Which laminate is better choice of locks. Types of laminate locks: which one is better? Laminate lock on four sides

What is a laminate, I think everyone knows. This stuff is very popular right now. Excellent appearance and quite affordable price - these are the main factors that people take into account when choosing this flooring for their house or apartment. How to lay laminate This is what we are going to try to figure out now.

As usual, we start with surface preparation. To begin with, our subfloor needs to be examined for any irregularities. Basically, manufacturers allow unevenness up to 2 mm per meter of floor area. Those. You take a flat rail (level, rule) 1 meter long and apply it to the floor in different places and in different directions, defining the presence of depressions and hillocks.

Drops on concrete floors aligned with the device thin screed from self-leveling bulk mixtures. If you have uneven wooden floors, then it is advisable to put chipboard or plywood on them. Good for laying laminate flooring. It is important to understand here that the more irregularities on the base, the more likely there are gaps between the laminate panels. When walking on the floor in places of unevenness, the panels bend relative to each other, the interlocks gradually wear out. And the lower the quality of the laminate itself, the faster the cracks will appear.

The next step is to lay the underlay. Its thickness is usually from 2 to 4 mm. It is not worth making the substrate thicker, this will again lead to wear of the locks. The choice of substrates is now very diverse. The cheapest are obtained from polyethylene foams (penofol, polyfoam, isolon and many others).

Cork substrates are more environmentally friendly, but also more expensive. There are substrates made of extruded polystyrene foam, made in the form of rectangular sheets. One side is ribbed. When laying, it should be facing down.

AT general choice big, and besides constantly replenished. To be honest, I can't advise what to choose. I never felt any noticeable difference. As usual with every manufacturer, his product is the best. Let me just say that the service life of all the above types of substrates is much higher than that of the laminate itself, so any of them is quite acceptable.

When laying laminate on a concrete base, additional waterproofing must be spread under the substrate. It could be, for example, a simple polyethylene film 0.2 mm thick or any other waterproofing film.

Before laying, the laminate should lie in the room for at least 2 days so that it adapts to the temperature and humidity of the room. Laying is recommended to be done along the direction of sunlight. When laid across, the joints give small shadows and they become a little more noticeable, spoiling the integrity of the appearance.

In general, there are two ways to install a laminate:

• adhesive;
• castle.

The adhesive laying method has one good advantage— joints are reliably protected from moisture penetration. As a result, the service life of the coating is increased. But the laying process itself is more complicated and time-consuming (compared to the castle), besides, there are additional expenses on glue. In rooms where a floor heating system is installed, it is not recommended to use this method.

Laying adhesive method It is made with applying a special water-repellent glue to the ends of the panels (sold together with the laminate). Under no circumstances should a water-based adhesive (e.g. PVA) be used. This will cause the joints to swell. Glue is applied to the panel groove along the entire length. Then the groove is joined with the spike of the previously laid panel. The connection is sealed with light hammer blows through a wooden block. Excess glue is wiped off with a damp cloth.

After laying 3 rows of panels, it is better to let the glue dry for a couple of hours. Then we lay the floor to the end. The coating can be put into operation 10-12 hours after installation is completed.

The adhesive method of laying is now used less and less. There is practically no such laminate on sale. It is being squeezed out of the market by lock panels. This is due to the ease of installation of the latter. Moreover, the coating of the lock laminate can even be disassembled without damaging the panels and, for example, transferred to another room. Although, to be honest, I have never heard of anyone doing this.

Locks from all manufacturers of laminate have their own characteristics and differences. But in general, all of them can be divided into 2 groups: Click and lock.

When laying laminate with locks such as lock one panel is driven into another with a hammer. Thanks to special combs, the spike is securely fixed in the groove without the use of glue.

Type locks Click appeared later and are considered to be of better quality and wear-resistant. They are mounted by turning one panel into another at an angle (30-45º). Then it is pressed to the floor and the lock snaps into place. I’ll add on my own that you still have to hammer the laminate with a hammer, although manufacturers don’t write about this on the instructions.

