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How to level plywood under laminate. Leveling the floor under laminate: detailed instructions. About the preliminary preparation of plywood

When repairing wooden floors, situations often arise when it is much more rational not to restore the worn-out coating, but to put a laminate on it. There may be several reasons: the boards are too worn, the floor has critical deflection values, or there is a desire to make floors from the most modern materials.

Several types of materials can be used to level wooden floors.

Floor leveling material	Brief technical specifications and performance characteristics
	Depending on the load, the thickness can be up to 20 mm, and is characterized by increased bending strength. Due to the high strength indicators, leveling a wooden floor can be carried out in one layer.
	Most often you need to use two layers, the price is slightly higher than the cost of OSB. Due to the two layers, the risk of deflection is eliminated; the laminate can be laid without a backing.
	Most quick method leveling, the final indicators meet the requirements for laminate floors. The finishing coating is laid on special substrates, and waterproofing is required.

For floor coverings, only moisture-resistant OSB boards and plywood should be used.

1. Determining the condition of a wooden floor. The strength of old elements is checked, only healthy coatings can be leveled. If lumber shows signs of rot, then it must be replaced.
2. Measurement of differences in height. To do this, you need to use a laser or water level; measurements are taken along the perimeter of the room and at several points in the middle. The choice of a specific leveling technology largely depends on the magnitude of the differences.
3. Quantity counting and item selection building materials, preparation of special tools.
4. Carrying out work, checking the final quality of the wooden floor after leveling.

In the article we will look at three methods of leveling, each of them is advisable to use for different slope indicators.

Leveling the floor with gypsum screed

This method is suitable for floor curvatures up to one centimeter, and is characterized by speed and ease of work. In addition, after leveling, the sheet support area increases significantly, and this allows the use of thin material and only one layer - saving time and money. For leveling, you need to have OSB boards, gypsum putty and a drill with a metal emery wheel.

Unevenness on the floor was caused by the use of wet boards. During drying, they warped, the maximum difference in height being up to a centimeter.

Step 1. Remove the tabs with an emery wheel.

You don’t need to completely level them, just remove the biggest unevenness. Due to partial leveling it will be possible to:

• increase the sheet support area. OSB has good strength indicators, but in places of point concentrations of loads along protruding lines, dents may appear over time. As a result, slight wobbles will appear and the laminate will begin to creak when walking. This is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon; it can only be eliminated after complete dismantling of the laminate and re-fixing the OSB boards;
• reduce the amount of gypsum putty. Even if the magnitude of the differences in height is reduced by several millimeters, taking into account the area of ​​the room, a significant reduction in the volume of material is obtained.

Practical advice. When sanding board joints, pay attention to the size of the cracks. Large ones need to be sealed; use any available materials for this.

Check the condition of the surface with a rule or a long level, and remove the largest protrusions again.

Step 2. Remove dust and construction debris from the floor and adjust the surface if necessary. Make sure the sheets lie horizontally.

Step 3. Pre-lay out the sheets on the floor, mark the location of each of them. Immediately cut small pieces to completely cover the floor near the walls. The fact is that then you will not have time to adjust each sheet, gypsum putty sets very quickly. In addition, you cannot walk on the sheets until the material has completely hardened.

Step 4. Prepare gypsum mortar. The brand does not matter, the material will be used under gentle conditions. To prepare plaster, you need to have a special container and a mixer for a drill. Water is always poured into the container first, and only then dry plaster is poured. The proportions of water are indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging, but you will need more. The finished solution should have a consistency similar to cream and flow freely over the floor.

Important. Keep in mind that you need to use the solution within 15–20 minutes, after which it will begin to harden and become unsuitable for further use. Adding water to hardening plaster is useless. Prepare as much as you can handle before setting begins. The volume depends not only on your labor productivity, but also on the size of the unevenness of the wooden floor.

To increase the strength and increase the hardening time of gypsum, it is recommended to add cement to the solution in a ratio of approximately 1:5.

Step 5. Pour it out ready solution section of the floor, its area must correspond to the parameters of the OSB board. Try to ensure that the solution spreads evenly over the entire area. The amount of material is determined experimentally. First pour out about half the mixture, and then add more as needed.

Step 6. Carefully lay the first slab on the prepared floor; it will squeeze out excess plaster. Over time, you will gain experience, the slab will not squeeze out any excess, this will speed up the work and reduce material consumption.

Step 7 Prepare the second sheet for installation. To make the work easier, this should be done in the following sequence:

1. Place the sheet on the floor and slowly push it until it stops with the first one already installed on the plaster.
2. Carefully lift the slab by one edge and place a support. The height of the support should provide access to the entire area of ​​the leveled floor under the sheet.
3. Use a ladle to pour the solution under the OSB board, constantly monitoring its quantity.
4. Remove the support and slowly lower the stove to the floor. Correct its position, to better remove excess solution, tap a little on the surface.

