What to consider when choosing a floor covering?
The floor covering for the hallway, even though it has no wet areas, should be no less durable than in the bathroom or toilet. This is due to:
- High traffic. No matter how you look at it, someone always walks on the floor in the hallway: at least when entering and exiting the apartment, at most (if the hallway is a walk-through) also when moving between rooms.
- Seasonal humidity. In bad weather, when it is raining or snowing outside, shoes also get wet. And then all this water and moisture transfers to the floor covering.
- Constant pollution. Dust and dirt from outerwear and shoes, whether you want it or not, will still settle on the floor in the hallway. And it is better to be prepared for this.
The photo shows a variant of combining different floor coverings
Based on the pain points, we can conclude that the floor covering in the hallway should be:
- Moisture-resistant. That is, not to swell even from contact with water, and not just withstand high humidity.
- Wear-resistant. Otherwise, it will simply wear out in a few years.
- Easy to care for. You have to wipe or wash the floors in the hallway at least twice a week (and every day during the off-season!), so it should be easy to do.
The photo shows tiles with a marble texture
What material is best to make it from?
Floor coverings come in different types, but not all of them are suitable for the entrance door area. Let’s take a closer look.
Tiles or porcelain tiles
Ceramic tiles have practically no equal in wear resistance! And the design of ceramic tiles can be found for any taste, and if you can’t find a suitable one, you can lay out a pattern of multi-colored elements.
- Absolutely not afraid of water and will survive even long contact with it.
- If laid correctly, it will last for decades.
- Allows the use of detergents, including aggressive chemicals.
- Does not emit corrosive substances.
- A consistently cold surface, so it is recommended to do it exclusively in the entrance area, or lay a warm floor underneath.
- It may not withstand the fall of a heavy object and crack.
Important! Ceramic tiles in the hallway must be non-slip and have at least class 3 strength.
The photo shows light matte tiles
Laminate
A budget analogue of parquet boards is made of chipboards covered with a film. Let’s consider the feasibility of using it as a floor covering for a hallway.
- A wide range. Although laminate most often imitates a board, it has a great variety of colors: from the lightest, almost white, to deep dark ones.
- Wear resistance. High-quality slats have the highest resistance to abrasion.
- Ease of installation. If you pay due attention to the issue, you can lay the floor in the hallway yourself.
- Lack of moisture protection. Water penetration threatens not the planks themselves, but the joints between them – even special impregnations will not protect against swelling.
Read also: How to choose laminate? Tips and quality criteria
Linoleum
Roll material is easy to lay – you don’t even need the help of a professional. But is it suitable as a floor in the hallway?
- A large selection of stylish, modern colors and textures.
- Moisture-resistant, provided the canvas is whole and undamaged.
- To clean, simply wipe with a damp cloth.
- Some shoes can “draw”, traces from them will have to be washed off additionally.
- Certain types (on thick, soft substrates) are prone to dents and creases.
Read also: How to choose linoleum for the hallway?
Important! For floor finishing, choose commercial or high-quality semi-commercial varieties.
Wooden floor
Ordinary wooden joists have not been laid on the floor in the hallway for a long time. The refusal to use them is justified primarily by their impracticality: wood is difficult to care for, it is difficult to wash, it must be constantly (1-2 times a year) treated with a protective compound. In addition, the characteristics of wood do not include moisture resistance, which also does not allow us to call this option the best of all possible.
Carpet
At the peak of carpet popularity, it was considered almost the most successful flooring possible: warm, beautiful, replaces carpets and rugs. But over time, owners became familiar with its negative aspects and began to refuse this option in any room, especially in the hallway.
The main negative properties of carpet:
- Complex maintenance. The coating cannot be washed, only vacuumed or brushed. At the same time, over the years, dust accumulates in its villi, which is almost impossible to remove.
- Allergenicity. Not only dust is dangerous, but also the glue used in production.
- Lack of moisture protection. Although the floors in the hallway will survive wet cleaning with a brush, carpet cannot be called water-resistant.
Parquet
Parquet boards are considered premium finishing materials. The surface is made of expensive wood of valuable species, the lower layers (there are usually 2) are made of simpler and cheaper ones.
- The appearance of the parquet speaks for itself and can take your apartment or private house to a new level.
- Eco-friendly production and natural materials will not have a negative impact on your health.
- If damaged, the plank does not necessarily have to be replaced (as with laminate), it is enough to sand it and cover it with a protective agent.
- Natural wood is capricious – it constantly reacts to changes in temperature and humidity.
- The tendency to scratches and abrasions, even taking into account simple repairs, cannot be considered a positive point.
Read also: What is better to choose laminate or parquet board?
Self-leveling
Polymer self-leveling mixtures are one of the best options for the floor in the hallway that exist today. Judge for yourself:
- Easy to maintain, hygienic.
- 100% moisture protection.
- A wide range of colors and designs.
- Easy to repair.
- Maximum wear resistance.
- Durability even in walk-through areas.
- Impact resistance.
- Requires careful preparation of the base.
- A cold surface requires installation of a water-heated floor.
- High prices for work and materials.
Vinyl flooring
The correct name for this material for the hallway floor is quartz vinyl tile. It is based on a mixture of quartz sand, plasticizer and resin. The appearance and method of installation are somewhat reminiscent of laminate, but in comparison with the latter, the tile obviously wins.
- Contact is allowed not just with moisture, but with liquids – the plates will not swell.
- It is highly resistant to loads.
- It practically does not change in size with temperature fluctuations.
- The cost is higher than most other options.
- Requires careful preparation of the base.
Additional bonus: a large selection of textures. Can imitate wood, concrete, natural stone.
The photo shows light quartz vinyl at the entrance
Combined floor
One of the parts of the standard combination is usually the tile – it takes the brunt of the impact in the area of the entrance door. Another covering can start 50-70 cm from the entrance, which is most often laid in a single contour throughout the entire apartment.
Advice! Having a two-level floor, you can also use different types on each step.
Choosing the color of the floor
A simple interior rule that always works: the lightest shade on top, the darkest on the bottom. This does not mean that the floors in the hallway should be black – a shade 2-3 tones richer than the walls is enough.
Medium brightness is considered universal and the most practical: standard beige shades of wood, medium-gray shades of tiles, etc. Dirt is the least noticeable on such a floor.
A floor that is too light, as well as one that is too dark (especially glossy), will have to be washed much more often. But dark tones look expensive and elegant, and light ones bring lightness to the interior.
What can be used to cover floor?
If you have not chosen the best shade, or want to make the design of the floor in the hallway more comfortable, pay attention to the carpets! Unlike carpet, they can be moved away from the entrance group and not be afraid of dirty shoes or wet clothes.
By the way, a carpet can also make adjustments to the geometry of the space. For example, in narrow long corridors, a carpet with a transverse pattern will visually push the walls apart. In an irregularly shaped room, a bright specimen will distract attention from the curvature of the walls.
Beautiful design ideas
The hallway is rarely decorated and usually remains the most boring room in the house, but this can be fixed by choosing a bright, unusual floor! The easiest way to achieve this is to use tiles: they are laid in a checkerboard pattern, assembled into geometric patterns, used to create designs.
The second option is also with tiles, but not with plain ones, but with printed ones: such tiles are an accent in themselves and do not require additional efforts.
You can also change the way you lay the tiles. For example, lay regular laminate diagonally, or make a beautiful herringbone pattern from multi-colored parquet.
The photo shows an unusual tile pattern