If you are interested in how laminate is laid on concrete and wood floors, then a lot useful information you will find with us. Tips for choosing a laminate and related materials, information about the types of laminate and its classification, manufacturers' websites and many others practical advice make the installation process as easy as possible. In addition, you will find approximate prices for the implementation of such work by professionals.

Laminate and its features

Laminate is thin boards with a thickness of 6-12 mm, a width of 20 cm and a length of 1-1.5 m. All ends of the boards are equipped with special locks for fastening them together. The construction of the laminate is multi-layered. The top layer is a heavy-duty film that protects the board from moisture, the sun and increases its wear resistance. The base layer is fiberboard or chipboard. In addition, there are other layers that are clearly visible in the photo below.

To understand how laminate is laid on concrete and wood floors, imagine a rigidly bonded structure laid on a special substrate. The base, in turn, is laid on a flat base. All layers do not adhere in any way to either the base or the walls of the room. The substrate performs the functions of a vapor barrier, sound insulation and distributes the load from the coating to the base. In the past, the laying of laminate and other solid and parquet boards was carried out using the joining of elements according to the tenon-and-groove principle, with all joints glued with glue. Modern materials similar types are made with fastening among themselves on castle type Click Lock. Thanks to the use of modern technologies and innovative equipment, it is possible to achieve such accuracy in milling the ends of the boards that after they are fastened, the seam is almost invisible. It is so dense that even moisture does not seep into the gap. The use of such locks in modern boards has led to the fact that laying a laminate is within the power of even a non-professional.

Choice of laminate

In order for the laying of the laminate to be of high quality, your knowledge and skills alone are not enough, you must correctly choose the material for the job. The first and most important thing to pay attention to is the quality of the laminate, and not its beauty, since the life of your floor depends on the quality.

The main criteria for assessing the quality of a laminate are:

reliability of the connecting elements of the boards;
panel thickness;
moisture resistance;
strength of the face layer.

We will talk about locks separately, but the thickness of the laminate is in the range of 6-12 mm. Let's figure out which laminate flooring is most appropriate. To do this, consider panels of various thicknesses:

Boards with a thickness of 6 mm, due to their thinness, do not tolerate shock and moisture very well. The small thickness of the panel does not allow to make a reliable locking connection. Most panels of this thickness are made in China.
The panel thickness of 7 mm is also undesirable, but still it is slightly better than the previous version. If you want to save money, then you can give preference to such boards. Laying a laminate of this thickness should be carried out on a perfectly flat concrete or wooden floor, so you protect the lock from breakage.
Laminate with a thickness of 8 mm is the best choice. Boards with such a thickness are reliable, durable, their interlocking can withstand significant loads. If you need high-quality laying of laminate, then choose material with a thickness of 8 mm and above.

Laminated panels are divided into ordinary and moisture resistant. The ability of the panels to resist moisture is affected by its base. So, in a conventional laminate, MDF, fiberboard, chipboard is used as the basis. Moisture resistant laminate is made on the basis of HDF. However, this does not mean that moisture-resistant panels can be laid in a bathroom or toilet. Laying laminate on a moisture-resistant basis can be carried out in the kitchen, hallway, dining room.

According to the type of wear resistance, laminated panels are divided into three classes:

Class 31 panels have low wear resistance, so the laminate can be laid on the concrete or wooden floor of the bedroom, pantry. The best in this class are German laminated panels.
Laminate class 32 with medium wear resistance is the most popular. It can fit in the bedroom, kitchen, hallway, hallway. Its price is slightly higher than that of the above elements.
Laying laminate with high wear resistance (class 33) can be carried out in places with high traffic, such as office premises. But too high a price is the reason for its rare use in ordinary homes.

The choice of laminate design is made according to the texture of its front surface. Laminated panels by design are divided into:

smooth (glossy) panels are rather slippery, hand and foot prints are very clearly visible on them;
matte panels are non-slip, have a natural look of wood, do not leave prints on them;
textured panels most closely repeat the texture of natural wood;
Laminate with chamfers (rounded corners) allows you to give the product more naturalness.

Modern manufacturers use several types of interlocks. Here are the main ones:

the “Click” locking connection is made along the longitudinal ends of the laminate, and the “Lock” connecting element is made along the short ones (the elements are fastened in length by inserting one of the boards at an angle into the groove of another element with its subsequent pressing, along the short ends of the boards can be fastened by hammering or simple lowering);
“Uniclick” locking between boards can be done either by hammering them in or by turning them, as in “Click” locks, such a locking connection is made along all ends of the board.

Laying laminate with the latest type of interlock is the simplest and most durable. The joint of such a joint withstands a tensile impact of 450 kg. Such a floor covering, if necessary, can be easily dismantled by simply lifting the boards.

Laminate manufacturers

Of course, laminate flooring must be laid in accordance with all the rules, but the choice of high-quality material for work is no less important, so we decided to acquaint you with the list of the most famous manufacturers of laminated boards and give you links to their official websites:

Aldeck(Austria)
Alloc(Norway)
Aqua Step(Belgium)
Balterio(Belgium)
Berry Floor(Belgium)
Classen(Russia, Gagarin, Smolensk region)
Dumafloor(France)
Egger(Russia Moscow)
Faus(Spain)
Haro(Germany)
Kindl(Austria)
Kronopol(Poland)
Kronotex(Germany)
Laminat+(Russia. Irkutsk)
Parador(Germany)
Quick step(Belgium)
Tarkett(Russia Moscow)
Witex(Germany)
Kronostar(Russia, Kostroma region)
Kronospan(Russia, Moscow region)

Various ways to install laminate flooring

Laying a laminate can be done in several ways, which depend on different landmarks:

Parallel or direct laying of the laminate is carried out relative to one of the walls in the room.

