Laying laminate in the hallway
Among the large number of flooring can distinguish one that is versatile and practical. We are talking about laminate, which in the modern world is very popular. It is resistant to abrasion, and, therefore, with proper styling and care, it will last for many years. This option is great for any room, but in most cases people prefer to lay it in the corridors, as this room is most exposed to mechanical stress. Laying laminate in the hallway is a fairly simple procedure that anyone can perform. It is enough to have the appropriate tool, know some nuances of technology and expert advice that will help find a solution even in a difficult situation.
Some information about the material
For the manufacture of laminate modern manufacturers use chipboard, thanks to which the floor covering has little flexibility, but it is quite durable. Glue, which is used to bond several layers together, penetrates deeply into its structure. When choosing adhesive laminate, all the joints during installation must be treated with a special adhesive that will protect the internal structure from moisture penetration. Conventional laminate has a special lock connection, due to which the process of laying several times easier.
Today, in specialized stores you can find a fairly large selection of laminate, whose collections differ in colors and characteristic patterns that imitate wood. For the manufacture of more expensive options, manufacturers use natural wood and high quality paintwork materials. In addition, the laminate can be one-, two- or three-way.
Also, do not forget that all products are divided into classes, thanks to which you can choose an option for a particular room. The most durable models include floor coverings of class 33 and 34, which are recommended for use in public places. Slightly lower 32 and 31 class can also be used for institutions and offices, but with less traffic. For homes and apartments suitable options 21-23 classes, but the most popular classes are 31-34.
Note! When choosing a laminate it is worth exploring the entire classification in order to find the best option for the hallway.
Styling Features
If you did not previously know how to lay laminate, then, thanks to several tips, you can easily cope with this task. In addition, the floor surface must be prepared and leveled, you should carefully consider the choice of the substrate, which can be cork or bitumen-cork. You can find the substrate in any specialty store.
If it is necessary to visually enlarge the space, which is quite important in small apartments with a narrow corridor, then it is worth considering the transverse styling option, or the herringbone technology. The last option will look original in the rooms, but it doesn’t suit every interior.
It is important to remember that with a significant temperature change in the room the structure of the laminate can expand or contract, so you should leave a small gap against the wall, not more than 1 cm. Also, the floor should lie for a few days in the room where it will be laid to acclimatize.
Note! When choosing the technology of laying the herringbone laminate, you can visually increase the area of the room, but at the same time the coverage will be very large.
How best to lay slats
It is important to decide how to lay the laminate - along or across. Experts disagree on this issue. If we talk about large and spacious corridors, then there is not much difference, it all depends on personal preferences, but in a narrow room it is worth thinking about the direction of lamella laying.
It all depends on the pattern on the surface: if it is long and narrow, then it is worth placing the laminate along, as this will give balance to the whole room. Only monochromatic laminate with a uniform texture, for example, imitating ceramic tiles, is laid across.
Note! Do not forget to consider the possibility of laying laminate diagonally, which will create an original pattern in the room and visually expand it.
Preparatory work
Before you start laying the laminate with your own hands, you need to prepare the floor surface. So, to obtain a high-quality result, it is necessary to level the floor, to eliminate the existing defects. For these purposes, perfect modern universal mixture - self-leveling screed. If the base is made of wood, then you can use a grinding machine that will remove the top layer and level the floor.
To increase the thermal insulation of the base of concrete, lay sheets of thin plywood (not more than 10 mm). A waterproofing layer is laid on the plywood, which is fixed with double-sided tape, and on top is a special base for the laminate (substrate). If the flooring was previously made of linoleum, then it is not necessary to remove it, just check it for evenness. Linoleum will be an excellent waterproofing and increase thermal insulation, so you can do without plywood and polyethylene.
Note! In order to impart a greater waterproofing, plastic film is placed on the base, preferably in two layers.
Laying slats
When the surface is prepared, you can proceed to the installation of the first row, which is necessary to fit all the irregularities of the wall, if any. Between themselves, laminate is fastened using a special locking system, which facilitates the process and does not require special skills. In most cases, the “thorn-groove” scheme is used, that is, the thorn of one element must enter the groove of another, and thus be fixed. If necessary, you can shorten the elements of the laminate using a hacksaw or grinder.
The second row should start with half of the laminate board, which must be cut off. Ultimately the laminate will be laid in a checkerboard pattern. Such a scheme will provide a durable and reliable flooring. Fully laid the second strip is fixed in the grooves of the first, to facilitate the process it is better to perform this operation together. With the help of a hammer and a strip, the strips of the laminate are neatly fitted together. Subsequent rows must be laid in the same way.
Note! Thanks to the use of a chess technique, the laid laminate will have high resistance.
Laying laminate in a narrow hallway
It is more problematic to lay the flooring in narrow rooms than the hallways often differ. If you decide to lay laminate in a narrow corridor, then when choosing the material itself, it is worthwhile to exclude models with a pronounced pattern, it is better to give preference to imitation of a wide monochromatic board.
The bright range allows you to visually expand the space, so it should be used for the corridor. In addition, in these rooms there are no windows - a natural source of light, as a result of which the laminate of light shades also wins.
Note! It is necessary to carefully choose the direction of installation, which will depend solely on the color and placement of furniture.
Laying laminate in a narrow corridor is a laborious process that needs to be approached with extreme care. When choosing the direction of the flooring give the option of a diagonal or "Christmas" technology.
Video
You can learn more about the nuances of laying laminate by viewing the video: