We impose special requirements for flooring in bathrooms and kitchens due to periodic exposure to water and household chemicals. In these premises, ceramic tiles are usually used. Is there an alternative material that allows you to update the floor with minimal labor costs in the shortest possible time?
Photo: Vitra. Compositions for grouting of intercutric seams in wet rooms should contain disinfecting additives
Traditionally, the floors in wet rooms are facing with ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware or mosaic. These materials are waterproof, hygienic, have high chemical resistance and wear a little at home. But as soon as the need arises in facing works, we appeal for help from specialists, because the service life depends on many factors: the right choice of adhesive and grouting mixtures, competent preparation of the foundation, compliance with installation technology, etc. If you use covers of other types.
Photo: Corkstyle. Cork floor on Hydro-based from the Time Parquet collection, size of 620 × 450 mm slats, 7.5 mm thick, Uniclick Castle
Adhesive modules
Durable, moisture-resistant, resistant to abrasion and safe flooring in bathrooms or kitchens can be made from vinyl, or PVC tiles. They are based on a calendered PVC layer, reinforced with glass chickens to increase the stability of the size during fluctuations in temperature and humidity. A variety of visual effects gives a decorative film with a transparent protective layer of pure PVC, which protects the surface from damage. In the Russian market, this product is represented by Armstrong, Corkart, IVC, LG, TARKETT. Price 1 m² - from 600 rubles. Square or rectangular elements, the size of the sides of which ranges from 15 to 130 cm, fixed on the basis of waterproof dispersion glue. The process is simple, but requires a certain skill.
Photo: Amtico. The decor of vinyl coatings successfully imitates the appearance and color of the popular varieties of stone and wood
Castle floor
It is much easier to install PVC modules with a locking system of the connection, in structure they are similar to laminate and parquet board. They are placed by a floating method - without hard attachment to the floor, stucking the planks (modules) with the help of curly conjugated elements. The basis of each module is the HDF stove. Then goes the vinyl layer with a pattern. From above - a protective layer of transparent PVC. A noise insulating substrate can be glued below. Amtico, Corkstyle, Finefloor, Forbo, IVC Moduleo are among the manufacturers of this material. Sizes of elements: length 900-1320 mm, width 170 × 305, thickness 9-10 mm. Cost 1 m² - 1500-2500 rubles. It would seem, if necessary, to reduce the time of repair of the bathroom or entrust its execution, say, beginner masters it is better to use modular locking coatings with an upper moisture resistant vinyl layer. However, the coating manufacturers of this type are not recommended to apply them in the bathrooms. First, when changing the temperature and humidity, the planks are capable of slightly change linear dimensions, which is why slots may appear on the floor. But the main thing, after laying PVC modules in wet rooms, the HDF-stove becomes weak. Despite the upper vinyl layer, in the event of a leakage or bay, the moisture accumulated on the surface may gradually penetrate the stove through the joints or from the bottom, from the moistened base, and cause deformation of the planks.Moisture-resistant corkstyle element structure (CorkStyle)
Photo: Corkstyle
Nevertheless, there are castle coatings, immunity to moisture, such as vinyl floors from the Stone Hydro Plus collection (Corkstyle). In them, the basis for the upper composite layer is the dense and durable vinyl material Hydro +. However, the company's specialists did not stop at this and supplemented the carrier moisture-resistant layer of the plumbing locking floors with the photo printing from the Time Parquet collection. Now their external and inner layers of impenetrable for any liquids, which means that this practical coating can also be used successfully in kitchens, hallways, bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity.
The structure of the moisture-resistant vinyl floor element (Corkstyle)
Photo: Corkstyle
When choosing flooring for wet premises, it is worth paying attention not only to the degree of their moisture resistance, but also on ease of installation and aesthetic qualities. For example, vinyl and cork modular elements based on Hydro-Plates (CorkStyle) are easy to label - as a conventional floating floor on the locks. With a fairly even base, difficult and wet works will not need. After installation, the floor surface will be absolutely even, without noticeable joints and cracks, ready to operate. Keep in mind, thanks to the upper layer of vinyl or traffic jam, the modular elements become more elastic, it will be much more comfortable to walk and safer, even falling to the floor is not as scary as hard and hard ceramic tiles. By the way, you can do without floor heating systems, as the coatings always remain warm to the touch.
Aleksey Ivanov
Corkstyle Development Director