Example of parallel laying of laminate

Diagonal laying is performed at an angle of 45 degrees to one of the walls of the room. This mounting method is more complex and expensive and requires more experience. The room with diagonal laminate flooring looks original and spacious.

With a certain offset relative to each other adjacent rows (example in the figure below). The offset value must be allowed by the material manufacturer, but not less than 1/3 of the length or 20 cm.

Sometimes laminate is laid not on the floor, but on the walls of the room. This can be done using wood or metal carcass. In addition to it, the laminate can be mounted on the wall with glue or nails hammered into the groove.

Choosing a laminate flooring

Laying a laminate on a concrete or wooden floor must be carried out on a special substrate, the purpose of which is as follows:

impact noise absorption;
protection of the bottom of the panels from friction against the base, which significantly extends the life of the floor;
alignment of the slight curvature of the base floor;
protection of panels from dampness of the base.

The choice of footboard thickness is directly related to the thickness of the panels. So, under a laminate with a thickness of 7 mm, a substrate with a thickness of 2 mm is suitable. For thicker panels (8.9mm) a 3mm underlay can be used. A thicker underlay (4.5 mm) may cause interlock failure due to severe board deflection and should only be used in accordance with the laminate manufacturer's recommendations.

Laminate flooring can be installed on a variety of substrates:

Polyethylene foam substrate is the most affordable in terms of price.
Roll or sheet substrate made of XPS.
The cork substrate with the addition of rubber or bitumen refers to natural materials, therefore it has a high price. Laying a laminate on such a substrate is not always justified, since the laminate itself is not a natural material.

Packing air-bubble film. Laying the laminate can be carried out on a film with a thickness of 3 mm.

Composite underlay allows the floor to breathe, so laying laminate on a concrete floor with this underlay is the best option.
Corrugated cardboard backing is not very popular and is therefore poorly understood.

Plinth for laminate

Laying laminate on concrete and wooden floors can be done using several types of skirting boards:

wooden;
plastic;
laminated.

Wooden skirting boards are made from alder, pine or oak. The plinth can be veneered or made of solid wood. This skirting board is suitable for perfectly flat walls. If there are bends or curvature on the walls, then such a plinth forms gaps. Wooden skirting boards are environmentally friendly, durable, but they have low moisture resistance and a high price. A good wooden baseboard should be smooth and even.

Laying laminate flooring using a plastic baseboard is the easiest. Polyvinyl chloride products are practical and inexpensive. Plastic skirting boards can be matched to any floor surface. They are resistant to moisture and temperature. However, the plinth made of PVC is afraid of impacts and has some fragility.

It is most logical when laying a laminate is done using a laminated plinth. The basis of such a plinth is MDF. From above it is covered with a strong film. The service life of a laminated plinth is less than that of a plastic one, however, its price, moisture resistance and hygiene can be appreciated.

Calculation of material consumption

Since laminate flooring is laid on a special substrate, which is laid joint-to-joint, the required amount of substrate is equal to the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. However, composite substrates are laid with an overlap of 20 cm, so this point must be taken into account when calculating the material.

To provide a gap between the floor covering and the walls, special or home-made remote wedges are used. They are installed along the perimeter of the room in increments of 25 cm. To calculate the required number of wedges, the perimeter of the room must be divided by 25.

To correctly calculate the amount of laminate per room, you need to multiply its area by 10%. This is the required stock of material for waste when cutting it. To calculate the number of packages of this material, you need to divide the resulting number by the area of \u200b\u200bboards in one package (usually indicated by the manufacturer). You can round the resulting number up to a whole number or buy the required number of boards for packages. A more detailed calculation of the material that may be required if the laminate is laid diagonally can be obtained by drawing a layout diagram on a floor plan to scale. As a rule, it is always better to take 1-2 panels in reserve and choose the material from the same batch (indicated on the package) so you will avoid variation in shade.

Since the laying of a laminate on a concrete and wooden floor is carried out with the subsequent installation of a skirting board, we will calculate the need for this material. To do this, subtract the width from the length of the perimeter of the room. doorways and take a 5 percent margin. We divide the total length of the required skirting boards by the length of one element and get the required number of skirting board strips in pieces.

Laying laminate: basic rules

There are a number of rules, following which you will perform the installation of a floating floor as correctly and quickly as possible. So, the laying of the laminate must be carried out in accordance with the following requirements:

If you need to lay flooring around the heating pipes, then first you need to mark them on the board. Then a hole is cut in the board 2 cm larger than the diameter of the pipe. After that, a cut is made at 45 degrees to the slot, which is precisely joined back to the board after it is laid around the pipes. .

At the joints of the floor covering made of laminated or parquet boards with the wall, it is necessary to leave a gap of 1-1.5 cm for the possibility of temperature and humidity expansion of the board. For the gap device, you can use special remote wedges or make them yourself from a bar.

