Laminate flooring: step by step instructions and methods. Laying Laminate: Traditional, Diagonal Installation Where Laminate Should Not Be Layed
The building materials market is rich in a variety of floor coverings. Laminated panels are the youngest type of all, however, due to the variety of textures and colors, strength and versatility, this material has managed to win the trust of consumers. Laminate laying technology is thought out and calculated, so even a novice in the construction business can lay out the floor.
What conditions for the operation of the laminate must be met?
Before you start directly laying the laminate, you need to provide all the conditions for its use. Experienced builders know that you need to work with this flooring in a well-heated room. The house should be warm and humid. It is advisable to maintain the temperature in the apartment at the same level within 20-30 degrees Celsius. The recommended air humidity should be 40-70%.
What tools are needed?
Do-it-yourself laminate flooring is a simple task, the main thing is to prepare all the necessary materials and tools. You will need:
Laminate sheets;
Primer;
Foamed polyethylene;
Thin polyethylene, thickness - 200 microns;
Skirting boards and fixings for them;
Special wedges for gaps, wooden pegs or crosses.
To work, you need to prepare the following tools:
Construction corner and tape measure;
Knife and pencil;
Electric jigsaw or hacksaw;
Rubber mallet and wooden block.
Foundation preparation
Laying a laminate with your own hands requires certain preparatory work, namely the creation of a base. It should be perfectly smooth and even. They can serve: tile, concrete, wood or linoleum.
The most common is the technology of laying laminated concrete floor. The final layer of the finished flooring can be placed only after the base has dried. If a cement-sand mixture was poured in the new house, then the laminate can be laid out only after a month. When working with an old base, you need to check its condition after the previous coating has been removed. To avoid bumps and cracks, it is leveled with a special mixture. If the damage to the concrete cannot be repaired, then a new screed is made.
Do not forget that a layer of vapor barrier must be laid on the self-leveling floor. It is made of a polyethylene film with a slight overlap on the walls (no more than 12-14 cm) and an overlap of 15-25 cm. The thickness of the vapor barrier layer should not be less than 200 microns. To make the coating uniform, its joints are fixed with construction tape.
The technology for laying laminate on a wooden floor is somewhat different from the method described above. It is possible to cover such a floor with a finish coating only if the old old material is not infected with pests, there are no fungi and mold on it. Poorly fixed floorboards are securely fastened with self-tapping screws to wooden rails or logs. Roughness and unevenness can be easily eliminated with scraping. If there are gaps or badly damaged boards on the old floor, then it would be more expedient to replace them with new ones. To do this, you need to disassemble the floor area to the lag.
To level such a floor, you can use chipboard sheets. The technology for laying laminate on plywood will be the same as on the screed. The only difference is that chipboard does not require a vapor barrier, it is enough to place a soundproof substrate on it. Only you need to put the sheets in a checkerboard pattern - this is the main rule of a flat floor.
Also, laminate can be laid on durable and fixed surfaces in the form of linoleum and tiles. They guarantee a flat floor, protect against moisture, which means they can be an excellent base for finishing panels. The technology of laying laminate on linoleum or tiles has its own characteristics. Before starting work, it is imperative to check the surface with a building level, making sure that the floor is even, you can start laying the substrate for sound insulation. After carrying out all the manipulations, you can safely begin the installation of laminate panels.
Where not to lay out the laminate?
Despite the fact that some consider laminate flooring to be a universal floor covering, it can not be installed everywhere. It is strictly forbidden:
Laying laminate flooring in the bathroom, bath and other similar rooms;
Attach or glue to the floor base;
Lay it on carpets;
Spread the laminate panels on the matte and cable systems of the "warm" floor, which is under electrical voltage.
Laying methods
Do-it-yourself laminate flooring involves the use of a certain method of attaching flooring panels. There are two main methods: the Click and Lok locking systems and the adhesive method. The latter is similar to the traditional way of laying parquet, it is the so-called tongue and groove system. The edges of the panels are lubricated with special glue, thanks to which they hold firmly. The glue method is used in rooms that are intensively used by people. This system provides protection against water ingress and increased strength of the seams. This process is quite laborious, plus the floor structure cannot be disassembled.
The use of locking systems greatly simplifies the laying of laminate panels. The essence of the Click system is that the spike on each row is inserted into the groove of the previous one. It snaps into place at an angle of 30 degrees, and for the end lock to work, you need to tap on the panel with a hammer.
Do-it-yourself laminate flooring using the Lock locking system involves the installation of panels strictly horizontally. The spike is combined with a groove in an already laid structure. In order for the lock to work, it is carefully driven in with a hammer.
Laminate laying technology: scheme and installation rules
There are three main schemes for laying laminate flooring:
At a certain angle to the direction of the light, in other words, diagonally;
Parallel towards the light;
Perpendicular.
Most often, laminate laying technology involves the second option, but this is not a prerequisite. Depending on the design projects, flooring can be laid in different ways. The only thing that needs to be observed is the installation of panels with a shift. Experts call this method "out of the box". The bottom line is to lay out each next panel with a shift relative to the adjacent row.
Chess layout
Outwardly, this pattern is very similar to brickwork. This three-lane scheme assumes the displacement of each subsequent row by half. The "brick" method can hardly be called economical, since the material overrun is about 15%. However, this method is the most durable of all. It is best to use material of the same color or shade when laying, so the checkerboard pattern will look more harmonious.
Classic styling scheme
Do-it-yourself laminate laying technology according to the classical method is considered the most beneficial for the owner of a house or apartment. It begins to be performed parallel to the direction of the streams of light, that is, from the nearest wall. The cut off piece of the panel becomes the beginning of the next row, this is the essence of the economy - almost all the material is used during the work. It is not recommended to use parts of the laminate with a length of less than 25-30 cm. An exception may be areas of the floor hidden from view, that is, places where large-sized furniture will stand.
