Before starting a renovation, many people are faced with a choice between parquet and laminate as flooring. In the era of the USSR, our compatriots treated parquet with great trepidation as the most environmentally friendly option for flooring; the material is very pleasant to the tactile sensations, warm and easy to renew. In addition, parquet was the only expensive flooring material available for sale, which at that time time could show the status of the family. Today, mature people, as before, treat parquet with undisguised respect.

Representatives of the younger generation more often choose modern flooring - laminate. It has its advantages over parquet, but also disadvantages that modern technologies have given it.

In this article we will try to compare the pros and cons of these two materials as objectively as possible, and, of course, you will make the final choice yourself.

Laminate

Laminate on Russian market finishing materials appeared recently, but has already become very popular, and its quality indicators are growing every year. If at first the laminate flooring was all the rage parquet board", then today's technologies have made it possible to create a floor covering that has a multi-layer structure of increased reliability. Moreover, with any pattern: under rough aged boards, under stone, under tiles and even under artistic parquet... Today you can choose a laminate of any type of wear resistance, on which its service life will depend and give the floor in your apartment or country house special style.

Besides large selection drawings, laminate has another undeniable advantage: it is considered one of the most practical floor coverings, which is highly resistant to moisture, is not afraid of temperature changes and perfectly “holds” even significant impacts without being deformed. In addition, laminate flooring is quite easy to install, which allows you to do it yourself, or pay much less for such work compared to adhesive installation parquet floors.


But the main advantage of laminate is its low cost. Of course, the price range for different varieties This type of flooring varies widely, but in any case, buying laminate is much cheaper than buying parquet. It is important to understand two things here - firstly, the cost of laying laminated coverings is much less, and secondly, the installation does not require expensive rough materials; here, according to the technology, the process is limited to film and substrate. At the same time, you need to take into account that purchasing the most cheap laminate not quite the right approach, since it may turn out to be of poor quality. There is very tough competition between the manufacturers of this flooring, so if you are not going to purchase an exclusive option, prices for laminate flooring range from different manufacturers for a certain model will be approximately the same and quite acceptable.

Now let's talk about the disadvantages of laminate. Despite the fact that it requires almost no maintenance, as is the case with parquet (scraping, varnishing, impregnation, etc.), it is not repairable. If scratches or blisters appear on the laminate, it will have to be partially or completely replaced. Parquet, in most cases, is easy to restore or even completely re-sand, thereby obtaining a completely new floor without changing it.

The second disadvantage of laminate is that it is not natural. If the parquet consists entirely of solid wood, then the laminate is made using technologies that involve the use of various chemical compounds that are not known to the common man. This does not mean that laminate flooring is particularly harmful to health or prone to fire. Manufacturers of this flooring try to minimize the likelihood of harmful fumes, so you shouldn’t worry too much about the fact that it is not made from natural materials. It's all about psychology and prejudice. In any case, the majority of domestic consumers choose what is most familiar to them, and parquet in this sense leaves little doubt.

Parquet

Now let's talk about the pros and cons of parquet. Its main advantage is its naturalness, since there is nothing more environmentally friendly natural wood. Any Decoration Materials from natural wood bring comfort and coziness to the home. However, parquet also has disadvantages, which, oddly enough, are associated precisely with the use of natural wood.

Laminate, although not natural, is covered protective film, parquet is easily deformed and scratched. Its structure can change due to the influence of moisture and temperature changes. If you spill red wine on a parquet floor, it will be absorbed into the internal structure of the wood, and you will not be able to get rid of the stain quickly. To eliminate such household “blunders”, there is a need for expensive procedures such as scraping.


To prevent parquet from being scratched or deformed by moisture, Russians are accustomed to covering it with three or four layers of varnish on site or laying factory-varnished or oiled boards. But in this way its main advantage - environmental friendliness - is reduced to zero. The varnish layer firmly seals the wood structure and the client essentially walks on the varnish layer, and not on the wood. In addition, if you already begin to coat the parquet with varnish, then this will need to be done regularly approximately once every 10 years, as the varnish is erased from the wood, and this takes quite a lot of effort and money.

