The needles underlay for the final floor covering is positioned as a practical eco-friendly material - an alternative to an expensive cork damper. It can be laid under a laminate, linoleum or carpet. The material has many indisputable advantages, however it is capricious and requires professionalism in choosing and working.
The material is made of spruce needles with the inclusion of forest waste: bark and wood fibers. Less commonly used is pine. Raw materials during processing are crushed, moisture is evaporated, binders are introduced:
- wood or synthetic resin;
- additives that provide moisture repellent and fireproof properties.
The mass is brought to uniformity and pressed. Finished products - a dense porous material of light green color, reminiscent to the touch of glass wool or cellulose.
Available in rolls or sheets with an area of 590 × 790 mm. Thickness is from 2 to 7 mm. Extra thick - from 8 to 12 mm.
Coniferous substrate is used in the installation of the finishing decorative coating, suitable for leveling roughnesses of the subfloor, insulation, sound insulation. Designed originally for wooden substrates - boards or particle boards - then it began to be used on concrete as well.
Benefits
Intermediate flooring from pressed needles meets the requirements.
- Good damping properties. Due to the porous structure and elasticity, the sheets of coniferous substrate absorb the vibration of the floor. This is important when using a parquet board.
- High non-elevating ability. Material with a thickness of 2-3 mm is usually used for roughnesses up to 2 mm. Thick sheets smooth out differences up to 4–5 mm.
- It has high elasticity, protects fragile lamella locks from premature destruction.
- A high level of strength ensures long-term operation of the finish.
- Low thermal conductivity. It can be used for the arrangement of underfloor heating without mounting additional equipment.
- The high ability to dampen noise provides sound insulation.
- Long operation. The material can last up to 15 years. Manufacturers claim that this period is not the limit, and the intermediate flooring from needles has all the prerequisites to serve longer.
- Easy to install. When mounting on the surface of the substrate, you can walk, put heavy objects on it. It does not sag or wrinkle, unlike similar building materials.
The advantage of the coniferous substrate is environmental friendliness, since natural raw materials are used for production. However, this characteristic is ambiguous. In the binder composition of some brands, synthetic additives are used, which casts doubt on its completely natural origin. But naturalness is not always considered a virtue. Confirmation is the lack of high biostability of such substrates.
Disadvantages
- High price. The price, on average, is 50-100% higher than that of synthetic analogues. 1 sq. m. will cost no less than 100 rubles.
- Insufficient fire resistance. Substrates having a binder component of natural resin have no refractory properties.
- Pungent odor resistant to weathering. It is possible to get rid of it only a few days after the installation is completed.
- High viscosity. The coniferous cloth is very difficult to cut with a knife and scissors, crumbles a lot.
- The density at the joints of the sheets is slightly lower than in the middle, so the floor can sag at the seams under heavy loads. This affects the life of the product.
- Low biostability. Natural needles are prone to the accumulation of germs, the absorption of pollution. Over time, mold develops.
- Low moisture resistance. Coniferous substrate can only be mounted in rooms. Do not use it in bathrooms or kitchens. Saturation of the structure with moisture leads to rapid damage to the fungus. Under the constant influence of water, it quickly collapses.
Practical experience using coniferous substrates has shown that its degree of wear resistance depends on the type of base. A wooden draft floor is preferable, as it is more resilient and provides the necessary microclimate. On concrete, intermediate flooring collapses faster. To extend the service life, it is recommended to use coniferous material with differences in height of not more than 3 mm, and before installation use a thick layer of waterproofing to protect the canvas from protruding condensate. Before laying concrete, it is desirable to strengthen the self-leveling mixture or use thick plywood as an additional base.
Characteristics of products from different manufacturers
Among the manufacturers of coniferous substrates, there are several large companies that have established themselves in the building materials market.
- Steiko (Steico). Polish company producing high-quality natural material. In production only needles, wood fibers and natural resin are used. The thickness of the plates of this company has the widest range: 3; 3.6; 4; five; 5.5; 7 mm. Sheet area: 590 × 790 mm. The density of the finished: about 240 kg / cu. Soundproofing properties: 19–22 dB. Thermal conductivity: <0.07 watts. The substrate of this company is recommended for wooden parquet, laminate, linoleum.
