In which direction to lay the laminate

Repair in your house or apartment goes to the finish line? Is the laying time for the laminate flooring already near? Perhaps it's time to think in which direction to lay the laminate. This is important because the final result of the repair depends on it. The pattern and structure of the floor should be in harmony with the lighting and the shape of the room. Laminate is laid in three ways:

• Direct styling.
• On the diagonal.
• Herringbone and squares.

Now consider each method separately.

Direct styling

This is the easiest and most common method of laying. And here it is very important to consider the angle of incidence of light from the window. The seams at the junction of the laminated panels should not stand out. With direct mounting, the slats are parallel to each other.

Note! In a large room laminate must be laid along a long wall. So, the room will visually lengthen, and will not seem too voluminous.

The direct method of installing laminate is the simplest: the lamellas are laid in successive even rows, the long side parallel to the wall, and accordingly narrow - perpendicular. The main advantage of the laying method is low waste of the initial material (the indicator does not exceed 10%).

When installing laminate in narrow corridors and rooms, slats should be laid along the wall, which has a smaller length. Thus, there is a visual increase in space in breadth.

Note! When laying the laminate across the line of light, the joints will cast a shadow. And as a result, the floor will seem uneven.

Direct laying of the laminate is performed according to two schemes:

• Classic.
• Brick.

When direct laying laminate in the classical scheme, the process starts from the window in the direction of light. Trim more than 30 cm is used at the beginning of the next row. The technique is relevant for the installation of laminated panels in offices and apartments.

The brick scheme is the placement of lamellas by the method of brickwork. This implies a shift of each row by half of the panel relative to the previous one. Of course, this design is very durable, but the material consumption increases to 15%.

Diagonal installation

To visually increase the space in the room diagonal masonry laminate is performed. It can most often be seen in small urban apartments. Due to the large waste of material, this installation option is quite expensive.

Laying must begin at an angle, and the panels must be installed at an angle of 45 ° to the walls. The final result of the installation depends on the correct installation of the first lamella. This means that before starting the process, the amount of laminate should be correctly calculated. It is important to consider not only the overspending, but also the length, width and appearance of the panel. If it is difficult for you to make your own calculations, then contact the consultants of the store where you will buy the laminate for help. All you need to tell them is the square of the room.

If you decide to make a diagonal masonry, then buy a special laminate. His locks are connected at right angles. Although it costs more, there will be less waste from it, and there will be no difficulties in the installation process.

Non-standard masonry: herringbone and squares

Standard laminate is not designed for laying squares or herringbone. This is due to the large size of the slats and a kind of castle connection. For these purposes, you need to buy a special laminate that has a small size.

Note! Laminate, designed for non-standard types of masonry, is more expensive. But in the end, it looks much more spectacular, and a smaller amount of waste reduces its cost.

A narrow small laminate makes it possible to lay out whole patterns, not only square and herringbone. Experts have calculated that with its help you can perform quite a bit of 54 different patterns!

Having correctly defined the method of laying laminated floor panels, you will be able to successfully complete repairs in a house, apartment or office. If you have any questions on the topic, then write comments to the article. Specialists working on our site will kindly provide you with additional information.

Maybe you will be interested to know:

• How to choose the laminate for the apartment
• Which substrate is better under the laminate
• About the reasons for the appearance of floor squeak in the apartment

Video

Whichever way you install laminate, it is important to complete this task correctly. This video shows how to properly laminate: