dry clean. A vacuum cleaner with a soft brush is best;
• if you still need to wash the floor with water, use a well-wrung out mop moistened with warm water;
• make only longitudinal movements with a mop relative to laminate panels to eliminate the risk of water getting into the joints;
• do not use any chemically active agents;
• after you have washed a certain area of ​​the floor, wipe it thoroughly with a dry cloth;
• To care for your laminate flooring, you can purchase a product specially designed for this.

The laminated flooring is very easy to maintain

How a parquet board works: its pros and cons

Parquet boards are panels made of natural wood carefully glued to one another.Spruce or pine plywood with a thickness of about 1-2 mm is used as the bottom layer that acts as a base.

The second layer is lamellas - narrow wooden panels, most often also made of spruce or pine, which are placed across the base to make the structure more durable. The third layer is front. The most suitable and common tree species for it are oak, ash or beech. In this case, the thickness of the top layer is about 3-4 mm.

The strength and resistance of such a structure to mechanical stress is provided by panels that are located across. This eliminates the possibility of the board breaking or cracking as a result of walking or the location of heavy furniture on the surface. A protective coating applied over the top of the panel itself prevents scratches on the surface and, in the case of a pattern, prevents it from wiping off.

Parquet board composition

Advantages and disadvantages of parquet boards

Parquet board is very popular due to its obvious advantages over other materials:

• the locking mechanism of laying provides easy and convenient installation of the coating;
• easy to clean - easy to clean with a damp cloth;
• all defects that have appeared over time can be easily eliminated by grinding the coating;
• with high-quality styling and proper care, it has a fairly long service life - up to 35 years.

Among the disadvantages of parquet flooring are:

• instability of parquet to moisture;
• the ability to lose its color and appearance when exposed to ultraviolet rays;
• can absorb odors;
• scratches and damages easily remain on its surface.

Parquet board in the kitchen-dining room

How to properly care for a parquet board

Here are some tips to help you maintain your parquet floor properly:

• you can wash the parquet only with a damp cloth. It is strictly forbidden to pour even a small amount of water onto the coating;
• try to do without washing vacuum cleaner... It will not have any positive effect on the parquet;
• small fresh scratches on the parquet can be made invisible by rubbing the area with a sponge dipped in sunflower oil.

Related article:

Vinyl floors: pros and cons, structural features, styling and maintenance tips. Structure and manufacturing technology, main types. Features of laying flooring. The intricacies of vinyl floor care.

Comparative characteristics of parquet board and laminate

As you can see from the above characteristics, both materials have their pros and cons relative to each other. So which option should you choose? What is the best coverage? Let's try to make a comparison and understand this issue.

Table of comparative characteristics of laminate and parquet boards:

Laminate or parquet board: which is better? Expert opinion on flooring

Laying both parquet boards and laminated panels requires some preparation. However, in terms of ease and simplicity of installation, experts vote in favor of the latter. Consider the features and differences in the preparation of the foundation in both cases.

The process of preparing the substrate for laying flooring:

• the existing floor must be filled with a screed, having previously set the fill beacons to a zero level;
• when the screed is completely dry, you need to pour a self-leveling mixture on top, which will minimize even minor differences that remain after the first stage;
• then the stage of laying the substrate follows. In the case of parquet boards, plywood sheets are most often used, or even do without it. And here laminate it will not be possible to put directly on concrete; high-quality flooring is needed here.

Parquet board in the children's room

Experts unanimously insist on the need for high-quality styling underlays for laminate... They are very different, and their choice is largely due to what characteristics of the material are decisive for you. If you have to deal with the problem of noise insulation on a daily basis, then a cork substrate will easily solve this issue. If the issue of reducing thermal conductivity is more relevant, then a polyethylene foam substrate is what you need.

If we talk about the device of the "warm floor" system, then, according to experts, this can be done, however, taking into account some of the nuances. This only disproves the myth that floors can only be heated if they are tiled.

Which is better, laminate or parquet board: consumer reviews

Below are a few reviews from the owners of laminate and parquet floors.

“In the second year after laying laminate accidentally spilled some wax from a burning candle on the floor. We tried to wipe it off right away, but while we were looking for something, it was already frozen. We were worried that we would not be able to unnoticeably eliminate the consequences. But nothing, they carefully cleaned it off with a knife, and covered the remaining trace with a special pencil for laminate. A year has passed and everything has gone unnoticed. In general, we are very satisfied with the coverage ”.

Mikhail Novikov, Samara

For the kitchen, it is better to choose moisture-resistant laminate varieties

“We have been choosing the floor covering for the living room for a long time, as it is a walk-through room and there are always a lot of people there. As a result, we decided to take parquet. We were more than satisfied with the coverage. There are no difficulties in leaving. I use my grandmother's method: I breed 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vinegar in half a bucket of water and mop the floor with a regular mop. All contaminants are perfectly washed off. "

Irina Semakova, Naberezhnye Chelny

What is better for an apartment: laminate or parquet board

Whichever of these options is proclaimed the best by some consumers, there will always be those who will disagree. And this is correct, because depending on personal preferences, certain qualities of each of the materials may or may not be suitable in specific conditions. Generally speaking, both coatings are easy enough to install using a locking system of laying. However, if we are talking about a room where there is a very high permeability, for example, in a corridor, then it is better to give preference to a laminate. It is less prone to abrasion and scratches, plus the level of its impact resistance is several times higher than that of parquet.

