How to lay laminate flooring step by step. How to lay laminate flooring - step by step

Evgeny Sedov

When hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

Content

When planning a major renovation, you need to decide which flooring will be the most functional for your apartment. Today, more and more owners prefer to lay laminate in their home. Find out what are the features of working with this type of building materials and how you can lay it in different ways.

Rules for laying laminate

Why is this material increasingly being used in renovation work? This is due to its affordable price, because this option is much cheaper than wooden parquet, and laying it is much easier and faster. Although such a repair process looks easy, in order for the job to go smoothly, you need to know a few basic rules for how to lay a laminate.

They do not lay such a coating in the bathroom due to the constantly changing humidity here, but on the balcony, if proper waterproofing and insulation are made there, this material is quite appropriate. Calculate how many packs of laminate you need: for this, divide the size of the room by two, because one pack of coating is designed for 2 square meters. Take an extra pack in case the sheets are damaged during cutting and assembling. Collect a tool for work: a saw or a jigsaw, a wooden plank for fitting boards, a hammer (preferably rubber), a pencil and a tape measure.

Floor surface preparation

The main requirement for the base on which the laminate will be laid is that it be even. If the floor is concrete, it is better to make a screed to even out the existing errors. Please note that this coating can be put simply on the old linoleum, if it is in good condition. If you have to lay the laminate on a wooden floor, sand the irregularities on it or level them by laying and fixing plywood or chipboard sheets with screws. You need to know that with a given initial surface, the lamellas should be laid obliquely relative to the old boards.

Laminate installation methods

If you are going to install such flooring material yourself, you need to be aware of the differences in the method of fastening different types of this flooring. Understand how to lay a laminate, which, by analogy with parquet, must be fastened with glue, and what are the advantages of locking systems for connecting lamellas.

It is necessary to fasten the coating components with glue if you will use lamellas that are not equipped with a reliable locking system. How to lay laminate in this way? Check that the edges of the boards where the adhesive will be applied are not dusty. It will also be good to degrease them and carefully process them with fine sandpaper. When the adhesive is applied to both adjacent surfaces, they are tightly connected for at least 15 minutes so that they are securely fastened - you can use tie-down straps for this. Excess glue that has come out is immediately removed, preventing them from drying out.

"Click" locking system

With this fastening technology, the rows of laminate must be laid by inserting the spike of one board into the groove of the other. For the final fit, the panels should be lightly knocked against one another using a wooden block and a hammer. This connection is mounted faster and easier than adhesive. The advantage of fastening the floor with locks is that, if necessary, the floor can be disassembled and an accidentally damaged board can be replaced.

Locking system "Lok"

This method of fastening is often provided at the ends of the laminate panels. To connect the flooring in this way of fastening, the boards must be placed in the same plane, carefully place the patch bar and knock the panels one against the other with a hammer until the lock slams shut with a characteristic click. To strengthen the density of such a connection, sometimes it is additionally strengthened with glue.

Laminate laying patterns

To be as satisfied as possible with the result of the repair, you need to decide in advance in which direction and in what pattern the panels will need to be laid. To this end, you can draw a preliminary diagram of how the mounted coating will look like, or spread the laminate around the room without fixing the lamellas. Consider which side the lighting will fall on - this is very important if you have chosen a beveled material. Consider in more detail how the correct laying of the laminate is done in different ways.

Classic laminate flooring

This flooring installation option is the most economical - no more than 5% of waste remains with it. According to the classical scheme, the first row of laminate is laid, and the part that was cut off when fitting from the last panel is used as the first panel of the second row. If such a laying scheme is chosen, one must not forget to make sure that the pieces of laminate that are laid remain no shorter than 30 cm. At the same time, it should be taken into account that upon completion of work, such a floor may not look good enough, because the seams between the boards will be arranged randomly, randomly.

Brick or chess

This coating laying order is very popular, because it is easy to make such a layout, but it looks nice and neat, resembling parquet. How to lay a laminate in a checkerboard pattern? It must be laid so that the edge of the panel of the next row is placed at the level of the middle of the board of the previous row. What should be paid special attention to in such a laying scheme? Every second row will start with half of the panel, so look at what size pieces will be cut off at the end of the row, whether it looks harmonious and whether there will be an overrun of the laminate.

Diagonal

This assembly scheme will be more time-consuming, will require accurate calculations, and still, the percentage of material consumption will be significantly higher than for other specified methods - at least 15%. The advantage of this installation is the ability to visually expand a small long but narrow room. Laying laminate in this way can be started from the corner of the room, moving across diagonally from the window to the door, or you can stretch the rope through opposite corners and lay the panels from it, starting from the center of the room to the left. Boards in rows are best placed in a checkerboard pattern.

How to lay a laminate with your own hands

This coating is very reminiscent of a designer, which, with due diligence and care, can be laid on its own, thereby significantly reducing the price of repairs. To do this, you just need to know a certain scheme of how to properly lay the laminate. In order for the floor to be warm, it is necessary to lay a polyethylene foam underlay under the butt strips covering. Please note that it is better to place laminate sheets perpendicular to the window - so sunlight will not emphasize the seams between them.

You can start installation from any wall, given that the first row of material must be placed with a groove towards it for an adhesive connection or with a ridge if the boards are connected without the use of glue. First, the first row of laminate is laid out along the partition, the sheets of which are interconnected at the end. Do not forget about installing wedges about 1 cm wide from the wall - this gap will close the baseboard, and in the future it will protect your floor from deformation. Measure the length of the last board in the row and cut the desired size from the sheet. Remember that the lengths of the laminate should not be shorter than 30 cm.

