People who have reached the stage of laying floors in building their own home already see the moment when they sit in a bathrobe and slippers on the rug by the fireplace and drink tea. And pulls, leaving all things to run to the market to buy these attributes of home comfort. Well, slippers - a thing necessary in the household, they can always come in handy, but which one is better to choose a carpet? Natural too expensive, artificial impractical. Or maybe you don’t need that carpet at all? Have you tried knocking dust out of them? Only detergents spend a fortune. So, if you dream of a cozy, high-quality and beautiful flooring , be sure to pay attention to the laminate.
Laminate flooring
What is this material? How to lay the laminate? A floor covered with such material will look very beautiful. In addition, it is an environmentally friendly, completely harmless product produced by the construction industry. We have to focus on this, otherwise we can only hear: “Chemistry! Chemistry!" As a coating on the floors, this material began to be applied from the late seventies of the twentieth century and since then, constantly improving, it finds more and more fans around the world.
Today, the laminate is sold in standard packages of 6-12 panels (lamella) in each. Main dimensions: width 185-195 mm, length 1260-1380 mm, thickness, depending on the class, from 6 to 12 mm. Structurally consists of three main layers:
- top, wearproof;
- the inner layer of MDF;
- lower protective layer.
In addition, each panel is equipped with special mounting locks, which allows you to make the coating in the form of a single monolithic structure. How to lay a laminate floor, you will learn from the article.
Types and classes of laminate
First of all, let's talk about species. To date, the laminate is produced in three main versions. Few? Believe me, this is more than enough, because each species has a rich gamut of all kinds of color variations, plus a pattern number.
- The first is a panel laminate based on MDF. Available with two lock options. Basically, the pattern imitates all kinds of wood.
- Vinyl - a self-adhesive laminate. Here, the patterned variety is not only for a wooden texture, but also for any classic ornament.
- The third common type is the artistic laminate. It has the same locking fixation system as the panel one. It basically imitates all kinds of parquet floors.
Manufacturing companies divide the laminate into four wear resistance classes, which are indicated on the package by the letters: A, B, C, D. The first three classes are used for domestic use in homes or apartments. The fourth is an office class. It is stronger, but also more expensive. Do not think that classes A, B, C are bad. It’s just that the production takes into account both the number of hours of continuous operation and the number of people directly operating the coating. So the strength of the first three classes is enough for you for 30 years.
Why choose laminate flooring
Any material becomes truly popular when imitators appear on it. Have you heard about textured wood processing? "Specialists" scrub the tree with metal brushes - they imitate the laminate. In addition to accurately copying the tree pattern, laminate panels have another advantage - they can solve other domestic problems. Carpets and dust have already been mentioned, as well as savings on detergents. Yes, and the ants in the country will no longer bother, because the locks do not let them in. And the most valuable thing is that laminate trees help to preserve - both Christmas trees, and pines, and cedar with a birch. Let them swing better in the forest, and under the feet a laminate also lies.
Application area
The thing is that it is much easier to lay the laminate from the beginning during construction than during repairs and alterations. If you immediately planned it as the main floor covering, then you will make the foundation accordingly. Qualitatively, and most importantly, an evenly made foundation (concrete or wood) is half the work of arranging the floor.
Given such material properties as wear resistance, moisture resistance, exposure to temperature changes and ultraviolet (does not fade), many began to replace old existing coatings with a laminate. This material is perfectly mounted on old coatings. You can lay the laminate on linoleum. It is also placed on a tile, wooden board, parquet. Your entire apartment, your whole house, without exception, can be covered with a laminate. Industrial enterprises, clerical offices, children's institutions, and public places also apply this coating intensively.
The installation of panels itself, thanks to the glueless, locking system of connection, is quite simple, the main thing is to make it right. How to lay a laminate on a wooden floor, linoleum and other substrates, you will learn from the material below. All the work on the laminate flooring device can be divided into three stages: preparation, laying, completion. The installation itself is divided into two subsections: the lining of the substrate and the assembly of the panels themselves.
Base
The base under the laminate should be flat. Achieving this during construction is easy. If the floor is cement, you can simply fill it with a self-leveling mixture. If the base is wooden, then on the lags you need to evenly lay the rough board, and preferably thick plywood.
Another thing is to lay the laminate on linoleum or another old coating when repairs are being made. Tearing it, unless it is completely rotten, is not necessary! You just need to smooth the coating. Try to grind the concrete basis, it will not work - it is necessary to level. Clean, primer, grab any tile glue and level the floor. Before laying the laminate on a wooden floor, also check if you need to replace some kind of board, squeeze the creaking, finish off the sticking nails. Large mounds should be planed and sanded.
The tiled floor must be repaired on the basis of the replacement of bat and jingle tiles. On linoleum, it is worth sticking cracks and gaps, patch holes. Before laying the substrate under the laminate, wipe the room again from dust and debris.