Helpful advice! The increased abrasion and scratch resistance of the laminate flooring will come in handy for those with pets. Over time, the marks of their claws will begin to appear on the floor.

Parquet board on the floor in the living room

But for all other criteria, it is better to choose parquet for decorating floors in an apartment. It can be easily restored after a certain period of time by cycling and covering with a new layer of varnish. Thus, you can easily get rid of all scratches formed during operation and return the coating to its original appearance. In addition, outwardly, parquet looks richer and more solid than laminate.The exquisite appearance of the wood flooring allows it to be used even in the most demanding and demanding interiors.

With regard to technical characteristics, such as thermal conductivity, parquet takes a leading place here too. Its ability to retain heat is higher, this is very important if the coating has to be laid directly on a concrete base. In the case of laminate, the problem of thermal conductivity is also solvable, but it is worth the additional effort and cost.

Among the difficulties of using a parquet board, it is worth noting that it is quite sensitive to changes in humidity in the room. In old houses, where there are no modern ventilation systems, due to changes in air humidity, the coating can swell and then shrink again. After the first such cycle, cracks will appear between the joints of the boards, and the parquet will begin to diverge.

There are two ways to solve this problem: installing an appropriate ventilation system and controlling air humidity, or opting for a laminate that is much less sensitive to such changes.

Visually, the color of the laminate is very similar to a parquet board

Parquet or laminate: which is better for a private house

A wooden private house obliges to use natural wood materials in interior decoration. For example, if the house is built from timber, then the artificial laminated flooring will look cheap and inappropriate. Houses made of brick or made of foam blocks are less demanding; laminate that imitates oak or other wood species is perfect for laying on the floor.

If we talk about soundproofing, then here the laminate, undoubtedly, loses to parquet. But living in your own home, you can afford to make any noise you want. So this problem is not relevant here. But if we are talking about repairing an apartment, then before laying laminate you will have to additionally acquire a soundproofing substrate. These are additional hassles, which, however, are worth the effort.

As for the financial side of the issue, the laminate is definitely cheaper than parquet. However, do not forget that you will not get by with the purchase of panels alone. Among other things, you need to purchase a quality backing and prepare the base for laying the coating.

The floor and steps in the room are decorated with parquet boards

Can laminate flooring be laid on parquet

Another topic that cannot be ignored is the installation of laminate flooring on top of existing parquet. It so happens that the parquet boards were laid long enough and have completely lost their appearance, or you just want to update the interior. The new laminate flooring can be laid directly on top of the parquet, using the latter as a base.

Before you start installation of laminate, you need to prepare the base. Start by examining the old flooring. If fragile places are found, they must be strengthened with additional strips. Use a special putty to remove cracks.

If, when pressed, individual elements emit a creak, then you can solve this problem as follows:

• a hole must be drilled between two strips that are next to each other;
• a wooden spike of the corresponding diameter is inserted inside, pre-lubricated with glue;
• the upper part of the thorn is cut to the level of the finished floor.

The floor in the kitchen is decorated with parquet boards

In the process of preparing the parquet, it is important to properly level it (the maximum allowable height difference per one linear meter of the floor covering is 2-3 mm). To do this, use the method rough scraping... After finishing work on leveling, the parquet should be cleaned and primed. When the surface is dry, you can proceed with laying the underlay. It must be laid end-to-end, and the joints must be glued with tape to ensure the tightness of the coating.

If you want to lay a new finish on top of your parquet, then consider what thickness of the laminate will be optimal for this room. Don't choose too thin panels. Pay attention to class 33 Tarkett laminate. Reviews about it are only positive, and the price range is pleasantly pleasing.

How to lay laminate over old parquet

In order for the combination of laminate and parquet to be strong enough and withstand all the loads that lie ahead, it is important to adhere to the laying technology and some tips.

With a high degree of wear, the old parquet flooring must be completely dismantled

Don't lay all the laminate in your home in the same direction. That is, if you are installing the coating in more than one room, then it is better to choose a different direction of the planks. The joints can be easily hidden with decorative sills. The continuous installation method is more complicated, moreover, it excludes the possibility, if necessary, to disassemble and replace the covering in only one of the rooms.

Note! If the old parquet floor creaks when you walk, do not expect that it will not be noticeable under the laminate. Be sure to solve this problem before starting the installation work.

The process of laying the laminate on the parquet after fixing the substrate occurs according to the standard scheme: it is worth starting from the corner, placing the panels so that they are parallel to the sun's rays and perpendicular to the window opening. You can try to lay out some more complex drawing, however, in most cases only professionals can do it.

Parquet board in the living room

And yet, which is better: parquet board or laminate? Parquet has advantages in terms of service life and some technical characteristics. On the other hand, the limitedness of its color and texture solutions allows the laminate to take over, and everyone wants to create a unique individual interior in their home. In any case, whatever you give preference, when buying high-quality materials, as well as professional laying of the coating, you can enjoy your chosen option for a long time.

What is the difference between parquet board and laminate (video)