For a snug fit, the connected sheets are adjusted by applying a wooden plank to the end and carefully tapping on top of it with a hammer so as not to break the fastening grooves. Then, in the indicated way, it is necessary to fasten the second row of the laminate together and, having asked someone to help, insert the crest of this strip into the groove of the previous one. The connected rows are also carefully adjusted to each other by tapping. The laminate continues to be laid further in the same way to the opposite wall. Remember to leave an expansion joint under the door threshold between adjacent rooms.

Laying laminate, as described below, is a largely standardized process.

The laying work for some types of product may vary slightly: atypical requirements must be described in the package inserts by the material manufacturer.

Self-laying laminate: where to start

Before starting work, decide whether you have all the necessary tools for installing laminate flooring. When laying laminate, especially if you are doing such work for the first time, use only professional tools.

Picture 1 - 'Structure' of the laminated panel: 1 - protective laminating high-strength melamine/acrylic resin film; 2 - artificial paper / foil imitating a wooden structure; 3 - a film that increases moisture resistance; 4 - high-density wood board (HDF), the main bearing layer; 5 - waterproof paper

Laminate laying tool:

1. construction tape measure (the required length of the tape measure is determined by the length of the room, in most cases a 5-meter tape measure will be enough);
2. a jigsaw with a set of files (cutting laminate boards can also be done with other tools, however, a perfectly even cut and adjustment is possible only when using a jigsaw; for laying laminate in an apartment, a device with a power of up to 500 W will be enough);
3. metal building square (up to 35 cm long);
4. floor marking pencil;
5. hammer (you can also use a rubber mallet up to 0.6 kg in weight, this tool is used for tamping laminate boards, as well as for laying boards in a doorway);
6. hacksaw with fine teeth (used for filing the door frame);
7. padding bar (for padding panels, special bars of the appropriate shape have been created, due to which boards can be protected from deformation);
8. spacer wedges (installed between the lamellas and the walls of the room around the entire perimeter of the room);
9. bracket for panel clamping.

In addition to the laminate installation tool, you will need a skirting board installation tool:

• drill / puncher (used for wooden / concrete surfaces, respectively);
• corner cutter / corner fixings (if wooden skirting boards or plastic skirting boards are used, respectively).

The cost of the instrument (subject to the purchase of each component list) is in the region of $150-200.

You can also purchase a do-it-yourself laminate laying kit at most home improvement stores.

Preferably, the assembly kit (for example, Krono Original, Poland) includes:

1. expansion wedges (sets contain from 20 to 40 pieces);
2. metal bracket;
3. tamping bar;
4. rubber spatula.

Photo 1 - Mounting kit Krono Original, Poland

Rules for laying laminate flooring: preparatory stage

Laying laminate on different types of surfaces requires different preparatory work. A solid and even base is half the success and a guarantee of a long service life of the new coating.

On concrete

If you're installing laminate over a screed less than a month old, it's best to wait. According to professionals, the screed should be at least 45 days old before applying any coating. Otherwise, perspiration can form on the surface of the concrete, and moisture under the laminate boards can lead to rotting of the coating, its deterioration and the formation of fungus. A delay is also necessary in the case of laying a laminate on a warm floor. On a concrete base, as in most other cases, it is necessary to cover a special substrate, but more on that later.

On the wooden floor

The old floor covering may be perfectly suitable and need not be removed if the ceiling height allows such layering on the floor. The wooden floor must be inspected for irregularities (use the building level to determine the horizontal surface of the floor of the room), “walking” boards - fix by sinking the nail heads 2-3 mm deep into the wood, gaps - puttied. The floor boards are also sanded before laying the laminate.

In most cases, installation is carried out not on a plank floor, but on plywood that levels the floor surface (it is not recommended to lay laminate on fiberboard, because the laminate itself is unpretentious to the base surface, but fiberboard reacts to the slightest change in temperature or humidity level in room). On an uneven floor, if it is not possible to remove it, it is better to put the laminate on the chipboard.

On linoleum

On the old linoleum, the laminate is not only possible, but must be laid if you want to achieve additional sound insulation. At the same time, the surface of the linoleum should fit snugly to the floor, not have swellings, tears and other visible damage to the canvas. Laminate cannot be laid on linoleum if it is too soft.: Laminate panels on such a fragile base can easily sag.

On the parquet

It is recommended to lay laminate on a parquet board only if the previous surface does not cause any suspicion: the parquet is laid evenly, does not creak, does not sag, and the boards do not stagger. Laminate flooring can be laid on old parquet using not a standard underlay (at least 2-3 mm thick), but underlayment of at least 5 mm.

In some cases, the laying of the laminate is not done on the floor, but on the walls or on the ceiling. Laminate, in principle, is not intended for facing these surfaces, but our craftsmen manage to adapt it as they like.

On the logs

You can lay the laminate on the logs by making a wooden grid as in the photo below. A layer of vapor and waterproofing under such a system is required. Sheets of moisture-resistant plywood are then laid on the logs, and a laminate is laid on it.

Photo 2 - Laying the laminate on the logs. Mesh production

This is a good option, if necessary, to lay the laminate on the old floor, without dismantling it. Logs and special mesh underlays will help level the floor and create the perfect base for the new flooring.

Photo 3 - Laying the laminate on the logs. Plywood cladding

Features of laying laminate on walls or ceilings

Consider some of the features of laying laminate on walls or ceilings:

• the need for additional alignment of the walls (you need to use OSB boards, because they are not susceptible to temperature and moisture changes, and, unlike plywood, they do not delaminate);
• the direction of laying the laminate on the floor and on the walls must match (if only walls or only the ceiling are covered with laminate, the laying direction should be parallel to the direction of natural light in the room);
• laminate on the walls or ceiling is fixed in a "floating" way - placing the boards in a specially mounted frame.

IMPORTANT! Laminate cannot be put on glue, because. a covering made from natural materials must be able to expand / contract with changes in air temperature / humidity level in the room.