The installation sequence of the laminate of all the types described above is almost the same. Laying starts from the left corner of the room. Before laying the 1st row, it is necessary to measure the width of the room and calculate how wide the last row will be. Otherwise, it may turn out that you cover the whole room and at the end there will be a gap of 2-3 cm along the wall. You can’t close it with a plinth, and such a narrow strip of laminate will not hold well. The width must be at least 5 cm. To do this, you will need to cut the panels of the first row to length.

Between the laminate and the walls it is necessary to leave a gap for thermal expansion. Usually it is made about 1 cm. The main thing is that it is then closed with a plinth.

So we collect the first row of laminate from left to right. The rightmost panel basically always needs to be cut off (do not forget the gaps). From the remaining piece, you can start the next row, so we get the necessary spacing of the seams. It is recommended that this difference be at least 30 cm.

Having typed the first row between the laminate and the walls, we insert wedges to provide the necessary clearance, while you need to monitor the straightness of the row. Actually, I do things a little differently. When knocking panels of subsequent rows with a hammer, the wedges often fly out, the straightness of the row is disturbed, in general, it is inconvenient. Therefore, I fix the first row with self-tapping screws with washers (if we lay them on a wooden floor) or dowel-nails with washers (if the floor is concrete). I screw them in the corners and at the joints of the panels of the first row. After finishing the installation of the laminate, be sure to unscrew it.

When laying laminate with glue and with hammer type locks lock each subsequent panel is first joined along the long edge, then along the end.

When laying laminate with lock type Click recruit first whole line panels and then fully inserted into the previous one. With a large width of the room alone, it is inconvenient to do this, it is better together.

When installing for tamping laminate panels, it is convenient to use a special set of tools. If this is not available, knock the laminate through a piece of panel (10-15 cm), inserting it into the groove with a spike. When installing the rightmost panels of the row and the entire last row, you can wring it out of the wall with a small nail puller, only carefully, through the lining, so as not to damage the walls and laminate.

After completing the installation, you need to install the skirting boards, and they can only be fixed to the wall, and not to the floor.

The joints of laminated parquet are both the weakest and strongest part of the coating. A carefully thought-out locking system ensures a tight connection of the lamellas, easy assembly and, of course, obtaining a smooth, durable floor covering.

In 1979, the Swedish company Perstorp AB (in the future Pergo) introduced a new flooring to customers through the IKEA chain of stores - laminate. Since the technology was just being developed, the novelty did not yet have interlocks and even tongue-and-groove edges. The breakthrough came in 1994 when Välinges took out a patent for a unique development, the world's first mechanical joint for parquet, parquet and laminate flooring.

The actively developing giants of the woodworking industry became interested in the innovative technology. The first to buy the license was the laminate manufacturer Alloc, which introduced the so-called 1G aluminum lock. In the following 1995, the leaders of Kahrs became interested in the invention. This is the largest manufacturer of parquet boards, which to this day holds a leading position in the market. The modified connection system was called "lock 2G". In fact, this is a prototype of a coupling kit under the modern name Lock. That is, a connection according to the "thorn-groove" principle, but with a carefully designed compacted profile. When assembling the flooring with the Lock system, a special elastic adhesive was used.

Scheme of the first interlocks for laminate.

In the future, the structure of the connecting elements continues to be refined and at the end of 2001 a patent for a locking system is published in which two adjacent plates are joined at an angle of 45°, and after pressing (snapping) a mechanically tight bond is obtained. It is thanks to this development that the Click lock laminate, so famous today, is produced. From here begins the era of adhesive-free joining of floor tiles.

Such connection kits are intended for implementation in multi-layer thin floor coverings: parquet board, engineered array, laminated HDF or PVC floor and others. For traditional parquet, vinyl or LVT tiles, massive board simple tongue and groove connections are used.

Manufacturers of laminate flooring in advertising emphasize the adhesive-free locking system, which allows you to quickly, easily and without problems assemble or disassemble the floor. Another advantage is that special profile shapes form waterproof joints without the slightest gaps. But, in fact, there are the following basic types of laminate locks:

1. Tongue-and-groove or Lock.
2. Snap or Click.

All found names like T-Lock, Megalock, Click2Click, Uniclick and others are just replication of the main types with their own modifications. Nothing fundamentally new or unique has yet been developed. Patents for these improvements have been issued in order to avoid pirated copying of products from well-known European factories by unscrupulous Asian compilers.

Laminate with an adhesive connection system is no longer produced, although occasionally you can find crafts by Chinese "masters" on sale. Consider the most interesting options from such giants as Egger, Quick step, Balterio, Alloc.

Just Click by Egger

Laminate locks from an Austrian manufacturer are classics of the click system. The panels are snapped into place at an angle of 30-45° from four sides, and a sufficiently high ridge tenon ensures the tightness of the joint and the resistance of the joint to tensile and bending loads. The cover is available in standard form and complete with Silenzio sound-diffusing underlay. The shape of the tongue and groove remains unchanged.

Uniclic by Quick Step

No less interesting is the development of the Belgian plant. The engineering profile provides the possibility of both classic snap-in at an angle, and the method of attaching or knocking down planks. This The best decision for newbies.

The lock complex from Unilin is convenient for premises with a complex perimeter, the presence of hard-to-reach places or various “obstacles” - pipes, podiums, low-mounted radiators, etc.

To understand the essence of the three-way assembly system, watch the video from the manufacturer Quick Step.

PressXpress by Balterio

Similar laminate interlocks are called 3G, 4G, or 5G. That is, an element is added to the Click-joint structure - a plastic “tongue”, aluminum grips or protrusions that provide improved grip and prevent the slats from separating over time (the formation of longitudinal and transverse slots). One of prominent representatives of this group - PressExpress from the Belgian plant Balterio. A well-designed “additive” to the main hitch eliminates even a hint of the appearance of gaps between the lamellas and significantly strengthens the joint area. Thanks to this solution, the finished flooring will withstand a significant weight without the slightest damage.

Let's note one shortcoming. According to the reviews of the craftsmen, when reassembling, plastic inserts become more of an interfering element than an auxiliary one, so they are most often removed with pliers. And to obtain a tight joint, sealing gels or sealing masses are used.

4G and 5G-S Aluminum Locking System by Berry Alloc

Laminate with aluminum locks from Alloc itself is unusual. Being a very successful modification of the two basic types of connections, the metal "thorn-groove" increases the reliability of the clutch and speeds up the assembly mechanism. In addition, this scheme allows you to reduce the weight of the floor covering, which is a significant plus for floors with reduced bearing capacity.

According to the manufacturer aluminum profile on two long sides of the bar, supplemented with a stiffener, increases the tensile strength of the connection. The limit according to the test reports is 1200 kg/r.m. m. That is why aluminum locks are used exclusively in class 33-34 flooring, designed for places with heavy foot traffic. It is allowed to disassemble and reassemble the floor covering 3 times.

Which laminate lock is better

Let's dispel the most popular myth that says that the best floor is obtained from a laminate flooring with a Click lock. In fact, flooring material with any type of interlock is designed in such a way as to end up with a perfectly smooth surface without protrusions, cracks and squeaks. Service life and build quality depends on:

1. availability original cover from well-known brands;
2. professionalism of stackers;
3. strict adherence to instructions.

The Lock joint, unlike its analog, does not stretch so much over time, so the coating with a lock-lock is more convenient in reassembly. The click hitch is more rigid, but subject to the high density of the plate - at least 750 kg / m 3. We will make it easier for our readers to choose - in large shopping malls 85% of the range is laminate with the Click system.

Let's break another stereotype. Some masters claim that the click-lock allows you to lay the laminate on the floor with differences that exceed the allowable 2 mm by 2 running meters surfaces. We will disappoint such unfortunate specialists - not a single type of connection is designed to smooth out significant irregularities, an even, solid foundation. Only in this case you will get a smooth, beautiful and functional floor that will last at least two decades.

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Without any dispute, laminate today can be considered one of the most popular flooring. And not in vain, because it is characterized by very large advantages compared to other analogues. Even an inexperienced person can mount a laminate floor, and this saves a lot of money, since if you want to do the work yourself, you don’t have to hire specialists. At the ends of the panels there are special ends, which, when interacting with the grooves on the adjacent panel, form a locking system. Thanks to this technology, the floor can be assembled quickly and without much difficulty. Here we will talk about the types of locks, the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

AT last years The laminate industry is developing rapidly, and therefore, there are many brands of this product. Often, each manufacturer tries to create its own locking technology, and then repeat that it is the most flawless and reliable. But be that as it may, various innovations from manufacturers' designers do not interfere with the conditional division of all locks into two groups: "Locke" and "Click". Between themselves, they differ in the way in which the panels are docked.

