Choosing a glossy bulk floor for an apartment
Hello.
Interested in an elite glossy self-leveling floor for a white studio apartment with a light shade of ivory. Which bulk coating and technology is best used to achieve the best result? Thank. Really looking forward to your reply.
Yulia.
Expert Answer
Good afternoon, Julia!
We approve your choice, because a glossy bulk floor is not only an elegant and fashionable “feature” of interior design, but also a practical, durable and safe coating. Let's immediately decide what type of coating to use. Today, manufacturers offer two types of materials - polymer and cement-based. The latter certainly do not belong to the "luxury" segment, so we will not consider them. But among the polymer floors, which in turn are divided into methyl methacrylate, epoxy and polyurethane, the last two positions deserve attention.
The advantages of polyurethane floors include high elasticity and resistance to shock loads. At the same time, they are distinguished by good wear resistance and perfectly cope with the aggressive effects of household chemicals. It is also important that mixtures based on polyurethane compounds have the highest heat-insulating ability among bulk floors and have good sound insulation. And although the cost of such materials sometimes seems too high, polyurethane compositions deserve the best rating. If you need the names of specific brands, we recommend that you pay attention to mixtures of the brands Maris Polymers, Glims, Monopol, Teping, Arturo, Tikkurila, Remers, etc.
Epoxy bulk floors are also suitable as a decorative coating, however, they have both their pros and cons. Their advantages are higher UV resistance. So, in rooms open to the sun, they will not fade and change color. In addition, you will get a harder, and therefore scratch resistant, surface. On the other hand, this plus is also a minus, since such a floor will be more fragile than the polyurethane considered above. At the same time, transparent epoxy compositions provide a wide field for creativity. So, with their help, you can get now a fashionable coating with a 3D pattern. As for safety for health, both options are completely harmless and can be used in residential premises. Of the manufacturers of mixtures of the premium segment, we can name Basf Chemical Company, Defender, Dekotla, TNP Group, etc.
If you are interested in technology, then it depends on the type of coating chosen and is detailed by the manufacturer in the material instructions. We only note that epoxy floors are more demanding on the quality and adherence to the manufacturing process than polyurethane. This partly stems from the fact that the latter have a higher adhesive ability, because of which they forgive flaws with the preparation and purity of the base used. But the installation of epoxy compounds should be trusted only to those specialists who have rich experience and good recommendations. For beginners, this material is often too capricious, so it is possible that the quality of work will be better.
