How to put the laminate yourself

Laminate - eco-friendly and very wear-resistant material. Today, laminated flooring is increasingly replacing parquet, as the latter is too finicky and quite expensive. The first mention of laminate dates from 1977, but then it was quite expensive even for wealthy people.

The development of the construction market has not passed by the laminated coating. Over time, the wood began to be processed using a new, cheaper technology, and gluing wood elements with composite compounds of synthetic origin made it cheaper. Modern laminate - a practical material with a lot of advantages and low price.

The advantages of laminate

Increasingly, buyers are choosing a laminated floor, as it has a number of advantages that satisfy their requirements. The first thing that catches your eye is an affordable pricing policy. It is the cost of materials becomes most often the determining factor for its purchase.

Despite the relative cheapness of the material, the laminated floor looks quite nicely and harmoniously fits into any interior, which you can judge by numerous photos and videos.

Simplicity of laying laminate is also important, because not everyone can pay for the services of professionals. If you like laminate flooring, then you are probably interested in how to put a laminate with your own hands. For laying laminated coatings, surface skills of using a construction tool are sufficient.

Instruments

For quality work will need:

• Saw. If not, then fit a jigsaw.
• A simple pencil.
• Roulette.
• Polyethylene, which will be used as a substrate under the laminate.
• Hammer.
• Wooden plank length of 15-25 cm.

Laying laminate

Acclimatization. Every tree reacts to temperature changes, and the laminated board is no exception. To the floor covering after installation did not cause problems, it is recommended to acclimatize it.

For acclimatization, it is necessary to bring the material into the room where it will be located, and leave it for 2 days. You should not remove the laminate from the package. Placing a laminated board in a horizontal position is also not worth it, as it can bend, which will significantly complicate the process of its installation.

Note! The recommended temperature is 18 degrees and above. Room humidity should not reach 75%. Before laying, it is necessary to examine each board for defects and discard defective ones.

Surface preparation

Wooden floor. The term "wooden floor" can mean different coatings. This may be the boards of the old "Khrushchev" or polished floor in new buildings. Boards can be in excellent condition or “time-tested”, so you need to inspect them for cracks and defects, regardless of their service life. One requirement is applicable to all types of surfaces - the harder and smoother the base, the better and more reliable laminate will be laid.

Almost all wooden floors do not have the required level of rigidity. This indicator can be improved by checking each board for strength and additionally attaching it to the lags. To level the surface, you can use plywood, whose thickness depends on the height of the drops.

If the laminate will be laid on the floor, then the alignment may not be necessary, since this flooring was polished at the final stage. To be completely confident in the quality of the base, you should check the parquet for reliable fixing of all elements. We can not allow nails sticking out of the floor.

Concrete floor. The requirements for such a surface are almost identical to the previous version. There should be no crumbs, sand or other debris on the concrete floor. You can check the evenness of the coating with a level or a long ruler. Small irregularities can be eliminated self-leveling mixtures.

The rest of the surface. Before laying the laminated board you need to take care of the base. The surface must be perfectly flat, dried, clean and treated with any degreasing agent. Laminated board can be laid on parquet or linoleum, but on condition that they are securely fixed. Laminate can also be laid on top of a warm floor, but the pipes should be deepened at least by 3 cm, and the maximum allowable temperature - 28 degrees.

Insulation layers

Any gender of inorganic origin needs a vapor barrier. For this layer it is recommended to take construction foil. If you do not want to use this material, then you can pay attention to a simple polyethylene film (from 0.2 mm). If the laminated coating is laid on linoleum or a wooden base, then there is no need for a vapor barrier.

It was the turn of the substrate - a special material with high insulation performance, creating an additional level of protection from sounds and retaining heat. By and large, it is polypropylene 2-10 mm thick. The substrate may have on its surface a reflective layer that enhances the insulating characteristics of the material.

The substrate also creates a moisture-proof barrier to protect the water-sensitive flooring. Now, some manufacturers attach the substrate to the laminate. When choosing such a floor covering, the stage of laying the substrate is safely passed.

First row

The laminated board must start from the far corner, and finish at the entrance door. It is important to know how to properly stack first row. It should not go close to the wall, due to the characteristics of the material. Increasing the humidity in the room will lead to the expansion of the laminate, so the gap should be left at least 8-10 mm. The same should be done when laying boards near doors and pipes.