This technology allows you to level the floor without the involvement of assistants. Moreover, the speed and quality of work do not suffer.

Step 8 After the solution has completely hardened, begin screwing the OSB sheets to the wooden floor. The distance between them is approximately 30 cm, hardware can be fixed anywhere. There is no need to look for the contact points of the slab on the wooden boards; this greatly speeds up the fastening process.

If all the work is done correctly, then the levelness of the slab will fully satisfy the requirements for laminate floors. The advantages of the method are speed, low cost, reliability and excellent quality.

Leveling the floor with pads

The method is used when the slope of the wooden floor is up to 2–3 cm; it takes more time and effort. Often experienced builders It is advised to lay not one layer of a thick slab, but two of thin ones. It must be remembered that the bending resistance of one 2 cm thick plate is much less than two one centimeter each. This relationship is described by formulas for the strength of materials; you do not need to know them. The main thing is to always remember this physical feature.

As an example, we will describe the technology for leveling the floor with two layers of plywood slabs 8 mm and 10 mm thick using underlays. As a result, the coating will not only be smooth, but also very durable; no deformations will appear during operation. Before starting work, you need to find the highest point, and taking into account its location, determine the difference in height.

Step 1. Mark the location of the substrates on the wall. It is recommended to install them in such a way that the second layer of plywood at the edges is located above the substrates. For a sheet of dimensions 1.5 × 1.5 m, the step for substrates is 25 cm. You need to start work from the very top corner of the room. Make marks on the wall under the ruler.

Step 2. Calculate the approximate quantity and prepare the substrates. The dimensions of each are approximately 10x10 cm. You can use any materials of varying thickness: pieces of plywood, OSB, chipboard, fiberboard, laminate, boards, etc. The wider the choice of thickness, the easier it will be to select the necessary sets. For rough control, you can pre-calculate the number of substrates, but this is not necessary. Firstly, you will have to put several pieces in one place. Secondly, you will never know exactly how many and what thickness of substrates you may need.

Step 3. According to the marks made on the wall, draw lines on the floor. You can do this with a long metal profile and a pencil or with a special bluing rope. The second option is much faster.

Step 4. Level, install two substrates at the outer walls and one or more in the middle. The distance between them should not exceed the length of the rule; it is used to control the position of all intermediate substrates.

Practical advice. If on small area the floors are too raised, then it is much more profitable to lay one layer of plywood in this place rather than raise the entire plane. Cut the first layer of plywood around this place, and mount the second layer immediately on stands of the appropriate height. They are set according to the level of the first layer of plywood; to increase stability, it is recommended to reduce the distance between the pads. This can only be done if the dimensions of the very uneven part of the floor are insignificant.

Step 5. Attach the elements along the drawn lines, constantly check the correct position, and do not allow the horizontality of the substrates to be disturbed. They are fastened with screws; to make screwing easier, you can pre-drill holes, the diameter of which depends on the size of the screws.

Step 6. After all the substrates are fixed, place the first sheet of plywood on them and check its stability. It should not wobble or bend. Everything is fine - lay the remaining sheets, do not forget to leave a gap of about 2 mm between them; to control the distances, you can use pieces of fiberboard of the appropriate thickness.

Step 7 According to the marks made on the wall, draw lines on the plywood; they indicate the center of the substrates.

Practical advice. If you don’t want to draw a lot of lines over the entire area of ​​the sheets, then they should be attached one at a time, and the placement of the substrates should be determined by eye. The elements are of sufficient size so that the screw does not miss. If, after all, any of them did not hit the substrate, then no big problems. The task of the self-tapping screw is to pull the sheet of plywood to the stop, but it needs to reach the length of the wooden floor. If you doubt the reliability, unscrew the screw and fix it again, taking into account the displacement.

Step 8 Place the first sheet of the second layer of plywood exactly at the intersection of the lines on the first layer. This will ensure that everyone else is in the correct position.

Important. Make sure that the veneer fibers on the sheets of the second layer are perpendicular to the first. This cross arrangement method significantly increases the bending strength.

Step 9 Lay out all the sheets, check the position, start fastening with self-tapping screws along the cells drawn in pencil.

If all operations are performed carefully and responsibly, the structure will be smooth and rigid; no additional measures will have to be taken before laying the laminate. As practice shows, two people can level the floor of a medium-sized room in two days. This is much longer than in the first described case, but the curvature of the floor was much greater.