Among the main advantages of parquet, as already mentioned, is its status. If the floor is laid with parquet, this elevates the owners of the house in the eyes of guests, since only wealthy people can afford to decorate the floor with such an expensive material. Many Russians, as well as residents of foreign countries, like to show signs of their wealth. This applies not only to the interior, but also to fashionable cars, expensive mobile phones, and exclusive clothing. Whether this is good or bad is a separate topic, but if we talk about the status of parquet, then this is a strong argument in favor of purchasing it. Long service life. The warmth and positive aura of natural wood will additionally add charm and uniqueness to any room.

A private master offers scraping at a price - 290p/m² in Moscow and region

Included in the price: scraping of parquet, floors, boards, sanding and varnishing

varnish is paid separately (the cost of varnish depends on the manufacturer)

What to choose – parquet or laminate?

When renovating a home, a person is faced with a choice building materials for finishing the room. There are so many of them now that you get lost in this wide variety. The problem is solved almost instantly if a designer appears, but if he doesn’t? Their services are expensive. The Internet and advice from people around you can help you resolve this issue on your own. Let's talk about floor coverings now. We walk on this surface, and it must be both beautiful and wear-resistant. Linoleum has long been a thing of the past, and it has been replaced by wood materials.

The most popular material today is laminate. It is cheap, beautiful, but not natural.

Laminate components

These are separate wood-fiber boards connected with polymers, or, more simply, with glue. The composition also contains paper, plastic, fiberboard. But some brands differ from each other, so it is better to study the composition in advance, in the store or with a sales consultant.

It is considered stable, you can even choose a strength category between weak, medium and especially strong. But it doesn’t provide the warmth and comfort that parquet gives. He is even more afraid of moisture and if he spills something on the floor and forgets about it, after a while you will find swelling in that place. It is impossible to eliminate this. But if there is a natural covering on the floor, parquet repair will return everything to its place.

Floor made of parquet components

Yes, it takes longer to lay it, but what you get at the end of the renovation will impress absolutely everyone. Today you can choose absolutely any drawing, and it will be incomparable with anything else. This is pure individuality, like a branded order in a single copy. I would like to inform you about wood, perhaps someone might not know or be mistaken - parquet is made only from deciduous trees.

If the choice fell on parquet

This type of flooring should be installed by a professional. Now you are on the site of such a person. The main floor, on which additional protection is also laid, must be absolutely flat. This means that everything that is high quality and durable will begin with pouring.

After the mosaic is laid out, finishing processing occurs. It is necessary to sand the parquet before applying varnish or oil. For this task you need special machine. You can find it in the photo on the Internet or on my website. A lot depends on the last treatment, and if you buy a cheap varnish, they will periodically have to treat the floor and smell the smell. It is better to buy more expensive and high-quality, or rather imported, parquet treatments. Such an investment will be noticeable immediately - both during application and after it.

For those who already have parquet

It should be looked after so that the coating really lasts a long time and becomes an inheritance, like jewelry, paintings or rare books. Even if it is already in terrible condition and the thought of replacing it comes to mind, stop.

I repair and restore even the most neglected cases. Starting from replacement, cleaning, ending finishing. My price for scraping parquet is several times cheaper than in a law firm, although I may have a contract and a seal, as well as my guarantee for the work performed.

When planning to change their flooring, people are faced with a choice: which is better? The question most often arises is choosing between parquet and laminate. The tree is natural material Almost no one doubts its environmental friendliness and practicality. However, when deciding whether parquet or laminate is better, you need to know distinctive features each product, what are the pros and cons of these materials. It is impossible to definitively answer which is better. Everyone determines for themselves which qualities of flooring are of higher priority.

The first candidate is parquet

Parquet board consists of several layers of natural wood carefully glued together. The attractive appearance of parquet is given by the pattern applied to the top layer of the product. The lowest layer of the board is 1-2 mm thick. For its manufacture, pine or spruce plywood is used. Next comes the middle layer, made of narrow pine or spruce planks (slats). They are glued across the bottom layer. This design gives the parquet additional strength.

Glued on top front layer, consisting of valuable wood species. Beech, ash, and oak are used in its production. The thickness of the top layer is 3-4 mm. Apply to the front part of the parquet protective covering in several layers. Due to the fact that the middle slats are located across the top and bottom layers, a durable structure is created.

The coating can be oil or varnish. For example, when processing Barlinek parquet boards, special compounds are used that can be used to make the surface matte, glossy, or emphasize the natural structure of the wood.

Advantages of parquet:

• made from natural wood;
• easy to install thanks to the locking mechanism;
• easy to care for, just wipe with a damp cloth;
• can be restored by grinding;
• non-static;
• long service lines, with correct installation and maintenance service life is 35 years.

Disadvantages of parquet:

• instability to moisture;
• loses color when exposed to the sun;
• absorbs odors;
• scratches easily.

About how to lay parquet correctly, about all the components of this process, as well as about various options We will tell you about preparing and leveling the screed in a special article on our website:.

The second candidate is laminate

Laminate consists of several layers, the top of which is covered with film or furniture foil. The color of the top layer affects appearance products. She can imitate ceramic tiles, wooden texture, stone. Laminate is a multilayer panel about a meter long and about 20 cm wide. The bottom layer is made of moisture-resistant paper impregnated with resins or thin plastic. It gives the structure rigidity and stability. The middle layer is a base made of chipboard or fiberboard. In addition to additional structural strength, it provides elasticity and moisture resistance.

The next layer consists of plastic film or foil with a texture applied. Thanks to this, there is a laminate that imitates wood, marble, and carpet. A laminate is applied on top of the last layer - a high-strength non-electrifying film.

Advantages of laminate:

• , can be carried out even by a non-professional;
• the coating does not highlight harmful substances, so it is safe for children and allergy sufferers;
• withstands high temperatures, even a cigarette butt thrown on the floor will not cause combustion;
• UV resistant, does not fade in the sun;
• moisture resistance, the film covering the top layer reliably protects the coating from moisture;
• resistance to damage, laminate is not afraid of sharp heels, animal claws and the weight of massive furniture.

Disadvantages of laminate:

• the laminated coating is quite noisy, so its installation will require additional expenditure on soundproofing pads;
• fragility of the edges, if the product is manufactured in violation of the technology, the edges will crumble;
• It cannot be restored, it can only be replaced.

Laminate is a great option for flooring, but it's not always easy to choose. We will help you learn more about the material itself, its characteristics and types of connections in the following article:.

What is better anyway?

Unambiguously answer the question: “which is better?” impossible. Both coatings are easy to install using a “lock”. It all depends on the specific situation. It is necessary to focus on each case separately.

Orientation to the purpose of the room

If you need to choose flooring for a high-traffic area, it is better to choose laminate. The impact resistance of this coating is one and a half times higher than that of parquet. Abrasion resistance is also not the last argument in choosing a laminate. The same characteristics speak in favor of laminate if pet owners choose the coating.

Parquet will not be able to withstand the pressure of animal claws for long. In other cases, it is more profitable to choose parquet for home floors. After several years of use, it can be peeled off, varnished, and the floor will look like new. Another difference between parquet and laminate is its appearance. In rich and respectable interiors, parquet boards look much more sophisticated than laminate flooring.

Comparison by thermal conductivity

Undoubtedly, parquet boards hold heat better. It can be laid directly on concrete covering. But if the choice falls on laminate, the heat problem can be easily solved. It is enough to install a heated floor system or insulate the floors.

