Lyudmila Ignatovich, candidate of technical science, assistant professor (BSTU);

Anna Romanova, candidate of pedagogical science, senior lecturer (BSTU);

Alexander Krivoblotskij, senior lecturer (BSTU);

Svetlana Utgof, graduate student (BSTU)

The Assessment of Flooring Quality and Cost of Its Service

It is the consumer demand that stipulates introduction of the variety of options available to create floors of different types of materials. This assessment can be justified on the basis of the criterion (indicator) or the system, covering the set of the main product features that characterize the quality and competitiveness. Thus, the purpose of this study is to develop an approach to comparative evaluation of floor covering based on the integral indicator that takes into account the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the product.

Nowadays, there are different types of floor covering in the domestic construction products market. All products on the floor covering market can be divided into two huge groups: natural (hardwood products, flooring, cork flooring, natural linoleum, and ceramic tile) and artificial materials (laminate, linoleum, and carpet). Presented flooring is characterized by diverse properties including quality, conditions, and methods of service.

Quality of products includes a set of characteristics determining the suitability to satisfy certain requirements in accordance with the appointment. Assessing the products quality involves quantitative (qualitative) identification of measures (degree) and characteristics competence to quality requirements.

In this regard, it is necessary to study and choose the most important quality characteristics of floor covering, such as ecological compatibility, durability, moisture resistance, chemical and mechanical resistance, heat transfer, and service lifetime.

The results of assessment are given in the table 1.

Results of Assessment

Type of floor covering	Options of expert assessment							QI
	Ecological compatibility	Durability	Moisture resistance	Chemical resistance	Mechanical resistance	Heat transfer	Service lifetime
Parquet	10	8	5	6	6	8	9	52
Wood flooring	10	6	4	4	6	8	7	52
Laminate	8	8	5	7	6	7	7	48
Ceramic tiles	10	9	10	10	8	3	9	59
Carpet	5	3	0	4	4	10	3	29
Linoleum (PVC)	2	1	4	2	1	5	1	18
Natural linoleum	10	8	7	5	6	8	9	53
Cork	10	8	7	7	9	9	9	59

To assess these properties we adopted the expert method to determine the quality indicators. This data characterizes the individual quality of products, isolated application of which does not allow customer to give preference to one or another type of coating. In this regard, it is necessary to determine the complex (synthesis) indicator of product quality.

Complex index describes a set of interrelated properties (complex property) from the entire set of properties, that make quality products, and is expressed by a single number, which allows comparing a large number of quality products with the same number of benchmarks in practice. Moreover, when choosing a floor covering qualitative indicators of priority are the total cost of its construction and operating costs.

The value of coverage factor of durability, the cost of its styling, maintenance, care and maintenance being known, it is possible to calculate the total cost of the establishment and the construction operation per 1 m² floor.

To assess the resulting quality and cost indicators floor we introduce the integral indicator of product quality, being the ratio of the complex index of quality and reduced overall costs. Obviously, this index characterizes the quality of the numerical expression of the coverage quality (expressed in points) per 1 standard unit of total cost.

Analyzing the data helps in dividing the flooring into 3 groups depending on the value of the quality integral indicator:

1. Coating with a high integral quality indicator (26.1 - 56.9) includes such natural cover as ceramic tiles (56.9), natural linoleum (34.0), and cork (26.1). Its natural, ecological compatibility, high wear resistance, and durability determine high rate of data quality coating.

2. Coating with an average integral indicator of quality (8.2 - 24.8) includes wood flooring: flooring (24.8), flooring (13.4), and parquet (8.2). Significant costs for installation and operation determine low rate of natural wood coating.

3. Coating with low integral indicator of quality (3.5 - 7.3) is a synthetic floor covering: linoleum (7.3), laminate (7.1), carpet (3.5 - 5.2). Such coating is short-lived, low-moisture, and resistant to damage.

The integral index of quality helps in comparing the diverse types of product and making an informed choice of its value.

Unlike materials of domestic manufacture, imported linoleum and cork are characterized with high cost. Ceramic tile is limited for application to all types of premises. Wood has indisputable advantages, such as health harmlessness, strength, good insulating qualities, beautiful unique pattern texture, and traditional rights attached to the wood, which makes wood products for flooring more advantageous. To extend the service life and reduce the cost of repairing wooden surfaces their reverse-engineering should be improved. Lower initial cost is achieved by using new materials and design.

References

1. Игнатович, Л.В. Конструктивные и технологические особенности напольных покрытий : монография/ Л.В. Игнатович, С.В. Шетько. – Минск: БГТУ, 2011. – 273 с.

2. Симонов, Е. В. Стелим пол сами: ламинат, линолеум, плитка / Е. Симонов. – Санкт-Петербург: Питер,2009. – 192 с.