Leveling the floor using wedge-shaped joists

Most difficult option leveling wooden floors, used with a slope of 5–7 cm. To perform the work, you will need not only slabs, but also slats with a thickness of several millimeters exceeding the maximum difference in height. Another condition is that you must have an accurate circular saw with an adjustable cutting edge. different angles support platform, it is necessary to cut precise wedges on it.

Before starting work, as always, you should carefully inspect the surface of the old wooden covering. Place a long, level strip on the base or metallic profile, place a level on top, lift the rail until the bubble is positioned on the horizontal mark. The gap between the floor and the second end of the metal profile indicates the magnitude of the slope.

Important. Large slopes on the floor often appear due to rotting of joists or linings under them. Check their actual position, never level unsuitable structures, this is a waste of time and significant financial resources. Joists or boards are rotten - make a new floor.

Step 1. Attach to two opposite walls rooms metal profile. It can be fixed with dowels or self-tapping screws, depending on the material used to make the walls of the house or interior partitions. Choose a wide profile, otherwise it will bend under its own weight, which can distort the measurements during the manufacture of the logs. Using a regular bubble level, check the position of the profiles.

Step 2. Prepare a third profile, its length should be equal to the width of the room. This element will be inserted into the fixed profiles and serve as a template for measuring the slope of the wedge-shaped joists under the plywood sheets.

Step 3. Make marks on the wall depending on the length of the sheet. Install a perpendicular floating metal profile over them. Its edges must be located exactly along the end of the sheet. Draw a line on the floor; the joist should be located on it.

Step 4. Move the profile a little to the side and place the log blank on the drawn lines. This may not only be new timber, but also any used lumber that is suitable in size and quality.

Beam - log

Step 5. Move the movable metal profile towards it and draw a line on the joist along the lower edge. Do this as carefully as possible, do not rush. The horizontal position of the plywood sheets depends on how accurately the line is drawn.

Remove the workpiece and use a circular saw to cut the joist at the desired angle.

Step 6. Lay the joist on its side and draw a line at the bottom parallel to the base. The width of the mark should be equal to the thickness of the plywood sheet.

Step 7 Saw off the joist into a wedge, place it under the guide and check that the dimensions are correct. Correct errors if necessary.

Important. When working on a circular saw, strictly follow the safety requirements. Remember that this particular machine causes very serious injuries.

Step 8 All remaining logs are made using the same technology; the distance between them depends on the thickness of the plywood. For 10 mm material, the distance should be within 50–60 cm. Measure each workpiece separately, check the accuracy after cutting and place it in its place. Remember that the slope of the floor may differ slightly along the length and width of the room; you should level the plane very carefully.

It is desirable that the outer joists are slightly wider than usual. The fact is that the edges of two sheets of plywood will be fixed to them, and the screws should be located at a distance of at least two centimeters from the end. If the joist is very narrow, then a problem will arise when screwing in the hardware.

Step 9 Install all the logs in their proper place, check their horizontal level and flatness. Minor deviations can be eliminated using substrates of varying thicknesses. If the deviations are large, then it is much better to make a new wedge-shaped joist. In this case, previous mistakes should be taken into account.

Practical advice. If there are doubts about the professionalism of working on the machines, it is recommended to cut the joist a little narrower than necessary, and then substitute it to level the lining. A workpiece that is too high will have to be cut with an axe, removed with a plane, or remade again; this is long and difficult.

To control the distance between the lags, you can make a template from a cutting board - this will greatly speed up the alignment process, while guaranteeing excellent quality.

Step 10. If there are doubts about the strength, then place slats between the logs; their height must be adjusted to the size of the log. The distance between them is selected taking into account the strength of the slabs. It's easy to check the indicator. Place the plywood on the joists and walk on it. Eat the slightest signs deflection - you need to install support rails. They are each adjusted individually, depending on the size, the excess is cut off with a saw, removed with a plane or an ax. The slats are screwed to the joists at the end with long self-tapping screws. To prevent chipping, it is recommended to pre-drill holes.

Step 11 Dismantle the metal profiles installed on the walls, once again check the position of the wedge-shaped joists and jumpers between them. Use a long bubble level. Pay attention not only to the horizontalness of the joists, but also to the presence of clearance between them.

Practical advice. When leveling wooden floors in old houses, be sure to treat all lumber with antiseptics. The fact is that previously there were no such requirements, but for long time operation, there is a high probability that pests will infest the structures. It is necessary to process not only new logs and jumpers between them, but also the wooden floor. If there are cracks in it, try to ensure that the antiseptic thoroughly saturates the ends of the floorboards.

Step 12 Take turns nailing or screwing with self-tapping screws, and periodically check their position. In case of minor errors in the location of the joists, screw the self-tapping screws along the edges of the sheets at an angle. If the joist is completely nailed incorrectly, then you will have to install an additional one nearby. Her dimensions should be exactly the same.

