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In the market there are many options that will allow you to give a radical change to your home without having to do any works. These 30 tricks that we propose will update your floor adding elegance to your interiors.
Floating parquet
Click-type parquet flooring (with tongue and groove profiles that fit together) are on the market in thicknesses between 9 and 16 mm. This includes the insulating plastic sheet that is placed between the flooring and the pavement – hence the name of floating. The assembly system is very fast and can be done in stages, but it requires removing the existing skirting board and sanding the lower part of the doors; the encounter with pavements that are not replaced will be at a different grade.
Micromorter
Continuous cement coatings, known as microcement or micromorter according to the manufacturer, are ideal for renovations due to their minimal thickness, which together with exceptional adhesion allows their application on a wide variety of different substrates: tile, marble, mosaic, concrete , plaster, etc. In addition to the floor, they can cover walls, countertops, bathtubs, sinks, swimming pools … An example is the Mortex system, by Beal, a micromorter that with its mineral appearance evokes polished concrete or a tadelakt finish.
Dry ceramic
The dry-laying ceramic floor consists of tiles on a plastic matrix that forms the base and the joining joints, which eliminates the need for adhesive material. It was originally created for temporary installations or for pavements that require rapid commissioning, such as offices and commercial premises, but it is perfectly applicable to homes. The Cli-Ker system, by Butech, is compatible with the Ston-Ker or Urbatek collections by Porcelanosa Grupo.
Vinyl
Vinyl floors are an alternative to wooden parquets and laminates. Vinyl is a resistant, hypoallergenic material with acoustic insulating properties. It is installed in plank, tile or roll, glued or click type like floating parquet. Its versatility allows it to imitate not only wood, but other materials such as stone, concrete or fabrics.
Linoleum
Known for more than 150 years, linoleum is a natural material that meets the demands of a more ecological home: the raw materials used to manufacture it include linseed oil, wood flour and jute. It can be disposed of without problems at the end of its useful life as it is biodegradable. Before it used to be installed as continuous flooring, so its application required a professional, but today it is also available in easy-laying tile format.
Rescue from oblivion
Before considering the installation of a new pavement, it is worth asking if it is not more profitable and efficient to take advantage of the existing one, integrating it into the new project. In the Helsinki apartment in the image above, it was decided to recover an old wooden floor and assimilate it to the modern image of the space using white as a unifying element.
A coat of paint
If it’s in good condition, painting the floor is a very inexpensive way to wash your face and allow it to last for a few more years. To do it on cement or concrete, you have to leave expansion joints so that the paint does not lift.
Previous work
When the base support is a wooden floor, the preparation of the surface is essential to guarantee the adhesion of the paint. Once clean and dry, you must apply a primer prior to the paint layer. Better if it is a water-based epoxy type.
Stabbing
One of the advantages of wooden floors over laminates is that they can be renewed when they show wear and tear. To do this, you have to “stab” them, that is, sand the surface layer to remove the old varnish and dirt before applying the new finish.
Ethereal footsteps
The laminate flooring rests on a polyethylene sheet that insulates it acoustically and thermally, without the need for glue or nails. First, make sure that the surface is completely smooth. The slats are placed perpendicular to the layer.
In the right direction
It is advisable to lay the platform so that the board faces the light source –the window–. If we place it in parallel to it, the light could reveal any flaws that the pallet may have. Obviously, this will determine the orientation of the insulating base.
The final touch
When installing one floor on another, the height will rise and that will very possibly have to lower doors and frames. In both cases it is easily done with a planer. The old skirting board will probably also have to be replaced with a new one.
Mineral skin
Thanks to their properties of minimum thickness and maximum adherence and resistance, micro-mortar or microcement floors, such as Beal, from Mortex (image above), or Baxab, from Topcret, are another solution to cover existing tiles with a thin, uniform layer.
With a thousand faces
The final microcement finish can be rustic or modern, smooth or textured, satin, gloss or matte; that’s why it fits into any environment. Its only but is that it cannot be applied on wooden floors since they do not present a stable surface.
The planet will thank you
Plastic floors are not incompatible with the environment. The Incati firm, distributed by BSB Carpets, produces its carpet tiles with Econyl®, an industrial regeneration system with which 100% nylon is manufactured from waste.
Moving on together
Resin floors are used in those occasions when you want to dispense with joints and create a continuous surface. They are achieved by mixing epoxy resin with crushed marble, colored crystals or colored silica aggregates.
Integrated spaces
With its larger format (300 x 100 cm), minimum thickness (3.5 mm) and great lightness (8 kg / m2), XLight porcelain stoneware, by Urbatek (Porcelanosa Group), allows the design of integrated rooms, in which floors , doors, cabinets and other elements keep aesthetic coherence.
Removable ceramic
Some ceramic manufacturers have developed products that can be placed dry. The tiles rest on a plastic material base and are joined together by means of joints. An example is Cli-ker, from Butech, also from Grupo Porcelanosa.
How it spreads!
The increasingly large format of porcelain floors, combined with their lightness –an example is Techlam, by Levantina–, allows floors to be covered in less time with a smaller number of pieces and fewer joints, thus creating elegant continuous surfaces.
Quick recovery
Another advantage of dry ceramic is that it can be removed allowing access under the floor or for replacement of pieces if necessary. Likewise, it is a system that remains unchanged, and can be used without problems in another project.
Natural looking
Linoleum floors are a product composed of natural and renewable raw material. They can be placed on any smooth and regular surface, usually with adhesive. The Naturecore series, from DLW Flooring, comes in slat formats with natural wood designs, and they are free of plasticizers and PVC.
In one click
The systems of tongue and groove slats that fit together have revolutionized the installation of wooden floors, be they parquet, laminate or vinyl. It is a laying method that even allows the floor to be changed later without damaging the formats or producing waste.
Fine and versatile
Vinyl is the thinnest and most versatile option for flooring in formats. It can be installed on a slat, tile, roll or cut, by means of adhesive – there are even self-adhesive – or click-type system. Its thickness varies between 1 and 5 mm depending on the type and quality of the product.
In several layers
Homogeneous vinyl floors are of poorer quality since PVC is mixed with minerals and comes in a single layer. The heterogeneous models have three layers: the base, a sheet with the printed design and another made of pure PVC that provides great resistance.
Thickness matters
The thickness of the vinyl floor should vary according to the frequency of use of the room: 1.8 mm and a 0.08 mm wear layer for hallways, offices and bedrooms; 2mm and 0.20mm wear layer for bathrooms and kitchens, and 2mm and 0.30mm wear layer for dining rooms and hallways.
Custom floors
Proposals such as Keplan Zeta-Zeta, from KP Carpets, illustrate the customization possibilities of a vinyl floor. The client only has to send an idea or image, and the brand is responsible for making it come true, regardless of the shape or color of the tile.
Brand new terrace
Deck-type pallets – that is, with an open joint – are an ideal solution for renovating the terrace pavement, allowing water to run off when it rains. They are available in the format of resistant wood tiles –ipé, teak, jatoba– or easy-to-install composite.
Strong support
The installation of the deck is surface dependent. If this is grass or earth, first it will have to be leveled with sand and a weed-proof mesh must be placed. If it is made of concrete, it is necessary to have a slope to ensure proper drainage of rainwater.
Good impression
Printed concrete for exteriors is a material that withstands the weather well and has great mechanical resistance. It can be placed on any surface – with the help of a mesh – where you want to imitate natural stone or ceramic.
Practical artifice
If you want to give a touch of greenery to your exterior, but without worrying about maintenance, you can always resort to artificial grass: it does not have to be watered, it does not need any treatment, it does not give allergies and is perfectly resistant to the elements.
