We lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor. How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? Choosing a substrate for laminate

When renovating an apartment, a situation often arises when old plank floors need to be covered with a new floor covering, for example, laminate. In this case, specialists from organizations involved in repairs assure that before laying laminate flooring, it is necessary to completely dismantle the old covering and make a new concrete screed, leveling the floors. However, the work of dismantling and installing screeds often turns out to be much more expensive than a new coating, so the question arises: how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor without dismantling it?

Let's try to understand the requirements for the surface for laying laminate. The surface must be flat, the height difference should not be more than 2 mm per 1 meter of floor length in any direction. The floor should not sag. If these requirements are not met, there is a risk of breaking the laminate lock under load, as a result of which the integrity of the floor will be compromised and cracks will appear. Also, the base for laying the laminate must be strong, dry, and free of debris. Based on these requirements, it is necessary to inspect the wooden floor and, if necessary, prepare it.

Checking and leveling the floor

First you need to carefully inspect the floors. Old wood floors that have been painted over and over again often have a convex surface on the boards - this is due to many layers of paint in the center of the board and partial destruction of its edges. They may also have slots of varying widths. If the board is relatively new, tongue-and-groove, tightly fitted, the floor surface is usually flat, without drops.

Check to see if the floorboards are sagging or squeaking when walking; you should also make sure that the boards lie tightly where they are attached to the joists, and that the joists themselves have not collapsed or sagged. In addition to unevenness, the floor may have a significant slope towards the corners or center of the room , it is checked using a laser or bubble level. This deficiency also needs to be corrected before laying the laminate.

An old board with a lot of differences can be leveled in two ways:

• Plan it using an electric planer or a parquet leveling machine;
• Upholster with plywood, plywood thickness from 8 mm.

If the floor has a significant slope, it will be necessary to level it using additional guides and cover it with plywood.

1. If the floor boards sag, you need to check the condition of the joists. To do this, determine the location of the log, in the area of ​​which deflection is observed, and cut out part of the board. This can be done with a jigsaw, and it is better to position its blade at an angle so that the cut out part forms a narrowing towards the bottom. The part of the board cut out in this way will not be difficult to put back without additional fastening. The logs are inspected through the resulting hole, and if they sag, a wooden wedge is driven under them until they are completely leveled.
2. Sharpening the floor makes sense only if the boards are tightly fastened and do not have a significant slope in any direction. Before leveling the floor with an electric planer, it is necessary to eliminate squeaks by securing the boards to the joists using long self-tapping screws. Self-tapping screws can be screwed into holes from previously removed nails, or next to them. The heads of screws and nails must be recessed to a depth of about 2 mm. The leveled floor is thoroughly swept, impregnated with an antiseptic for interior work or drying oil and dried. After this, laminate can be laid on the floor. The direction of installation must be chosen so that the joints of the laminate are perpendicular to the floor boards - this will reduce possible deflection.

   

   Technology for leveling the floor with an electric planer

3. If the boards have small, numerous differences, but the overall slope of the floor is satisfactory, the floor is sheathed with 12 mm plywood, fixing it directly to the boards. To eliminate squeaks, it is necessary to secure the plywood with long self-tapping screws through the boards to the joists - this way, all layers of the floor will be properly tightened.

   

   Plywood floor covering technology

4. Small humps, dips and uneven spots can be corrected by using pads made from pieces of plywood or lumber placed under the plywood sheets. If the unevenness is significant and reaches 5 cm, the floor will have to be leveled using block guides. It is necessary to calculate in advance the required number of bars of various thicknesses to make it easier to adjust the height. First, cut out the plywood and lay it on the old wooden floor. The joints of the plywood sheets are drawn on the floor with a marker - this will make laying the block easier. The block is attached to the floor with self-tapping screws with a minimum step of 50-60 cm, and support bars must be placed at the joints of the plywood sheets. For additional noise and heat insulation, the space between the wooden floor and plywood can be filled with insulation, for example, mineral wool. The plywood is attached to self-tapping screws with a cone-shaped head, deepening them flush with the surface. The gap between the plywood and the walls should be 3-5 mm. It should be remembered that leveling the floor in this way will raise it relative to the level of the rest of the floor in the apartment, and may require replacing the doors.

   

   Video - how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Laying laminate flooring step by step

1. The plywood or leveled floor is ready for laying laminate. Under the laminate, a foamed polyethylene backing is required. The underlay is necessary to avoid the laminate hitting the base. The thickness of the substrate varies from 1 to 3 mm, but during operation it tends to cake, so there is no particular point in buying a thick substrate. The underlay is placed end-to-end on the floor, and the joints are taped with construction tape to secure it to the floor. Additionally, you can secure the backing with tape around the edges.