Substrate
The choice of substrate, unless there are recommendations in the annotation for the laminate itself, you need to pay close attention. The primary task of this seemingly minor material is to extend the life of the selected laminate. The substrate protects from deflection and deformation, is a sound-absorbing agent, protects the lower layer of the coating from abrasion and moisture. Well, and, of course, thermal insulation - although it will not heat up too much, it will not release heat. What to choose from?
- Polypropylene is the most popular type of substrate because of its cheapness. Frankly, it is not particularly suitable thickness, and lay in two layers is not very convenient, especially for inexperienced owners.
- Propylene with reflective foil. A little better, because at least it reduces heat consumption. Just make sure that the coating is exactly foil, and even the painted film can slip.
- Queen of substrates is a cork. It does not bend, does not rustle, does not rot, does not steam, saves heat. Knowing what the substrate is made of, it is not a pity and money. And the run up to a thickness of 10 millimeters convinces.
After you measure the area of the room and finally choose the type of substrate, it's time to lay it before laying the laminate on the wooden floor. It can be laid immediately on the entire floor, or partially, as the laminate is laid. How to lay the substrate under the laminate? We fixed one edge against the wall and are slowly moving forward, making plot after plot. Thus, the substrate is less dirty and does not interfere.
Laying laminate flooring
Let's see how to lay the laminate on the floor. Its size and material do not matter. The view and type of panels, too. We will cover general styling rules. The first thing to do when bringing the laminate back home is to open the boxes and cut the plastic bag. Then for a day you can go for a walk, and in the meantime, the laminate will get used to the climatic conditions of your home. When taking a walk, think about which styling option is right for you. There are few options, only three: along the room, across and diagonally.
Diagonal Panel Laying
How to lay the laminate diagonally? This styling method is the most complex, it should be highlighted separately. If you decide to mount the panels yourself and do not have experience, it is better to drop right away. And you won’t do the work, and translate the material. The main difficulty lies in the calculation and trimming of the end end panels. And specialists get 5-10% overspending, and you yourself have to buy twice as much material. But if you still decide and choose a diagonal way of laying, you will find an amazing effect. With this method, the room itself is visually increased.
Lamella joint
With any installation method, for a laminate of any kind along the edge of the room, it is necessary to leave an operational gap between the wall and the panels. For this, pegs from 5 to 10 millimeters thick are suitable. Now take the two panels and connect the ends to the lock, then the next panel. When you have reached cutting, do not rush, do not mix sides and do not cut the lock. Start the next row with half of the lamella and fold the ribbon again. If the strip is not very long, then insert it completely at an angle into the lock of the first ribbon and press down. If necessary, gently tap the panel until a distinctive click is heard.
Mount long distances gradually, preferably with an assistant. We bring the assembled row at a slight angle, we also raise it and insert it into the lock. You should get a wave, as it were - on one side the assembled coating, on the other - a row raised at an angle. Doesn’t come out to insert or a loose seam? In no case do not hit hard, do not pinch the locks. It’s better to take it apart once or twice and put it in a new way. The first two rows give direction, adjust the indent from the wall. From them it is already visible - a right angle in the room or not. Therefore, pay particular attention to their installation. Then everything is simple - add the next lane and go!
Installation of vinyl laminate coatings
If you do not know how to lay a vinyl laminate, read on the article. The installation technology of this material has its own characteristics. First of all, you need to observe the temperature regime. The temperature should vary from 15 to 25 degrees. Instead of locks, vinyl laminate has a self-adhesive tape, so you need to handle it carefully so as not to contaminate it. The same requirement for the base - it must be perfectly clean and fat free.
Art Laminate
First of all, art laminate panels have slightly different, increased parameters. So how to lay art laminate? Installation is identical to the installation of material from MDF. You will only have to select a pattern or pattern, and the offset of the rows is set by the manufacturer (30 centimeters).
Used tools
Of the specialized tools for laying the laminate, you only need a vinyl roller and a hairdryer. Everything else should be found in every household. You have a tape measure, a pencil and a square, you can borrow a rubber mallet from your neighbors, and your relatives will probably find an electric jigsaw or a parquet saw. The boss and wedges can be made from scraps of laminate. And don't forget to sharpen the knife well.
Understood how to lay a laminate on a wooden floor? Then, perhaps, it’s all about installing panels. You can add only one thing - if for some reason you laid the laminate on an uneven floor, that's okay. Just take it apart and fold it back onto an already level foundation. The finishing touch after laying the laminate will be the installation of skirting boards around the entire perimeter of the room and the door sill. Having done all this, get wet cleaning, and only after it comes the time to put slippers on, put on a bathrobe and sit on the sofa near the fireplace to enjoy the excellent floor covering.