Focus on indoor atmosphere

Not all houses and apartments are equipped with a modern ventilation system. In such rooms the humidity is high in summer. In winter the air becomes dry. If you lay a parquet board in such a room, it will “swell” in the summer and dry out in the winter. The joints in the boards will come apart and cracks will appear. Therefore you will either have to install modern system ventilation or lay laminate.

Soundproofing comparison

Compared to parquet, laminate is much noisier. Children can safely run around the parquet without disturbing others. But what if there are other tenants under the apartment? In this case the best solution will send parquet.

Financial solution to the issue

The price of laminate is lower than parquet. But parquet can be restored and will last longer. You will either have to pay immediately good price and forget. Or save money, but soon think about updating the flooring again.

Parquet floors experience serious stress every day, so they must be maintained regularly. We'll tell you about the rules for using parquet boards and how to properly preserve such a coating. long years, in the material: .

Summary and conclusions on the topic

Now let’s try to find out how parquet differs from laminate based on what was written above:

1. External characteristics. Parquet is identical to wood; no two boards are identical. The choice of laminate is more extensive. There are products that imitate the structure of wood, stone, and tiles. This variety provides a wide choice for buyers.
2. Performance characteristics. Parquet flooring warm and antistatic, but requires more careful handling. The varnish coating of a parquet board is not resistant to animal claws, sharp heels and heavy furniture. Laminate is more durable, but cold and noisy.
3. Features of operation. Parquet needs application special means care and does not tolerate excess moisture. Laminate is not so categorical, but you shouldn’t fill it with water either.
4. Life time. The service life of both coatings depends on proper care. But despite this, parquet can last 35 years. While laminate is no more than 20.

Despite all listed selection do you. It is impossible to say for sure that one product is better than another. Each has both advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is that in the room where laminate or parquet will be laid, the residents feel comfortable. And everyone has their own concept of comfort and coziness.

When choosing a floor covering, the question most often asked is “what is better to choose – laminate or parquet?” In our article we will compare these two coating options and find out how they are similar and how they differ from each other.

Laminate is a covering consisting of several layers. The bottom layer serves to protect the laminate from moisture coming from below and is made of tarred paper or plastic. The main middle layer consists of dense fiberboard or chipboard and serves to give the laminate strength, shape and moisture resistance. The top decorative layer consists of paper on which a design is applied, covered with a laminated film on top.

Parquet board is a covering consisting of 3 layers. The bottom layer is spruce or pine plywood, which serves as the base of the parquet board. The middle layer consists of narrow planks located perpendicular to the direction of the fibers of the first layer, which ensures the stability of the entire structure. Upper layer consists of valuable hardwood (oak, beech, ash, maple) and is the “face” of the parquet board.

As we can see, both coatings are made of several layers to ensure best characteristics, so what are the main differences between them? Let's figure it out.

Comparison of laminate and parquet boards:

Price

Laminate is 2-3 times cheaper than parquet boards, the average price of laminate: 300-800 rubles/m2, parquet boards: 1000-300 rubles/m2. Of course, the price depends on the materials, class and manufacturer, but laminate definitely beats parquet boards in terms of cost.

Practicality

Laminate is a very practical coating. Thanks to a special top layer, laminate flooring is very resistant to mechanical damage, it is difficult to scratch, it is not affected by changes in humidity and temperature, and it does not fade in the sun. Parquet boards lack all these advantages; they are much easier to damage, and they are much more demanding on the environment.

Installation

When laying both laminate and parquet boards, adjacent elements are connected using a locking connection, so even a beginner can install them. We will assume that there is no significant difference between laminate and parquet boards on this point.

Life time

Parquet boards can be renewed and sanded up to 5 times during their entire service life, while laminate flooring is not intended for periodic updating at all. If the average service life of a laminate is 15 years, then the ability of a parquet board to be renewed allows it to live on average up to 30 years.

Care

Caring for laminate flooring is simple - just do not fill it with water, and sometimes wipe it with a damp cloth. But caring for a parquet board is much more troublesome - you need to prevent changes in temperature and humidity, and also sand it every few years to renew the scratched varnish coating.