   

   Technology of laying laminate on a polyethylene foam backing

2. Before installation, the laminate must be kept in the room for 2 days so that it acquires the temperature and humidity of the given room. Before installation, you need to decide on the installation method: parallel to the light, perpendicular to the light or diagonally. Diagonal laying requires more careful adjustment and is recommended for narrow rooms to visually expand them. Usually laminate is laid perpendicular to the window - this way the joints are less noticeable.

   

3. Once the laying direction has been chosen, you need to measure the distance between the walls and calculate the number of laminate boards, as well as the width of the last board. If the width of the last board is less than 1/3, it is advisable to start laying the first row of boards sawn in half. The sawn-off parts of the laminate will be useful for the last row.
4. There are three types of laminate: with “Click”, “Lock” type locks, as well as adhesive laminate. The “Click” lock is attached by installing the board at an angle of 45° to the previous one and clicking the lock. This system is collapsible. The “Lock” is secured by lightly tapping the opposite end of the board until it clicks, and the laminate tenon is inserted into the groove. It is necessary to tap the laminate through the block so as not to damage the groove. Adhesive laminate is more often used in damp rooms; special glue is used to attach it.

   

   Technology for correct laminate joining

5. Laminate flooring with a “Click” lock is installed in rows. First, the ends of the boards of the first row are fastened, the row is leveled in place and the laminate is wedged between the walls using thin slats. This is necessary to create a gap that regulates the thermal expansion of the coating. The second row is assembled in the same way and, placing it at an angle to the first, is inserted into the lock, after which it is lowered and the lock latches. So continue laying until the end of the room.

   

   Laminate laying technology with “Click” lock

6. Laminate with a “Lock” lock is placed staggered - this will help to fasten the boards into a single surface. To do this, measure the length of the board, the length of the room, and calculate the number of boards in one row. If, as a result, about half of the last board remains, then it is used at the beginning of the next row. If an even number of boards are laid along the length of the room without any residue, then in every second row one board is cut in half, starting laying from half the board. A gap of 3-5 mm is also left between the wall and the covering, installing a wedge from the slats there.

   

   Laminate laying technology with Lock

7. Adhesive laminate is laid using the same technology, but the tongue-and-groove joint is coated with glue, and after installation the boards are temporarily secured with tape. After installation, the wedges are removed and the baseboards are installed.

   

Most often, laminate flooring is laid on a concrete base, but recently many people have had success laying laminate flooring on an old wooden floor. The installation process in this case is not very different. To figure out how to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should familiarize yourself with the features of this coating and identify all its advantages and disadvantages.

A material such as laminate gets along well with almost any type of coating. However, it is important to ensure that the floor is always dry and clean.

Important features of a wooden base

When installing any high-quality laminate flooring on a wooden floor, take into account the important features of such a coating:

• a coating made of wood will sooner or later lose its properties, so before you put laminate on your wooden floor, carefully look at the condition of the coating, as well as the supporting beams and joists
• wood coating is not particularly resistant and stable, so even a slight displacement of the laminate panels can lead to additional load on the laminate locks

Old wood floors often have an uneven, bumpy surface. Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to eliminate all visible defects. This is done so that the lamellas do not diverge and cracks do not form.

Preparing the floor for laying laminate

A common problem that can be encountered when laying laminate flooring is an uneven floor. You can check this using a level, which will allow you to identify areas of unevenness for further elimination.

Several methods are used to level the floor surface:

• using special sheets of plywood or chipboard (chipboard). We take a thick sheet of plywood, treat it with a fungicide or drying oil to avoid mold, adjust its size using a special saw, then lay the finished sheets on the surface; You can use backing slats to level the level of inclination of the surface, and use self-tapping screws to secure the sheets
• scraping for old wood with minor unevenness. If the unevenness on the floor surface is from 4 to 6 millimeters per square meter, then we conditionally divide the coating into several sections, each of which is gradually processed with an electric planer. If all the irregularities are concentrated in one place, then the coating can be treated with sandpaper or by hand scraping
• securing support beams or joists. If the floor surface has a large slope or creaks, then it is necessary to fit and secure special wooden slats called joists to the concrete base.

Repair of wooden base

Before laying the laminate on a wooden base, you need to prepare the coating by repairing it and eliminating all defects.

If you find a completely rotten board, replace it. If the damage is only on one side, then it is enough to turn the board with the inside facing up. Shaky boards are secured with self-tapping screws. If the joists also wobble along with the boards, then they need to be secured to the base. To do this, drill a hole and secure the logs using an anchor.

If the floor covering sags, then special support wedges are placed under the joists. All cracks or crevices formed in the wooden floor are treated with putty.

After all repair work has been carried out, it is necessary to clean the coating from dust and debris, and then proceed to the next stage of laying a new laminate.

Laying underlays under laminate

When laying laminate flooring on an old floor made of wood, do not forget about the underlays, which perform several basic functions:

• sound and noise insulation effect
• heat saving effect
• hiding base irregularities, the elimination of which was missed during the preparatory work

The underside of the laminate is more susceptible to moisture, so it is necessary to isolate it from liquids.

First of all, it is necessary to place a waterproofing polyethylene film on the wooden floor. The overlap when laying the film should be about 15-20 centimeters. After this, a backing is placed, which you can purchase in the form of rolls or sheets. The substrate is placed in the joint and secured with tape.

You can use various substrates for installing laminate, in particular:

• substrates made of natural eco-friendly cork
• foamed polypropylene
• polyurethane foam substrates
• coniferous substrates
• foil linings
• bitumen substrates, etc.

When choosing the material from which the lining for the laminate is made, it is also worth considering what kind of coating it will be laid on. For wood flooring, it is advisable to use a natural, environmentally friendly cork underlay. Experts say that this kind of substrate interacts well with wood. It is especially important to use this type of underlay if you are going to install expensive laminate flooring.

You can also use old-style linoleum, rolled cork fiber or turf as a lining under the laminate. To properly install an underlay on an old floor, you must avoid matching the seams of the underlay with the seams of the covering. This will keep the floor surface more even, particularly after you lay the laminate.

After choosing a substrate, you can begin installing a new high-quality laminate on the wood flooring.

How to lay laminate correctly: step-by-step instructions

To properly lay a laminate coating on a wooden base, follow the algorithm recommended by experts:

• starting from the corner furthest from the door, lay out the first row of laminate panels horizontally. Laminate flooring is laid at the joints, and you must constantly monitor the alignment of the panels in relation to the wall. Laying the laminate on a wooden base should occur perpendicular to the location of the boards. To ensure that there is a gap between the wall and the panels, it is necessary to install special plastic or wooden stops
• when the first row of laminate rests against the opposite wall, you need to cut off the required part of the panel using a jigsaw
• the second row must be laid in such a way that its joints at the ends do not coincide with the joints of the first row; to do this, take a new panel and cut off about a third of it, and from the cut-off part of the laminate we start a new row
• By analogy with the first row, the second row is laid
• All boards of the second row must first be fastened together, and then connected to the panels of the first row. You can hammer the panel using a safety bar
• Continue laying the laminate on the wooden floor, making sure there are gaps between the walls and panels
• saw the panels of the last row to length

You can install laminate flooring on an old floor in various ways - in rows, herringbone or other convenient method.

After you have laid the laminate, you need to remove the wedges between the wall and the panels and start installing the baseboard. To decorate the cut areas, use special plugs. To exit technical communications, pre-cut holes of the required size.

After the laminate flooring has been completely laid, it is necessary to properly secure the door threshold. It will successfully hide the height difference between rooms.

In general, you can lay laminate flooring yourself in 4-5 days, of which approximately 3-4 days will be spent preparing the floor for installation of the new coating.

Now you know how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden base, and in the future you can carry out all repair work without any difficulties.

My article will help you lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, which describes all the features and methods in detail.

Laminate– modern flooring. Distinguished by its practicality and aesthetics, it has become especially popular in recent years. Nowadays, not only craftsmen, but also amateurs who do their own repairs have the skills to lay laminated panels.

Laminate can be laid on any surface. However, many people have a question about how to properly lay it on a wooden floor, what technology should be followed. On this matter, you can find practical advice, photos and videos on the Internet. At them, craftsmen share their experience of working with fashionable coatings and the secrets of using it for construction purposes.

To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should make sure of the quality of the latter. To do this, the boards are examined for safety. The most common defects are:

• deflection of boards under weight;
• gaps between individual parts;
• deformation of floorboards, their curvature;
• damage from dampness, fungus or pests.

It is especially important to eliminate any differences in base height, bulges and depressions. You cannot put laminate on. In the video, the masters show how to eliminate this defect using a grinding machine or plane.

A professional tool can be

Video on how to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Floorboards can creak for two reasons:

• poor fixation of boards on rough flooring or joists;
• friction of individual elements among themselves.

In the first case, the products are attached to the crossbars with screws or nails. In the second, for minor cracks, add graphite and talc and seal the resulting gaps with putty.

To find out the condition of a wooden floor, it is recommended to remove a layer of paint and expose the structure of the wood. Rotten and decayed floorboards are checked with an awl or tapped with a hammer. If such parts are found, they are carefully removed and replaced with boards of the same thickness and width, driving them into the resulting gap.

If the floorboards are in good condition, but gaps have formed between them, the wooden floor is knocked together. The distance that arises between the flooring and the wall is filled with a piece of board. Instead of hammering, thin bars are inserted into the cracks and driven in with a mallet. Then they must go over the floor with a sanding machine so that the uneven floor turns into a smooth surface.

