The very first stage of laying a laminate is to calculate its amount for a particular room. One pack is designed for 2 square meters and contains 10 boards. Thus, for example, for 16 square meters, it will be sufficient to purchase 8 packs of laminate, but be sure to take it with a margin, since an overrun in the process of independent work is possible.
How to lay a laminate with your own hands? This should be done on a foundation that is carefully aligned. Of course, you do not need to make a screed from a special mixture at all, just check the floor with a building level for differences. Laminate can be laid on a wooden floor, and on linoleum. The main condition is a flat surface. In the case of large differences or hillocks, it is still preferable to make a screed. This will prevent deformation of the laminate during operation. We should also say a few words about the flooring. This complex styling was popular for a long time, so its presence in some houses may be accompanied by bulging or, conversely, drowning of individual boards relative to the floor level. Then how to lay a laminate flooring? A grinding machine will come to the rescue , which will remove not only the old layers of paint or varnish, but will even the surface.
For work, you will need: a substrate - a roll of polyethylene foamed by special technology, a jigsaw or saw, a tape measure, a plank of wood 20 cm long to fit the boards together, a pencil and a hammer. For easier sawing, it is better to use a jigsaw.
How to lay a laminate with your own hands? It turns out that it is not as simple as we would like, because the styling itself is similar to collecting a constructor. The boards are fastened to each other on four sides. The principle of fastening is called a crest groove. This is when the crest of one of the boards is inserted into a special groove to the other, and then the boards are tightly fitted with a hammer to each other.
The technology of laying the laminate is not so complicated. You can start from any corner of the room. Stacking is perpendicular to the window. This is necessary in order to hide the joints between the laminate boards. You can learn how to lay a laminate with your own hands on any construction forum. First you need to stretch the substrate along the wall. This should be done gradually - in stripes so that it does not interfere. Next, boards are laid out on it in a single line near the wall and fastened with the end part. For a snug fit, it is recommended to adjust them with a hammer, using a bar that is laid on top of the comb. Weak, gentle, careful hits are made on it, thanks to which the boards are firmly adjacent to each other. The last element of the row is cut to the desired length. The first row is ready! Wedges are set 1 cm between the strip and the wall.
This principle is important to observe, since it is not easy to lay the laminate yourself. The second strip begins with half of the board, then laying continues as well as the first. When it is mounted, it should be connected to the previous one. To do this, the entire row with a crest raised by 20 ° is inserted into the grooves and lowered down, then adjusted using a bar and a hammer. The checkerboard layout of the laminate flooring looks original and does not allow them to “walk”.
The third row should begin with a whole board and so alternate until the last line is laid. Now you are familiar with the technology of how to lay a laminate with your own hands. The most important thing here is the tight fit of the boards to each other. A strict adherence to all the tips and recommendations will save in the future from problems with operation.