If you look at the chronology, then "Locke" locks appeared first and by this time are known as an economy option. For their manufacture use the method of milling. At its core, it is a tenon with a fixation comb on one panel and a corresponding insertion groove on the other panel. The installation of the laminated panel occurs by hammering the spike into the groove until the gap between adjacent panels is eliminated. Blows are applied with a wooden hammer or an ordinary metal one, only through a substituted bar.

During the laying of the laminate, the master requires attention and constant control of the joints. Despite its simplicity and reliability, the Locke connection has its drawbacks. During operation, friction constantly occurs in the lock system, which leads to premature wear of the coating and the appearance of cracks. To make the locks more secure, regardless of whether they belong to one of the two groups, it is recommended that they be treated with an airtight compound. When buying a laminate with such a connection system, please note that it is not designed for dismantling and reassembly.

The Click system is considered a more modern development. Its inventors took into account all the shortcomings of the "Locke" system and corrected them in their offspring. The manufacturing procedure also consists in using the milling method, only here the spike of the panel is made in the form of a flat hook. Accordingly, from the side of the other panel, a groove of the required shape is placed for tight fastening with a hook.

Laying panels with "CLICK" locks

The assembly process of coatings with the "Click" system does not have anything complicated. special effort should not be applied here. The panel is held at an angle of 40-45 degrees and carefully inserted into the groove, then completely lowered to the floor. The fact of the bond itself will confirm the characteristic click. It is through the presence of this property that the name of this system arose. It securely fixes the panels and does not wear out even under heavy load and long-term operation. Here you can not worry that the panels will disperse and form cracks. It is considered a great advantage that this coating, if necessary, can be easily disassembled and then reassembled in some other place. Manufacturers of laminate with the "Click" system assure that it is possible to disassemble the laminate without harming it 3-4 times.

The locks of such a laminate are also recommended to be treated with a sealant, especially if there are jumps in humidity in the room where the coating is installed. Even when using this composition, the possibility of safe dismantling of the floor is not excluded, since it is easily cleaned from the groove.

Do-it-yourself laminate flooring

In the field of construction, new developments appear almost every day. The production of laminate is no exception. For example, now on the market you can find a laminate with locks impregnated with a wax composition. The developer of such products is WITEX, and the laminate brand itself was called Lock Tec. Thanks to wax, the locks are reliably protected from moisture and do not need to be treated with a sealant. At the same time, the joints of the panels at correct styling are not visible at all, it gives the impression of a completely integral coating.

There are also options with aluminum insert locks. According to technical specifications products, the coating of it can easily cope with a load of 200 kg / sq.m. The aluminum lamella is attached to back side panel and, when laying, adheres to the groove of the adjacent board. The design is very simple, so laying the floor will not take much time and effort. Some manufacturers even give a lifetime warranty on the floor with such a clamping system. The number of repetitions of disassembly and assembly of the structure can reach 6 times.

Other innovative developments, such as Megaloc locks, can reduce the installation process of flooring by 3-4 times. This effect is achieved due to the unique design of the product. There is an additional plastic lock on the end side of the plate. As usual, the assembly takes place along the side, and for end docking, they simply pull the panel all the way until a characteristic click is heard.

If you need to answer the question of which lock is better, you can say without a drop of risk - Click locks. In fact, various innovations of modern manufacturers are only a modification of this basic fastening system.

When choosing a floor covering, laminate should be considered not only from the standpoint of the main characteristics, but also take into account the features of its installation. The article will focus on laminate locking systems, which are rightfully considered the most convenient way fixings when laying flooring.

Laying laminate without the use of adhesive mixture

Any kind of modern laminate flooring can be installed without the use of various fasteners and adhesive mixture. The panels are fixed to each other due to the latches on them - locks. Consider the main types of laminate locks and the advantages of using such fasteners when laying.