For preventative purposes, it is recommended to soak floorboards that have been cleared of paint with an antiseptic against fungus and mold and some kind of bioprotective composition against wood insects.

Leveling a wooden floor

The most important problem for laying laminate flooring is. Height differences between boards should not exceed 2 mm per 1 square meter. For minor results, use a grinder or plane. They are passed over the entire surface, periodically checking the condition of the floor using a level or a wooden plank and a spirit level.

If the wooden floor is too uneven, use plywood, OSB or chipboard. This method is ideal for creating a basic base for laminate flooring. Recently, OSB has been actively displacing plywood from the field of construction work. These materials are similar in quality, but OSB products are preferable because

• easy to process;
• have good strength;
• do not delaminate under mechanical influence;
• moisture-resistant, do not warp from water and fumes;
• have elasticity;
• are cheaper than plywood;
• have advantageous dimensions.

Today, OSB boards are one of the best materials for laminate flooring. The canvases are fully compatible with other wooden parts and rough flooring.

OSB is used as a substrate for laminate flooring. The choice of dimensions of this material depends on the thickness of the main coating. For a 7 mm laminate, 2 mm slabs are laid, 8-9 mm - 3 mm OSB. If you put a base under a laminate made of thicker sheets, they may sag during further use. This will negatively affect the locking joints: they will become deformed and break.

OSB boards are screwed with self-tapping screws or nailed with nails of suitable length to joists or rough boards. The distance between them is determined by the size of the canvas. Usually the step from one fastener to another is 20-25 cm. This procedure can be observed on a special video.

Do not place the slabs under the laminate, pressing them tightly against each other. It is important to leave a technical gap of 5 mm. Subsequently, it is covered with epoxy putty or filled with foam.

When watching a video on preparing the base for laminate flooring, you should pay attention to the waterproofing device. It must be laid under OSB boards in order to further avoid the accumulation of condensation, the formation of high humidity and damage to wooden products.

So, with the help of plywood or OSB boards, you can turn even a very uneven wooden floor into an ideal surface for laminate, the main thing is to lay everything correctly.

Laminate features

Laminated boards (lamellas) are multilayer products. They are based on a fiberboard or chipboard panel. It is this that provides the entire floor with strength and reliability in operation.

The aesthetics of the coating is given by a decorative layer consisting of paper impregnated with special resins made from artificial components. At the bottom of the laminate panel there is a protective waterproof layer – melamine. It provides rigidity to products and saves them from deformation.

Laminated boards have different thicknesses, from 6 to 14 mm. When choosing laminate flooring for rooms with different functionality, you should be guided by the fact that thick panels are more resistant to abrasion and durable in use. They are placed in living rooms, hallways and rooms with high traffic. Such panels have excellent sound-absorbing properties. Thick boards are easier to lay than thin ones. Therefore, it is better for beginners to train on such products.

Laminated boards are connected to each other using special locks. They come in two types - Click and Lock. Click lock is more practical. It is difficult to break or damage. When the tenon enters the groove, the latter does not expand. The laminate with such a lock is combined at an angle of 45 degrees, slightly rocked and gently, with little force, pressed the panel to the floor.

In a Lock-lock, when the tenon of one product enters the groove of another, it expands. If you carry out the procedure carelessly, you can damage the thin connection and ruin the laminate panel.

In order to correctly align and lay the laminate boards together and not leave gaps, the products are tapped along the entire length with a mallet. It is important not to damage the lock. Therefore, they use a wooden strip and a piece of unusable panel.

The laminate will be more pliable and will bond better if it is brought into the room where it will be laid in advance, about a day before installation.

How to lay laminate flooring

The laminate finish is classified as a floating structure. It is capable of contracting and expanding. Therefore, before laying, it is important to provide a gap of 7-10 mm between the wall and the floor. To make it the same, use planks of equal thickness. They are installed along the walls and lightly secured. Upon completion of work, carefully remove.

Substrate

Next, you should place an underlay on the wooden floor. It is sold in rolls and sheets, made from synthetic or natural components, serves as an excellent waterproofing for laminate flooring and can correct uneven floors with minor defects. When choosing a substrate, they are guided by the price and quality of the products. Natural cork fabrics are most preferred. However, they are expensive.

The substrate is laid along the wall, first in one row. You should not cover the entire wooden floor at once: this will make it more difficult to work with the boards. The pieces of the backing sheets are glued together with tape.

Laying boards

Lamels can be laid in different ways:

• "scatter";
• diagonally;
• "herringbone";
• in 2 minutes.