If laying laminate on a concrete floor is carried out over very large areas, then a gap for thermal expansion of the elements must be left every ten meters. The gap gaps on the floor surface are covered with threshold strips to match the color of the coating.
If you cut the board with a jigsaw, then it should be turned to you with the back side. When performing work on cutting a board with a saw, the element should be facing you with its front side.
Before laying the laminate, make sure that the door will open freely after laying the board. If this is not possible, then door leaf needs to be trimmed down a bit. As a rule, laminate floors are wound under the architraves, which must be slightly filed from below.
Do not lay laminate on electrically heated floors. If you want to install underfloor heating, then only those heating systems that meet the standard can be used, and laminate and parquet must have a special designation that they can be laid on underfloor heating. A waterproofing layer must be used in the construction of heated laminate floors. After the installation of such a floor, it is necessary to gradually increase the heating of the system (by 5 degrees per day) until it reaches its maximum.

More detailed information about how the laminate is laid on a concrete and wooden floor, you can learn from the proposed video:

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Laying laminate on concrete floor

First of all, you will need the following materials and tools:

tape measure at least 8 meters long;
square and pencil;
hacksaw (approximate price 1500 rubles);
jigsaw (price from 2500 to 4500 rubles);
plastic tamping bar (price 300 rubles);
hammer weighing 500 gr;
wedges for spreading (approximate price 600 rubles);
coal cutter and miter box (1000 rubles each);
substrate under the laminate;
a special bar for tamping boards (can be replaced with unnecessary trimming of the laminate);
laminate;
polyethylene film for vapor barrier (only for the first floors of buildings).

Laying laminate: stages of work

Laying laminate on a concrete floor is carried out in the following sequence:

Before laying laminated boards must be cured for two days in the room where they will be used.
You also need to check the humidity of the subfloor. To do this, a small piece of polyethylene is glued around the perimeter with adhesive tape to the floor. If no condensation has accumulated on it after three days, the base has normal humidity.
Laying the laminate should be carried out on a special layer. Do not cover the entire floor at once, roll out the substrate roll as you lay the laminate. The interlayer is not attached to the base floor and is not fastened together. The strips are laid without overlap, end faces to each other. It is forbidden to lay the substrate in two layers. If the room is located on the 1st floor, then a waterproofing layer is laid under the substrate.
Laying the laminate in the room is carried out perpendicular to the windows or along the longest wall of the room. Although the boards can be laid in any direction, even diagonally across the room.
We start laying laminated boards from any corner in the room. The first element is laid with a spike against the wall, and wedges of wood 1-1.5 cm wide are pre-inserted between it and the wall plane. By the way, it is worth performing a preliminary calculation of the rows of boards to determine the width of the last element. If it turns out to be less than 5 cm, then it is necessary to reduce the width of the 1st row. The last elements in the row are treated similarly, because they must not be shorter than a quarter of their length.
As a general rule, laying laminate flooring with a "Lock" joint should be done by tapping the short side with a mallet over an unnecessary piece of board to fasten the elements in a row. To snap the lock of the last board you need to use a clamp.

Floorboards with a “Click” connection are joined by turning the element to be laid.
If the laminate is laid along curved walls, then the elements of the first row must be outlined in the shape of the wall and sawed off.
The last panel in the row is cut to size, leaving the required clearance from the wall, and its cut is used as the starting element in the next row. Remember that the correctness and evenness of the installation of the first row affects the entire floor in the future, so it is better to pay maximum attention to it.
Laying the laminate in the second row is carried out in the same way as in the first. To do this, the board is joined by a lock along the longitudinal side with the first row, then the second board is also installed at a small distance from the first. After that, by hitting the mallet through the cut of the board along the short side, the two inserted elements are joined to each other along the end side.
If you are laying laminate with a “Click” connection, then when installing the 2nd row, the short sides of the elements are first joined, and then the entire assembled row is inserted at an angle into the lock of the 1st row. Installation of a laminate with a Uniclick connection can be carried out in any way convenient for you.
Thus, the laying of the laminate on the entire floor is carried out. The locks of the elements of the last row are latched with a clamp placed between them and the wall.
Laying laminate at doorways is carried out with the entry of the floorboards under the shortened architraves. Moreover, even in this place, one should not neglect the required gap between the boards and walls of 1-1.5 cm.
We described above how to lay boards around pipes, it remains only to add that after inserting a board with a cut under the pipe, a sawn-off wedge is glued to it butt-to-butt. The gaps around the pipe can be closed with a special pad or smeared with silicone.

The last row of boards will need to be cut lengthwise to the desired size. To do this, the boards are overlapped on the previous row so that their longitudinal side rests on the wedges against the wall. On the board, markup is performed and sawed off to the desired size.
If the room measures more than 10 meters along the length of the row, and more than 8 meters in width (across the laying of the boards), it is necessary to arrange expansion joints, which will subsequently be closed with a special bar. By the way, the same plank is used when the laminate is laid end-to-end with another type of flooring. Moreover, the lower part of the bar is mounted on the floor during the installation of floors, and the upper part is put on after all work is completed.

When the laying of the laminate is completed, the wedges can be pulled out.
After that, we install the skirting boards.