For expert advice on fixing laminate to walls / ceilings, see. VIDEO

Underlayment for laminate flooring

Above, we have already said that, regardless of the type of floor surface, the floor must be covered with a special substrate before laying the laminate.

The minimum required for laying laminate flooring is a 2 mm thick underlayment. The thickness of some types of substrates can reach 12 mm!

What are the substrates:

• foamed polyethylene foam (from 2 mm in thickness, from $ 0.35 per m²);

Polyethylene foam is a material with high chemical resistance, has antistatic properties, as well as sound insulation and noise absorption, polyethylene foam does not allow moisture to pass through, but does not isolate the floor from air exchange. The use of polyethylene foam will reduce heat transfer through the floor. This material is easy to cut and lay. However, this substrate is not wear-resistant, therefore, with prolonged use, it becomes caked, becoming thinner by almost half. The deformation process negatively affects other qualities of the material.

• expanded polystyrene (“isoshum”, from 3 mm in thickness, from $ 0.45 per m²);

This type of substrate can be called the most popular, because. it has all the positive qualities of polyethylene foam, but does not wear out so quickly. "Isoshum" - the material is denser and more reliable.

• cork backing (from 1.85 mm, from $3 per m², sold in packs of 10 m²);

The main advantage of this material is its environmental friendliness. Cork is superior to polyethylene foam and polystyrene in many ways. Unlike other materials, cork underlay is produced not only in rolls, but also in the form of slabs, which allows it to be laid in any configuration with less product waste.

Not only laminate, but also any other type of flooring can be laid on a cork substrate. It perfectly tolerates moisture and temperature changes.

• bitumen-cork substrate (from 2 mm, at $ 3.2 / m² (sold in a package of 10 m²)).

This is a two-layer substrate: sheets of material consist of cellulose and bitumen. The latter has a topping in the form of cork chips (no more than 2-3 mm). The substrate on the curved floor is laid with a bitumen-cork layer down, and the sheets are fastened together with mounting tape. The bitumen-cork underlay provides internal ventilation of the floor.

Producers: Estonia, Portugal, Ukraine, Russia.

Laminate installation methods

Decide on the direction of laying the laminate.

IMPORTANT! The pattern and structure of the laminate should be in harmony with the shape and lighting of the room. Laying laminate across the direction of light is also possible, although undesirable due to the visual deformation of the room.

Direct Laminate Laying

The correct laying in this case is laying from the door parallel to the direction of incidence of the light rays. The cost of pruning will be about 4-7%. The recommendations of experts regarding such installation are not unfounded: the light falling on the floor from the window will not create a shadow on the seams between the laminate boards, and so the floor surface will seem perfectly flat. The visual integrity of the surface is possible only if the windows in the room are located along one of the walls.

Laying laminate across the line of light distorts the room, visually "pulling" it in the direction of installation. This property can play into the hands of renovations in a narrow corridor or in the hallway. In this case, however, more material will be used for trimming.

Photo 4 - 'Direct' laying of laminate in the interior

Diagonal laminate flooring

Diagonal styling also visually expands the room. This styling technique is considered the most expensive and complex. With your own hands, without prior experience in such work, it will be extremely problematic to do this. The consumption of material for trimming is about 15%! This laminate laying scheme is not suitable for rooms cluttered with furniture or carpeted - this is how the main idea is lost: to show the decorativeness of the floor.

Photo 5 - Laying the laminate diagonally in the interior

Square/herringbone laminate flooring

This method also applies to decorative. This type of laminate installation is possible only if the laminate you have chosen has a special type of locks.

If the previous two types of laying laminate can be done with most standard models, then you can lay out the “Christmas tree” only by finding a characteristic product in the manufacturer’s catalog.

This type of laminate is, for example, in the Quick Step collection (Quick Step) Noblesse. The advantage of this collection is that the planks presented in it are identical in size to the dimensions of the strip parquet: 45.15 * 9.03 * 0.8 cm. Thanks to the unique design, small planks can be connected at an angle of 90 °. The Noblesse collection from Quick Step is a simple yet original solution that allows you to lay laminate flooring in fifty different ways!

Photo 6 - Laying herringbone laminate

IMPORTANT! In the collections of many eminent laminate manufacturers, you can find not only wood-like panels, but also so-called artistic panels that imitate any given pattern. These include, for example, the German factory laminate Versale (Versailles).

• We check the quality and quantity of the purchased material

Before you start laying the laminate, you should check the quality of the purchase, and calculate the required number of laminated panels in advance, taking into account the consumption of material for sawing (the scrap rate is indicated above). Installation of the floor must also be done during daylight hours: so flaws will be immediately noticeable not only in your work, but also in the material itself.

• "Acclimatization" of the purchased laminate

Another important preparatory step is to let the laminate rest indoors for about two days. The air temperature must be at least 17°C. Acclimatization bags do not need to be unpacked. If the difference in the level of humidity / temperature in the room and the storage conditions of the laminate is significant, this period should be extended to three to four days.

• Laying only in dry rooms with a normalized level of air humidity

Laminate with direct contact of the panels with water (splashes of water, for example) cannot be laid. Water can penetrate the low-cost laminate backing through the edges and cause permanent damage. This is one of the reasons why laminate flooring should not be installed in rooms with constantly high levels of humidity - in saunas, small bathrooms, etc.

• Checking the condition of the foundation

The maximum height difference on the base of the floor should be no more than 3 mm per 1 m of length. The floor must be dry and solid.

• vapor barrier

Before laying the laminate on the floor, a layer of vapor barrier is laid. Above, we talked about what options for the substrate exist and what materials can be used in its manufacture. The film is overlapped by 30 cm (cork boards are laid end-to-end) and fastened with adhesive tape. Conventionally, on the flooring of the substrate, the preparation for laying the laminate is completed: you can proceed with the installation.