For beginners in the construction business, it is better to choose the simple “staggering” method. It is as follows:

1. Place the first row of laminate along the wall opposite the entrance, starting from the inner corner of the window.
2. In the second row, the first board will be a piece of half the product. The other half will complete this row.
3. Next comes the alternation of solid boards and sections at the beginning of the row.
4. In the last row, it may turn out that the solid board is wider than necessary. In this case, it is cut lengthwise using a jigsaw. The cut should be flush with the wall and the lock should connect to the previous board. When cutting the panel, it is important to be careful not to split the laminate. You should measure and cut it as evenly as possible.

This method allows you to give the greatest strength to a wooden floor. Laminate panels do not diverge and adhere tightly to each other. It is more economical and simpler than, for example, “herringbone”. Both methods of laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor can be seen in the video. But in order to lay lamellas in the second way, you need to master a special technique for working with material and tools.

When laying laminate flooring on a plank wood floor, there is a danger that the joints of the boards and panels will overlap. And this is undesirable. In this case, you should choose the diagonal method of installing the laminate. The laying angle may be different. The advantage of this method of installing slats is that it allows you to visually break up the space and visually enlarge it. This method is described in detail and captured on video.

Upon completion of the work, remove the planks from the walls and attach the baseboards. They complete the overall composition and mask the gap between the wall and the floor. They are purchased in the color of the coating. Plastic products with a recess and cable channel are now popular. Mobile or stationary wires are laid in it.

Video on laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Laminate: laying on an old wooden base

The technology of laying laminated boards on floors has been mastered not only by professional builders, but also by amateurs who do their own repairs. It is not difficult to carry out this work: modern flooring is easy to install and practical to use. However, questions often arise as to whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on an old wooden base and how to do it correctly.

The work of laying “layered” wooden boards as a finishing coating consists of two stages: preliminary and main. On the first, the study and preparation of the base is carried out, on the second, the actual laying of the boards. In the case where the base is old wooden floor, carry out a more thorough check of all structural elements. This will allow you to avoid many troubles associated with the operation of the coating in the future.

Preparing the wooden base

Can be an excellent base for laminate . Both materials are of natural origin and harmonize perfectly with each other. This combination provides warmth and comfort of the coating. Therefore, there is nothing better than putting “ply” boards on old wood products.

At the stage of preliminary work, the plank base is carefully examined, the degree of preservation of the material, the presence of defects and damage are checked. Depending on this, further work is performed.

Elimination of defects in old wooden floors

If the floorboards are very loose and there are wide gaps, they need to be nailed down or the resulting gaps filled.

• wooden dies, specially cut to fit the size of the hole formed;
• putty;
• strands impregnated with glue;
• sealant;
• polyurethane foam.

After the materials have dried, the protruding fragments are cleaned.

If the old wooden floor is relatively well preserved, but minor defects are noticeable, they can be eliminated in an accessible way:

• small cracks and chips of the floor are puttied or filled with sealant;
• protruding nail heads are driven flush;
• wooden boards are sanded with a special machine or sandpaper.

In most cases, old wood floors are covered with paint. There is no need to remove it specially. It is enough to remove the exfoliated fragments. After using the sander, it is recommended to prime the boards or soak them with an antiseptic for greater reliability.

Sometimes an old plank floor is so bad that it requires complete replacement. In this case, a full range of measures is carried out to create a new foundation.

Leveling an old wooden floor

In order for laminate flooring to be laid on an old wooden floor without any problems and for the coating to lie flat, the base should not have any differences in height. All wooden floorboards should be at the same level. Protruding fragments are cut off with a plane and smoothed with sandpaper or a grinder.

To speed up the process of installing the floor covering, the old wooden floor is leveled with sheets of plywood or DSP. They are placed “randomly”, fastened with self-tapping screws or glued to a special compound. If necessary, you can put two layers of leveling material such as plywood. This is a very reliable way to create the ideal base required for laying laminate flooring.

Underlay on old floor

Before laying the laminate on the old floor, create a layer of hydro and sound insulation.

1. Polyethylene film does a good job of protecting against moisture. It is spread around the perimeter of the room. The strips are overlapped and secured with tape so that they do not diverge. The edges should protrude onto the walls.
2. Next, they “throw in” any soundproofing material: old linoleum, turf, polyurethane or cork. On the market you can choose an affordable product that will protect the room from noise and extraneous sounds.

This multi-layer structure will be an excellent support for laminated boards and will protect the old wooden floor from rotting. Although you can do without it.

Basic work: laying laminate flooring on an old floor

Options

From an aesthetic point of view laminate- excellent floor covering. The pattern of natural wood creates coziness and warmth in the living space. It is unobtrusive and pleasing to the eye, perfectly harmonizing with furniture and other interior items.

Laying of panels is carried out in three options:

• simple: the boards are laid like ordinary floorboards strictly in one line;
• parquet(herringbone): parts are placed at an angle to each other;
• diagonal: laminated products lie at an angle of 45 degrees to the wall. This is the most original way to arrange the panels. But it is the most expensive, since with this installation the consumption of the laminate increases by half. This should be taken into account when purchasing products in a store.

