Together with experts, we talk about the advantages and disadvantages of laminate flooring on walls.
Laminate can be an excellent covering not only for the floor but also for wall decoration. For example, in the living room, you can use it to create an area for a TV or a fireplace, and in the kitchen, decorate the apron of the working area. Laminate on the walls can visually expand the space or, conversely, narrow it down.
Laminate on the walls in the interior
Laminate is one of the most popular finishing materials. This is due to its affordable price, ease of installation, and unpretentious care. Most often, laminate is used for flooring, but recently this material can be increasingly found in wall decoration. Usually, one wall is left under the laminate, and the rest is painted or wallpapered. The most affordable way to attach laminate flooring to a wall is with glue. You can use special silicone glue or liquid nails. The only requirement is that the wall must be flat.
“If such a base cannot be made, it is possible to mount the panels with a lock connection on the frame. Under the base of such a frame, you can hide various engineering communications, and arrange insulation or soundproofing material. But there is one drawback in frame installation – the crate will take 10-15 cm from the area of the room. This must be foreseen in advance,” said founder of the Grande Familia studio.
The laminate itself can be used to decorate the walls of any room. Let’s take a closer look at the various options.
Types of laying There are several ways to lay laminate panels on walls: vertical, horizontal, grid, diagonal or herringbone. Each of the methods has its own characteristics. For example, vertical panels visually raise the ceiling in a room. In a spacious room, it is recommended to use diagonal laying on the walls, it will look more advantageous. However, if the room is small, then such styling can visually compress it. Horizontal laying parallel to the floor will expand the room. But if the room has low ceilings, then they can become visually even lower. At the same time, horizontal and vertical laying are the easiest in terms of installation. It is more difficult and costly to fix the laminate diagonally or herringbone, although this installation looks unusual.
In the living room
Laminate will perfectly decorate the walls of the living room. With it, you can divide the space into zones – for example, highlight a recreation area or a dining area. If the room is small, you can completely veneer one of the walls, and make the rest plain – either in the same color scheme, or, conversely, more accentuated. Also, designers often clad the wall, part of the floor, and ceiling around it.
With the help of a laminate, you can select a niche for a TV or a fireplace. For this, panels of dark tones or contrasting ones are suitable. A warmed balcony or loggia will look beautiful, in the decoration of which a laminate is used. Inexpensive panels of classes 21-31 are suitable for facing the living room.
In the bedroom
Laminate is often used for wall decoration in the bedroom. The most popular mounting option here is wall cladding at the head of the bed. It can also be used to distribute accent zones – for example, highlight a workspace or a wall opposite the bed where you plan to install a TV.
You can use a variation when the laminate from the wall goes to the ceiling or combine the installation of the laminate on the wall and on the floor. So it will be possible to create an atmosphere of comfort and eco-trend, which is now in fashion. “The main requirement for laminate in the bedroom is safety for health. The amount of formaldehyde is the determining factor. This information is indicated on the packaging. The marking of the permissible value of this parameter is E1, ”said Viktor..
From the point of view of wear resistance, the thinnest and lightest panels are suitable for finishing bedrooms, says Inna. For example, a laminate of the 23rd class. “After all, in this case, the operation of the finish does not involve heavy loads,” the designer explained.
In the kitchen
Laminate is also suitable for finishing the kitchen. Here it can also be used as an accent area (for example, a dining area) or make an apron for the working area. Designers recommend choosing a color of laminate, which is in harmony with the facades of the kitchen set.
In the kitchen, a laminate that can be used in the bedroom and living room is not suitable. Here it is important to use a product that is resistant to moisture and any damage said an expert from Ekzofloor. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a European laminate, on the certificates of which there will be marks:
- Moisture resistant;
- A product of a 32 or 33 wear class (34 is a laminate for busy public areas, and 31 is a low wear class);
- Guarantee from 25 years.