- Isoplit (Isoplaat). An Estonian company that produces backing in standard sheets and rolls. These are rather thick canvases: 4; five; 6; 7 mm. In terms of basic properties, it is comparable with competitor's products, but has lower thermal conductivity: <0.04 W. Due to the dense porous structure, it is recommended to use an expensive luxury parquet under a floating topcoat. The manufacturer claims to use only natural raw materials in the production cycle: needles, industrial wood waste and resin.
- Leroy Merlin. Polish-Russian company producing coniferous substrate in plates with a thickness of 2; 3; five; 5.5; 7 mm. Noise-insulating properties: about 19–21 dB, thermal conductivity: <0.07 W. It is possible to use fiberboards in the installation of finishing floor coverings with castle and adhesive joints, linoleum, for insulation, sound insulation of walls and ceilings.
You should not purchase building materials from Chinese or domestic unlicensed manufacturers. Such a substrate, despite its good appearance, may contain toxic impurities or quickly collapse after installation.
Many companies establish a guarantee for material up to only 4 mm thick. A more massive canvas will have to be bought at your own peril and risk.
The cost of products from different manufacturers
The price of the substrates depends on the thickness of the fiberboard: the more it is, the more expensive.
The price of Steico products starts at 98 rubles. for 1 square. plates with a thickness of 3 mm. Further graduation:
- 4 mm - 120 rubles .;
- 5.5 mm - 150 rubles;
- 7 mm - 180 rubles.
Isoplaat has no low-priced products. It is much more expensive:
- 4 mm - from 180 rubles .;
- 5 mm - from 200 rubles .;
- 6 mm - from 210 rubles .;
- 7 mm - from 220 rubles.
One of the most economical is the substrate of the Polish company Caesar. Price for 1 square. 4 mm thick canvases is about 96 rubles.
Which is better: coniferous or cork
Expensive cork flooring is not much inferior to some types of coniferous substrates in terms of density and sound insulation properties. Moisture resistance, biostability and resistance to compression of an expensive tree are much higher than that of a pine or spruce plate. For perfect leveling of the luxury floor, cork is preferred. But subject to compliance with all operating rules, high-quality coniferous substrates can be used as an alternative.
How to lay a coniferous substrate
Before starting work, the concrete base is cleaned of debris and leveled. Wooden floorboards are pulled, cycled, rotted logs are replaced. Bulk floors require the use of waterproofing: they lay a plastic film with a thickness of at least 0.2 mm. Its overlap on the walls should be about 10-15 cm. On a wooden base, protection is required only on the first floors of buildings. With moderate humidity, you can do without it.
For work you will need:
- a knife with a sharp thin blade or scissors;
- roulette;
- long ruler;
- double-sided tape, construction stapler, or metallized self-adhesive film.
After purchase, it is recommended to unpack and leave it in the room for 1-2 days, so that the material adapts to the internal microclimate.
Laying coniferous substrate is a laborious process. All work must be carried out with gloves so that the fibers do not prick your fingers.
Under the laminate they lay diagonally. This is necessary to avoid coincidence of its seams with the castle joints.
The first plate is cut so that a triangle with an angle of 45 ° is obtained. It will serve as a guide for the following paintings. Plates are laid from the corner of the room opposite the entrance. Roll substrate - from the center.
5 mm of free space is left between the substrate and the wall. The thickness of the joints between the plates should be 1-2 mm. Particular attention must be paid to cropping: uneven, crumbling edges are unacceptable. For plates thicker than 3 mm, it is better to use not scissors, but a thin clerical knife, drawing them along the ruler attached to the material.
The manufacturer recommends gluing each plate to the base on a double-sided tape or fastening with a stapler. If the substrate is laid over waterproofing, it is pointless to use adhesives, since they will not interfere with the sliding of the plates together with the film. Joints should be covered with a metallized film.
When installing the laminate, it is advisable to do the work in parallel: lay the finish on top of the next row of plates and then move on to the next row. It is recommended to lay the substrate over the entire area of the room under linoleum or carpet.
Within a few days after the installation is completed, large temperature differences in the room should be avoided: do not open windows in the cold.