Non-professionals who do the repairs themselves should start laying the flooring with simple installation. Diagonal and parquet patterns require a certain skill and skill in using tools. This is labor-intensive and time-consuming work.

Methods

At the stage of purchasing laminate flooring, it is important to decide on the method of laying it. There are two of them:

• adhesive;
• castle

The first method involves the use of a special adhesive composition. Construction work takes a lot of time. Then it takes a certain period for the product to dry. This increases the time it takes to start using the floor. However, this method is considered the highest quality, and the coating lasts longer.

Most often they resort to the castle method. Each laminated board is equipped with a fastening system that, during installation, is combined, snapped into place, and securely fixes the products to each other. Laying laminate flooring using this method significantly reduces installation time, and the floor can be walked on immediately after completion of the work.

Laminate is laid on an old wooden floor using both methods. With the adhesive method of fastening, you do not need to use a backing. The composition is evenly distributed and further serves as a natural shock absorber.

Tools

To carry out installation work on laying laminate flooring on an old wooden floor, you need a simple set of tools and accessories. It includes:

• plastic or wooden die;
• mallet (rubber hammer);
• measuring instruments: tape measure, square;
• small wooden wedges for inserting between the wall and the boards;
• sharp knife for opening packages;
• jigsaw or hacksaw.

Laminate laying technology

1. Laminate They begin to lay from the window from the left corner. The grooves of the boards should be directed toward the wall, the ridges outward.
2. Stepping back 10-15 mm from the wall, place a wooden block, which will create a uniform gap between the wall surface and the coating. Upon completion of the work, it is removed, the gap is sealed with sealant and covered with a plinth. This gap is necessary, since laminate is a moving product that will contract and expand during use; it needs “space.” Otherwise the boards will break.
3. First, lay the first row along the entire wall, fastening the laminated panels with a lock. The last board may be longer than necessary. It is cut with a jigsaw or hacksaw to the required size.
4. The remaining trim can be used when laying the second row, starting with it. In this case, the vertical joints of the panels will be additionally fastened with the long side of the board.
5. When combining the tongue and groove of products, you should act with extreme caution so as not to break the thin contour and not violate the integrity of the panels.
6. The boards of the second row are first fastened along the width, and then attached to the first row along the entire length of the room. The entire strip is carefully lifted at an angle of 35-40 degrees and lowered until a characteristic click is heard.
7. To ensure that the boards lie tightly and there is no gap between them, use a mallet. It is used to knock together parts with light movements.
8. Next, laying the laminate on a wooden floor is carried out according to an established scheme.
9. In the last row it may turn out that the width of the boards is wider than necessary. Then measure the segment to the wall and transfer the parameters to the wrong side of the laminated part. Along the resulting line, the board is cut lengthwise, keeping the ridge, which will need to be aligned with the groove of the previous row. These actions are performed with all products intended for laying in the last coating line.

If all measures for laying laminate flooring with your own hands are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the technology, then with proper use the coating will last for many years. A flat, old, wooden floor as a base for the finishing sheet contributes to good preservation of the “layered” products. This floor will be warm and comfortable.

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Do-it-yourself wooden floor under laminate
Laying tiles on a wooden floor: technology and its features

Among the fairly wide variety of decorative floor coverings, there are not many options that can be laid on a wood base. Although, with strict adherence to the necessary rules, almost any material can be laid. But a laminated coating, created according to the floating principle, is an ideal solution for a wooden base. In this article we will talk about how to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor, as well as what options there are for laying laminate flooring.

How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor?

Laminated panels are only fastened to each other; there is no need to fasten them to static building frames, to the floor or wall. A floor created using the floating method sits comfortably on a sub-base and gives it the opportunity to expand and contract. The base also does not interfere with the laminate when it changes its geometry due to changes in temperature and humidity levels. The design features of laminated panels make it possible to do without adhesive. The glueless method is the most popular. It pleases both the wooden base and the owners of country houses with excellent spontaneous aeration, which is necessary for ventilation of parts of the wooden structure.

Despite its artificial composition, laminate does not differ much from timber during operation. Because its main part consists of MDF panels, chipboard, HDF and the same boards made by pressing wood processing waste. The basis of laminated panels is an important indicator that determines the scope of application.

When installing any high-quality laminate on a wooden base, it is worth considering certain features of this material:

• a material that is made of wood will lose its quality after some time, for this reason, before installing the laminate, carefully inspect the floor, as well as the condition of the supporting beams and joists
• timber is not highly resistant and stable, therefore, even a slight displacement of the panels will cause an increased load on the interlocking joints
• Old wood flooring often has an uneven surface, bumps or depressions. Before installing the laminate, it is necessary to get rid of all defects so that the panels do not separate or cracks form.

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to level the surface. There are several ways to level a wooden surface:

• using sheets of plywood or particleboard (chipboard). To do this, you need to take a thick sheet of plywood and treat it with an antiseptic solution to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms. Next, adjust its size using a special saw, after which you can lay them on the base. Backing slats will help level the slope of the base, and self-tapping screws will secure the sheets
• scraping. This method is suitable for old floors that have minor flaws. Provided that the base imperfections range from 4 to 6 mm per square meter. meter, you need to conditionally divide the coating into several parts. Each of the resulting parts must be processed with an electric planer.
• installation of support beams or joists. When the base has a significant slope or creaks strongly, you need to fit and attach special slats made of timber, called joists, to the concrete base.

In addition, if a rotten board is discovered, it must be replaced. Secure loose boards using self-tapping screws. When the logs wobble, they need to be strengthened at the base. For this purpose, drill a hole and secure the logs using an anchor. When the foundation subsides, special support wedges must be placed under the joists. Any cracks and crevices, even the smallest ones, should be sealed with putty.

Upon completion of all repair work, you need to thoroughly clean the base from dirt and debris, then you can implement the second stage of installing the laminate.

Do-it-yourself laminate installation on a wooden floor

On the leveled and repaired base, you first need to lay a 3 mm thick foamed polypropylene or balsa wood backing. The backing sheets are placed end to end and connected to each other using wide tape or construction adhesive tape.

Laminate panels are laid from the window towards the door. Thus, the joints between the laminate plates will be the least noticeable. The first row is placed at a distance of 1 cm from the wall. To maintain this distance, you need to insert a wedge between the panel and the wall. This gap is called temperature; it is needed to compensate for the linear expansion of the coating.

The second panel is mounted in the end lock at an angle of 25 degrees. It's rare to not trim the last panel in a row. Most often the rooms are so large that they need to be cut off. The second row begins with this piece.

Upon completion of the installation of the second row, it is worth carrying out the operation of minimizing the joints. To do this, you need to tap the panels with a hammer through a wooden stand. This is done until the joint is reduced in size. Then you can move on to the third row.

When the entire laminate has been laid, you can begin installing the skirting boards, which serve as an additional fixation for the panels and give the finished appearance to the decorative coating.

There are certain types of laminate flooring. Having made your choice, you need to make calculations in order to go to the store for a certain number of panels. To choose the direction of installation, you need to make sure that the pattern and texture of the panels are compatible with the lighting of the rooms and their shape. Today, modern materials make it possible to lay decorative coating along the line of sunlight, across it, as well as to perform herringbone installation. However, the latter option is not applicable to all laminate models.

Conventional panels are not suitable for herringbone installation. The panel must contain special locks that allow you to lay the laminate in a herringbone pattern or squares. For example, the collection of Quick Step Noblesse panels contains materials of small size, with a specific locking connection, which makes it possible to interlock the panels at an angle of 90 degrees. The panels of the quick step collection are laid along the line of natural light, as well as against it. When installing panels against the flow of light, you can visually enlarge a small room, but the joints will be visible.

When the window openings are located on one wall of the room, experts advise using the direct option of laying the panels in the direction of the sun's rays, because when installed across, the joints of the panels will be obvious and spoil the entire appearance. Laying across the light is carried out when the room is narrow. With this arrangement of laminated panels, the room visually expands and gives more volume. This option is very suitable for corridors or other long rooms. The essence of direct installation is that the panels are laid parallel to the wall, starting from the doorway. Trimming costs are minimal - only 5-7%, which significantly saves the amount of raw materials.

Diagonal installation is the most difficult and costly. Pruning costs are about 17%. This option is implemented at an angle of 45 degrees. There are two types of installation, from the corner of the room and from the middle. The second option is the lowest waste and simpler. Due to the unusual and neat installation, the room visually expands. Diagonal laying is used with an open view of the floor, when there are no carpets and the room is not cluttered with furniture.

Today, beveled laminate is gaining popularity. This option belongs to a special series of laminated materials. The chamfered panels lying on the floor look like a plank floor created from a single board. This laminate is produced at an angle, creating a beveled plane of the board throughout its thickness. The structural element is created along the entire perimeter or on two opposite edges.

There are two types of chamfers:

• V-shaped
• U-shaped.

In the process of joining two panels, an almost imperceptible groove is formed, which resembles laid elite parquet or solid wood. These recesses are not felt to the touch, so dust will not accumulate in them. And the ends of the material are most often impregnated with wax, so no liquid will penetrate inside. The recesses make it possible to hide minor flaws. According to experts, these recesses do not allow the material to “walk,” which provides a tremendous advantage compared to standard series. Now you know how to lay laminate flooring with your own hands.