Always tighten screws with high pressing force. When this is not done, they can slightly raise the plane of the sheet; this happens during a slight rotation of the hardware in the plywood until it enters the joist. As soon as you feel that the plate has jerked a little, unscrew the screw and screw it in again with increased pressing force.

Prices for Tarkett laminate

Tarquette laminate

Video - Leveling the floor under laminate with OSB boards

Builders know different ways base installations for the final floor covering. To decorative material lay perfectly, looked aesthetically pleasing, requires absolutely flat rough surface. If the house is made of boards, then perhaps the most effective way would be to level the wooden floor with plywood.

Plywood sheets are thin laminated wood. It is made from different types of wood, mainly pine. Sometimes birch is used. They are the most budget options to create recycled products.

When using plywood as a leveling base for laminate, preference should be given to birch products. They are lighter, softer, more pliable to process.

Plywood differs in several parameters:

• brand;
• class;
• variety;
• humidity;
• number of layers;
• dimensions.

For laminate and linoleum, pressed sheets of a certain category are chosen:

1. FOF – products with low moisture resistance;
2. FC is a material with average resistance to humidity;
3. FSF is a moisture-resistant plywood, in the production of which a special adhesive composition, reliably fixing layers without forming voids.

Pressed wooden crafts There are 4 grades, determined by the number of defects. The best are considered to be first-class sheets that do not have any flaws (knots, chips, cracks, etc.). But for rough flooring, plywood of 3-4 grades with a significant number of defects is suitable.

Attention! To level the baseunder laminatechoose FC 3 grade birch plywood. Its advantages are high strength and low cost.

When choosing plywood by thickness, you should choose 12-16 mm sheets. They will not sag, will lie flat and will adhere tightly to the joists due to their weight. Such products have special strength, resistance to stress, and durability. The thickness of plywood is determined by the number of layers. Total number there are always odd numbers. 12 mm plywood has 9 layers. When pressing, the veneers are placed perpendicular to each other to increase strength.

Sheets of plywood have certain dimensions. The length and width parameters only affect transportation and ease of installation of products. Actually on specifications they do not affect the grounds.

Attention! Plywood is afraid high humidity. Before installationunder laminateit is stored in dry, ventilated areas. This will prevent the sheets from bending and they will not warp.

When purchasing pressed wood for leveling floors, pay attention to the manufacturers. Preference should be given to domestic or European factories. They produce materials of proper quality.

If you carry out work on installing a plywood base yourself, you need to acquire a set of tools. They will help you get the job done correctly and as conveniently as possible. The list of tools includes:

• construction level;
• bench hammer (mallet);
• electric screwdriver;
• jigsaw;
• drill;
• self-tapping screws;

measuring devices:

• ruler,
• roulette.

It is important to master the skills of working with these devices and devices.

Plywood can have several options. It is laid on logs or old ones, but in good condition floorboards. The first method involves installing noise or thermal insulation.

Preparing the base according to the first option

In any log house, the floors are laid on logs: wooden beams laid at the stage of erecting the first crown of walls.

1. Subsequently, a rough floor is placed on these supports. Substandard boards are used for it.
2. When installing thermal insulation, slats are placed on the first layer of the base in increments of 40-50 cm (based on the dimensions of the insulation).
3. This structure is covered with a waterproofing sheet without tension.
4. In the spaces between the slats, mats (rolls) of mineral or basalt wool. In some cases, bulk materials are used, for example, expanded clay. It serves as excellent sound insulation.
5. Placed on top of the constructed structure vapor barrier material, lightly pin it to the slats.

After this, plywood is laid down to finally level the floors. Such a base for laminate flooring is strong and reliable, has additional conditions comfort.

Preparing the base: option 2

If the house has mostly well-preserved floorboards, there are some defects that may prevent correct installation and operation of the laminate, it is easy to eliminate. It is enough to do a few activities.

1. All protruding nail heads are recessed deep into the wood using a hammer
2. The baseboard around the entire perimeter of the room is removed.
3. Cracks and joints between boards are not sealed with anything. The plywood leveling the floor will hide them.

If it is necessary to make thermal insulation, proceed according to the first option for preparing the base. However, in in this case this can turn into a waste of money. After the entire structure is erected, a multilayer coating is obtained that does not blow through or cool due to the arrangement of materials perpendicular to each other. The plywood base retains heat well and it itself is comfortable for human feet, since it is made of natural wood.

Laying plywood under laminate

Plywood– flat material with an ideal surface. The dimensions of the sheets allow you to cover the subfloor in as soon as possible. For beginners this is the best convenient way construction of an ideal base for laminate flooring. How to level a base made of pressed materials correctly?

