How to lay laminate flooring step by step. Efficient Laminate Laying Schemes

How to make a floor that is reliable, beautiful, easy to install and at the same time inexpensive? These seemingly incompatible qualities are combined in a laminate. Therefore, this flooring is used more and more often. However, in order for the floor to serve for a long time, it is simply necessary to know the intricacies of the technology. For example, before laying a laminate, you need to check how even the base is. The maximum allowable deviation is no more than 1-2 mm per meter of surface. Only under this condition will it lie tightly, will not bend and creak. If the differences are greater, the lock may even break or the board may crack.

If the base has irregularities, the dimensions of which exceed the allowable ones, it must be leveled. For cement floors, everything is simple - a leveling screed is poured. The laying of the laminate begins after the solution gains at least 50% strength.

If an old wooden floor serves as a base, it must be removed according to the technology, then a full-fledged cement floor should be made, with all the necessary layers (filling, hydro and thermal insulation, reinforcing belt and screed). It is possible to mount a heating system in this floor, and lay a floor covering on the warm floor. Only in this case it is necessary to use special grades of laminate that tolerate heat well. The cost of such a floor is high, and it takes a lot of time to install it. That's why they don't always do it. If the logs and boards are not damaged, you can level the wooden floor with plywood, and lay the laminate on it.

When leveling a wooden floor, all strongly protruding fragments are scraped off with a planer or with the help of scraping, the cracks are sealed with putty. Sheets of plywood are laid on the prepared old wooden floor (it is used more often, although any sheet material with a flat surface can be laid). They are fixed with screws to the floor: along the perimeter after 15 cm, in the middle in a checkerboard pattern.

The joints of the sheets are displaced - they should not match (see the photo below). So the load is transferred more evenly. One more thing - leave some gaps between the sheets - they should not be fitted close to each other. Wood changes dimensions depending on humidity and temperature. And these gaps will give the necessary freedom so that there are no "humps" and distortions.

Laying plywood on a wooden floor under a laminate is a common way to prepare the subfloor during renovations. If the wood has not been damaged, and the plywood is laid evenly, does not “play” and does not sag, such a base will last for years.

Substrate for laminate

On a flat and clean base, the substrate is first laid. It hides those irregularities of 1-2 mm that are acceptable and makes the floor less “noisy”. It also serves for depreciation and better redistribution of the load.

The substrate is made of several types:

• Cork. Made from cork chips. It has good thermal insulation properties, absorbs sounds. Disadvantages: afraid of moisture and does not like heat. Therefore, its scope is premises without floor heating, with normal importance and minimal risk of a “flood”. That is, living rooms. Cork underlay for laminate flooring is used infrequently: expensive. If they put it, then more under the parquet board - for the safety of the flooring.

  

  Cork is the best, but also the most expensive type of substrate. Foil - a little cheaper, and its plus - it is suitable for underfloor heating

• Bitumen-cork on a cellulose basis. On a layer of cellulose impregnated with bitumen, small cork fragments are poured. This underlay is slightly cheaper than cork underlayment, but its main advantage is that it can be used to lay over an underfloor heating system.
• Made from polyethylene foam. It tolerates high humidity well, conducts heat poorly, is chemically neutral, resistant to bacteria, easy to use (available in the form of rolls), has a low price. Disadvantages: sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, quickly loses its shape, has a short service life, poorly “extinguishes” sounds. Therefore, this substrate is used under a cheap laminate: their service life is comparable.

  

• From polystyrene foam. It has a rather high density, due to which it smooths out irregularities, keeps its shape well, has good heat-insulating properties, and muffles sounds. Disadvantage: cannot be used for laying laminate flooring on underfloor heating. The price is between cork and polyethylene, it is the most acceptable and is used most often. It is produced more often in the form of plates, sometimes in rolls.
• Polyurethane foil. This type of substrate can also be used for laying under a laminate on a warm floor. It has the best features of all the above, as well as the best prices. But if you are going to lay an expensive laminate, then these are justified expenses: the life of this type of flooring largely depends on the quality of the substrate.

