General hallway design guidelines
The choice of type of flooring for the entrance group in the apartment should be carried out in accordance with certain principles and norms:
- flooring for the hallway should have a wear-resistant surface;
- the material must be waterproof;
- in addition to the main characteristics, the coating should fit into the overall design of the room in texture and color;
- when choosing, you should take into account the cost of repairs in the room, not exceeding the total limit.
Options Overview
The main function of the hallway in the house is to separate the inner space of the dwelling from the outer space of the entrance or street. The owner of the apartment or house must choose a floor covering that will last as long as possible and, at the same time, will be harmoniously combined with other elements of the interior. The suitable material will be easier to choose, having familiarized yourself with the characteristics of the main types of coatings used for decorating hallways. So, from what material to make the floor in the hallway?
Carpet
Choosing what to lay on the floor in the hallway, many forget about such a versatile material as artificial carpet. For the hallway, it is necessary to choose the artificial material with a short pile, since natural carpet poorly retains its shape when water gets on it. The best option for the hallway are products made of nylon and polyester.
Pros:
- does not lose shape;
- not afraid of moisture;
- just cleaned;
- insects do not start.
Minuses:
- needle-flashing products have a short service life (5-7 years).
Quartz vinyl
A multi-layer product made of quartz sand, various binder resins and plasticizers has a very durable surface and can be used in rooms with high traffic. For interior decoration of residential premises, it is recommended to choose tiles with decorative print that imitates wooden or stone surfaces.
Pros:
- ease of repair of the coating - just change the damaged tile to a new element;
- the possibility of making decorative floor paintings from plates of different colors;
- compatibility with warm floors;
- high strength;
- the tile does not change its dimensions when the temperature changes;
- not afraid of water.
Minuses:
- complex mounting of plates compared to laying the web;
- the need to prepare a perfectly smooth base;
- high price.
Laminate
When choosing which floor in the hallway is best done, they most often stop it on the laminate. Indeed, it is convenient and profitable to immediately purchase the entire volume of the laminate flooring in the rooms and hallway. However, you need to remember that an ordinary laminate is afraid of moisture, and therefore, before making a final decision, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of this coating.
Pros:
- relatively simple installation;
- high strength;
- large selection of colors;
- reasonable prices;
- sufficient level of wear resistance for the hallway.
Minuses:
- afraid of high humidity, and therefore, to decorate the hallway, you should choose only moisture-resistant products with a class of at least 31;
- for the entrance hall, it is recommended to combine the laminate with ceramic tiles, which are laid directly next to the front door.
Bulk floor
Filling the floor with special compounds allows you to get a seamless, perfectly flat surface that is not afraid of temperature changes and high humidity. Features of the material make it possible to create full-fledged paintings, abstract drawings and imitation of various surfaces on the floor.
Pros:
- resistance to abrasion;
- long service life (at least 20 years);
- easy care;
- seamless coating;
- not afraid of water and mechanical stress.
Minuses:
- high price;
- complexity of installation.
Parquet
For laying a natural flooring in the hallway, two types of material can be used:
- Parquet board. It is made from different types of wood - the basis is inexpensive coniferous varieties of wood, and the top layer is made of valuable species (oak, beech). A parquet board is easy to lay even for a beginner finisher, but for its final processing after laying, you will need a grinder. To restore the appearance after several years of operation of the coating, it is also necessary to carry out grinding and varnishing. You can grind a parquet board at least three times.
- Piece parquet. It is made of precious wood with solid dies, which is why the price of the material is high. For the installation of the floor will have to invite a specialist, because it’s impossible to lay down piece parquet on your own.
Pros:
- environmental friendliness of the material;
- high strength;
- resistance to changes in temperature and humidity level.
Minuses:
- high price;
- installation complexity;
- rapid loss of appearance when used in the hallway due to high wear.
Linoleum
Traditional and inexpensive material for laying in the hallway. Linoleum is not afraid of water, it is strong enough, easy to care for, it is easy to lay it on your own, in shops you can choose the right color scheme.