1. Using a level, height differences are checked. If they don't exist, great. If a recession is detected, it is eliminated using bars. They are cut out according to the thickness of the resulting slope and placed under sheets of plywood.
2. Pressed wooden panels are brought into the room in advance so that they adapt to the microclimate, absorb the required amount of moisture, and warm up in the room conditions. How much time the material needs for aging is determined by the place, method, position, temperature and humidity of the room in which it was stored before delivery to the site:

• from 1 day to 3-5 days it is necessary to keep the products relatively dry and smooth;
• a longer period is needed for those canvases that were in storage at 5-8 degrees C and 10% humidity;
• above 7 days adapt plywood with minor deformation. It is placed in a stack so that under the weight it takes on the desired shape. When attaching such canvases they use large quantity self-tapping screws

1. Square-shaped plywood sheets are laid so that their edges are in the middle of the bottom crossbar or floorboard. The ribs cannot be combined with the edges of the boards. There will be nothing to attach the screws to. The canvases will sag.
2. A deformation gap of 0.5 - 1 cm is left around the perimeter of the walls. Since plywood is made from natural veneer, it needs space and the ability to “breathe”. This gap is also used to guide the laying of laminate flooring, which cannot be placed flush against the wall.
3. To ensure that the joints between the individual elements of the rough flooring do not coincide, the second row of plywood begins with half a sheet. Using a jigsaw, according to pre-designated markings, the solid blade is cut into 2 parts. The first is used at the beginning of the row, the second at the end.
4. When laying out the leveling pressed sheets, they try to place them not close to each other, leaving a minimum gap, similar in functionality to the deformation gap.
5. The laid out canvases are secured with self-tapping screws or hardware. They are screwed in with a screwdriver until the cap is completely sunk into the wood. Let a small dent form, which will then damage the laminate. It is easy to fill the hole with putty or fill it with sealant.
6. Sometimes you have to align the sheets of plywood themselves if their edges, for example, do not coincide with each other. This is done using an electric planer or grinding machine. It is necessary to achieve an ideal surface so that the topcoat lays evenly.

A backing is usually laid on a plywood base under the laminate. It plays the role of a shock absorber and an intermediate layer between the pressed sheets and the finishing coating.

Important points

Plywood and laminate are similar in that they are equally susceptible to moisture. Responsible manufacturers specially impregnate veneer with compounds that protect them from water. If this is not done in the factory, you can protect the plywood with your own hands. This work can be carried out at any stage: during adaptation or after installation.

Laying of multilayer sheets under laminate is carried out at a temperature of 20-30 degrees C and relative humidity. Then the sheets are in optimal conditions and behave well when working with them.

In rooms with high humidity levels, for example, in bathrooms and kitchens, it is better to use other methods of floor leveling and alternative finishing material. If the microclimate is like in the tropics, the plywood will bend, the laminate will deform, and the floor will become unusable.

Plywood sheets – great option for leveling wooden floors under laminate. It is convenient and simple. Any beginner in the construction business can use this leveling technology.

Video on how to level a wooden floor with plywood

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High-quality installation of laminate flooring should only be done on a perfectly flat and very durable floor surface. Even the most best laminate may lose its high operational properties, if it is laid on a poorly prepared base. The slightest unevenness of the floor can cause severe creaking and deformation of the coating, as well as a significant reduction in its service life.

Laminate flooring should only be laid on a perfectly flat surface, so the floor must first be leveled.

Therefore, today any floor repair work begins with leveling its surface. Nowadays, the simplest and in an accessible way To eliminate any unevenness, level the floor using plywood. This method is deservedly very popular, as it does not require special knowledge and skills or large material investments.

Alignment methods

Leveling the floor for subsequent laying of laminate using plywood can be done in several ways. different ways. If you, for example, plan to lay plywood on a floor made of wooden planks, then you should simply fix the plywood on the old covering using self-tapping screws.

Arrangement of technological gaps when laying plywood sheets.

In this case, you will need to use fairly strong plywood, the thickness of which is at least 1 cm. But you should remember that before you begin this technique, you should carefully check how durable the old wooden covering is.

A much more complex, but at the same time more thorough way of leveling the surface is to install a plywood floor on joists. Its main advantage is the ability to achieve a perfectly flat floor made of plywood sheets, which is suitable for laying any flooring, including laminate.

Requirements

Before you begin laying sheets of plywood on a base made of concrete, you must properly prepare this surface. As you know, concrete is a material characterized by fairly high humidity. So before you start renovation work You should measure the humidity level in the room and make sure that it does not exceed the norm.

Technology for leveling the floor with plywood on joists.