Laminate flooring on wood floor

If your house has fairly even and smooth wooden floors, then laying a laminate on such a base is also allowed. Work instructions:

First of all, you need to pay attention to the wooden base. Floorboards should not creak or wobble. To eliminate such defects, it is sometimes enough to screw creaking boards to the logs with self-tapping screws. Rotting and rotten floorboards must be replaced with new ones.
Next, we level the base with plywood sheets, which will further strengthen the floorboards. To do this, we cut the plywood sheet into pieces and fasten it to the floor with self-tapping screws or nail it. Laying laminate on a wooden floor is carried out in two layers of plywood, and the second layer must be fixed with parquet glue.
After the glue has dried, you can start laying a vapor barrier layer made of polyethylene film. The film is laid with an overlap of 20 cm and fixed with adhesive tape.
Laying laminate on a wooden floor is also carried out on a special substrate. We roll out the substrate on sheets of plywood, without fixing it with anything.
Laminate boards can now be laid in the manner described above, with the direction of the boards perpendicular to the direction of the floorboards on the wooden base.
Upon completion of all work, we mount the plinth.

Laminate installation cost

If you do not plan to install laminate flooring yourself, then you will have to seek help from professionals. Below we provide a list of approximate prices for such types of work:

Laying laminate on a concrete and wooden floor with a lock connection (parallel to the walls) - 100-150 rubles / sq.m.
Interlocking laminate flooring (diagonal laying) – 200 rubles/sq.m.
Adhesive laminate flooring (parallel laying) – 200 rubles/sq.m.
Laying laminate on adhesive fastening (along the diagonal of the room) - 250 rubles / sq.m.
Installation of a plywood base for laminate flooring - 150 rubles / sq.m.
Threshold installation - 150 rubles/r.m.
Fixing the plinth - 70 rubles / sq.m.

And finally, most importantly, laying the laminate and its operation must be carried out in conditions of optimal humidity. This will ensure proper installation and durability of your floor. To understand what humidity you have in the room, you can use professional devices.

The most inexpensive humidity control device

So, you can use portable humidity meters, which you can pick up here. www.testo.ru , and here you can find the most inexpensive device for measuring humidity:www.kipspb.ru . If you want to constantly control the humidity and temperature in the room, then this unit will suit you:

THE GOVERNMENT OF MOSCOW

COMPLEX OF ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION,
DEVELOPMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CITY

State Unitary Enterprise "NIIMosstroy"

TR 114-01

Moscow- 2004

Topic: "Testing the design and technology of flooring from laminated parquet for residential and public buildings." In the process of work on the topic, a review, analysis and generalization of domestic and foreign experience in laying floor coverings from laminated parquet were carried out, incl. at the Moscow construction sites. Defined: scope of such coatings; optimal temperature and humidity conditions in the premises where work is underway on the installation of coatings; requirements for the base for flooring from laminated parquet; the main technological methods and operations that provide a high-quality coating device; requirements for the materials used; coating requirements. Two variants of experimental floor structures made of laminated parquet were developed. Field tests of the developed structures for deformability (including from concentrated loads), the impact of variable temperatures and humidity in rooms, etc. and public buildings. The work was completed with the development of technical recommendations on the technology of laying floor coverings from laminated parquet (TR 114-01), agreed with consumers and approved by the Department of Economic, Scientific, Technical and Industrial Policy in the construction industry.

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1. These Technical Recommendations apply to the design and technology of flooring made of laminated parquet based on wear-resistant plastic in residential and public buildings. 1.2. Technical recommendations have been developed taking into account the requirements and provisions of SNiP 2.03.13-88 "Floors", SNiP 3.04.01-87 "Insulating and finishing coatings" and VSN 9-94 "Instructions for the installation of floors in residential and public buildings". 1.3. Floor covering from laminate parquet can be used in rooms with a dry mode of operation (rooms, corridors and hallways of residential buildings, offices, halls, work rooms and other premises of administrative buildings, educational institutions, medical institutions). 1.4. Floor coverings made of laminated parquet should be carried out after the completion of all types of construction, installation and finishing works in the room, associated with the possibility of moistening and contamination of the coating. Before laying the coating, the heating (during the cold season) and water supply systems must be fully assembled, tested and turned on. 1.5. Laminate parquet boards of the same type and pattern of the front surface should be laid in each room. 1.6. Laminate parquet flooring is always laid in a “floating way” without being rigidly attached to the subfloor (see fig. 1). For gluing boards in a tongue-and-groove connection (groove and tongue), adhesive compositions.

Rice. one . Floor construction with laminate flooring:

1 - concrete slab or screed; 2 - leveling polymer cement screed; 3 - polyethylene film; 4 - substrate (corrugated cardboard or polyethylene foam); 5 - tongue and groove connection (gluing) of laminate parquet; 6 - laminate parquet

1.7. In places where the floor adjoins walls, partitions, columns, pipelines and other structures protruding above the floor, plinths (fillets) should be installed. 1.8. During the installation of flooring from laminate parquet, the air temperature in the premises, measured in the cold season near door and window openings at a height of 0.5 m from the floor level, must be at least 15 ° C, relative humidity should not exceed 60% . Such a temperature and humidity regime must be maintained around the clock until the facility is put into operation. 1.9. Elements for bordering the floor covering at channels, hatches, temperature-shrinkage joints, etc. should be mounted before the covering device. 1.10. All materials used in the floor covering must comply with the requirements of current standards and specifications.