Experts note that the best base for laying laminate flooring is a concrete floor. However, it is not available in all homes. And in wooden houses it is generally impossible to find a concrete foundation (the only exception may be the first floor, when the concrete floor was poured onto the ground).

Owners of houses with wooden floors should not be disappointed, because laminate flooring can be laid on such a base without any difficulties. Of course, a wooden floor requires taking into account some secrets. Most of them concern diagnostics and foundation preparation.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the characteristics of the tree. It has the ability to lose its performance properties over time. Mainly it loses its strength. Therefore, after decades, the boards begin to sag, creak and even break. Moisture and insects cause such consequences. Therefore, a wooden base does not have the same stability as . But the fact that the shelf life of laminated boards is equal to or less (depending on the class and manufacturer) than the service life of wood allows you to safely lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, following the advice from special videos.

Diagnostics and preparation of wood floors

Considering the above, gender diagnosis is a must, especially if it was created many years ago.

Condition of the old floor

The steps to evaluate any wooden floor over which laminated boards will be installed are the same. They consist of checking the condition of the boards, joists and beams. It is enough to inspect the first ones to identify cracks and holes created by the wormhole, and it is also worth standing on top or knocking to determine the integrity of the board (if the sound is dull, then it is rotten or has become a home for insects). To estimate the lag, you need to perform additional steps. They are especially in demand in cases where the floor is old. In the case where the installation of the floor was done recently and correctly, it is enough to evaluate the floorboards.

Replacing old boards

To evaluate the frame, several floorboards need to be removed. Experts often recommend removing everything. This should only be done when all the boards have become bad. In most cases, you can remove boards (preferably bad ones) in certain increments. Its size can be 0.5-1 meter. It is desirable that the torn floorboard be wide. This way you can get enough space to inspect those parts of the joists that are under other boards. You can assess the condition of the frame using a mirror and a flashlight or by touch.

If the frame is in order, then rotten, unusable floorboards can be replaced. Boards with surface damage are torn off, turned over and nailed.

The loose material is strengthened. If a joist or beam is loose, they also need to be secured. When there is a concrete base underneath, a hole is drilled in the beam and base. Next, using an anchor, fix the loose part. Cracks or holes in durable boards are filled with putty.

Looping

Next they proceed to. If there are problems with the frame, you need to disassemble the entire structure and replace unsuitable parts according to the instructions from special videos.

Not only the strength of the wooden floor is important, but also its evenness. On two square meters there should not be differences exceeding two millimeters. Failure to comply with this condition will lead to sagging of the laminate and destruction of its locks. Therefore, laying laminate flooring on an uneven floor is unacceptable. The presence of differences is detected using a level.

There are several ways to eliminate the problem with differences.

1. Looping.
2. Backing for planks.
3. Using plywood or chipboard.

It is recommended to scrape the floor when the difference per square meter is less than 6 mm. Sanding is carried out using a grinding machine. Before this process, the head of each nail must be sunk to the depth of the largest drop. This way you can avoid metal contact with the tool. To cut protruding parts correctly, the treated area is divided into several sections. They will also learn additional secrets using special videos.

After leveling is completed, all dust is collected using a vacuum cleaner.

It is necessary to lay wooden planks under the boards if there are differences greater than 6 millimeters. Of course, to do this the floorboard needs to be torn off. After leveling, scraping can be done.

Installation of fanners

When laying laminate flooring on an uneven floor is not possible, plywood or chipboard is also used. With their help, a new, smooth coating is created. Its installation involves the use of plywood with a thickness greater than 15 millimeters.

Before laying plywood, eliminate differences in the floor by placing wedges under the joists. After this, it is necessary to treat the flooring with a fungicide or drying oil. This is to prevent the development of fungi and mold.

When laying plywood, planks of wood are used if necessary. They should be laid where there are differences. Sheets or squares of material must be placed so that the joints of the four parts do not form a cross. If necessary, the sheets are cut with a wood circular saw. The last stage of floor preparation is to fix the plywood. The process is simple and is often demonstrated in videos.

Thanks to this preparation, floor unevenness is eliminated.

Laying the substrate

Nuances of laying the substrate

The substrate must be laid because it is able to compensate for minimal unevenness of the base and eliminate the movement of heat and sound. Waterproofing materials are not placed under or on top of it, since moisture accumulates under them, which leads to rotting of the floor.

Place the following under the laminate on a wooden floor:

• polyethylene foam backing;
• a backing made of natural cork (the best option);
• a backing made of bitumen fabric interspersed with cork grains;
• polyurethane foam backing with increased density.

Laying the substrate

The thickness of any of these materials should match the thickness of the laminate. Manufacturers recommend using 3mm backing for 8mm dies.

The material must be placed end-to-end to create one continuous surface. The joint must be glued with tape.

After this step, you can install the laminate.

Laying laminate

Video

This video will tell you in detail how

Sources of photographs.