The disadvantages of linoleum include the mandatory thorough preparation of the base.
For the hallway, they most often choose a standard synthetic linoleum with imitation of a wood-like pattern, ceramic tiles or with abstract paintings. This material can be squandered under the weight of the furniture, so semi-commercial or commercial products should be chosen for the hallway.
Linoleum from natural materials will cost more. It has higher characteristics in terms of ecology and lifetime, but to lay this type of linoleum, you will have to call a specialist.
In addition to the usual roll materials, linoleum can be produced in the form of tiles of different sizes. A plus of piece linoleum is considered the simplicity of its repair.
Tile
One of the best flooring materials in the hallway. Nevertheless, before buying, you should still consider the following advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- not afraid of water;
- easy care;
- service life of at least 20 years;
- eco-friendly material;
- a wide variety of colors and textures in retail stores;
- high strength;
- high degree of wear resistance;
- not afraid of open fire.
Minuses:
- without the device of a warm floor, the surface of the tile will be cold;
- installation complexity;
- brittleness when falling solid, heavy objects. For a hall it is recommended to choose a tile of 3-4 strength classes;
- Some types of tiles have a slippery surface. For the hallway, choose ceramic tiles with a matte or corrugated surface.
Porcelain Tiles
Laying this material on the floor in the hallway will allow you to get a durable, wear-resistant and beautiful coating. According to its characteristics, porcelain stoneware surpasses the usual ceramic and natural stone products, but these are excessive strength qualities for the interior decoration of the apartment, which is reflected in the high cost of the material.
Pros:
- strength;
- long service life (at least 20 years);
- easy care;
- not afraid of exposure to open fire and water;
- a large selection of various drawings and textures.
Minuses:
- high cost of material;
- the coating surface will be cold, it is necessary to lay a carpet on top of porcelain stoneware or make warm floors.
Combined Option
The distribution of the total space of the entrance group into zones can be achieved using the combined option of laying the coating. Directly at the door you can lay ceramic tiles, and cover the remaining area of the corridor with a laminate or parquet board.
The main task of the master with this option is to be able to correctly and beautifully dock the two types of flooring.
Recommendations
The following design tips will help you figure out what is best to choose from materials for the entrance group.
By color scheme
The choice of colors for flooring in the hallway should be carried out simultaneously with the selection of material for the walls and taking into account the color scheme of future furniture.
It should be remembered that light tones will help to visually expand the room, and dark ones, on the contrary, reduce the volume. In addition, dust and stains from dirty shoes are very visible on the dark floor.
In small rooms, it is recommended to choose a flooring a tone or a half tone darker than the tone of the furniture.
For an apartment
Unlike a country house, for a city apartment there are practically no restrictions on the use of materials for flooring. In large rooms, it is recommended to lay tiles at the door, combining it with a parquet board in the corridor. In small hallways it is better to do with one finishing material.
For a country house
A modern country house almost does not differ from urban housing in terms of comfort and amenities, but when designing the entrance group in a private cottage, additional restrictions must be taken into account. In an urban dwelling, a person enters an apartment through an entrance, so part of the dirt and moisture remains on the stairwell. In a country house, a person immediately enters the hallway, and therefore the requirements for coverage increase:
- it should not slip;
- it should not absorb and pass water.
Therefore, it is best to lay ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles in the hallway of a private house.
What can be put on top of the cover at the entrance
After finishing work, you should think about what to put on the floor in the hallway on top of the floor covering. Usually, in order to compensate for the cold floor in the hallway, the owners lay small rugs or carpet paths, but for the immediate entrance area at the threshold, it is recommended to lay a rubber mat to help cut off the dirt and damp from the street.
The shape of the carpet and color should be selected based on the configuration of the room and the overall color scheme of the walls and furniture. In addition to preserving heat, it is possible to lay a carpet on the floor in the corridor in order to simply update the interior at a low cost.