There are two types of laminate according to the type of lock connection:

• the name "Lock" received a version with latches;
• name laminate Click ("Click") was given to the coating due to its suitability for assembly and disassembly.

Among the main positive qualities lock fasteners worth highlighting:

• ease of installation;
• simplification of the repair of damaged elements of the coating: it is always possible to dismantle part of the coating and replace unusable boards with new ones.

Lock laminate

When considering the Lock version of the coating when determining which laminate lock is better, it is worth considering the cost-effectiveness of this coating. Similar system creates by milling the locking part, the thickness of which is equal to the thickness MDF boards or HDF.

A special spike is placed on one side of the laminated panel, and a groove is made on the other, into which a special latch is built. Thus, the panels are inserted into each other, and the spikes are securely fixed in the grooves. Maximum grip can be obtained by knocking the boards together with a wooden or rubber mallet.

The advantages of the Lock system are:

• the possibility of dismantling and re-laying the coating at any time;
• very strong construction created by joining laminated panels;
• low cost facing material;
• convenient and practical laminate size.

Of course, such a locking connection of the laminate has a drawback. It consists in the fact that an excessive load on the floor creates excessive friction between the planks at the junction points. As a result, the latches in the slots wear out and the interlock becomes less effective. In the end, gaps form between the planks, which cannot be eliminated, which means that the coating ceases to be suitable.

Locks with plastic plate

Manufacturers have begun using plastic in the manufacture of locks to make it easier for the panels to stick together.

And it is worth knowing that castle type laminate connections with plastic plates has two types of fasteners:

1. Spring fasteners allow for a single movement to snap the boards into place. The main advantage of this type is the ease of installation. The downside is that laminated planks are not always perfectly even, and therefore you have to additionally tamp them with a light hammer made of wood or rubber.
2. Rigid plastic mounts have a similar design, but their connection requires effort to insert the board into the board. Hence the minus of this type of plastic locks is a complicated installation procedure.

Naturally, laminate with a plastic lock does not inspire confidence among many owners, which is why manufacturers have taken care of creating something more reliable.

Lock fastening Click

This method of fastening laminated panels has a significant advantage over Lock fastenings. Laminate fixes at an angle of 45 degrees with virtually no effort and time.

The main advantages of such a system:

• dual 45 degree mounts;
• the highest durability of a flooring;
• minimal risk of deformation of the locks;
• possibly 6 times laying if it is necessary to repair or dismantle it for work in the thickness of floor coverings;
• laying such a coating is easy and simple;
• manufacturers claim that a laminate with such a connection can be laid on a base with irregularities up to 3 millimeters per square meter.

Aluminum Click Locks

Features of aluminum locks created using the Click system:

1. In addition to the fact that the laminate with aluminum locks is easy to install, it also has an increased strength of the joints due to a special groove in the panels. The use of metal as a material for the production of lock joints allows the joints to withstand heavy loads.
2. Exactly this variety laminate can withstand up to 6 laying and dismantling.
3. The flooring turns out to be absolutely tight, which eliminates the risk of moisture getting into the thickness of the floor covering.
4. You can lay such a coating on any base: screed, concrete slab, boardwalk, etc.

Naturally, a coating without defects will look aesthetically pleasing in the photo and during visual inspection. Aluminum locks will keep it as such for a very long period of time.

Outcome

This article discusses in detail what kind of locks are in the laminate and describes their features. The owner can only understand which option will be optimal for him, but, as practice shows, the choice is based only on cost. because with sufficient sum of money no one thinks and buys a laminate with metal locks, or vice versa, if finances are limited.

The ease of installation, as well as the possibility of reusable laying and dismantling of the coating, allow you to put the choice of laminate much higher than other floor coverings. If there are difficulties during installation, you can always turn to specialists who, in addition to carrying out work, can also take responsibility for the acquisition necessary materials taking into account all the wishes of the customer.

The suitability of the floor covering for use in the target room depends on the correct choice of laminate locks. Panel joints are both strong and weak side this type of floor, and therefore you need to take this nuance responsibly. When choosing a floor covering, you will inevitably have to find out what kind of locks a laminate has. After studying them, many inexperienced people are perplexed: why is such a large number of, if you can apply one, but the most convenient. From this comes the question “Which laminate lock is better than the rest?” Let's figure it out.