• Seams and distance to the wall

The basis of laminated panels is a fibreboard (MDF), which, like natural wood, is subject to swelling or shrinkage due to climate change. Therefore, the laminate is not laid end-to-end with the wall, but a small gap is left to each of the walls. These gaps are also called "terminal seams".

Laminate laying errors usually show up by summer/autumn, as after a dry period, the panels gain moisture and, not having enough space for natural expansion, are distorted. As a result - re-laying of the coating. The size of the thermal joint is largely determined by the type of laminate and its characteristics, as well as the surface area of ​​the room. On average, the width of the gap from the wall should be at least 8 mm. If the laminate is laid on large areas (not in an apartment, but, say, in an office space), the size of the gap is significantly increased.

The method for calculating the gap size: 1 m floor width = 1.5 mm thermal seam along the perimeter of the room.

Calculation examples: with a room width of 5 m, at the edge joints with the walls of the room there should be at least 5 * 1.5 = 7.5 mm indent. And in a room with a width of 3 m - 4.5 mm each.

IMPORTANT! This rule is effective only if the relative humidity of the air is not more than 65% in the room.

In the event of improper laying of the laminate, the most vulnerable will be door frames, stair joints, transition profiles and heating pipes.

If the room in which you are laying the laminate is loaded with heavy furniture that limits the possibility of natural expansion of the laminate (on a balcony, for example, in the kitchen or in the hallway), the gap at the opposite wall from this furniture should contain two indents, i.e. for the same 3-meter room, the gap should be about 9-10 mm.

Subsequently, thermal seams at the walls will not be visible, because. they will be covered with skirting boards.

• Laminate laying technology

Laying of laminate flooring elements can be done in a regular and irregular manner. The offset of the end joints of adjacent rows in any installation scheme must be at least 40 cm.

Quick Guide to Laminate Laying (Straight Laying Procedure)

Consider in detail the order of direct laying:

The process of laying laminate flooring starts from the far corner of the room. The first panel, without cutting it in width, is laid on the floor covered with a substrate, having previously cut off the locking part from the side adjacent to the wall (professional cutting equipment will do better if you do the repair yourself, just rent a machine and put the hacksaw aside: this device will only ruin panel).

Snap the panels of the first row with the short side.

IMPORTANT! Laminate can have several types of locks. The most common of the fastening systems are the “Click” and “Lock” systems (the adhesive method of fastening was not considered by us). Some manufacturers, for example, Tarkett (Tarkett) develop specific types of fasteners for their products, the difference between which is clearly visible in the lower figure.

Figure 2 - Types of fastening of laminated panels from Tarkett

Along the first row, between the panels and the wall, insert expansion wedges of the required width (included in the mounting kit).

The last panel in the row, if necessary, is sawn to length and the second row starts with the sawn off part, if it is not shorter than 40 cm.

When laying the second row, the panels are first snapped into place with the short side, and then with the long side.

For all subsequent rows, the same laying principle applies.

After laying out the panels of the last row, measure the distance to the wall. If this space is not enough for laying the last row (do not forget about the gaps!), cut the panels to the available free width (the lock on the side adjacent to the wall can also be cut).

The secrets of laying laminate in difficult points of the room

• The installation of the laminate at the door frame should be carried out taking into account the preservation of gaps around the entire perimeter of the panel at the points of contact with the door, threshold and walls of the room. The door frame should be sawn to the height of the panel so that it goes under it without pressure, and there is no pressure on the panel.

Figure 3 - Installing the laminate in the doorway

• Laminate at radiators is installed by cutting the lock. Often, glue is used to attach this panel.

Figure 5 - Laying laminate at pipes

The installation of the laminate is completed by the installation of skirting boards, as well as special masking thresholds in doorways (hide gaps when moving from one coating to another). You can do without thresholds only if the laminate is laid in several rooms at once with one continuous canvas.

IMPORTANT! Step-by-step instructions are one of the mandatory inserts for branded products from Alloc (Allok, Norway), Pergo (Pergo, Sweden) and other famous flooring manufacturers such as Egger (Egger, Germany) or Wasterhof (Wasterhof, Germany).

In addition, on the Web you can find training videos on how to properly lay a laminate of a particular manufacturer. For example, a lesson on laying laminate Classen (Klassen, Germany).

VIDEO: Laying laminate Classen (Germany)

VIDEO: Pergo laminate flooring (Sweden)

VIDEO: Choosing a quality floor covering: Balterio laminate (Balterio, Belgium)

From the videos above, it is easy to see that the master puts the laminate exclusively on the self-leveling floor - a flat and reliable base.

$ Installing laminate flooring: asking price

If we are talking about laminate, then it is important not how much the coating costs, but what guarantees the manufacturer gives for his product. Buying cheap laminate flooring means starting repairs again soon. panels without moisture-retaining impregnation (for example, wax) and really strong lamination will not last even five years, not to mention the calm “relationship” of the coating to heels and heavy furniture.

The calculation of the cost of the laminate can be carried out by footage or by packaging. Laminate from the Egger company we have already mentioned, for example, costs an average of $ 15 / m² or from $ 38 / package (2.48 m² is standard in a package).

Some sites or sales offices, when buying more than $ 80-100, order with delivery (provided free of charge).

On average, the prices for the laminate of the mentioned manufacturers are as follows:

• Egger laminate costs from $ 9.5 / m² (Oak Garrison model, 7 mm);
• Balterio laminate costs from $17/m² (Bleached Oak Optimum model, 8 mm);

Photo 7 - Balterio laminate, Optimum Bleached Oak model, 8 mm

• Quick Step laminate costs from $21/m² (Oak antique natural Classic model, 7 mm);
• Tarkett laminate costs from $18/m² (Model Oak Sherwood Mocha Woodstock, 8 mm).

Photo 8 - Tarket laminate, model Oak Sherwood Mocha Woodstock t, 8 mm

To determine the approximate number of laminate packages, you can use a special calculator. It looks something like this:

Figure 6 - Calculation of the amount of material

Laminate price:

Kyiv − from 69 UAH/m²;

Moscow - from 345 rubles / m².

How is laminate flooring done by hand? This can be easily understood if you follow the recommendations and do not deviate from the process technology, which will be given below. The main thing is that every person who at least once in his life held a tool in his hands and can use it can do this work.

Laying laminate flooring is relatively easy thanks to a simple locking system that allows the use of tongue and groove fasteners.

Some requirements and the preparatory stage for laying laminate flooring

For the normal production of work, it is necessary that the following conditions are met:

1. Before you start laying laminate flooring, you need to prepare the base. It should be smooth, without potholes and protruding elements. A floor slope of 2 mm is allowed with a length of 100 cm.
2. The material itself must be put into the room where they are produced two days before the start of work. This is done for the purpose of acclimatization.
3. If dents, chips and other damage are found on the laminate, the material is rejected.
4. All work must be done in a room with a temperature of 16-29 ° C, with a humidity of 35-65%.
5. Before it is necessary to lay a plastic film on the base to protect it from moisture and steam. The thickness of this bedding material should be 190-220 microns. For heat and sound insulation, a substrate made of polyurethane or other materials recommended by the manufacturer is laid on top.

Since concrete, linoleum, tiled or wooden floors may be present in apartments as a base, we will consider the technology for their preparation before:

1. The material can be placed on a concrete base only after pouring, leveling the screed and completely drying it for a month. The old coating must be removed before applying a new layer of cement-sand mixture. After that, it is necessary to cover the resulting floor with polyethylene overlap (the allowance for the wall should be 0.15 m). All joints on the film must be fixed with tape. This is not required if a so-called dry screed is used, as it already contains a layer that protects against steam.
2. If the laminate is laid on a tile or linoleum, which is laid in compliance with all the rules on a high-quality screed, then such a base does not need to be dismantled. In this case, additional insulation from steam is not needed for laying the laminate - it is placed directly on the linoleum or tile.
3. If the apartment has a wooden floor, then work can only be done if it is not affected by the fungus. If loose boards are found, they must be screwed to the lags with screws. Small irregularities are eliminated by scraping, and potholes are filled with a mixture of sawdust and glue. If the floorboards are severely damaged, they must be removed and replaced with new ones.

If possible, then a concrete or wooden base can be leveled using chipboard (plywood) sheets. They can not be isolated from steam, but they must be covered with soundproofing material

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In what cases is it impossible to lay a laminate with your own hands?

Since this material has, along with advantages and a number of disadvantages, it cannot be used in the following cases:

• if carpet is used as a base;
• it can not be used in the bathroom and similar rooms with high humidity;
• they are strictly prohibited from overlapping underfloor heating systems;
• this material must not be glued or any similar method used to attach it to the base coat.

In corridors and kitchens, laminate flooring is used, which has increased wear resistance. In this case, it is necessary to seal the lock system with special pastes.

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Methods and techniques for laying laminate

There are several types of base overlapping material:

• using glue;
• with the use of "Click" locks;
• with lock system "Lock".

The first method is similar to laying parquet boards. On the edge of each panel of material, apply glue and press 2 adjacent plates to each other. This is done when it is necessary to provide high strength and protection against moisture. But such a floor cannot be dismantled later, and it is short-lived.

At the second, the spike of each panel of the next row is inserted at an angle of 27-32 degrees into the groove of the previous plate and pressed until a click is heard. For complete docking of the rows, they are knocked out with a hammer and a wooden block until the end latches are triggered.

The difference in laminate laying technique between the second and third methods is small. When using the "Lok" system, the material is laid strictly horizontally. A small gap is left between adjacent plates. The groove and tenon of the adjacent boards are combined and, with the help of a block of wood and a hammer, they are carefully driven in. This is done until the lock works.

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How to install laminate flooring

There are several options for the production of such work:

• the material must be placed parallel to the direction of light in the room;
• panels are laid perpendicular to the light flux;
• diagonal way - at different angles to the light.

In this case, you can choose the following laying schemes:

• classic version;
• type "chessboard";
• similarity of brickwork;
• diagonal cover.

At the same time, it must be remembered that it is not recommended to move the panels of adjacent rows by more than 0.2 m due to a decrease in the strength of the coating.

The classic version is most often used when laying laminate in residential and office rooms. It is very economical and is carried out in the direction of the light flux. Start work from the nearest wall, from the window. In the right places, the panels are cut, while the losses are no more than 4-5% of the total amount of material. It is not recommended to use panels shorter than 0.3 m unless large furniture is installed in the area to be covered.

A chessboard or brickwork consists of a subsequent row shifted by half the board. When creating such a pattern, up to 16% of the material is wasted, but the coating has a very high strength. This scheme can be used if a single-color, single-strip material is used.

The diagonal way of overlapping is one of the varieties of the classic laying of the laminate. It is produced at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the wall, where there is a doorway. Overspending of material can reach 14-16%. In square rooms, it is minimal, and if such work needs to be done in narrow or long rooms, it is maximum. This scheme is used by designers to give the interior more space in small rooms that have a corner door.

Laminate is a great invention that allows you to decorate the floors in the rooms as simply and quickly as possible. The shape of the slats and their configuration are carefully thought out, so even a beginner will not be difficult to mount it.

Since laminate flooring elements are easy to cut and match, this flooring can be installed quickly even in complex layouts.

If you are interested in how to lay a laminate on your own, then our article will help you, guided by simple rules, to do this job quickly and correctly.

Basic rules for the operation of laminate

Before you start laying laminate flooring, check if it is suitable for your conditions.

1. Laying work is carried out in a well-heated dry room. To extend the life of the laminate, you should maintain a constant temperature in the room from 15 to 30 degrees, and a humidity of 40-70%.
2. The base for the laminate must be absolutely flat, that is, wooden or, the maximum differences of which should not be more than 2 mm per 1 sq.m., and the slopes should not exceed 4 mm per 2 m. Significant irregularities should be leveled by forming a floor screed, or using a flooring system.
3. Do not install the laminate on: this will lead to drying out and deformation of the elements. The laminate should not heat up from below by more than 27 degrees. In this case, it is allowed to use hydraulic heating systems that evenly distribute heat without overheating. Consider the required distance between the bottom of the laminate and the surface of the warm floor - at least 3 cm.

So, you have taken into account all the features and requirements, prepared the basis of the floor. It's time to stock up on the necessary materials and tools.

Materials and tools for laying laminate

Laminate flooring installation is simple. First, the laying of the substrate for the laminate (the material is polyethylene foam) is carried out on the prepared base, and then the elements of the floor covering itself are assembled. This option is suitable for . On a concrete base under the substrate, waterproofing will be required. A simple 200 micron polyethylene film is suitable for it.

In order for the job to be done correctly, you will need the following:

• Laminate;
• Polyethylene film;
• Primer;
• Foamed polyethylene;
• Glue;
• Wedges for technological gaps;
• plinth;
• Fixings for plinth;
• Hammer;
• Pencil;
• Roulette and building corner;
• Hacksaw (jigsaw);
• Construction knife;
• Wooden block.

Wedges can be purchased at the store, along with the laminate, or you can make it yourself by cutting laminate, drywall or lining into pegs 10-15 mm wide.

Glue will be needed to secure the laminate elements where it is not enough to use edges and hooks.

Tip: when buying laminate, make sure you have a small margin, as no one is immune from mistakes, especially in the places where the wall bends. Do not forget that the size and number of lamellas in the package may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

After you have purchased everything you need, put the laminate in the room where it is planned to lay it for two days. This is necessary in order for the material to “get used” to humidity and temperature.

Laminate laying technology

First of all, thoroughly clean the floor surface from dust and debris. A construction vacuum cleaner will help you with this. After that, prime the base, both wooden and concrete. Wooden floors are also subject to antiseptic treatment.

1. Lay a waterproofing film on the cleaned concrete surface, keeping an overlap of 20 cm between the strips of material, and gluing the joints with adhesive tape. Lay polyethylene foam on top - a substrate.
2. Laying the laminate starts from the window, as a source of natural light.
3. The substrate can be laid on the entire floor, or you can only on a small area that you are covering at the moment, and then report as you progress. This way you keep it whole and clean as you work.
4. Make sure that the substrate is on the walls by 2-3 cm, thus forming a cushioning strip. Apply the following strips of material to the previous one end-to-end and secure with adhesive tape.
5. The first lamella is laid in the corner of the room from the side of the window. Pegs are inserted between it and the wall, as well as from the end. Now add solid stripes to the end of the row, controlling the correct connection of the elements.
6. At the end of the lamella there are grooves that allow you to bring the next element evenly at a slight angle, and firmly insert it into the previous one. This will not require much effort.
7. The missing distance, in which the whole lamella did not fit, can be filled with a segment. Turn the lamella element over along the short end and place it on the already mounted area, resting it against the wall. On the inside you will see a cut line. Do not forget to leave a gap to the wall when marking, at least 10 mm. Cut the lamella of the required length with a hacksaw or jigsaw and insert into the general row.
8. The second row should be laid without snapping the lock with the first row, but touching it over the edge of the end. Dock the entire row in the same way as the first, and when you fully assemble it, lift it up and put it into the lock until it stops, snapping along the entire length. If in some places the lock is not fully latched, attach a wooden block and tap with a hammer.

For your information: a laminate with a soundproofing underlay is available for sale. Polyethylene foam should not be laid under it, only a waterproofing layer on the concrete pavement.

According to this scheme, fill the entire space of the floor. Any special work will be required in places where there are heating pipes, wall bends.

Rules for laying laminate diagonally

It turns out that this installation option is also quite simple. In addition, it visually increases the space of the room. The disadvantage of this method is the additional consumption of material. To approximately calculate the required amount, add 7-8% to the area of ​​​​the room.

Preparation is no different from that which is carried out before the usual installation.

1. Choose a corner near the window and extend a fishing line from it with a 45 degree slope relative to the walls. It is along this line that you will subsequently navigate in order to align the laying of the lamellas.
2. Trim the edges of the first strip at a 45 degree angle. Lay the first strip in a corner, setting the wedges to form a thermal gap.
3. The next step: take two strips of lamella and measure them so that their joint is in the center of the first row, and the edges pre-cut at 45 degrees are flush with the wall, taking into account the gap.

Thus, fill the entire floor. You can first lay out all the whole elements of the laminate, focusing on the joints and fishing line, and at the end of the work, fill in the areas near the walls with scraps. This option is preferable for a beginner in such work, since it allows you to avoid run-up at the junctions of rows due to uneven walls.

Ways of laying laminate in non-standard situations

Rooms with perfectly flat surfaces, without any protrusions or communications outlets, are rare. Therefore, we are faced with the need to cut curly elements from lamellas. For this you will need:

• Pencil;
• building corner;
• Construction knife;
• Jigsaw.

Here are a few options to help you deal with laminate flooring in rooms with specific challenges.