Laying "diagonally"
This method involves laying the laminate at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the doorway, that is, the wall where it is located. This scheme visually transforms the space of the room, making it more spacious and free. Designers advise laying out the laminate in this way in rooms with a corner entrance door. The overspending of material is on average 15-20% of the total number of panels. However, keep in mind that in square-shaped rooms, unlike narrow or wide ones, the material is consumed with minimal residues.
Stages of work
1. First you need to leave gaps between the wall and the first row of at least 10 mm, you can adjust them using wedges or crosses.
2. Each row should be laid out with an offset of the next one by at least 15 cm.
3. It is best to start installation from a corner near the heating pipes or radiator. If you end up working in the place where the heating system is located, it will interfere.
4. Where the laminate panels connect to the pipes, holes must be made with a jigsaw or a construction knife. Be sure to leave a gap between the radiator and the coating.
5. The final row of laminate is cut to size. The geometry of the rooms is rarely perfect, so its length, width and curves are strictly individual.
7. After all the work, you can start screwing the skirting boards and decorative thresholds near the doorways. Wall planks need to be fixed with adhesives, they press them tightly to the floor and evenly press on the entire area of the laminate.
The floor covering, which is mounted on a locking system, is ready for use immediately. The laminate, laid out with adhesive, should dry for some time, which is indicated on the package.
Previously, the technology of laying a laminate was considered. Preparation and recommendations of specialists will help to lay out the floor more efficiently and beautifully:
Never lay out the laminate in wet areas, remember, he is afraid of water;
When buying a material, pay attention to the manufacturer, evaluate the level of wear resistance and resistance to scratches and other damage;
Do not forget to check the quality of the purchased products, the service life of the flooring depends on it;
Wear resistance can be tested at home with sandpaper;
Correctly calculate the amount of material, not forgetting about overspending (on average 15%);
If the laminate smells unpleasant, then it is unlikely that it is made of quality materials;
A good floor covering should have a decent weight, lightweight materials are likely not dense enough and shock resistant;
Before buying, inspect the panels from the end, they should be even, without bends;
It is only necessary to level the base if there are many drops and irregularities on the surface;
Do not forget to leave gaps between the panels and walls, the laminate dries out and expands;
Scratches can be removed with a mixture of baking soda and water;
Laminate flooring should be washed no more than twice a week;
Water with vinegar, lemon juice will help clean the floor from dirt and dust and give it shine.
This article will help you master the technology of laying laminate and do it yourself without the involvement of specialists. Follow the instructions and your floor will be beautiful and even.
Laminate is a material that has won a leading position among many floor coverings on our market due to its high quality, relatively low price, ease of installation and a wide range of models, different colors and shades. Also, consumers are attracted by the fact that this material can be laid on almost any rough coating. Therefore, it is not surprising that more and more people are interested in the question of how to lay a laminate with their own hands. You will find detailed instructions in our article.
- Laminate is a panel with a thickness of 0.7-1 cm and a length of 20 to 130 cm.
- If you decide to lay a laminate floor on the floor, first of all you need to decide how much material you need to buy. You should purchase a laminate with a margin of 10-15%, in case one of the dies is damaged during installation. This flooring is available in packs of 8-10 boards, designed for 2 square meters. m, be guided when choosing exactly on the quadrature, i.e. if you want to close 12 square meters. m. you need to buy 13.5-14 square meters. m laminate.
- Also, when purchasing this material, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the laminate panel. Dies, the layer of which is less than 10 mm, are recommended to be used only in rooms where a large load is not planned on the flooring.
- It should be taken into account in which particular room you will lay the laminate. This material has the characteristics of wood, so it is not recommended to lay it in the bathroom and kitchen. Typically, laminate flooring is used in bedrooms, nurseries, offices and living rooms. Today, there are moisture-resistant laminate models, in the manufacture of which HDF is used, they can be placed in the corridor and catering department.
- It is advisable to let the laminate lie down for several days before use in the room where it is planned to be used, so that the material has time to reach the ambient temperature. After printing the packaging, you need to immediately start laying the material.
Subfloor preparation before laminate flooring
This coating is applied only on a flat, dry and clean surface. Each laminate panel is equipped with locks, so that they are easily fastened together. But when the slope of the floor surface is more than 0.4 cm per 2 sq. m. the ridges may break, and the boards in the future will loosen and begin to creak. Therefore, preparing the base for laminate flooring is just as important as the installation itself.
Installation of this material usually does not require a screed. But the features of this stage of work largely depend on the rough flooring.
wooden base
If your old floor is wood, careful preparation will be required before laying the laminate. In order for the flooring to last for a long time, the relief of the floor should not exceed 0.2 cm. If the parquet boards creak, you need to fasten them with screws. But, if you want to achieve the perfect result, do not be too lazy to replace rotten wood.
If the floor has obvious defects, it should be disassembled to the lags: perhaps the structure needs to be further strengthened. Another solution to this problem is to lay another layer of new boards or sheet plywood. This is the ideal way to level such a floor if the height of the ceiling allows you to "steal" a few more centimeters.
The old wooden coating must be treated with antipyrine and antiseptic. Then the boards are cycled with a special machine to get rid of small irregularities.
After the preliminary work is completed, the floor is vacuumed, as even a crumb that has fallen under the laminate may creak unpleasantly in the future.
The wooden base is not waterproofed before laying the laminate flooring, so as not to cause premature decay of the subfloor.
Linoleum and tiles
Laminate flooring can be laid directly on linoleum or tile if the surface is sufficiently flat, without waves. Before installation, the base is thoroughly washed and vacuumed. Lay laminate only on a dry floor!