Some types of laminate locks have been patented by individual manufacturing companies. Among the variety, one can single out the most popular castle connections, as well as several outdated ones. There are also modern systems connections, before use of which a special molding of the panels is performed. If you plan to use a laminate with a lock for a long time, it would be wise to provide for the possibility of dismantling.

The lock determines the quality of the flooring. It is from this component that the degree of evenness of the surface, the gap between the lamellae, the absence of creaking and minimizing the likelihood of divergence of seams over time depends. In addition, the durability of the entire structure depends on the quality of the manufacture of the interlocks and the laminate itself and compliance with the assembly technology. In order to properly lay the coating and avoid problems in the future, it is necessary to have an idea about the types of lamella coupling.

Types of laminate locks

The classification of castles begins with their division into main subspecies. Many people who are just planning to install this flooring do not know what kind of lock systems are on the laminate, and therefore manufacturers like to invent their own lock schemes, and then present them as the most reliable on the market. All used laminate locks can be divided into two large groups: lock and click.

The most popular laminate locks

These two types of locks differ from each other in the way the panels are joined.

lock

Laminate lock systems are reputed to be the most economical option and have been used for a long time. The production of these joints is done by milling: the connecting element looks like a tongue equipped with a tongue that fits into a groove on the other side of the panel.

Today, lock is an outdated laminate lock, used only by companies that have old production lines at their disposal. It is difficult to disassemble it without damaging the protruding edges of the lock components, which, among other things, are erased over time from constant stress and friction. If you do not close the gaps with a sealing compound (glue or mastic) during installation, then even a small amount of water can ruin the floor.

Before latching a laminate with a lock, you need to make sure that the surface underneath is of good quality. Laying on an uneven floor may increase the gaps between the panels. Assembly is carried out by hammering the spike into the groove with a wooden hammer until the gap between the panels disappears. It is allowed to use a conventional metal hammer, but then you need wooden block or a piece of hard rubber.

Experienced specialists who have already laminated many apartments speak of the need for constant monitoring of joints during installation and the overall laboriousness of assembling these locking systems. With external simplicity and reliability, lock-locks have one main drawback: they are non-separable and wear out at the location of the fixing ridge, which causes gaps between the panels. This indicates the unsuitability of these interlocks for long-term operation.

Castle Click

Most modern laminate collections have click-locks, which are considered more modern and do not have the disadvantages of lock-locks. They are made in the same way, however, the closing spike has the shape of a flat hook, and in the grooves there are platforms for its entry. This design allows you to disassemble the floor up to 3-4 times and securely holds the panels, preventing the appearance of cracks even with heavy loads on the locking mechanism.

Click-click laminate is practical and versatile, as it implies the possibility of repeated disassembly. It is also called " just click". At its core, it is a modernized version of the lock-lock. Since the grooves follow the shape of the fixing hooks, the click-lock laminate can be assembled even by a non-professional - it is enough to follow the assembly technology to avoid damage and divergence of the panels.

Before assembling a laminate with a click lock, you need to understand the mechanics of the action. During installation, the panel is inserted into the groove at an angle of 45 degrees, after which the panel should be moved to a horizontal position with swinging movements. When the closing elements are coupled, a click is heard, thanks to which this locking mechanism got its name.

In addition to those described above, there are other types of laminate locks on the market:

• uniclic;
• aluminum locks;
• megaloc;
• t-lock.

UniClic lock

The uniclic laminate lock differs from others in its special profiles of tongues and grooves. You can assemble it both by knocking it down, and by simply snapping it at an angle. Thanks to the lower wedge-shaped edge of the groove, the load is distributed evenly throughout the structure. All lock components are made from the same material as the panels. This approach to manufacturing avoids deformation of the panels during installation.

Opinions differ on how to properly latch uniclic locks. Practice shows that installation at an angle is optimal. By joining the panels in this way, you can do without special tool, and install faster. It is necessary to fix the short sides of the lamella first, and only then the long ones. To lay the last row and also to assemble in hard to reach place, you need to have a hammer and a wooden pad.