Of course, you can put the laminate against the wall, but after a while it rears up. In order not to bother with measuring the distance from the walls to the flooring, use spacer wedges.

Note! The first boards must be customized very precisely, because the whole subsequent result depends on it.

We put a wooden block to the end of the first board and hit it with a hammer. With this action, the spike of the next product should fit into the groove of the first one. The last board often does not fit the size and must be shortened. This can be done with an ordinary saw, putting it face down so that the upper protective layer is not damaged.

Laying down the next rows

All the following rows are laid according to the principle of the first. Do not forget to use a hammer and a bar made of wood to lock the locks. It is possible to lay the floor covering not only parallel to the walls, but also at an angle of 45 degrees. In each subsequent row of the boards are connected end and side parts.

Proper installation of laminate: products are inserted into the previously laid boards at an angle of 30-45 degrees and gradually lower to a horizontal position. In such actions, a click should sound, indicating that the lock is snapped in. If it is not possible to attach the board according to this principle because of the obstacle, then a lock is necessary. An alternative option for attaching a laminated coating is gluing the boards together.

Doorway Laying

Metal or wooden doors should not touch the laminate, because they damage it. Between the door frame and the boards need a small gap. Take care that the flooring is free under the door frame.

Finishing touch

At the last stage it is necessary to hide the gaps. This is most often done with the help of plinths. Do not forget to extend the spacer wedges.

Styling Features

• Water is the main enemy of the laminate. Hot liquid is several times more dangerous for the material than cold. Even the highest quality flooring can not withstand contact with water for more than 24 hours. In rooms with high humidity or constantly changing temperature, the use of a laminated coating is not recommended. The point is that the joints do not have an adequate level of tightness and can leak water that will damage the material from the inside.

• Base. Much depends on the quality of the base. Lay laminate need to flat and durable floor. The base under the laminated board should not have cracks and chips. To eliminate defects, the construction market offers a variety of mixtures and materials. Wipe the base dry and degrease.
• Climate change. At the heart of the laminate is a fiberboard. This material, like ordinary wood, may shrink or swell as climatic conditions change. When laying laminated panels, this feature should be taken into account, leaving small gaps between them and fixed structures that will be encountered indoors. Such a space is called a thermal seam.
• The most common mistake that beginners make when laying laminate is the absence of a gap between the laminated material and the walls. To hide the heatworms from prying eyes, use baseboards (near the walls) or special profiles.

• Door frame. This design should allow the laminated board to "breathe." If the door frame is installed earlier than the laminate will be laid, then it is necessary to file it.
• Laying patterns. Схема, по которой проводится укладка ламинированного покрытия, бывает двух видов: регулярная и нерегулярная. Независимо от выбранного способа торцевые стыки должны быть сдвинуты на 40 см.
• Appearance. To get the best visual effect, it is necessary to take into account all the sources of light when laying. Optical perception will be better if the laminated coating is directed with a longitudinal edge to the windows, that is, to lie along them. If the room has several sources of light, then you should be guided by the largest or the one that is most often located in the sun.

• Location To visually expand the space, it is recommended to lay laminated boards diagonally. Of course, in rooms with a large amount of furniture, there will be no proper effect, so you should minimize the interior to the maximum. By laying laminate in this way, you will significantly increase the amount of material consumed and the cost.
• Storage. It is not recommended to leave the laminate for a long time in an upright position, as it can bend under its own weight. Curved boards are harder to dock, so the simple process of laying them into a laborious and long-term job.
• Danger. Sharp objects that fall on the laminated coating are likely to damage it so much that putty will not escape.
• Painting or varnishing. It is not necessary to paint or varnish laminate. The surface of the material is made in such a way that other substances repel it, so the paint or varnish will soon begin to peel off.

Laminate care

The surface of each laminated board is protected from moisture, but water can penetrate through the gaps at their joints, causing significant damage to the coating. It is recommended to clean the laminate with a slightly damp cloth, avoiding the appearance of puddles.

Rub this floor is prohibited, as well as abrasive materials or use wax. Minor damage to the laminate can be fixed with a special putty.

Laminated coating will be a great addition to the interior solution of the apartment, in which most of the details are made of natural materials. Laminate will help to visually expand the room, giving it a uniqueness. Proper care of the flooring will increase the life and allow it to maintain its appearance for a long time. Without thinking, choose an eco-friendly material with low cost and a lot of undeniable advantages.

Video

We offer you a master class on laying laminate.