Concrete flooring
Preparing the concrete base before laying the laminate will take much less effort than wood. If you have a new concrete floor, then it only needs to be cleaned of dust and small particles. In cases where the concrete has begun to crack, it should be repaired. The exfoliated pieces are removed, the recesses and cracks are covered with a solution. Also, if there are small "pits", you can use a self-leveling mixture. In order for the repaired concrete not to dust and crumble in the future, a fresh cement screed is primed with ceresin.
Be sure to clean and vacuum the surface.
Carpets
This type of base is not suitable for laying laminate, so it must be removed, and then the subfloor must be prepared.
vapor barrier
Despite the artificial origin, the laminate has the properties of wood, namely, it can absorb moisture and swell, so a layer of waterproofing must be laid before laying this flooring.
Please note that the only exception is the wooden subfloor, as the film will not allow the natural material to breathe and will speed up the rotting process.
In order to prevent moisture from entering the laminate, roofing material or ordinary polyethylene can be used. The vapor barrier should cover the entire floor area, it is overlapped on the walls and secured with adhesive tape so that the edges of the material extend beyond the laminate.
By itself, the laminate is quite hard and thin material, so it is necessary to lay it on a hard floor surface with a backing that will help to properly distribute the load on the surface.
Cushioning without overlap is laid on a waterproofing or rough wooden floor. Do not immediately cover the entire surface of the floor with material, it will interfere with you when laying the laminate. Cut the backing into suitable pieces. Spread two canvases, fasten them with adhesive tape, lay several rows of flooring on top. Then lay the remaining base under the laminate.
For the purpose of depreciation, you can use any material presented on the construction market: foamed polyethylene, cork backing, etc. Foamed polyethylene film can be used as two in one: for waterproofing and shock absorption.
There are two main types of laminate installation: connection with glue and a system of floating boards, which involves the "clutching" of panels with special locks on the principle of puzzles.
The first method is used mainly for laying in a room with a large area. For flooring in standard apartments, it is rarely used, as it requires a lot of time and additional expenses. The second option is the most common, we will describe it further.
Laminate with click lock
For work you will need: a pencil, a tape measure, a hammer, a saw or an electric jigsaw, a mounting bracket.
Laminate dies are connected to each other, from all four sides: the crest of one board enters the groove of the adjacent one and snaps into place with a hammer. To do this, slightly lift the panel towards you and lightly hit the bar with your palm or a tool. You can not hit the comb itself, it will damage the board.
Laminate panels are laid in strips. You can start from any side, but it is better with the length and the first row of flooring is placed along the wall. If you lay the laminate perpendicular to the window, the gaps between the boards will not be visible. In the case when you decide to lay this material in the corridor, you need to mount the plates in length, otherwise you may not have enough laminate.
There must be a gap between the wall and the flooring so that the laminate has the necessary space for expansion. For this purpose, 0.5–1 cm thick pegs are placed between the board and the wall, every 25–30 cm. Cut pieces of laminate are perfect as spacers.
Laminate installation step by step
- To get started, take two dice. At the first, you need to saw off a comb with an electric jigsaw - this side of the board will be adjacent to the wall. Remember: the groove should never be touched, while laying it should always be directed towards the worker.
- The laminate is laid in a checkerboard pattern (panel I - in the 1st row, panel II - in the 2nd), so the boards are more securely fixed to each other. We advise you to shift the adjacent row by at least 30 cm. Shorten the second die by this amount.
- Lay panel I in the first row, and cut board II in the second. Connect them as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.
- Next, hook a solid plate III to panel I, and complete the second row with an uncut board IV. Don't forget to cut the comb on the elements adjacent to the wall.
- We finish the rows in the same way. Before laying the last boards in line, carefully measure the distance, and saw off the boards according to the obtained parameters. A mounting bracket is used to snap these elements into place.
- The remaining rows are also laid, but the ridges no longer need to be cut.
- Having reached the last row, the panels are cut off based on the gap remaining to the wall, taking into account the indentation of 1 cm. We connect them with a clamp-clamp.
Laminate is a modern, high-quality flooring that fits well with any interior. The only conditions for long-term operation of such material: proper installation and a flat rough surface.
Installing a laminate floor is not the easiest task for a beginner, but it is quite doable. So be patient and you will definitely succeed!
Laminate has long and firmly gained popularity in the market of finishing materials. It has its pros and cons, but the main advantages are: low cost, wear resistance, easy installation and a striking resemblance to natural wood. At the same time, the price of a parquet board exceeds the cost of a laminate by 2-3 times. Those who want to have wooden floors at home, but for some reason cannot afford an array, choose a laminate. This material is easier to care for. In addition, the laminate can imitate the texture of any type of wood, even the rarest, most valuable and expensive. So, if it is decided to lay a laminate, then it remains to deal with the nuances of its installation. We will talk about how to produce laminate flooring in this article.
Laying laminate does not require special knowledge and skills - just follow the instructions that the manufacturer attaches to each package of material. In the same place, on the information sheet, the basic information about the material is indicated, the main of which is the product class. For residential premises, it is recommended to choose a laminate of class 32, 33.
When choosing a laminate, it is necessary to take into account not only its appearance and color scheme, but also the humidity of the room, operating conditions, the presence of sudden temperature changes, and the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. So, for the bathroom and hallway, it is recommended to choose a waterproof laminate.
Before laying laminate flooring, you need to know about the following nuances:
- The purchased material is left indoors in a closed package at a temperature of 14 to 22 degrees and a humidity of not more than 60% for 48 hours.
- After opening the package, it is recommended to check all the lamellas in good light conditions for the same shade in order to exclude discrepancies in the color of the panels from different packs.