2. MATERIALS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM

2.1. Laminate parquet or laminated flooring is a multilayer material (see Fig. 2), which is divided into many types (over 30) according to wear resistance (abrasion of the front surface), moisture resistance, design. 2.1.1. Due to the fact that in Russia there are no standards for laminate flooring, European standards should be used when selecting, preparing and determining the physical and mechanical characteristics of these coatings. In accordance with European standards (EN), laminate parquet is divided into three main types: for rooms with low traffic intensity (bedrooms, pantries); for rooms with an average intensity of movement of people (entrance hall, living room, dining room, children's room); for premises with high intensity of movement of people (offices, cafes, restaurants, shops). If the consumer uses laminate parquet in accordance with the above classification, then the manufacturer's warranty applies to the coating. When choosing a laminate parquet for floor covering in rooms, depending on their purpose (use) and loads, one should be guided by the indicators given in Appendix 1, and according to design features- in Appendix 2. 2.1.2. Laminate-parquet of the first and partially of the second group is made of pressed cardboard or chipboard (chipboard), on the upper part of which a thin decorative protective layer is applied. It depends on the strength and resistance to abrasion.

Rice. 2. The structure of the laminate flooring - laminate parquet board:

1 - protective (front) layer - laminate; 2 - decorative layer; 3 - layers of kraft paper; 4 - high density fibreboard; 5 - moisture resistant stabilizing layer

The basis of the laminate parquet of the third group is high-density fibreboard (MDF) (950 kg/m3). On both sides, fiberboard is glued with a layered material obtained under high pressure. The top layer consists of several layers of kraft paper, a layer of paper (film) with a pattern that defines appearance coating, a transparent layer with high abrasion rates under repeated mechanical impacts. Laminated material glued to the underside of the fiberboard protects the base itself (the fiberboard) from moisture and increases the structural stability of the board. 2.1.3. The main criterion for the strength of laminate parquet is the wear resistance class - abrasion resistance of the front surface. The abrasion resistance of laminate parquet is determined according to EN 438.2. According to the specified European standards, laminate parquet is divided into six load classes, three of which belong to the area "residential buildings" and "institutions". The load class is indicated by pictograms applied to the product (see Appendix 1). 2.1.4. The surface (front) layer of laminate parquet has: - high resistance to chemicals (possible use of cleaning agents) and ultraviolet radiation (the floor does not fade under direct sunlight); - resistance to mechanical impact, resistance to thermal impact; - Resists slip and static electricity. 2.1.5. Laminate parquet imitating various wood species and other materials (granite, marble, etc.) is produced in the form of boards. Laminate parquet boards have dimensions: length 1200 ... 1380 mm; width 190 ... 207 mm; thickness 6.3 ... 8 mm. To connect the boards of laminate parquet to each other, grooves are provided on their edges and ends, and ridges on opposite sides. This design with the use of adhesives provides rigidity to the coating. 2.1.6. Laminate parquet is delivered to the consumer packed in packs, which must be unpacked after exposure to the room where it will be installed. 2.1.7. At present, Norske Skaq (Norway) and others produce and supply to Russia floor laminated multilayer coatings (for example, ALLOS), which are a high-strength glueless joint laminate with a mechanical locking system for connecting laminate-parquet boards to each other. Such a system has many advantages: a quick and easy flooring process; installation of elements with high accuracy; the possibility of using the floor immediately after laying; design flexibility, i.e. the ability to remove the cover for adjustment, replacement, repair or reuse in another room. The mechanical connection system allows the boards to be dismantled in the reverse order of laying without damaging any of the boards, which is not possible with the reconstruction of a floor with a conventional tongue-and-groove adhesive system. 2.2. For gluing boards during their laying, adhesive compositions are used: polyvinyl acetate (PVA) dispersion (GOST 18992-80 *), dispersion adhesive "ADM-K" (TU 400-1-177-79), mastic "Perminid" (TU 400- 1-136-78), as well as adhesives from foreign companies supplied with laminated flooring. The consumption of adhesive compositions is 1 liter per 20 ... 25 m 2 of coating when applied along the entire length of the grooves. The quality, delivery, storage of adhesive compositions must comply with the requirements of the relevant GOST, TU and NTD of manufacturers. Adhesives and mastics should be stored in closed containers at an air temperature of at least +5 °C in a closed room, at a distance of at least 1.5 meters from heating devices. 2.3. Laying laminate parquet requires a shock-absorbing substrate (layer) - an elastic bed under the boards that softens shocks, eliminates squeaks and improves sound insulation. As a substrate, corrugated cardboard or foamed polyethylene (Vilaterm-L type) 3 mm thick is used. The above materials are supplied to the consumer in rolls. Their warehousing and storage on open area. 2.4. To prevent deformation of the substrate and coating due to moisture from below, when laying them on a cement screed and in places where protection against moisture penetration is insufficient (basements, 1st floors), it is necessary to lay a polyethylene (polyamide) film under the substrate with a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, i.e. perform waterproofing (Fig. 1). 2.5. To level the bases under the coating, polymer-cement mixtures and ready-made dry mixtures are used. Ready-made dry cement-sand mixtures for mortar preparation and adhesive compositions can only be used during their expiration date. Manufacturers must guarantee the quality of dry mixes and the stability of their properties: water-holding capacity, achievement of the specified mortar strength at the age of 28 days and compliance with other requirements according to the product standard.