This lock was invented and patented by the manufacturer Quick Step. Other manufacturers of a similar type of lock may be called differently. For example TwinClick, ProLock or SmartLock. However general principle installation and fixing panels remained the same.

Laminate, equipped with metal locks, is rightfully the most reliable. The coupling mechanism can withstand loads up to 1200 kilograms per square meter. Laminate with aluminum locks can be laid without thresholds and disassembled up to 5 times without any damage or abrasion of the protrusions in the grooves and on the studs. Also, laminate with aluminum locks does not deform over time and is distinguished by the smallest gaps between the panels. An additional aluminum plate increases the strength of the connection and increases protection against moisture ingress under the coating. Such a lock is used in its products by the Norwegian manufacturer Alloc, giving a lifetime guarantee with proper laying of the laminate.

lock 5g

The design of this coupling mechanism includes an iron or plastic insert - tongue. This element ensures the tightness of the joints in the 5g laminate and the reliability of fixing the panels to each other. Like many other lock systems, the 5G lock snaps into place by inserting a panel vertically. When fixing, the insert is removed, after which a click is heard, notifying that the tongue has taken the right place and the panel is fixed. This lock allows you to simultaneously connect panels on the long and short sides with a simple push from above.

This type of connection has another name - 2-Lock, which is found in the manufacturer Tarkett.

Megaloc lock

This system is developed by Classen based on the 5g lock. Reliability of fixation is achieved through the use of a special insert at the end of the laminate. When connected, the insert bends and then snaps into place with a characteristic click, fixing the panel. The megaloc laminate lock implies assembly from the front side. Upon completion of the assembly, the second strip is attached to the first strip with an offset. If we compare the assembly time with other types of locks, then megaloc is mounted as quickly as possible. It is possible to dismantle and reinstall the cover with these locks up to 4 times.

A distinctive feature is the best tightness of the finished coating. Another advantage of this type of locks is that there is no need to use any tool when laying.

T-lock

Created by Tarkett based on positive sides castle lock systems and click. Today, this type of connection can be found in the assortment of dozens of companies. The T-lock can be disassembled four times without damaging the components. The panels are connected at a very small angle and guarantee the strength of contact without distortion of the lamellas and excessively large gaps. The disadvantage of the lock is the visibility of the joints, especially in dark colors. Subsequently, the design of the castle was improved: Bottom part the castle became more concave, and at the junction the side with decorative layer became more massive. This is how the TC-Lock was born.

Which castle is better?

A good locking system is the key to a long service life of a laminate floor. When choosing, you should know in advance the conditions in which it will be operated. There are many opinions, but which locks are better - only practice always shows, because each type of connection has its own advantages that others do not have. AT recent times there is a laminate with wax-impregnated locking systems developed by Witex.

The presence of wax in the locking mechanism several times increases the protection against moisture getting under the coating. In addition, wax-impregnated laminate locks make the coating more aesthetic due to the visual solidity of the floor. Also, the wax coating simplifies the assembly process and increases the resistance of the locking mechanism to external loads, increasing its durability.

Comparing lock and click locks, one can argue about the technological superiority of the latter. The duration of their service depends on many factors, so the best laminate is the one that has minimum thickness seams and high-strength connecting systems. Which manufacturer is better to choose is everyone's business, but experts are confident in the undisputed leadership of German firms.

Sometimes it happens that the lock on the laminate floor does not latch or spontaneously opens. In this case, it is necessary first of all to determine which of the factors does not correspond to the recommendations for the installation and operation of floors. This will allow you to quickly determine what caused the divergence of the panels and understand what should be done if the lock has opened on the laminate.

findings

The choice of locks for a laminate floor is a responsible matter that needs to be given due attention. In case of incorrect selection of locking systems, you can only get disappointed in your decision to change the appearance of the home. To make the right choice, you need to clearly understand whether the laminate will lie for a long time or whether it will need to be dismantled, what loads it will experience and in what conditions it will be used.

We should pay tribute to modern manufacturers, they do not leave buyers to the mercy of fate, indicating on a pack of laminate what locks are used and how the panels should be fastened together.