- You will also need to sort out damaged items. They can be left for trimming the extreme short lamellae. It is carefully recommended to check the quality and integrity of the lock elements.
- Since the shade of the panels from different packs may not match, during the installation process I lay them one by one from each package. The floor covering will not turn out to be monophonic, but the distribution of several shades over the floor surface will be uniform.
- Modern material is equipped with a functional locking system located at all ends of the lamella, which simplifies and speeds up the installation process of the coating.
- In any room, humidity changes depending on the time of year and the coating experiences temperature deformation - it either shrinks or expands. This phenomenon must be foreseen and a gap between the laminate and the wall of 1-1.2 cm should be left along the perimeter. It will be necessary to retreat from all protruding elements of the room - the door frame, riser, pipes.
- When using the technology of laying a laminate on an adhesive solution, no gap is left. But it should be borne in mind that such a floor cannot be repaired and cannot be dismantled and taken with you when moving, as laid by the floating method, modern coatings, the locking systems of which require repeated installation and dismantling of lamellas.
Laminate modern floors have excellent moisture resistance, due to the density and special structure of the interlocks, however, they will not be able to withstand prolonged exposure to moisture on their surface. For rooms where liquid can stand on the floor surface for a long time - melt water from shoes in the hallway or in the bathroom, it is better to use a waterproof PVC laminate, which is absolutely not afraid of direct contact with water.
PVC laminate is environmentally friendly and safe for humans and the environment. You can find a detailed list of the advantages of PVC panels.
Kronospan laminate prices
Kronospan laminate
Types of bases
Laminate flooring is laid on a wooden or concrete base, which is most often found in apartments and country houses. At the same time, the quality of the base plays a decisive role in the durability of the coating and its aesthetics.
The coating consists of lamellas having a multilayer structure. At all ends of the panels there are locking joints that are closed by snapping the panels to each other - the laying process is accelerated, and its laboriousness is simplified, but the quality of the result will depend on the thoroughness of the work on preparing the base.
If the floor level difference exceeds 2 mm per 2 m², then during the operation of such a coating, the lamella locks will be subjected to serious stress and they will soon break, gaps will form between the panels and the solidity of the coating will begin to be broken. The curvature of the base can lead to problems with the stability of furniture and cabinet doors. These troubles can occur even with acceptable values of a uniform slope. Therefore, it is better to spend a little more time and qualitatively level the base.
concrete base
Before leveling, the old concrete screed is repaired - the cracks are expanded and filled with a mortar from a cement-sand mixture. If there are large damages in the screed, then self-leveling mixtures are used to seal them. When the repair layer dries, it must be sanded and filled with a finishing layer of screed. The screed must be treated with a primer before laying the laminate to prevent dust formation on its surface.
Having a concrete base, consider the following features before laying the laminate:
- When pouring a new concrete screed, you must wait for it to dry completely. Usually this period is at least 28 days and can be calculated based on the thickness of the screed: 1 week to dry 1 cm of thickness.
- It is necessary to achieve evenness of the base, the differences should not exceed 2 mm per m².
- When installing the “warm floor” system, the laminate is purchased with the appropriate marking indicated by the manufacturer, and during the operation of the coating, it is ensured that its heating does not exceed 29 degrees.
- Be sure to lay a vapor barrier material on the base before laying the laminate, the thickness of which should be more than 150 microns.
If there is an old coating in the room that is not protected from moisture, then it must be removed. If it is linoleum, PVC panels or vinyl tiles, then it is enough to lay the substrate on top.
Video - Laminate Laying Technology
Laminate flooring is a great option for those people who want to have beautiful inexpensive flooring in their home in a short time. It also pleases with high wear resistance and long shelf life. Due to these properties, it is preferred by many homeowners. True, some are only planning to install it, but do not yet know how to lay a laminate. This article will tell you about all the intricacies of this case.
There are two main methods of laying laminate flooring:
- Traditional.
The first involves placing rows of lamellas parallel to one wall and perpendicular to the other.
Traditional and diagonal method As for the diagonal method, it consists in placing the dice diagonally across the room. Such laying of a laminate is able to visually make the volume of the room larger. She is often photographed.
Laying laminate There is a more exotic way - the herringbone method. It is quite complex. Therefore, it is performed only by specialists.
Few people dare to perform it at home.
To install tarkett or quick step laminate, you need to purchase it. And here the question is: how much do you need? To do this, you need to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe room and divide by the area of one board.
Quantities of laminate by area This will determine the number of lamellas. It is good to create a plan for the placement of boards by choosing the desired installation method. Using the plan, you can determine how many pieces will have a length less than 30 centimeters.
Board plan Given the rules for laying laminate, such lamellas cannot be mounted. The area of these pieces is calculated and the stock is determined. Next, you need to add a few more percent, because you can cut the lamella inaccurately.
It is also important to consider that the crest of the boards of the first row will be cut off. Also, the dies of the last row may require longitudinal trimming. The width after trimming should be equal to or greater than 5 cm. This is indicated in various videos.
If a diagonal laying method is chosen, then it is worth making a 20 percent margin.
In addition to buying a laminate, the owner should stock up on additional materials:
Additional materials - and a waterproofing film (their area should slightly exceed the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, they will need to be laid under a quick step laminate or another brand);
- cement, sand, primer (for concrete floors);
- boards, ;
To perform the work, the following are in demand:
- expansion wedges;
- clamp;
- hacksaw;
- miter saw or electric jigsaw;
- wooden block;
- tool for grouting concrete screed;
- Sander.
The last two elements are case specific. If you need to level the wooden surface under the laminate by cutting off the protruding parts, then use a grinder. If there is a concrete floor, then pouring the screed and grouting require an appropriate tool.