Warm floor

Natural wood is warm to the touch, so parquet flooring is noticeably warmer than laminate flooring. On the other hand, laminate can be laid on heated floors, while laying parquet boards on a heated floor is unacceptable due to the need to maintain a moderate temperature regime.

Soundproofing

Unlike parquet boards, which dampen many noises, laminate makes the sounds of footsteps even louder and practically does not block sounds between floors. However, it is worth noting that these problems can be solved by laying the laminate on a soundproofing substrate.

Naturalness

The parquet board is made from natural wood, and the laminate is made from synthetic materials. The feeling of real wood under your feet cannot be replaced by anything, so the naturalness of a parquet board is the most powerful argument in favor of choosing it as a floor covering. Note that in Europe laminate is mainly used in offices, and parquet boards are used in homes.

Appearance

Laminate just imitates the pattern of natural wood, and a copy is never better than the original, which is why many choose parquet boards, despite the high price. The natural wood pattern of parquet transforms the entire interior, looks alive and warms the soul.

Let's sum it up

Choose parquet if you value the warmth and comfort that real wood provides, and are willing to follow some rules of operation and maintenance, and also have the ability to carry out periodic sanding. Choose laminate if you need a reliable and durable coating that is easy to use and requires minimal maintenance.

When choosing a floor covering, we are guided not only by the price category, but also by important properties like durability, beauty, ease of use. Of course, each type of coating has its undeniable advantages and disadvantages. What to choose: parquet or laminate? To make your choice easier and help you make the right decision, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the properties of each coating in more detail.

Parquet

Advantages:

Predominantly valuable wood species are used in the manufacture of parquet, so the main advantage of this coating is environmental friendliness. Even at low room temperatures, it always remains warm and pleasant for the feet. In addition, it perfectly absorbs sound even when strong blows, not to mention regular walking. Another important advantage of parquet is its durability. When installed correctly and regular care The service life of such a floor reaches 30 years. Even with minor damage or scratches, it is easy to give it shine and its original appearance. It is enough to delete old layer varnish, sand and apply a new coat of varnish.

Flaws:

Speaking about the shortcomings, the most important one should be noted - fear of moisture and instability to strong mechanical stress. In addition, temperature changes can greatly damage the parquet - it begins to creak, and cracks may appear on it as it dries out. Laying parquet is not an easy process, and also quite expensive. As well as the cost of the coverage itself. However, when choosing between environmental friendliness, incredible beauty and cost, many still prefer the first.

Laminate

Advantages:

Laminate is perfect for those who are not afraid to experiment with the interior. Unlike parquet, no special skills are required to install it. If the floors in the room are level, this can be done without the help of specialists. One of the important advantages of laminate is its resistance to scratches and abrasion. Laminate is much more practical. It is more resistant to moisture than parquet.

An important advantage of this flooring is its rich range of colors. Thanks to a wide selection of textures and textures, it allows you to realize a variety of design solutions. With it you can create even the most unusual and original interiors, both in Provence style and in Art Nouveau style. Laminate can imitate stone, marble and wooden surface.

The laminate has several wear resistance classes, each of which is suitable for rooms with to a certain extent loads. The price of the laminate depends on this, which, I must say, is very acceptable and affordable to a wide segment of the population.

Flaws:

Since laminate flooring is made from synthetic materials, it is not as useful as parquet. In addition, it can become deformed under heavy loads. It is impossible to update such a coating; you can only replace a separate lamella. At improper care, stains and shoe marks may remain on the laminate.

Knowing all the advantages and disadvantages of parquet and laminate, the main thing is to objectively assess your budget. In addition, it is very important to know which style dominates in the interior of your room. A luxurious and solid interior suggests that the floors will be decorated with ornaments. And this means only parquet. Adhering to the high-tech style, a simple and discreet laminate will become ideal solution. In any case, the choice is yours!