To protect plywood sheets from the harmful effects of moisture and low temperatures, it must be covered with a layer of a special antiseptic. This will avoid the formation of mold and mildew and thereby protect the plywood from premature destruction. If you are not sure which plywood is best for leveling your floor, it is recommended to purchase Category IV plywood sheets. This plywood is more affordable, and is also treated with special compounds that will help protect the material from the harmful effects of moisture. In addition, it is absolutely harmless to humans and is ideal for leveling floors.

How to level a floor with plywood: step-by-step instructions

The technology for leveling a floor with plywood is not particularly difficult. Therefore, the work can be done independently, without the help of specialists. To level the floor, you will need the following tools:

• medium sized hammer;
• perforator;
• screwdriver;
• large tape measure;
• level;
• electric jigsaw.

Plywood floor repair diagram.

First you need to prepare concrete base, following all the recommendations described above. The floor surface must be thoroughly dried and cleaned of dust and other contaminants.

Now draw a line on the surface of the wall, which will become a guide when installing the new floor. This boundary should run along the perimeter of the entire room and be carefully measured to prevent even the slightest inaccuracy. Now you should prepare the logs. For this purpose, ready-made bars made of fairly durable natural wood are best suited.

Today, ready-made wooden logs can be purchased without any problems in almost every building supply store. When choosing logs, it is best to give preference to those made from thoroughly dried wood. coniferous trees. The cross-sectional size of such logs should be approximately 40x100 mm. In addition, you will need to prepare special gaskets, which are also made of wood and installed directly under the logs. These spacers should be approximately 10 cm wide and about 20 cm long. As for their thickness, it should be at least 2.5 cm. When laying the joists, it is important to remember that they should be positioned across the rays of light falling from room windows. The logs should be laid at a distance of 50 cm from each other.

Scheme for leveling the floor with plywood.

During installation, the lag between them will remain free space, which can be filled with various sound and thermal insulation materials, For example, mineral wool or basalt insulation. Thanks to this, you will get a very warm and absolutely silent laminate floor in your room.

It is important to remember that under no circumstances should the logs be placed close to the wall surface. There must be a small gap of about 2-3 cm between the wall and the joist. This will protect the laminate flooring from deformation, which often occurs during expansion of the material caused by changing weather. While laying the joists, constantly ensure that the system you are installing is at the same level that was previously marked as the boundary of the new floor. If some of the joists turned out to be lower than you planned, then you can correct this situation by simply placing wooden wedges under them. We should not forget about the mandatory soundproofing linings made of soft material, which must be installed between the joists, wood spacers and wedges.

Scheme for leveling the floor with moisture-resistant plywood.

As such a lining, you can use linoleum or a layer of foamed polyethylene.

First, you should lay wooden logs around the perimeter of the room and only after that begin laying the cross beams. Once the entire sheathing is ready, you can begin installing the plywood. Plywood sheets should be cut electric jigsaw into equal parts with sides of 75x75 cm. These squares should be screwed to the joists so that they are not located close to each other, but at a distance of 2-3 mm. If you install plywood to the joists without this required gap, then over time the floor will begin to creak very much.

Depending on the level of humidity or air temperature, a tree can greatly change its original volume. And this may cause the laminate to begin to “walk.” It is in order to compensate for such expansion or contraction of the tree that it is recommended to leave small gaps between the sheets of plywood and between the joists and the surface of the walls. It is best to screw plywood to the joists using self-tapping screws, which must be placed at a distance of 50-100 mm from each other.

If leveling the floor with plywood is carried out in the hallway or corridor, then the logs should be laid in such a way that they stand perpendicular to the movement of people.

This simple technique will help make your laminate floor more durable and reliable.

Leveling the floor under the laminate with plywood using logs is the most suitable option when there is a need to hide a large difference in height between different sections of the floor, which ranges from 5 cm or more. Such a floor made of plywood sheets will become a truly strong and reliable base for any modern floor covering. Real birch plywood is absolutely safe for both humans and environment, which distinguishes it favorably from OSB, chipboard and fiberboard.

In the case where height differences in the surface fluctuate within limits not exceeding 1 cm, installation of plywood sheets can be carried out directly on the concrete floor, without using wooden beams. For this type of work, the plywood must have a fairly large thickness of at least 18 mm. In this situation, you can use dowels or special adhesive mastic to secure the plywood to the floor. With this method of laying plywood, the floor surface is prepared according to the same rules as before installation wooden logs. To apply a layer of adhesive to concrete surface you need to use a special notched spatula.

Laminate is a fairly popular floor covering. But required condition its installation is on a flat floor. That is why it is leveled using plywood or other methods.

Before installing laminate flooring, you need to ensure that the floors are perfectly level. The leveling process depends on the original condition of the floor covering. If you neglect this procedure, the laminate will quickly become unusable, begin to crack, and lose its attractive appearance.