  

  Expanded polystyrene - average quality and price

How to lay the underlay

The substrate for the laminate is rolled out (lay out) along the wall from which the laying will begin. In length, it should cover the entire floor from wall to wall. The lines of the joints are combined tightly, for convenience they are glued with adhesive tape. Sometimes the panels are fixed with staples from a construction stapler. This is faster, but staples are not very good to use - they can rub against the boards and make an unpleasant sound. The next layer is spread as needed - you don’t need to immediately cover the entire floor: it’s better not to walk on the substrate.

Laying schemes

In which direction to lay the laminate with your own hands? There are no strict rules, but there are recommendations. To make the joints along the boards less visible, the direction of the light should go along the board. It turns out beautifully if you lay the coating at an angle. But this method is more complicated and more waste is obtained. You can also lay it across the world - this is also practiced, and it does not threaten anything but more visual seams.

Laying laminate relative to the window: layout of elements

The main rule that must be observed when laying a laminate is the offset of the seams. The minimum transverse seam should be at a distance of 40 cm from the other. So the strength of the flooring will be greater: the boards will not disperse under load.

The minimum distance between seams in adjacent rows is 40 cm

The layout of the laminate flooring should be designed with this rule in mind. The simplest for independent execution is a shift by half the board. Then every odd row starts with a whole, and every even row starts with a half (or vice versa).

If the length of one element exceeds 1.2 m, then you can shift the second row by 1/3, the third by 2/3 of the length (as in the photo above). It turns out a kind of "ladder". In some types of laminate (expensive), the minimum row offset is much less - maybe 15 cm. This is indicated on the packaging or in the accompanying instructions.

You can lay the laminate with a "ladder", only you need to observe the minimum allowable displacement of the seam. On the right - laying scheme with a long board length and a small offset

You might be interested in reading about or about.

How to lay laminate with your own hands: step by step instructions

The laying technology is the same: there are only some features when connecting elements, depending on the locks. The procedure will be like this:

If the geometry of the room is correct, no difficulties. If there are distortions - you will have to cut. Questions may arise when finishing the threshold: the board near the jambs is not cut evenly, but in an arc, while maintaining a gap of 10-15 mm. Why in an arc? So under the door trim of any shape there will be no hole.

Laminate laying methods: two locks - two methods (video instructions)

Laminate laying technology depends on which of the locks on your flooring. They are made in two types - "click" (Click) and "Lock" (Lock). You will not get confused, because the system is written on the packaging of each pack, and pictograms are drawn on many of them explaining the principle of laying.

Hammerless Method - Click Lock

When using click locks, it is more convenient to collect the planks one by one. The system is named so because of the characteristic click that is heard when the spike enters the groove. With such a system, the side locks are first connected, then the longitudinal ones. It happens like this:

How to lay a laminate with a click lock, see the video.

How to lay with a lock "Lock" (Lock)

Here the lock should be inserted from the side and the assembly method is different. You will need a piece of laminate with a spike and a light hammer (rubber mallet). The boards are laid out on the floor, corrected so that they lie exactly one relative to the other. They move it so that the spike is close to the groove, insert a piece of laminate on the other side and tap it with a hammer, achieving a connection.

How to lay down a laminate with the "lock" system

The method is also simple, but requires caution: the hammer can hit too hard and break the lock. Then you have to use another element.

With this method, it is more convenient to lay a laminate, first collecting individual rows, and then connecting them. Schematically, this is shown in the photo below.

So it is more convenient to lay the laminate with your own hands with the "lok" system

See the video for more details on this method. There is no sound row, but everything is clear.

The methods of laying laminate flooring described above can be made almost airtight, in any case, the amount of water that can enter the interstitial space is greatly reduced. To do this, use a special glue. They coat the spikes of the stacked boards. The composition retains its elasticity for 10 minutes, therefore glue is applied immediately before installation.

The disadvantage of this technology is that the coating becomes almost monolithic. If you need to replace one or more boards, this will not work.

How to cut laminate straight

You can cut laminate boards:

• electric jigsaw (most convenient);
• hacksaw;
• manual circular saw.

To prevent burrs from forming on the front surface when sawing, it should lie with its “face” up. In order for the cut to be even, guides are used - rulers (slats) made of metal or wood. When using a hacksaw, the ruler should not make it possible to “climb” into the desired half.

When cutting across, it is more convenient to use squares. It is pressed against the long side, the second serves as a guide.