Laminated slats can be installed on any type of floor . That is, he will “feel comfortable” both on a concrete floor and on a wooden floor.
However, the coating for a quick step or tarkett laminate must be perfectly even.
This means that on two square meters the height difference should not exceed two millimeters. The presence of drops, depressions and various defects leads to the bending of the coating. This weakens the strength of the bonds in the locks and ends with their breakage. As a result, the coating creaks, and cracks appear between its boards. There are also other consequences that the video tutorial can talk about.
The flooring under the tarkett laminate can be sloped. The rules allow it. However, the difference between heights of 2 m² must not exceed 4 mm. Experts do not advise creating such a bias.
The preparation of a rough coating for a laminate is carried out taking into account these features. If the floor is concrete, then the previous coating is removed from it, as well as all dirt. All cement particles that are loosely fixed or peeled off are removed. If this is not done, there will be irregularities in the future. The laminate will sag and you can also hear it creak.
Each hole, crack, difference is filled with cement mortar. The next step is a thorough grout. The surface under the laminate must be made as smooth as possible. Therefore, you should be prepared that the grout will take a lot of effort. To properly grout, we recommend watching a special video.
If there are many irregularities on the concrete floor, then a solid screed is poured under the tarkett laminate and grout is made. At the end, the prepared concrete surface is primed. The primer strengthens the top of the screed and prevents sand from separating from it. Without a primer, the sand separates and then creaks under the laminate.
The wooden floor under the laminate often has bumps. This is due to the ability of wood to deform under the influence of moisture. To level it, use a grinder.
Sander With the help of it, all irregularities are cut off. Of course, before that, the nails are sunk enough so that the machine does not touch them, and so that such a “grout” is not accompanied by problems. As a result, there will be an even base and in the future there will be no question why the floor creaks?
Every bad board that also creaks must be replaced with a new one. Of course, it must have the same thickness as the other boards in the floor. Why? Because otherwise the laminate flooring will “please” with deformations and the way it creaks.
After preparing the subfloor for the laminate, it is necessary to lay a waterproofing material and a shock-absorbing underlay on it.
Waterproofing is performed when there is a concrete base. As you know, concrete with any grout perfectly transfers moisture, and it easily destroys the laminated coating. Laminate floors are insulated with a diffusion membrane or ordinary polyethylene (its thickness must exceed 200 microns). According to the technology, polyethylene strips or membranes are overlapped.
After that, you need to put the substrate. It can be an air bubble film, rolled XPS, expanded polystyrene foam, natural cork. The thickness should be up to three millimeters if the flooring is not thicker than 9 mm. Under the quick step laminate with a greater thickness, 4-, 5-mm material must be laid.
Laying the laminate in the traditional way (can be seen in various videos) is carried out after 3-4 days of exposure to the dice in the room. First, cut the crest of the boards of the first row. The first row must be laid under the wall, which is parallel to the light flux.
The first row must be laid under the wall The cut side must be laid up to the wall. First, lay down the first board. Next, connect the second. The connection method depends on the type of locks, which are often discussed in the video.
If the type of lock is Click, then the end of one lamella is inserted into the end of the other under the angle named by the manufacturer. Next, lower the plate. If the type of lock is Lock, then one die is driven into another. To do this, use a hammer.
Use a hammer They are beaten on a wooden bar attached to the lamella. The material itself cannot be hit with a hammer. Why? It deforms the plate.
After collecting the second row and attach to the first.
Assemble the second row It is possible to attach one board to the longitudinal groove of the first row and the end groove of the previous plate. That is, they assemble the second row, attaching it to the first (shown in the photo)
The joints of the ends of the boards in two rows should not be on the same line, otherwise the coating will sag. Then you can hear it squeak.
It is best when the joint comes to the middle of the boards of adjacent rows. A 1/3 notch offset is possible.
When two rows are ready, they are moved to the wall, then fixed with spacer wedges. Then collect the rest. If necessary, the last row is cut to length.
During installation, heating pipes become an obstacle. To solve the difficulty, a hole is made in the lamella with a radius greater than the radius of the pipe. Next, cut the die, put the sawn parts in place and glue. On top you need to put masking elements (the process is shown in the photo).
Heating pipe installation In order for the lamella to fit under the door jambs, they must be cut to the thickness of the flooring.
Mounting the board adjacent to the wall can cause certain difficulties. If the locks are of the Click type, then everything is fine. If the locks are of a different type, then you need to use a clamp. It is placed on the board so that one end touches the side. Next, they hit the clamp with a hammer, clogging the lamella (this process is in the photo below).
After the laying of the laminate is completed, the spacer wedges are removed and the plinth is mounted. He is nailed to the wall. If the walls are uneven, it is better to use a plastic plinth. It will take the form of a wall, which will avoid gaps. In addition, there are many options that have a base and a lid. This design allows you to hide the screws. Often it has a place for cables.
Mount plinth Creating laminate flooring at home is easy. However, this requires precise adherence to the installation procedure. The specifics of this procedure may vary as manufacturers use different solutions.
There are always instructions in the packages that must be followed.
Then there will be no problems, and under your feet it will not be noticeable how the coating creaks.
Video
In today's video you will learn about the correct laying of laminate flooring and the basics of installation.
Thanks to this material, you will receive a lot of useful information.
Photo source: infolaminat.ru, pol-spec.ru
Laying laminate, as described below, is a largely standardized process.
The laying work for some types of product may vary slightly: atypical requirements must be described in the package inserts by the material manufacturer.
Self-laying laminate: where to start
Before starting work, decide whether you have all the necessary tools for installing laminate flooring. When laying laminate, especially if you are doing such work for the first time, use only professional tools.
