Laminate with or without chamfer - which is better, more practical and more reliable?

What type of chamfer does laminate have?

The beveled edges of laminate flooring may differ between different models. First of all, this concerns their shape and size.

The chamfer can be straight, made at an angle of 45°, or curly, rounded. In the first case, when two lamellas are joined, a V-shaped recess is formed, in the second - a U-shaped one. The U-type gives the board a certain convexity and volume, but it is less common than the V-type.

Laminate with V-shaped chamfer.

Laminate with U-shaped chamfer.

Based on the size of the depression formed, chamfers are divided into small (1-2 mm or less) and deep (over 2 mm). The depth of U-shaped recesses usually does not exceed 2 mm; for V-shaped ones it can reach 4 mm. Micro chamfers are used to easily mark the edges of the lamella; deep chamfers more clearly outline the boundaries. In addition, there are chamfers with an increased width relative to the standard, which is achieved by increasing the cutting angle.

The chamfer can be applied both along the two long sides of the lamella and along its entire perimeter. Boards with a double-sided chamfer visually lengthen the room, creating the effect of a wooden ship deck.

Each lamella with a four-sided bevel is clearly defined, which enhances the resemblance to natural planks.

The chamfer may also differ in application technology. If for products made of natural wood it is done by milling, then for laminate the rolling method is more acceptable - squeezing the edge when rolling on a special machine. When rolling, the protective laminated coating is preserved, and the edge of the board is made denser than its middle, which is an undeniable advantage of this technology.

The reliability of a laminate with milled edges depends on the method of its final processing: the chamfer can simply be painted to match the product (a cheap finishing option) or laminated (a more expensive processing method in which the protective layer damaged during milling is restored).

The type of chamfer has no practical significance - the choice in this case should be made based solely on your aesthetic preferences. The main thing is that when creating it, all production technologies are followed, and its surface is reliably protected.

Laminate without chamfer

The days have not yet passed when laminate without a chamfer is usually called classic. In this version, the laminate strips do not have decorative bevels on the end sides of the load-bearing layer. The ends of the laminate without a chamfer are straight; when laid, they form a single surface with barely distinguishable, often by pattern, boundaries of the planks.

It is worth recalling here that a standard laminate has four layers: the bottom is paper, or rather melamine. It is covered with a base layer of MDF or HDF or DPL boards. This “pie” is covered and protected by a decorative paper print and one or two protective layers. At the same time, the locks and ends of the planks do not have protective layers, with the exception of paraffin locks.

How does chamfer affect laminate wear resistance?

In the chamfer area, the board is thinner, so you can expect that such a laminate will be more sensitive to loads. However, it should be taken into account that decorative edge cutting is not done on panels thinner than 8 mm - usually these are products whose thickness is at least 10-12 mm. The depth of the chamfer relative to the overall thickness of such a board can be considered insignificant, which means that it should not have much effect on the strength of the laminate.

Rolled chamfers have the greatest strength, since the compressed material acquires increased density, but only expensive laminates produced by reputable companies have edges treated in this way. A regular edge that does not have a protective coating, but is simply painted to match the color of the board, has reduced strength.

Tests conducted by manufacturers confirm that with a lamella thickness of 10 millimeters or more, the strength characteristics of a laminate with and without a chamfer are the same; with a smaller thickness, a regular laminate turns out to be stronger. A chamfer with sharp edges looks more impressive, but is subject to faster wear - its edges are instantly erased. If you have a choice, give preference to laminate with a rounded chamfer.

Distinctive features of chamfered laminate

So far, laminate flooring that does not have bevels is mainly used to finish the floor surface. During initial installation, the joints between panels of this type are absolutely invisible. A solid surface is formed that looks great in rooms of any purpose, decorated in any style.

White laminate without chamfer in the bedroom interior

However, in the future there is a possibility of small discrepancies between the boards, which leads to a deterioration in the appearance and visual appeal of the coating. To minimize this risk, it is necessary to carefully prepare the base, which must be perfectly flat, and also use a laminate equipped with a high-quality lock.

Panels with beveled edges are gradually gaining popularity. Bevels are made by rolling between rollers (milling is more often used on natural wood). This chamfer is called “rolled”. As a result of the operation, the width of the panels is not reduced.

Types of panels with bevels:

• laminate, in which recesses are made on two long sides;
• boards with chamfers on four sides.

Laminate with bevel on 4 sides

The size of the slot solely affects the aesthetic characteristics of the installed floor covering. A more pronounced recess allows you to create an imitation of a floor made of solid parquet. If the groove is made to a depth of up to 2 mm, it is called a microchamfer, from 2 to 3.5 mm - deep.

The shade of the beveled part may be darker than the color of the laminate itself. In this case, it is more noticeable and emphasizes the configuration. The recess, made with a coating in one shade, is practically invisible and does not catch the eye.

Laminate with dark colored chamfer

Which laminate is more moisture resistant - with or without chamfer?

Often, sellers of specialized stores and finishing craftsmen do not advise laying laminate with a chamfer in kitchens and other rooms where there is a high risk of spilling water on the floor. In this case, as a rule, one argument is given: due to the presence of a chamfer, the contact area of ​​the laminate with water increases. In fact, if you pick up a tape measure and a calculator, you will quickly come to the conclusion that a chamfer increases the area by no more than 1-2%. Agree, it’s not too much to start a conversation for the sake of it. However, there is some truth in the recommendations of experts.

In fact, the problem is not so much in increasing the area of ​​contact with water, but in the fact that liquid spilled on the floor and not wiped off in a timely manner forms a thin layer on a flat flat surface, and therefore evaporates much faster than from the recesses formed by chamfers , which will ultimately become the zone where destructive processes begin. It follows from this that it is enough to follow a simple rule: you should not pour water on the laminate, but if this happens, wipe it off immediately.

The moisture resistance of a laminate with a chamfer is largely determined by the quality of the latter. If the beveled edge, like the entire front surface of the panel, is laminated and treated with a water-repellent compound, then it is not a vulnerable point.

However, as a rule, only products of well-known brands, produced in compliance with all technological regulations, can boast such high quality. In cheap laminate (mostly made in China), the chamfer is simply painted and does not have a protective coating. Of course, such a laminate will not have good water resistance and a long service life.

Laminate with non-laminated bevel.

Thus, if you have laid a high-quality laminate and follow the rules set out in the manual for the care of laminated surfaces, then whether it is chamfered or not does not play a special role.

What difficulties arise when cleaning laminate flooring with a chamfer?

Most buyers who refuse to purchase a laminate with a chamfer and give preference to a regular one are motivated by their fears that the grooves between the planks will become clogged with debris and dirt. Practice shows that these fears are in vain: the grooves formed when laying such a laminate are, in fact, not so large, dirt and dust accumulate there no more than on a smooth surface. And if the edges are treated with water- and dirt-repellent compounds, then the problem looks somewhat far-fetched.

The absence of any difficulties is confirmed by people who have experience in cleaning both types of floor coverings. In their opinion, it is really more difficult to sweep laminate flooring with a bevel with a broom. But when dry cleaning using a vacuum cleaner or wet cleaning using a mop with a good attachment, they did not notice much of a difference between the laminate with and without a chamfer.

The issue of dirt clogging bevels can be relevant only in the most problematic areas - in the hallway and in the kitchen. To prevent this, it is enough just to regularly clean these rooms.

Styling tips

Practice shows that installation should be carried out taking into account a number of technological features:

• the planks are knocked together using soft wood blocks, a light hammer or mallet, which will protect the board from deformation;
• It is important to insert wedges between rows in the flooring. After removing them, perfectly even seams will be observed (analogy with the compensation gap between the wall and the first row of boards);
• when laying, a single direction must be observed and all laying lines must be parallel;
• doors are installed exclusively upon completion of installation of the laminate;
• the gap between the wall and the flooring is covered with a skirting board with a width of 25 millimeters.

Bottom line

Thus, if you don’t think about the question of whether a chamfer is needed on a laminate, we can conclude that the laying of both types of coating is carried out using similar technology. If you follow the basic installation rules and use equipment designed for such work, then the result will be satisfactory.

Compliance with all instructions allows you to obtain a durable, highly durable and very beautiful coating. Specialists from the construction company will help solve any difficulties that arise. They will also take responsibility for purchasing high-quality material, taking into account the basic wishes of the customer.

Does the chamfer create difficulties when laying laminate flooring?

There is an opinion that it is easier to lay laminate with a chamfer, since it allegedly perfectly hides all errors and irregularities, which means you don’t have to try too hard to level the base of the floor. In fact, manufacturers’ requirements for the base for laying laminate do not change with the appearance of a chamfer - it must be rigid, clean and dry, and unevenness must not exceed 2 mm per linear meter.

Of course, the chamfer will visually slightly smooth out the height differences between adjacent boards associated with the unevenness of the subfloor, but it will not relieve the increased load on the locks. Failure to follow the installation rules will cause the locks to quickly become loose and the protruding parts of the boards to wear out prematurely.

In general, the technology for laying laminate does not depend on whether it is chamfered or not. This decorative element does not create any additional difficulties during installation.

What is a chamfer on a laminate, what is it for?