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 bearing layer; 5 - waterproof paper

Laminate laying tool:

1. 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);
2. 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);
3. metal building square (up to 35 cm long);
4. floor marking pencil;
5. 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);
6. hacksaw with fine teeth (used for filing the door frame);
7. padding bar (for padding panels, special bars of the appropriate shape have been created, due to which boards can be protected from deformation);
8. spacer wedges (installed between the lamellas and the walls of the room around the entire perimeter of the room);
9. 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:

1. expansion wedges (sets contain from 20 to 40 pieces);
2. metal bracket;
3. tamping bar;
4. 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 - fix by sinking the nail heads 2-3 mm deep into the wood, gaps - 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 please.

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, 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 should 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, the cork underlay is produced not only in rolls, but also in the form of plates, 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 unreasonable: 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 laminate laying can be carried out 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 calculate the required number of laminated panels in advance, 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 opposite wall 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 repair 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 famous flooring manufacturers 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 - Balterio laminate, 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:

Kiev − from 69 UAH/m²;

Moscow - from 345 rubles / m².

Laminate is a modern, high-tech and relatively inexpensive floor covering that has excellent performance characteristics and has many color and texture options that imitate various types of wood. Another important feature that inclines many people to choose this particular flooring and practically leaves no chance for others is the manufacturability in assembly, which allows you to do all the installation work yourself.

To assemble the floor, the involvement of craftsmen is not required at all, as well as special skills, and even more so any expensive and specialized tool, which after work will not be in demand in the household. All you need to do is strictly follow the rules set by the manufacturer, thanks to which the laying of the laminate with your own hands will be done quickly and efficiently, and the achieved result will delight you for many years, and often even longer than the service life declared by the manufacturer.

Subfloor Requirements

Laminate is a composite material, which is a multilayer lamella, each layer of which has a certain functional purpose and provides the necessary strength and decorative characteristics. Without going into the technological features of production, we can say that the basis is MDF from the lower and upper sides, lined with a protective and decorative coating, respectively.

Fig.1.

Along the perimeter, the lamella is equipped with a system of locks that ensure a reliable connection of the elements. Structurally, it is designed in such a way that when the panels are joined, it closes with a click, greatly simplifying assembly, however, the openwork of these elements requires accuracy and attention during work, and imposes certain requirements on the subfloor.

Fig.2.

Naturally, the surface of any base has a certain relief and some defects are not always acceptable and must be eliminated. Otherwise, during operation, the locks will be subjected to high loads, for which they are not designed, which will lead to weakening of the joints, spreading of the seams, penetration of moisture and dirt into them, followed by swelling of the decorative coating and its complete unusability.

Realizing the troubles described above, laminate manufacturers have developed general requirements for the shape of the relief and the size of irregularities, the height difference on them should not exceed 2 mm per 2 m of the floor area. The easiest way to assess whether this rule is followed or not is to use the building level, applying it to the floor in various places, you can easily see if there is a gap and whether it is within acceptable limits.

Fig.3.

Quite often the question arises whether it is possible to lay a laminate on linoleum or parquet, subject to all of the above requirements. On this occasion, manufacturers of laminate flooring (LP) do not give a negative answer, which cannot but rejoice, since the removal of old floors is always an additional and rather tedious task.

Ways to eliminate floor defects

The time spent on eliminating the problems of the rough base and the complexity of performing these works can many times exceed the forces expended on the flooring of the finish coating, but this is a kind of guarantee of a long and trouble-free operation of the latter.

In houses of various times of construction, the subfloor can be wooden or concrete, the choice of a method for eliminating all kinds of defects depends on this. Regardless of the type of base, in the end it must be even, strong, and meet the requirements of the drug manufacturers.

An old screed can have many different problems, most of them are solved with a cement-sand mortar. Cracks are embroidered and puttied, exfoliating pieces are removed and, like the recesses, filled with a fresh mixture, or specialized repair compounds are used. After hardening and complete drying, the floor is ready for further work.

Fig.4.

Quite often it happens that even after a lot of effort has been made to repair the screed, its quality still does not meet the requirements. Then self-leveling mixtures come to the rescue, they, having created a uniform layer of only a few millimeters, allow you to achieve a perfectly flat floor surface.

Fig.5.