• 1. To get around, you need to trim the lamellas. Turn the element over in length, attach it to the stacked ones, and use a corner to mark the location of the pipes in width.
  2. After that, attach the lamella to the side of the pipe and rest against the wall through the peg. Mark in this position the second mark with a building level (distance from the wall to the pipe). This way you will get the intersections of the lines that determine the location of the holes for the pipe.
  3. Drill holes in the lamellas using special drills - "ballerinas". The diameter must be greater than the diameter of the pipes, the gaps can be closed with special inserts for laminate floors.
  4. Now cut the lamella into two pieces across the middle of the hole. Attach one part to the rest of the floor up to the pipe, and attach the second from the pipe to the wall. To make the mount stronger, apply glue to the ends and press them together.

Tip: If the cutouts are sloppy and too eye-catching, hide them behind decorative elements, such as pipe lines.

If the walls of your room have ledges, cut the required shape with a jigsaw right along the lamella. In cases where the obstacle is under the heating radiators, cut the bottom of the sheathing and bring the laminate board to the base of the wall, observing the gaps.

In order for the end of the lamella to be correctly inserted under the radiator or casing, you need to slightly tweak the lock of the adjacent lamella. To do this, carefully cut off the protruding edge from the bottom of the end. So that the strength of the joint does not suffer, coat the joints of the lamellas with glue and press firmly against each other.

What else is useful to know about laying laminate flooring?

If you are the lucky owner of a large living space, more than 8x8 meters, then laying a laminate floor will have certain features. You will need the formation of expansion joints. For this, use special profiles that are mounted on the floor between two sections of the mounted laminate that are not connected to each other.

In this case, the upper section of the dividing profile will be the same lining as in the "pies" for doorways. The reason for this is the thermal expansion of the material and the need to limit the maximum area of ​​the bonded area of ​​the laminate floor in order to reduce the total deformation. The same profile must be installed along the boundaries of the separation of excellent loops of a warm water floor installed in the same room.

After you have completely filled the floor space and installed the laminate in difficult places, remove any wedges installed around the perimeter and trim the edges of the underlay that protrude too much from under the surface. Leave only a couple of inches of wall entry so that they provide a shock-absorbing belt. Now it remains only to install the plinth, and the work will be completed.

The peculiarity of installing skirting boards on a laminate floor is that there are no fasteners to the laminate and the floor, as such. The plinth strip is attached directly to the wall. There are several types of skirting boards and their mounting options, so use the manufacturer's instructions for installation.

• Wooden skirting boards are only suitable for absolutely flat walls due to their hardness;
• If the wall surface is uneven, plastic skirting boards are optimal.
• If wires are laid under, fix it in special grooves so that communications do not fall into the gap between the laminate and the wall.
• Place felt pads on the legs of all furniture in a room with a laminate floor.

In order for the laminate to serve you for a long time, protect it from moisture and temperature extremes. There are types of laminate coatings that are not afraid of external mechanical damage, but still such a floor requires careful handling: try to avoid scratches and chipped areas, they will harm not only the appearance, but also the quality of the material.

Video on how to install laminate flooring

As you can see, assembling a laminate floor is not difficult at all, and you will see this in practice when you start the process yourself. We hope that our tips will help you avoid common mistakes. If you have any questions while reading the article, please ask them in the comments, and we will be happy to answer them. Surely you would like to share your experience with our readers. We wish you easy work!

When ordering an apartment renovation, every second client chooses a laminate as a floor covering. These are real statistics taken from one large construction company.

You can understand people, because laminate is a relatively cheap, durable and very attractive finishing material. With it, you can imitate parquet boards, ceramic tiles and other floor materials. But there is another advantage - ease of installation. Anyone can install laminate flooring with their own hands without special skills.

We immediately warn you that the laminate is not suitable for use in bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity.

Choice of laminate

Preparatory work

After buying a laminate, do not rush to lay them. Laminate should lie down in the room for two days so that it adapts to the conditions of the room.

By the way, if you do not know how much to buy a laminate - use our laminate calculator.

Foundation preparation

Laminate can only be laid on a perfectly flat surface. To understand how even the base should be, take a level 1 m long and attach it to the floor. The differences should not exceed 2 mm.

Concrete floor preparation

If the level differences are not critical, then self-leveling mixtures (self-leveling floor) can be used to level the floor. The minimum thickness of the self-leveling floor is 3.5-5 mm.

If the floor surface has significant flaws, a full-fledged floor screed is made. When pouring the floor with a cement-sand mixture, laying the laminate can begin no earlier than 27 days (after the surface has completely dried).

A concrete base (as well as a self-leveling floor and a cement-sand screed) needs a vapor barrier. To do this, you can use a polyethylene film with a thickness of 200 microns. It must be laid perpendicular to the laying direction of the laminate with a 20 cm overlap on adjacent rolls and a 10 cm overlap on the walls. To prevent the film from moving, glue the joints with tape.

If you are not making a cement-sand, but a dry screed, then a vapor barrier layer is not needed (it is provided in the screed itself).

Wood floor preparation

A wooden base is considered level if all the boards are firmly nailed to the joists, are not affected by pests, are not covered with fungus and form a flat surface. Surface unevenness can be corrected by scraping the boards. In the worst case, you will have to tear off the boards and lay them on a new one.

To level the wooden and concrete base, you can also lay plywood or chipboard boards with a thickness of 10 mm or more on the floor. The wooden base does not need a vapor barrier.

Laying laminate on linoleum and ceramic tiles

It is quite possible to lay a laminate on a floor with linoleum or tiles, the main thing is that the base is even and reliable.

In what cases it is impossible to lay a laminate

• Do not lay laminate on carpets. This is done for hygiene reasons (microorganisms and dust collect in the carpet).
• Glue the laminate to the floor or fasten it with self-tapping screws (nails).
• Lay the laminate on a screed in which the underfloor heating cable is embedded - due to the thick substrate, the efficiency of the warm floor will be extremely low.