In places of unevenness, the finishing coating will crack and change shape. If there are elevations, the laminate will begin to swell. If the base is loosened, then the coating itself will begin to diverge. That is why you need to take all necessary measures to level the floor.

If the presence of unevenness is a couple of millimeters, then there is no need to level the coating. It is enough to use a thick substrate.

Laminate is quite popular among floor coverings. It is made of wood and covered with a protective layer on top that prevents mechanical and chemical influences. It is widely used in both residential buildings, and in office buildings.

Advantages of laminate:

• Attractive appearance;
• Acceptable price;
• Easy installation;
• Quality.

It is possible to level a wooden base with your own hands. At the same time, the pricing policy of the issue is acceptable. You don’t need a lot of tools for the procedure, just desire.

How to level an old wooden floor under laminate: methods and techniques

The alignment procedure has several methods. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. To determine best option For your own case, you need to familiarize yourself with each of them.

Methods for leveling flooring:

• Manual or mechanical scraping;
• Using OSB, chipboard or fiberboard plywood;
• Self-leveling mixtures;
• Putty made from shavings and PVA glue;
• Use of lags;
• Concrete screed.

Looping involves the use of special grinding machines. This technique will take a sufficient amount of time and effort. You will have to deepen all the nails and screws so that their caps do not peek out. If this is not done, then breakdown of the unit is inevitable.

If the floor has some differences, then leveling with plywood is suitable. It's simple and effective method. Plywood raises the floor by only a couple of centimeters, which is very convenient in a room with a low ceiling.

For better effect you need to use two layers: the first is made of fiberboard, the second is plywood. In this case, the joints should not coincide.

For minor unevenness, self-leveling mixtures can be used. Before leveling, you need to carry out preparatory work: replace damaged boards, fill the cracks, fix loose boards, prime the floor and take care of waterproofing. You can use additional reinforced polyethylene mesh, which should be laid on a small layer of the mixture. It is used if the self-leveling floor height should exceed 1 cm.

Leveling with putty is the most cheap way. Preparatory work with this method, they include securing the guide strips. The interval between them should be 50-60 cm. The mixture should be applied to a clean floor treated with degreasers. After drying, you need to secure the plywood on top.

When the old floor has completely deteriorated, it is better to use joist mounting. To do this you need to get rid of the old boards. Expanded clay is poured between the joists, then there is a layer of polystyrene foam or gypsum fiber board and the whole thing is covered with plywood.

Concrete screed is often used to level the floor. The disadvantage of this procedure is heavy weight concrete. That is why the rough wooden floor must still be strong enough to withstand the required load.

Leveling a wooden floor: how to determine the presence of unevenness

To properly level the floor and ensure the durability of the floor covering, you must take the necessary measures. This can be done in several ways. But before such a procedure, it is necessary to inspect the quality of the wooden base.

Parameters for assessing floor quality:

1. Presence of insects and rot. Need to study carefully wood covering at both sides. If there are no traces of harmful influence, the floor does not need to be changed.
2. Evenness of the floor covering. This can be done using a laser level or visual assessment. If you have the skills, you can resort to the help of a building level.
3. The presence of irregularities and bumps. To do this, pull two ropes and monitor the contact of the thread with the floor.

Before the procedure for determining unevenness, it is necessary to clear the floor of any objects. This will help more accurately determine the presence of flooring defects. You can use any of the methods to check the evenness of floors. You can also use a mounting level or hydraulic level.

Degrees of roughness:

• Small – 5-20 mm;
• Medium – 20-60 mm;
• Large - from 60 mm.

After identifying the unevenness, you can choose the leveling method. Laying plywood is considered the most optimal. This is a simple option that anyone can do on their own.

The sequence of leveling the floor with plywood under the laminate

This technique does not take much effort and does not require special skills. We level the floor ourselves with our own hands. For this you only need desire and set necessary equipment and materials.

Tools for leveling plywood floors:

• Medium hammer;
• Hammer;
• Screwdriver;
• Roulette;
• Level.

Fastening plywood is the most effective way to level the floor. It can be used when the base has completely deteriorated or has severe unevenness. But at the same time, all power components must be strong enough.

Sequence of work on leveling the floor with plywood:

1. First you need to secure the logs. To do this, you need to determine the zero point to which the plywood will be attached. This point starts from the highest point of the old floor. To it you need to add the thickness of the planks (joists) themselves. Next, you need to make marks around the entire perimeter of the room, indicating the height of the new floor.
2. Then you need to stretch it with construction thread. Screws need to be secured along the entire floor at the level of the cord. This will serve as a guide for further work.
3. At the pointer level, you need to install lags. The interval between the centers of the planks should be no more than 60 cm. If the lag does not reach the floor, then you need to make a lining.
4. After the evenness of the planks is determined using a level, you need to begin securing the plywood. The material is attached to self-tapping screws when the cap is deepened by 2-3 mm.
5. After this, you need to check the evenness of the floor again.