A fresh screed made using modern technology is often free of any defects and potential problems, with the exception of moisture and dust. Residual moisture is its integral companion, which has an extremely negative effect on the base of the lamella - MDF, so the new cement floor must be thoroughly dried, and its surface treated with a deep penetration primer, which will eliminate peeling and dustiness.

Fig.6.

Compared to concrete, a wooden floor somewhat wins in terms of the speed of eliminating defects, due to the lack of the need for drying, dust removal and priming.

The main problem of wood is not durability, susceptibility to rotting and loss of its properties, this does not bypass the floors from the boards, therefore, defective places are first identified and the elements that have become unusable are replaced. After that, the floor can be cycled, having previously sunk nails and screws into the body of the boards in order to protect against possible damage to the working tool.

Fig.7.

Scraping can be carried out in various ways, for example, using a special machine, this allows you to achieve the best result. In the absence of the latter, an electric planer can be used, and with minor differences in height, a manual belt grinder.

Fig.8.

Despite the fact that the previous method is less expensive, in most cases they try to avoid it when doing work on their own, this happens for the most part due to the banal lack of the necessary tool.

Solving the problems of old wooden floors in 90% of cases, the method of leveling the floor with plywood 10-12 mm thick is used. It is laid in a checkerboard pattern and fixed with screws to the floorboards, while the fastening pitch should not exceed 15-20 cm. Any sheet material can be used instead of plywood, for example, chipboard, GVL, DSP, etc.

Fig.9.

Vapor barrier and laminate flooring

As already mentioned in passing MDF, which serves as the basis of any lamella, the faucet has a negative attitude to high humidity, the source of which, as it may not sound surprising, is the concrete base of the floor. The fact is that the cement elements of the building structure perfectly absorb and accumulate in themselves not only water that accidentally gets on them, for example, as a result of a leak, but also moisture inevitably present in the air, and transfer it to all decorative materials bordering them, wallpaper , flooring, etc. This applies to both new and old screeds, as well as to all kinds of leveling compounds based on cement.

The solution to this problem is a vapor barrier; in the case of LP, this function is perfectly performed by polyethylene laid on a screed. By and large, any film can be purchased for these purposes, however, if you follow the recommendations, you should still use it with a thickness of at least 0.2 mm or 200 microns. It is laid so that there is an overlap of the strips of at least 20 cm, such an allowance will guarantee that they will not spread and a gap will not form. It is recommended to additionally fix the joints with tape.

Fig.10.

Things are much easier with a wooden base, its material is already well dried during flooring, and if we are talking about old floors, then after many years of service, the residual moisture tends to zero. For this reason, it makes no sense to arrange a vapor barrier.

If the insulation is an optional layer that can only be laid in certain cases, then the underlayment is an integral part of any laminate, laying is basically unacceptable without it. Its main purpose is damping and compensation for the smallest irregularities, which, even with careful preparation, still remain. Today, there are many varieties of it, made from various materials and their combinations. Each type differs not only in cost, but also in the scope, this circumstance must be strictly observed.

• Foamed polyethylene. This species is often associated with packaging material, in fairness it should be noted that it was originally so. This is the most inexpensive substrate, available in 2 and 3 mm thickness, does not absorb moisture, and in fact is heat and sound insulation. However, it is not wise to use it for high-quality laminate flooring due to its low service life and mediocre performance as an insulating and damping material. It quickly becomes brittle, and in the places of greatest traffic it is strongly compacted and loses its properties, which leads to a visible curvature of the floor and the appearance of an unpleasant sound when walking.

Fig.11.

• Extruded polystyrene foam. Whoever says anything, but this is a compromise of cost and consumer qualities, therefore this is the most popular material, and it is used in most cases. Expanded polystyrene has a high density, perfectly smooths out microroughnesses, over time it is not subject to compaction and brittleness, and chemical attack, it copes very well with the functions of sound and heat insulation. Available in mats and rolls.

Fig.12.

• Cork. The name itself suggests that this is an environmentally friendly material that has all the properties of natural wood bark. It is made from crumb impregnated with adhesive, has excellent soundproofing properties, has a low heat transfer coefficient, performs excellently as a substrate, has a long service life and is used with long-life laminates. Do not forget that this is a natural material that is sensitive to moisture, so it is used in places where the likelihood of leaks is minimized.