If you look really hard, you can find laminate collections that imitate not wood, but some other natural materials. For example, processed precious stone or brick cladding. But this is certainly an exception to the rule. The vast majority of models are designed specifically to create the illusion of a wooden floor. And, I must say, many samples coped with this task quite successfully. Well, of course, with some conventions, when viewed from a distance and “squinting your eyes.”

Laminate flooring was originally developed as an inexpensive replacement for natural wood flooring.

It is interesting that since its birth, laminate has gone through a rather serious “evolutionary path”. This development has affected all aspects of laminate flooring. The structure has been improved, the strength and wear resistance of the boards have increased incomparably - modern samples can serve for two or more decades. The material has practically stopped emitting toxic fumes into the environment. The possibilities of external design have stepped to new frontiers. Locking connections, which previously required glue, have now become much easier to install and more reliable to use.

All this, combined with the excellent fit of the geometry of high-quality laminated boards, has led to the fact that the coating is almost monolithic, and the seams between the boards have become almost invisible.

Well, that’s great! – many will say. And, surprisingly, they may remain wrong. That's why.

A very precise adjustment is necessary one way or another - this is a guarantee that water that accidentally gets onto the floor will not seep into the cracks (this possibility can never be ruled out). But the almost complete invisibility of the joints of the laminate boards led to the effect of “linoleumization”. More precisely, visually the coating, despite the carefully executed texture pattern, ceases to look like natural wood. After all, whatever one may say, the seams between the floorboards of a wooden floor are quite clearly visible, and this has a certain “charm” of such a covering.

So it was decided, without reducing the tightness of fit of the interlocking joints between the boards, to still visually emphasize the joint lines. And this can be done without resorting to any artistic techniques in photo printing of wood texture. It is enough to make the edge along the perimeter of the front side of the board not absolutely smooth, but with a slight “removal” at the top of the corner, that is, with a chamfer. A variant of such a chamfer is shown in the illustration below.

The arrow shows the processed beveled edge of the laminated panel - this is the same chamfer.

What is achieved by such, so to speak, improvement of the laminated board?

• The main goal pursued by the developers of the material is decorative. Laminate floors with a chamfer look much more expressive in appearance. The imitation of natural wood is more reliable.

Two laminate coverings with completely identical design of the front part of the panels. But on the left are ordinary boards, on the right - with a chamfer. Agree that the right version of the floor finish looks more “live” and visually attractive.

But this is only “one side of the coin”. The chamfer also provides several other useful advantages.

• The objectivity is that any, even the most perfect lock in the connection of laminated boards can “loose its grip” over time. That is, the appearance of thin gaps between adjacent coating parts cannot be ruled out. And the width of these micro-slots can be different - the loads on different parts of the floor are not exactly the same.

If the laminate is without a chamfer, that is, the emphasis is placed on a very tight fit of the boards, then the appearance of such even very thin gaps immediately becomes noticeable, and their unevenness can seriously spoil the overall picture. There is some impression of sloppiness on the floor.

The appearance of thin cracks, especially uneven in thickness, at the joints of laminated boards creates a negative effect of wear and tear on the floor covering.

It's a different matter if the laminate is chamfered. Then minor “movements” of the boards in the locks will remain completely unnoticeable, without disturbing the overall neatness of the floor.

On a laminate with a chamfer, the appearance of small cracks at the joints of the boards is an absolutely invisible phenomenon, that is, it seems to have been intended that way.

• Another “trouble” of laminate flooring is when during operation, also due to the gradual wear of the locks and an unstable base, a small “step” appears at the joints of the boards. That is, the edge of one board becomes slightly higher than the edge of the adjacent one. Firstly, this spoils the appearance of the coating. And secondly, such a raised edge will sooner or later be pulled up by the shoes.

On a laminate without a chamfer, such a step spoils the appearance and can become a “starting point” for destroying the integrity of the coating.

If the laminated boards have a chamfer, then a slight excess of the edge is virtually invisible, and the likelihood of tripping over such a “step” with a beveled edge is very low.

• And another Achilles heel of laminate. Even with a slight deflection of the boards (which, by the way, should not occur if installed correctly), the maximum compressive stress is experienced precisely by the upper edges of the end sides along the seam line. The result is peeling of the decorative and protective layers along the locking joints. And this is a sloppy appearance of the floor, an open “road” for water to penetrate through the damaged coating, and as a result – rapid wear of the laminate.

In places of increased stress during deflections, signs of swelling and delamination first appear, and then everything ends with frayed seams - the laminate floor completely loses its neat appearance.

It cannot be said that the presence of chamfers completely eliminates this problem. But still, in the upper, most intense section, there is no contact between the boards due to the opposing chamfers, and the likelihood of getting the problem described above is significantly lower.

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So, the chamfer, in addition to its purely decorative role, also makes a certain contribution to increasing the service life of the coating.