The plywood joints must coincide with the joists. They should not be in the air and create a gap. Otherwise, this coating will not last long.

After leveling, you should take care of ventilation. This will increase the lifespan of the floor. To do this, just make small holes in opposite sides rooms.

Tips: how to level a wooden floor under laminate (video)

The process of leveling the floor when using plywood does not have any difficulties. You need to prepare in advance and study all the nuances and features of using plywood. It is also advisable to have the necessary tools on hand.

Laminate is a high-quality and inexpensive floor covering. This material appeared on the building materials market relatively recently. However, it has already earned enormous popularity. This is due to the beautiful and aesthetically pleasing(laminate according to appearance similar to parquet), durability, low cost, easy care and ease of installation. However, for installation it is necessary that the base on which it will be laid be perfectly level.

If laser level no, then this work can be done using a simple building level with water sensors. But at this level the work will take longer. The process is performed in the same sequence:

• First you should find the highest place near the floor wall;
• then a level is applied to the wall and a strip is drawn along the lower edge of the level;
• after which a level is applied to the end of the line and a line is drawn until it passes along the entire perimeter of the room.

The next step will be finding bumps and depressions on the floor. Two ropes are stretched along and across the room according to the marking level. If there is no contact with the floor in any place, then this level will be ideal. If there is still contact with the floor, then the level should be increased by a few millimeters.

If the unevenness of the base does not exceed three millimeters, then laying a substrate will be sufficient to smooth them out (the best option is cork backing). In all other cases, leveling the floor under the laminate is required.

The first method of leveling a wooden floor

The first and most common method is to level the floor using plywood. This method is used when floor differences are no more than 6 millimeters per 1 square meter floor. Installation of this material is distinguished by its simplicity and is carried out as follows.

The second way to level a wooden floor

The second method is to use joists on which the floor boards are attached. This method should be used only if the old boards have become unusable, and the logs themselves are still in excellent condition. The process consists of the following steps.

1. Removing old floor boards. Everything is clear here; old boards are removed using a nail puller and a hammer. In this case, you must not damage the logs to which they are attached.
2. Base insulation. A layer of expanded clay is first poured into the space between the joists, on top of which foam is then laid. The insulation must be laid tightly, filling the entire free area between the joists. The joints between the plates can be treated with special mastic or filled with polyurethane foam.
3. Laying plywood. The final stage- This is laying plywood. The sheets are attached to the joists using self-tapping screws. The step between the fasteners should be 15-20 cm. After this, the backing and laminate are laid on the plywood.

The third way to level a wooden floor

The third method is puttying with PVA glue and sawdust. It is very easy to use, but takes quite a lot of time. To do this, you need to take sawdust from wood, PVA glue, wooden guides, a spatula with a width of 300 millimeters, and an installation level. Next, we recommend following the step-by-step instructions.

1. Installation of guides. After determining the level of the future floor, we set the guides with a distance between them of 30 centimeters over the entire floor area. You need to start from the side where the floor has less deviation from the level. At the same time, we install guides around the entire perimeter of the room.
2. Surface treatment with primer. Initially, the surface should be treated with a primer. The composition is applied using a brush.
3. Making putty mixture. PVA glue must be added sawdust. You need to add until you get a substance with a creamy consistency. You can mix it using a construction mixer.
4. Applying the composition to the surface. The mixture should be applied no more than a centimeter thick, as it will shrink. After applying the first layer, you must wait for it to dry completely. Then we apply the next layer and so on until the required height of the applied putty is achieved;
5. Laying plywood or fiberboard. When the putty is completely dry, you need to put thin plywood or fiberboard on top of it. These sheets are attached to the guides with screws or nails. It is also worth initially deciding what you will use to cover the putty floor. This is necessary so that the joints between the sheets fall exactly on the guides.

Two more ways to level a wooden floor under a laminate

The fourth and fifth methods can only be used if the wooden floor is truly strong and reliable. They consist in leveling the surface using a self-leveling mixture or concrete mortar. Moreover, the second method places a significant load on the base: it increases by approximately 75-100 kg per 1 sq. m. meter.

Step-by-step instruction:

It is worth remembering that these two methods are not best options for wooden floor. When the boards bend, the screed can simply crack. Therefore, it is preferable to choose the first three alignment options.

The final stage of any method, immediately before installing the laminate, is laying the underlay. Exist different kinds substrates ( roll type), but the principle of their installation is approximately the same: pieces of rolls of material are laid on the prepared base with a slight overlap on each other, or joint to joint. The seams are taped. And after this you can install the laminate panels.