Fig.13.

• Bituminous cork. It is made on a cellulose basis, the cork crumb is fixed not with glue, as in the previous case, but with the help of bituminous resin, which gives it greater strength and, as a result, prolongs its service life. At the same time, this particular type of substrate is recommended for use with underfloor heating systems.

Fig.14.

• Polyurethane backing on aluminum foil. The most expensive, but also the most technologically advanced material with the best characteristics. Considering its features, the expediency of using polyurethane is seen for laying high-quality expensive coatings such as parquet boards.

Fig.15.

Despite the abundance of varieties of substrates, the decisive criterion in the choice should be the instructions or recommendations of the LDL manufacturer indicated on the package. By following these requirements, you will definitely not make a mistake in choosing and thus get a garnished service life declared by the manufacturer.

Whichever type of backing material you prefer, it spreads the same way. Laying can be carried out in stages as the panels are assembled or all at once over the entire area of ​​​​the room, while its individual parts are fixed together with adhesive tape.

Fig.16.

Scheme and laying direction

Before proceeding directly to the assembly of lamellas, many are wondering about the direction of their location relative to the walls of the room, and this is very reasonable. By and large, there are no clear rules or guidelines in this matter, but there are specific recommendations that allow you to make visual metamorphoses of the room, and are also designed to improve the appearance of the decorative floor covering.

Fig.17.

Let's start with the latter, because if the panels are placed perpendicular to the direction of sunlight, then their joints will be seen much better than if they were oriented in parallel. From this follows a simple rule, the lamellas should be laid parallel or at an angle to the direction of incidence of sunlight from the window.

So there are two best options, but which one is better? This is where interior design techniques come into play.

• If you are repairing a room with a rectangular section, the windows of which are located on a narrow wall, then the diagonal method looks the most correct, it will visually expand the room. Rectilinear, on the contrary, will give the room a more elongated look, which can be perfectly used to divide into different zones, for example, for the living room.

Fig.18.

• In the case of the arrangement of light openings along a longer wall, it becomes a priority to expand the room, it is more correct to place the panels in parallel here, while the angular option will somewhat balance the disproportion.

Fig.19.

When making a decision regarding the direction of the flooring of the panels, it is important to understand that the diagonal version is more complex in execution and carries with it high material costs. Therefore, it is important to weigh the pros and cons and make the right decision.

The laying scheme is of no less importance, it is not only the prerogative of design, but also has a direct bearing on the assembly technology and the resulting quality and service life of the laminate. Under the flooring scheme should be understood the order of formation of individual rows and their relative position relative to each other. The laying technology prescribes the need to shift the rows by at least 1/3 of the length of the lamella, otherwise the reliability and strength of the locking joints will be a big question.

Based on the practical implementation of this requirement, two options for displacement by 1/2 and 1/3 of the lamella length can be distinguished.

• To the floor of the board is the easiest way and it is preferred by those who first undertook to do this work, this option assumes that odd rows start with a whole lamella, and even rows with half.

Fig.21.

• Laying in a third is more prone to confusing the new master, here the first row starts with a whole board, the second with 1/3, the third with 2/3 and the fourth again with a whole.

Fig.22.

From a design point of view, the latter option is preferable, as it allows you to hide the joints and visually the flooring seems to be whole, and not consisting of discrete parts.

Fig.23.

There is another important rule that must be taken into account before starting work - the width of the last row must be at least 5 cm. To take this into account, you will have to dive into the calculations a little. To do this, having decided on the direction, we measure the width of the room (perpendicular to the direction of the flooring of the panels), subtract from it 20 mm, necessary to create a compensation gap near the walls and divide it by the width of the lamella (indicated on the package). We have obtained the exact number of rows. Now, multiplying the fractional part by the width of the panel, we find out the desired value, if it turns out to be less than 5 cm, then the first row must be reduced to the appropriate size.

Fig.24.

Types of locks, methods and rules of laying

There are several ways to assemble lamellas, the use of one or another depends on the type of lock, which may also vary depending on the manufacturer and model of the flooring. Of the many possible options for locking, fundamentally different, three can be distinguished: "lock", "click" and "uniclick".

Fig.25.