Types of laminate joints

• adhesive
• "Click" locking system
• lock system "Lock"

Used in rooms with high intensity of loads and increased moisture-resistant requirements. When laying such a laminate, glue is applied to the ends and after that the boards are pressed against each other. Thus, the joint becomes strong, and the moisture-resistant adhesive prevents moisture from penetrating through the ends of the laminate panels. However, such a laminate has its drawbacks: additional spending on glue, fragility of the coating and complete non-repairability of the base. Such a laminate cannot be used in conjunction with underfloor heating, because. The glue dries quickly when exposed to high temperatures.

Laminate with click locks is the most common, because the installation of such a laminate is the simplest, and the connections are quite strong. The spike of one board is inserted into the groove of the other at an angle of 45 degrees, and then pressed to the floor. After that, the last board is knocked out with a bar until the lock is completely snapped into place.

Laminate with locks it is laid differently: the boards are located in the same plane, then the spike and groove of adjacent boards are combined and with the help of a bar it achieves the lock. The strength of the laminate connection with such locks is somewhat lower, but the cost of the laminate itself is more attractive.

To find out the direction of laying the laminate, you need to look at the direction of the fall of the sun's rays. Based on this, three types of styling are distinguished:

1. parallel to the direction of light
2. perpendicular to the direction of light
3. diagonally, i.e. at an angle to the direction of the light.

Most often, parallel laying is used, as the simplest and at the same time hiding joints.

In addition, there are three more schemes for laying laminate:

• classical
• chess
• diagonal

Classic scheme. This scheme is economical, only about 5% of the laminate goes to waste. With this laying scheme, the cut off part of the last board of the row becomes the first board of the next row.

Chess scheme. This scheme is distinguished by the highest masonry strength, but the percentage of material consumption is quite high - 15%. With this laying scheme, the next sheet is shifted exactly by half relative to the previous one.

Diagonal laying pattern. It is successfully used in cases where you need to interestingly beat the interior of a small room. Material consumption does not exceed 15%, and the consumption in square rooms is minimal.

Regardless of which laying scheme you choose, you need to lay the boards apart. Those. so that the boards in adjacent rows are offset from each other.

Required clearance

It must be remembered that the laminate can slightly change its size with changes in room temperature. If you do not make the necessary gaps, the laminate will "swell". Therefore, wedges are placed along the wall, forming a gap from the wall of about 10 mm. If the length of the room is more than 12 m, then the gap must be increased, based on:

Room length * 1.5 = gap (mm)

Required Tool

• wood saw
• expansion wedges
• ruler and tape measure
• pencil
• hammer
• wooden block
• clamp

Sound-absorbing underlayment

Underlayment for laminate flooring performs several functions: it hides base defects, serves as a shock-absorbing layer, and also performs a heat-insulating function.

What are laminate underlays?

• Insulating substrate, PPE (polyethylene foam)
• Foil backing
• Extruded polystyrene foam underlay
• Cork backing
• Composite substrate

The choice of substrate is largely determined by its cost and some technical features. The thickness of the substrate layer should be within 2-3 mm. If more - the joints of the laminate will diverge. By the way, some types of laminate have a backing on the end side of the panel.

Laminate installation with click lock

We measure the width of the room with a tape measure and calculate the width of the last board. If it is less than 5 cm, you will have to evenly cut the boards in the first and last row. Do not forget about the necessary clearance.

Laying starts from the far left corner, while the direction of light should coincide with the direction of laying the laminate along the long side of the board. We lay the first board, dock the next board to it from the end at an angle of 45 degrees. We lower the second board to the floor so that the lock works. In the same way we collect the first row.

The last board can:

1. Enter entirely - then cut the board of the next row in half.
2. Do not fit entirely into the row - it is cut and the remaining piece is used as the first board of the second row. The length of the last board (and the first of the second row) should not be shorter than 30 cm - this is the minimum length of the joint offset.

Thus, the boards will go in a checkerboard pattern and the pressure will be evenly distributed between the panels.

We start laying the second row of laminate with a cut board. The technology for assembling the second row is similar: the boards are connected at the ends, but the second row is assembled next to the first and so far is not connected in any way.

Then we raise the second row (in assembled form) and insert the spikes into the grooves of the first row at an angle of 45%. It is better to do this work with a partner: you are on one side, and he is on the other. Then we close the locks, pressing the second row to the floor.

Subsequent rows are assembled in the same way. When all of the laminate is in place, remove the expansion wedges. The resulting gaps will be closed with a plinth.

Laying laminate with a lock type "Lock"

Laying laminate flooring with these locks is no different than laying laminate flooring with "Click" locks. Those. gaps are also left, the width of the last board is calculated, etc. The only difference is in the way the panels are connected.

Panels with a "Lock" lock are connected horizontally to each other and hammered through a bar (so as not to damage the panel) until the lock is activated. The board of the second row is also joined horizontally with the board of the first row and immediately knocked out. Those. The difference from laying laminate flooring with "Click" locks is that the boards of the second row are clicked on individually, and not as a whole.

The last panel is pushed to the previous row with a clamp.

The preparatory operations will be the same as in the previous two cases. The differences are that you need to apply glue to the ends of the panels and knock the panels to each other with a hammer and a bar. Excess adhesive should be wiped off immediately with a damp cloth. There is also a difference in the order of installation:

1. lay two boards of the first row
2. we join two boards of the second row to them
3. put the next two boards of the first row
4. we also repeat with the second row.

After laying three rows, you need to take a break of 3 hours so that the glue dries. After laying the last board, you need to wait 10 hours for the glue to dry completely.