Picture 1 - 'Structure' of the laminated panel: 1 - protective laminating high-strength melamine/acrylic resin film; 2 - artificial paper / foil imitating a wooden structure; 3 - a film that increases moisture resistance; 4 - high-density wood board (HDF), the main carrier layer; 5 - waterproof paper
Laminate laying tool:
- construction tape measure (the required length of the tape measure is determined by the length of the room, in most cases a 5-meter tape measure will be enough);
- a jigsaw with a set of files (cutting laminate boards can also be done with other tools, however, a perfectly even cut and adjustment is possible only when using a jigsaw; for laying laminate in an apartment, a device with a power of up to 500 W will be enough);
- metal building square (up to 35 cm long);
- floor marking pencil;
- hammer (you can also use a rubber mallet up to 0.6 kg in weight, this tool is used for tamping laminate boards, as well as for laying boards in a doorway);
- hacksaw with fine teeth (used for filing the door frame);
- padding bar (for padding panels, special bars of the appropriate shape have been created, due to which boards can be protected from deformation);
- spacer wedges (installed between the lamellas and the walls of the room around the entire perimeter of the room);
- bracket for panel clamping.
In addition to the laminate installation tool, you will need a skirting board installation tool:
- drill / puncher (used for wooden / concrete surfaces, respectively);
- corner cutter / corner fixings (if wooden skirting boards or plastic skirting boards are used, respectively).
The cost of the instrument (subject to the purchase of each component list) is in the region of $150-200.
You can also purchase a do-it-yourself laminate laying kit at most home improvement stores.
Preferably, the assembly kit (for example, Krono Original, Poland) includes:
- expansion wedges (sets contain from 20 to 40 pieces);
- metal bracket;
- tamping bar;
- rubber spatula.
Photo 1 - Mounting kit Krono Original, Poland
Rules for laying laminate flooring: preparatory stage
Laying laminate on different types of surfaces requires different preparatory work. A solid and even base is half the success and a guarantee of a long service life of the new coating.
On concrete
If you're installing laminate over a screed less than a month old, it's best to wait. According to professionals, the screed should be at least 45 days old before applying any coating. Otherwise, perspiration can form on the surface of the concrete, and moisture under the laminate boards can lead to rotting of the coating, its deterioration and the formation of fungus. A delay is also necessary in the case of laying a laminate on a warm floor. On a concrete base, as in most other cases, it is necessary to cover a special substrate, but more on that later.
On the wooden floor
The old floor covering may be perfectly suitable and need not be removed if the ceiling height allows such layering on the floor. The wooden floor must be inspected for irregularities (use the building level to determine the horizontal surface of the floor of the room), “walking” boards should be fixed by sinking the nail heads 2-3 mm deep into the wood, the cracks should be puttied. The floor boards are also sanded before laying the laminate.
In most cases, installation is carried out not on a plank floor, but on plywood that levels the floor surface (it is not recommended to lay laminate on fiberboard, because the laminate itself is unpretentious to the base surface, but fiberboard reacts to the slightest change in temperature or humidity level in room). On an uneven floor, if it is not possible to remove it, it is better to put the laminate on the chipboard.
On linoleum
Laminate on old linoleum is not just possible, but must be laid if you want to achieve additional sound insulation. At the same time, the surface of the linoleum should fit snugly to the floor, not have swellings, tears and other visible damage to the canvas. Laminate cannot be laid on linoleum if it is too soft.: Laminate panels on such a fragile base can easily sag.
On the parquet
It is recommended to lay laminate on a parquet board only if the previous surface does not cause any suspicion: the parquet is laid evenly, does not creak, does not sag, and the boards do not stagger. You can lay laminate on old parquet using not a standard underlay (at least 2-3 mm thick), but a underlay of at least 5 mm.
In some cases, the laying of the laminate is not done on the floor, but on the walls or on the ceiling. Laminate, in principle, is not intended for facing these surfaces, but our craftsmen manage to adapt it as they like.
On the logs
You can lay the laminate on the logs by making a wooden grid as in the photo below. A layer of vapor and waterproofing under such a system is required. Sheets of moisture-resistant plywood are then laid on the logs, and a laminate is laid on it.
Photo 2 - Laying the laminate on the logs. Mesh production
This is a good option, if necessary, to lay the laminate on the old floor, while not dismantling it. Logs and special mesh underlays will help level the floor and create the perfect base for the new flooring.
Photo 3 - Laying the laminate on the logs. Plywood cladding
Features of laying laminate on walls or ceilings
Consider some of the features of laying laminate on walls or ceilings:
- the need for additional alignment of the walls (you need to use OSB boards, because they are not susceptible to temperature and moisture changes, and also, unlike plywood, they do not delaminate);
- the direction of laying the laminate on the floor and on the walls must match (if only walls or only the ceiling are covered with laminate, the laying direction must be parallel to the direction of natural light in the room);
- laminate on the walls or ceiling is fixed in a "floating" way - placing the boards in a specially mounted frame.
IMPORTANT! Laminate cannot be put on glue, because. a covering made from natural materials must be able to expand / contract with changes in air temperature / humidity level in the room.
For expert advice on fixing laminate to walls / ceilings, see. VIDEO
Underlayment for laminate flooring
Above, we have already said that, regardless of the type of floor surface, the floor must be covered with a special substrate before laying the laminate.
The minimum required for laying laminate flooring is a 2 mm thick underlayment. The thickness of some types of substrates can reach 12 mm!