Lock "lock"- connected by tapping with a hammer, in order to drive the spike into the groove until the gap between the panels is completely eliminated. This is a reliable and durable option that requires the master's constant attention to the tightness of the fit.

Fig.26.

System "C"click"- implies the connection of panels by snapping, i.e. the crest of one lamella is inserted into the groove of the other at an angle of 20-30 degrees and snaps into place with a characteristic click, hence the name. The advantage of this type of lock is the possibility of easy disassembly, which is extremely important for replacing damaged parts.

Fig.27.

Castle connection "uniclick"- a combination of the above systems, allowing you to connect the panels in any way convenient for you, and having ease of disassembly in case repairs are necessary.

Depending on the type of lock, there are two assembly methods, one board at a time and in rows for the “lock” and “click” systems, respectively. For "uniclick", any of the methods can be used, as well as a combination of them.

Fig.28.

Regardless of the design features of the panels, the following rules must be strictly observed:

• Laminate must be hung for 48 hours to reach room temperature, otherwise laying defects may occur.
• There should be a gap of 10 mm between the floor covering and the walls of the room to compensate for the thermal expansion of the lamellas. It is created using wedges; for this purpose, you can use scraps of plywood or panels.
• The slats should always be laid with a groove towards you, if installation is carried out from left to right, then the groove should be located on the right, if from right to left, then vice versa.
• The groove and tongue of the panels adjacent to the walls must be cut off.

To complete all the work you will need:

Fig.29.

• Styling kit (wedges, bar, clamp).
• Saw or jigsaw.
• Hammer.
• Roulette, ruler.
• Pencil.

Single board assembly

Assembling one panel at a time involves connecting them in series. We will agree that we will lead the direction of the flooring from left to right.

One of the most popular flooring materials is the so-called laminate. It is a multi-layer coating resembling particle board with a very strong outer protective coating. The idea of ​​manufacturing laminate panels and using them for flooring was born in the 70-80s in the West and very quickly spread throughout the world. Now this type of flooring is as popular as parquet, ceramic floor tiles. One of the advantages of the material is possibility of self-installation. Now we will decide what tools will be needed, how to choose the material and where to start laying the laminate.

Varieties and marking of laminate

Modern types of laminate, presented in the markets of Russia and the countries of the former CIS, have a thickness of 7 to 12 mm, a length of 1.2 - 2 m and a width of 180-190 mm. The main indicator for him is the abrasion class - it can be AC-3, AC-4, AC-5, AC-6. Previously, these classes were 31, 32, 33, 34, while AC-5 corresponds to class 33. It is better to choose the most wear-resistant laminate: class AC-4, AC-5 is quite suitable for a house.

All modern laminate flooring is equipped with Click or G5 locks or their modifications. The G5 lock is one of the most modern locks and is loved by all specialists. Inside the lock is a fixing plastic bar. It snaps into place when the tenon enters the groove, requiring little force. There is a laminate with chamfers and without them. The outer face of the flooring has a very wide range of decorative patterns that are under the protective top layer.

Tools and materials

When performing flooring work, you need to stock up on a certain set of tools, it will also come in handy in the future when repairing or installing ceilings, walls or floors. The required tool kit should contain:

• tape measure and pencil;
• building level at least 1.5 m long;
• electric jigsaw with a set of blades or a circular saw;
• electric drill;
• perforator;
• construction vacuum cleaner;
• grinder with a nozzle for grinding a concrete base;
• feather drills;
• knife with spare blades;
• square;
• hammer;
• special bracket for tightening panels;
• hacksaw for metal.

No special tool is required and every craftsman who performs various construction work or repairs has a similar set. With a large-scale performance of laying flooring, they resort to the use of a trimming machine.

Materials required for laying laminate flooring, the number of which must be calculated and purchased in advance:

• vapor barrier film 0.2 mm thick;
• substrate;
• construction tape, adhesive tape;
• laminate panels are purchased according to the size of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room with a margin of at least 5%;
• expansion wedges;
• plinth fasteners;
• plinth around the perimeter of the room;
• additional elements for plinth: internal and external corners and plugs.

If the area of ​​​​the room is large, it must be separated by expansion joints. For this, there are special flashing strips that are matched to the tone of the main laminate.