In the hall
Laminate on the walls in the hallway can well transform the space. Often the hall has a small area, and panels can visually enlarge the space. For example, with horizontal panels, the hallway can be “stretched” in width, and with vertical panels – in height. Light shades in combination with mirrors can make the room more spacious, dark ones, on the contrary, make the room smaller.
When decorating the walls in the hallway, it is necessary that the laminate is combined with the front door and furniture. In general, the laminate on the walls can significantly diversify the interior. “You can choose plain laminate options and analogs with original patterns and drawings, with a rough, matte, and glossy surface texture,” Viktor recommended.
Since there is fairly high traffic in the hallway, wet clothes can be left here, then the laminate should also be chosen to be wear-resistant and moisture-resistant. “In the hallways, dirt and moisture can accumulate on the walls, so I recommend staying at the 31st wear resistance class and higher,” advises Inna Kaminskaya.
Advantages of laminate on the walls
The popularity of laminate flooring in decoration is due to its affordable price with decent quality. Laminate prices start at 10 Euro for 1 sq. m. For comparison, a solid oak wall panel will cost almost 100 Euro for 1 sq. m. “Expensive solid wood panels or veneered panels are far from a budget option, especially today when prices for finishing materials have increased by 30%, and it’s easy to choose a laminate for any budget,” said the founder of the Grande Familia studio.
Another advantage of the laminate is the ease of installation: if the walls are even, you can mount the panels with glue. Laminate can hide defects in the wall in the form of chips and cracks. A good laminate is quick and easy to assemble, and even a beginner can do the installation.
Laminate is easy to care for. To put it in order, a damp cloth is enough. In addition, it does not form fungus or mold. Laminate on the walls can increase the sound insulation in the apartment. “This is a very big problem in apartments, which is easily solved by finishing at least part of the walls with laminate,” said the head of the Thys laminate department.
Modern panels have a large selection of colors, which is especially important in interior design. For example, it creates an imitation of natural wood. But the most important arguments are considered to be the density of the structure and the presence of a protective outer layer.
Cons of laminate on the walls
Like any material, laminate has its drawbacks. Firstly, it is sensitive to sudden temperature changes and can be deformed. Therefore, it is better to use moisture-resistant panels in the kitchen and install exhaust ventilation when used in rooms with high humidity.
Secondly, when finishing with a laminate, the wall should be fairly even. Otherwise, you need to use a crate, which complicates the installation process and reduces the area of the room.
Thirdly, it is not worth cladding all the walls and ceiling in the room with laminate. You need to pre-select the accent area and decide on the color so that the laminate is combined with the overall design of the room.
How to choose laminate for walls. Designer Tips
Before buying a laminate, you need to carefully consider all the nuances – where it will be used and how it will be combined with the interior. After that, select panels of a certain class and color. As a floor covering, a high class (32nd class and above) is usually chosen. Even cheap panels of classes 21–31 are suitable for wall decoration. If the laminate wall is accent, then everything else should be light and monochrome. For example, darker wood is suitable for a loft style, light colors for coatings for Scandinavian, and stone or concrete panels for high-tech.
Inna, founder of the Grande Familia studio: - For rooms with high humidity, a laminate of classes 32–34 (load categories), with a cross section of 8–11 mm and with moisture-resistant impregnation of locks, would be an excellent choice. When choosing such a laminate, your wall will remain in its original form, despite moisture, temperature changes, pollution and constant movement. As far as the visual effects of laminate flooring are concerned, they are more realistic than ever. It can be artificially aged panels. There are new imitations of laminate surface treatment, such as oiling or brushing. Industrial digital printing makes it easy to create laminate collections with a wide variety of options and colors. And this is a great help for creative opportunities. In the trend - colors from light to semi-dark, as well as various shades of gray. Look out for new interpretations of maple, acacia, beech, alder, ash, spruce, larch or walnut imitations. Trendy concrete and stone decors are also successfully introduced to the market and are offered in new versions.
The most important thing about our X that it is for
those who are in a hurry