What are the substrates:
- foamed polyethylene foam (from 2 mm in thickness, from $ 0.35 per m²);
Polyethylene foam is a material with high chemical resistance, has antistatic properties, as well as sound insulation and noise absorption, polyethylene foam does not allow moisture to pass through, but does not isolate the floor from air exchange. The use of polyethylene foam will reduce heat transfer through the floor. This material is easy to cut and lay. However, this substrate is not wear-resistant, therefore, with prolonged use, it becomes caked, becoming thinner by almost half. The deformation process negatively affects other qualities of the material.
- expanded polystyrene (“isoshum”, from 3 mm in thickness, from $ 0.45 per m²);
This type of substrate can be called the most popular, because. it has all the positive qualities of polyethylene foam, but does not wear out so quickly. "Isoshum" - the material is denser and more reliable.
- cork backing (from 1.85 mm, from $3 per m², sold in packs of 10 m²);
The main advantage of this material is its environmental friendliness. Cork is superior to polyethylene foam and polystyrene in many ways. Unlike other materials, cork underlay is produced not only in rolls, but also in the form of slabs, which allows it to be laid in any configuration with less product waste.
Not only laminate, but also any other type of flooring can be laid on a cork substrate. It perfectly tolerates moisture and temperature changes.
- bitumen-cork substrate (from 2 mm, at $ 3.2 / m² (sold in a package of 10 m²)).
This is a two-layer substrate: sheets of material consist of cellulose and bitumen. The latter has a topping in the form of cork chips (no more than 2-3 mm). The substrate on the curved floor is laid with a bitumen-cork layer down, and the sheets are fastened together with mounting tape. The bitumen-cork underlay provides internal ventilation of the floor.
Producers: Estonia, Portugal, Ukraine, Russia.
Laminate installation methods
Decide on the direction of laying the laminate.
IMPORTANT! The pattern and structure of the laminate should be in harmony with the shape and lighting of the room. Laying laminate across the direction of light is also possible, although undesirable due to the visual deformation of the room.
Direct Laminate Laying
The correct laying in this case is laying from the door parallel to the direction of incidence of the light rays. The cost of pruning will be about 4-7%. The recommendations of experts regarding such installation are not unfounded: the light falling on the floor from the window will not create a shadow on the seams between the laminate boards, and so the floor surface will seem perfectly flat. The visual integrity of the surface is possible only if the windows in the room are located along one of the walls.
Laying laminate across the line of light distorts the room, visually "pulling" it in the direction of installation. This property can play into the hands of renovations in a narrow corridor or in the hallway. In this case, however, more material will be used for trimming.
Photo 4 - 'Direct' laying of laminate in the interior
Diagonal laminate flooring
Diagonal styling also visually expands the room. This styling technique is considered the most expensive and complex. With your own hands, without prior experience in such work, it will be extremely problematic to do this. The consumption of material for trimming is about 15%! This laminate laying scheme is not suitable for rooms cluttered with furniture or carpeted - this is how the main idea is lost: to show the decorativeness of the floor.
Photo 5 - Laying the laminate diagonally in the interior
Square/herringbone laminate flooring
This method also applies to decorative. This type of laminate installation is possible only if the laminate you have chosen has a special type of locks.
If the previous two types of laying laminate can be done with most standard models, then you can lay out the “Christmas tree” only by finding a characteristic product in the manufacturer’s catalog.
This type of laminate is, for example, in the Quick Step collection (Quick Step) Noblesse. The advantage of this collection is that the planks presented in it are identical in size to the dimensions of the strip parquet: 45.15 * 9.03 * 0.8 cm. Thanks to the unique design, small planks can be connected at an angle of 90 °. The Noblesse collection from Quick Step is a simple yet original solution that allows you to lay laminate flooring in fifty different ways!
Photo 6 - Laying herringbone laminate
IMPORTANT! In the collections of many eminent laminate manufacturers, you can find not only wood-like panels, but also so-called artistic panels that imitate any given pattern. These include, for example, the German factory laminate Versale (Versailles).
- We check the quality and quantity of the purchased material
Before you start laying the laminate, you should check the quality of the purchase, and first calculate the required number of laminated panels, taking into account the consumption of material for sawing (the scrap rate is indicated above). Installation of the floor must also be done during daylight hours: so flaws will be immediately noticeable not only in your work, but also in the material itself.
- "Acclimatization" of the purchased laminate
Another important preparatory step is to let the laminate rest indoors for about two days. The air temperature must be at least 17°C. Acclimatization bags do not need to be unpacked. If the difference in the level of humidity / temperature in the room and the storage conditions of the laminate is significant, this period should be extended to three to four days.
- Laying only in dry rooms with a normalized level of air humidity
Laminate with direct contact of the panels with water (splashes of water, for example) cannot be laid. Water can penetrate the low-cost laminate backing through the edges and cause permanent damage. This is one of the reasons why laminate flooring should not be installed in rooms with constantly high levels of humidity - in saunas, small bathrooms, etc.
- Checking the condition of the foundation
The maximum height difference on the base of the floor should be no more than 3 mm per 1 m of length. The floor must be dry and solid.
- vapor barrier
Before laying the laminate on the floor, a layer of vapor barrier is laid. Above, we talked about what options for the substrate exist and what materials can be used in its manufacture. The film is overlapped by 30 cm (cork boards are laid end-to-end) and fastened with adhesive tape. Conventionally, on the flooring of the substrate, the preparation for laying the laminate is completed: you can proceed with the installation.
- Seams and distance to the wall
The basis of laminated panels is a fibreboard (MDF), which, like natural wood, is subject to swelling or shrinkage due to climate change. Therefore, the laminate is not laid end-to-end with the wall, but a small gap is left to each of the walls. These gaps are also called "terminal seams".