Surface preparation before laying

You can lay laminate flooring on concrete floors, cement screed, wood floors, ceramic tiles and any other flat, durable, dry floor. A very important requirement for the base is its smooth and even surface, deviations from the horizontal must not exceed 2 mm per running meter. For this purpose, use the usual building level and measure the entire room in different directions. If deviations greater than this value are found, they must be corrected. When used as a base for a cement screed or concrete floor for their leveling, they can be additionally covered with a thin layer of the so-called self-leveling floor.

The deviation of the surface from the horizontal with proper filling will be no more than 1-2 mm per two linear meters of length. If for various reasons this is difficult to do, you can try to grind the bulges.

The surface before laying must be clean and dry, the humidity of the base is allowed within 40-65%. The optimum temperature for laying should be between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. Therefore, before you start laying the laminate, the lamellas must be kept indoors for at least 48 hours in order for acclimatization to occur. During this time, all preparatory work is carried out to level the base of the floor, cleaning and marking. It is worth recalling that it is necessary to buy a laminate in an amount that is 5% larger than the floor area.

On video: underlayment and laminate laying technology.

Proper coating technology

There are generally accepted rules for laying flooring panels, in particular, The layout of the slats is made along the rays coming from the window. That is, the long side of the bar should be perpendicular to the window. Therefore, the answer to the question of where to start laying the laminate is simple: along any wall perpendicular to the window. In this case, the seams between the panels are less visible. Laying laminate diagonally across the room, although technically feasible, is not used due to the large amount of waste, and the seams with this layout will be more noticeable than with the traditional one.

After laying the first row, the second row is shifted by 1/2 or 1/3 of the length of the laminate plank. This is done to more firmly connect the laminate into one common array. A method can also be used when the second row starts with trimming from the previous row - in this case, the minimum amount of waste is obtained. Usually, the calculation of the laying scheme of the laminate is performed.

Before starting work, a vapor barrier film with an overlap of 150 mm should be laid on the surface of the base and glued with adhesive tape. The film is laid in such a way that it goes onto the walls, where it is subsequently pressed with a plinth. Then it is necessary to lay a layer of the substrate with a thickness of 2 mm - usually it is rolled polyurethane. There is also a more expensive cork underlay, it is often used in offices, as well as when laying parquet.

The next step is the laying of laminate boards. Before laying begins, the entire laminate should be reviewed to ensure that all locks are intact and clean. It is also necessary to calculate the laying of the laminate and find out the width of the last row of boards. This width must not be less than 50 mm.

You can start from any wall perpendicular to the window. The first row of laminate is laid along the wall, the planks are connected with end locks. At the same time, a gap of 10 mm is left between the laths of the laminate and the walls, which is provided with the help of spacer wedges. There are several ways to connect second row laminate planks. You can install each bar separately, as indicated in the instructions. But it is better if, first, the planks of the second row are connected to each other using end locks. Then the entire second lane is joined to the first, sometimes an assistant is required for this.

Nuances and subtleties when laying laminate

With high-quality preparation of the base and proper laying of the laminate, such a floor covering can last a very long time - up to 20 years.. At the same time, it is important to observe the humidity regime and arrange a vapor barrier, since this material is very sensitive to moisture. It is not used in bathrooms. It is also necessary to fulfill the temperature gaps near the walls, door frames. Laminate flooring is a type of floating floor. With changes in humidity and temperature of the slab, the entire coating expands and if sufficient gaps are not made, swelling may occur.

When installing laminate flooring in several adjacent rooms, it is worth dividing the array and not making it continuous in all rooms. It is better to separate it at the border of interior doors using a special threshold. In this case, it is easier to make repairs if the laminate suddenly swells in one of the rooms.

When laying laminate flooring in the hallway, the following rule must be followed: lay the panels with the long side in the direction of the predominant movement, that is, from the front door.

Conclusion

When performing work on laying flooring, you must strictly follow simple rules. Also, the durability of such a coating depends on the quality of the laminate boards. Therefore, you should not save on material, but buy flooring only from proven world leaders, since such savings can turn into big problems. Technologically, laying laminate flooring is not very difficult, and therefore this work can be done by anyone with a tool and certain skills. If it is difficult to do the work yourself, you can turn to specialists who will help you choose and lay a laminate.

Laminate laying secrets (2 videos)