Laminate laying errors usually show up by summer/autumn, as after a dry period, the panels gain moisture and, not having enough space for natural expansion, are distorted. As a result - re-laying of the coating. The size of the thermal joint is largely determined by the type of laminate and its characteristics, as well as the surface area of the room. On average, the width of the gap from the wall should be at least 8 mm. If the laminate is laid on large areas (not in an apartment, but, say, in an office space), the size of the gap is significantly increased.
The method for calculating the gap size: 1 m floor width = 1.5 mm thermal seam along the perimeter of the room.
Calculation examples: with a room width of 5 m, at the edge joints with the walls of the room there should be at least 5 * 1.5 = 7.5 mm indent. And in a room with a width of 3 m - 4.5 mm each.
IMPORTANT! This rule is effective only if the relative humidity of the air is not more than 65% in the room.
In the event of improper laying of the laminate, the most vulnerable will be door frames, stair joints, transition profiles and heating pipes.
If the room in which you are laying the laminate is loaded with heavy furniture that limits the possibility of natural expansion of the laminate (on a balcony, for example, in the kitchen or in the hallway), the gap at the wall opposite from this furniture should contain two indents, i.e. for the same 3-meter room, the gap should be about 9-10 mm.
Subsequently, thermal seams at the walls will not be visible, because. they will be covered with skirting boards.
- Laminate laying technology
Laying of laminate flooring elements can be done in a regular and irregular manner. The offset of the end joints of adjacent rows in any installation scheme must be at least 40 cm.
Quick Guide to Laminate Laying (Straight Laying Procedure)
Consider in detail the order of direct laying:
The process of laying laminate flooring starts from the far corner of the room. The first panel, without cutting it in width, is laid on the floor covered with a substrate, having previously cut off the locking part from the side adjacent to the wall (professional cutting equipment will do better if you do the repairs yourself, just rent a machine and put the hacksaw aside: this device will only ruin panel).
Snap the panels of the first row with the short side.
IMPORTANT! Laminate can have several types of locks. The most common of the fastening systems are the “Click” and “Lock” systems (the adhesive method of fastening was not considered by us). Some manufacturers, for example, Tarkett (Tarkett) develop specific types of fasteners for their products, the difference between which is clearly visible in the lower figure.
Figure 2 - Types of fastening of laminated panels from Tarkett
Along the first row, between the panels and the wall, insert expansion wedges of the required width (included in the mounting kit).
The last panel in the row, if necessary, is sawn to length and the second row starts with the sawn off part, if it is not shorter than 40 cm.
When laying the second row, the panels are first snapped into place with the short side, and then with the long side.
For all subsequent rows, the same laying principle applies.
After laying out the panels of the last row, measure the distance to the wall. If this space is not enough for laying the last row (do not forget about the gaps!), cut the panels to the available free width (the lock on the side adjacent to the wall can also be cut).
The secrets of laying laminate in difficult points of the room
- The installation of the laminate at the door frame should be carried out taking into account the preservation of gaps around the entire perimeter of the panel at the points of contact with the door, threshold and walls of the room. The door frame should be sawn to the height of the panel so that it goes under it without pressure, and there is no pressure on the panel.
Figure 3 - Installing the laminate in the doorway
- Laminate at radiators is installed by cutting the lock. Often, glue is used to attach this panel.
Figure 5 - Laying laminate at pipes
The installation of the laminate is completed by the installation of skirting boards, as well as special masking thresholds in doorways (hide gaps when moving from one coating to another). You can do without thresholds only if the laminate is laid in several rooms at once with one continuous canvas.
IMPORTANT! Step-by-step instructions are one of the mandatory inserts for branded products from Alloc (Allok, Norway), Pergo (Pergo, Sweden) and other well-known manufacturers of floor coverings such as Egger (Egger, Germany) or Wasterhof (Wasterhof, Germany).
In addition, on the Web you can find training videos on how to properly lay a laminate of a particular manufacturer. For example, a lesson on laying laminate Classen (Klassen, Germany).
VIDEO: Laying laminate Classen (Germany)
VIDEO: Pergo laminate flooring (Sweden)
VIDEO: Choosing a quality floor covering: Balterio laminate (Balterio, Belgium)
From the videos above, it is easy to see that the master puts the laminate exclusively on the self-leveling floor - a flat and reliable base.
$ Installing laminate flooring: asking price
If we are talking about laminate, then it is important not how much the coating costs, but what guarantees the manufacturer gives for his product. Buying cheap laminate flooring means starting repairs again soon. panels without moisture-retaining impregnation (for example, wax) and really strong lamination will not last even five years, not to mention the calm “relationship” of the coating to heels and heavy furniture.
The calculation of the cost of the laminate can be carried out by footage or by packaging. Laminate from the Egger company we have already mentioned, for example, costs an average of $ 15 / m² or from $ 38 / package (2.48 m² is standard in a package).
Some sites or sales offices, when buying more than $ 80-100, order with delivery (provided free of charge).
On average, the prices for the laminate of the mentioned manufacturers are as follows:
- Egger laminate costs from $ 9.5 / m² (Oak Garrison model, 7 mm);
- Balterio laminate costs from $17/m² (Bleached Oak Optimum model, 8 mm);
Photo 7 - Laminate Balterio, Optimum Bleached Oak model, 8 mm
- Quick Step laminate costs from $21/m² (Oak antique natural Classic model, 7 mm);
- Tarkett laminate costs from $18/m² (Model Oak Sherwood Mocha Woodstock, 8 mm).
Photo 8 - Tarket laminate, model Oak Sherwood Mocha Woodstock t, 8 mm
To determine the approximate number of laminate packages, you can use a special calculator. It looks something like this:
Figure 6 - Calculation of the amount of material
Laminate price:
Kyiv − from 69 UAH/m²;
Moscow - from 345 rubles / m².