3 . REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBSTRATE FOR LAMINATE PARQUET FLOOR COVERING

3.1. A reinforced concrete panel or a cement-sand mortar screed with a strength of at least 15 MPa (150 kgf / cm 2) can serve as a base for flooring from a laminated parquet. Humidity of the concrete of the panel is not allowed above 4%, screeds from mortar - above 5%. 3.2. The base surface must meet the requirements of SNiP 3.04.01-87 "Insulating and Finishing Coatings" and be horizontal, even, smooth and clean, without pits, cracks, sagging and without drops at the panel joints. Deviations of the base surface from the horizontal plane should not exceed 0.2% of the corresponding room size. One of the main requirements for the base is to ensure its evenness. The evenness of the base surface is controlled by a two-meter rail. The gap between the surface of the base and the two-meter rail should not exceed 2 mm. 3.3. The identified defects mentioned above must be eliminated by repairing the surface of the base and by installing leveling and strengthening layers. To seal cracks and sinks, level and strengthen a previously made screed that does not meet the requirements for strength, evenness and horizontality, polymer-cement mortar mixtures are used (see Appendix 3), which are laid in a layer of at least 5 mm thick, after preliminary cleaning and priming of the base surface an aqueous solution of PVA-dispersion 5% concentration (GOST 18992-80 *); the ratio of dispersion and water by weight 1:9. 3.4. The following can serve as the basis for flooring from laminated parquet in the premises of reconstructed buildings and during major repairs: 3.4.1. Prefabricated screeds made of fibreboard (FB), cement particle board (CSP), particle board (DStP), gypsum fiber board (GFP), which are used not only as a leveling layer that distributes concentrated loads, but also to improve the sound insulation of interfloor floors and ensure normalized heat absorption. The number of layers, the brand of boards and the method of laying them (dry or on adhesive mastics) are determined by the project. 3.4.2. Old plank floors. Before laying laminate flooring, make sure that the old floor has not rotted; check the nail fastenings and, if necessary, additionally fix the boards with nails to the logs in weak places. If the plank floor has irregularities, then sharpen or grind the surface and putty. 3.4.3. Previously installed PVC linoleum and short pile carpeting, provided these materials meet installation standards and are bonded throughout. Soft and long pile floor coverings with a rubber backing must be removed. The latter requirement also applies to worn, torn or rough coatings made of rolled, sheet and plate materials.

four . TECHNOLOGY OF DEVICE FLOOR COVERING FROM LAMINATE PARQUET

4.1. Before laying, unpacked laminate parquet boards and substrate materials are kept in the room where they will be laid for 48 hours at a temperature of at least 15 °C and a maximum relative humidity of 60%. 4.2. A polyethylene film (see clause 2.4) is laid on the base prepared and cleaned of dirt and debris, which serves as a waterproofing layer. The film is laid with an overlap of at least 20 cm, unfolded from the wall and cut into panels immediately before laying the laminate parquet. A shock-absorbing substrate is laid on the polyethylene film (see clause 2.3). The underlay is rolled perpendicular to the laying direction of the laminate parquet and cut to the required length. 4.3. Laying of laminate parquet boards begins along the wall farthest from the entrance, and the rows should be oriented in the light towards the window so that the seams are not visible. Otherwise, all floor irregularities will be emphasized by lighting. In narrow rooms and corridors, it is recommended to lay boards in the longitudinal direction in order to rationally use whole boards (see Fig. 3). 4.4. The first row of laminate-parquet boards is laid from left to right with grooved sides to the wall along a cord without glue at a distance of 8 ... 10 mm from the wall, forming an expansion joint. If the wall is uneven, you should draw its contours on the first row of boards, and then cut the boards along this contour. Wedges are installed in the gap between the wall and the boards at a distance of 50 ... 60 cm from each other. Putting the last board in place (in the first row), you need to use a cord to make sure that the first row lies flat. If necessary, adjust the row with wedges installed along the wall and seal the last seam.

Rice. 3 . Scheme of laying laminate flooring boards:

═> direction of laying boards; 1, 2, 3 - stacking sequence; Ш - built-in wardrobes; B - bathroom; T - toilet Having collected all the boards of the first row, it is necessary to glue their ends together. To do this, glue is applied to the groove along the entire length of the short side of the board. When applying glue, the board must be held so that the glue lies on the upper edge of the groove (against the front, decorative side). After applying glue to the grooves, it is necessary to compress the boards in such a way as to firmly press all joints. Excess glue should be removed immediately with a damp cloth before it thickens. Once again, make sure with the help of a cord and wedges that the first row lies evenly. For the final result, an even first row is essential. 4.5. Each subsequent row of boards should begin with laying the trim from the last board of the previous row. If the remainder is less than 30 cm, you need to take another board, saw it and start laying the second row. The shift between the boards of adjacent rows must be at least 30 cm. Thus, the joints will be shifted, which cannot be done with boards of the same length. The laying of the second and subsequent rows of boards is carried out with the application of glue in the grooves for the entire length, both on the short and long sides, and a tight fit to each other, while the groove of the next board must completely go into the crest of the previous one, the seams must be tightly fitted . Before applying glue to the grooves of the boards, it is necessary to clean them from dirt and other inclusions. In order not to damage the edges of the boards (ridges) when they are riveted, it is necessary to use a wooden mounting block with a handle and a hammer. With the correct application of glue into the grooves of the boards during their rallying, a small amount of glue should evenly appear on the surface of the joint. The glue that has come out must be allowed to dry and then removed with a plastic spatula. 4.6. The last row of boards should be fitted and securely pressed against the previous one using a metal wedge, chisel or metal bracket. The wall should be protected from damage with a block or plank fixed with wedges. At least 2 wedges should be installed on each board of full length. 4.7. The wedges installed in the expansion joints along the perimeter of the room are removed after the glue has cured (after 2 ... 3 days) and the skirting boards are installed. 4.8. If the indoor floor width is more than 6 m in the board width direction, the expansion joint (gap between the wall and the board) should be increased by 1.5 mm for each additional meter. 4.9. For large areas of premises (more than 100 m 2) and in doorways (between adjacent premises), it is necessary to leave gaps 10 ... 12 mm wide, which are closed flush wooden slats from softwood, inserted on PVA-dispersions immediately before the operation of the premises or install expansion joints - overhead profile polyvinyl chloride layouts, which must be screwed to the base (see Fig. 4 and 5). 4.10. To connect boards with a threshold or with another type of floor covering (ceramic tiles, linoleum, etc.), it is necessary to use metal patch strips. They must be attached to the subfloor and not to the laminate flooring (see fig. 6 and 7). Oak layouts can also be used. 4.11. Before laying the laminated parquet board, cut the lower part of the door frame with a hacksaw to a depth of 12 ... 15 mm (see Fig. 8), removing the sawn part with a chisel. In the recess made, a laminate-parquet board is installed flush with the previously laid ones. 4.12. In places where heating pipe wiring passes through the board, holes should be drilled 20 mm larger than the pipe diameter and cuts should be made. Sawing should be oblique so that when installing the sawn sections of the board in place, they do not move. After fixing the boards, sawn pieces are glued. The gaps between pipes and laminate flooring are closed, for example, with plastic fittings. The distance between the lower part of the heater and the covering must be at least 60 mm.

5 . INSTALLATION OF BOARDS AND FILLETS

5.1. Plinths and fillets are fastened with nails or screws to the walls in pre-installed plugs with a pitch of 800 ... 1200 mm, but not less than 2 per piece of plinth or fillet. Between the skirting boards and the walls, a soundproof gasket made of linoleum waste, polyethylene foam, etc. is installed. 2 ... 3 mm thick. Skirting boards or fillets should be nailed to the wall so that they fit snugly against the laminate parquet, but do not stop the floor covering. Small cracks and gaps are sealed with a primer of a suitable color. 5.2. Wooden plugs are installed before the floor covering. 5.3. If nails can be hammered into the walls (partitions), the plinth or fillets are fixed without installing plugs.

Rice. four . Installing an expansion connection:

1 - expansion connection; 2, 4 - screws; 3 - laminated parquet boards

Rice. 5 . Fragment of the fastening of the expansion joint in the doorways

Rice. 6. Laying a metal lining at the junction of two types of coatings

Rice. 7. Laying a corner at the junction of two coatings at different levels

Rice. eight . Trimming the bottom of the door frame

5.4. The connection of skirting boards and fillets along the length and in the corners is carried out "on the mustache" at an angle of 45 °. 5.5. Instead of wooden skirting boards, metal or PVC can be used. Their application and installation details are determined by the project.

6. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

6.1. When working on the installation of floors from laminated parquet, it is necessary to comply with the safety regulations provided for by SNiP 12-03-2001, part 1; April 12, 2002, part 2 "Labor safety in construction". 6.2. Persons who have undergone a general safety briefing and training in working with mechanized woodworking tools are allowed to work on the coating device. 6.3. When performing loading and unloading operations for the movement of materials, the requirements of GOST 12.3.009-76* "Loading and unloading operations" should be observed. 6.4. Works related to the use of water-dispersion adhesives, polymer-based mastics and dry mixes must be carried out in protective clothing, consisting of a cotton gown or overalls, headgear, calico-based rubber gloves, goggles. 6.5. Working bodies hand tools should not have cracks and burrs. When cutting materials with a hand saw, do not lay it on your knee and keep your hand near the cut. 6.6. Tools should be sharpened on a mechanical sharpener in compliance with all safety regulations. 6.7. It is forbidden to smoke and be with an open flame near containers with flammable adhesives and mastics. 6.8. At the end of the work, it is necessary to tidy up the workplace, remove tools and turn off the electrically conductive network. 6.9. When performing work on the installation of flooring from laminated parquet, the following precautions must be observed: - during work, do not rest your knees on a solid base and floor covering without soft knee pads; - to store and eat food in the working premises; - before eating and at the end of work, thoroughly wash your face and hands with warm water and soap; - Smoking is prohibited in work areas.

7. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE QUALITY OF THE FLOOR COVERING FROM LAMINATE PARQUET

7.1. Laminate flooring must be dense. Separate non-densities (gaps) between boards with a width of not more than 0.3 mm are allowed. 7.2. The floor covering must be even, differences (sagging) between adjacent boards are not allowed. 7.3. The horizontality and evenness of the surface of the floor covering is checked by a level and a control 2-meter rail. The gap between the rail and the coating when checking in any direction should not exceed 2 mm. 7.4. The surface of the floor covering must not have cracks, swellings, raised edges of the laminate parquet boards. 7.5. The gaps between the floor covering and the walls must be covered with skirting boards or fillets in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs. 5.1 - 5.4 of these recommendations. 7.6. The fastening of skirting boards (fillets) must be strong; the heads of nails or screws are recessed into the thickness of the wood. 7.7. Floor covering within the same room must be made of laminate parquet of the same type, color and pattern.

Attachment 1

Mandatory

Determining the quality of laminate parquet, depending on the loads.

Annex 2

Classification table for laminate flooring.

A higher top layer rating means the floor is less prone to splitting, cracking or peeling. A higher core rating means the floor is less prone to chipping or swelling at the joints. A higher backside rating means the floor is less prone to loss of dimensional stability and is more moisture resistant.

Trademark	Design



	Highly compressed bottom layer
(art collection)	Highly compressed laminated top layer


	Highly compressed laminated top layer
	Core - chipboard
	Back side paper
	Highly compressed laminated top layer
	Core - chipboard
	Back side paper
Westprofil-Blanco Bel	Synthetic film on top
	High density wood fiber core
	Painting on the back
	Melamine resin pressed with decorative paper with phenolic film

	Synthetic film on the back
	Melamine resin pressed decorative paper
	High density wood fiber core
	Back side paper

	High density cardboard core
	Back side paper
Aicher Dia-Floor	Melamine resin pressed with decorative paper
	High strength cardboard core
	Back side paper
	Melamine resin pressed with decorative paper
	High strength wood fiber core
	Back side paper
	Medium pressed top layer
	High density cardboard core
	Synthetic film on the back
	Melamine resin pressed with decorative paper
	High density cardboard core
	Back side paper
	Melamine resin pressed with decorative paper

	Back side paper
	Melamine resin pressed with decorative paper
	Medium-weight cardboard core
	Back side paper

Annex 3

Preparation of leveling polymer-cement mortar mixtures.

one . Depending on the volume of work and the need for polymer-cement mortar mixtures, the following are used for their preparation: 1.1. Factory-made ready-made dry mixes M-150 brand, which are a highly adhesive material based on a binder (Portland cement), sand of various sizes (maximum up to 1.5 mm) and a complex of chemical additives, the inclusion of which significantly increases the plasticity of the mortar mixture, water-holding capacity, etc. .1.2 . From individual components: binder (Portland cement brand 400); aggregate (sand with a maximum grain size of up to 1.5 mm); polyvinyl acetate dispersion (PVAD) plasticized, 50% concentration (GOST 18992-80*). 2. The preparation of leveling polymer-cement mortar mixtures is carried out at a construction site in a mortar mixing unit with subsequent transportation to the workplace or directly at the work site. 3 . Preparation of polymer-cement mortar mixture: 3.1. From dry mixes of factory production. The dry mixture is poured into a container, poured with clean cold water in the amount specified in the passport, constantly stirring manually or using an electric drill with a mixer nozzle until a homogeneous mass is obtained without lumps and clots. The mortar mixture is allowed to "ripen" for 5 minutes and only then is applied to the prepared base. Mortar mixture depending on the temperature of the base and environment must be used within 40 ... 60 minutes. 3.2. From the individual components specified in clause 1.2. Mix pre-sifted sand with cement in a ratio of 3:1 by volume (sand:cement). Cooking water solution PVAD in a ratio of 4:1 (water: PVAD). The prepared cement-sand mixture is poured into a container and poured with an aqueous solution of PVAD in a volume of 0.2 parts per 1 part of the mixture, mixed until a homogeneous composition is obtained manually or mechanically (in a mortar mixer or using an electric drill with a mixer attachment). The prepared mortar mixture should be used within 2 hours. four . The mobility of the prepared polymer-cement mortar mixture should be 5 ... 6 cm (by immersion of a standard cone).

Appendix 4 SCROLL
construction machines, equipment, tools, fixtures and inventory recommended for laying flooring from laminate parquet.

Name	Index, brand, GOST, TU	Purpose
Small mortar mixer		For the preparation of polymer cement mortar
smoothing machine		For smoothing cement screed
Control 2-meter rail		For checking the evenness of subfloors and floor coverings
Metal scraper		For cleaning the bases from unevenness, mortar sagging, etc.
Vacuum sweeper, working width 0.8 m		For sweeping and dusting the subfloor
Industrial vacuum cleaner with a capacity of 250 m 2 / h		For dedusting floors and cleaning surfaces
Floor sweeper	OST 17-180-79
Ruler metal	GOST 427-75*	For linear measurements
Marking cord		For straight lines
Roulette in a closed case ZPKZ-20AUT-1	GOST 7502-98	For linear measurements
Metal square		For checking and marking right angles
Levels building types US2, US3	GOST 9416-83	To check the horizontalness of surfaces
Folding metal meter.
Linoleum cutting knife	TU 400-28-167-76	For cutting and cutting polyethylene foam, film, etc.
Sawing machine		For sawing wood, cutting parquet products
Saw hand electric circular		For sawing wood along and across the grain
Jigsaw manual electric		For straight and shaped cuts in wood and wear-resistant plastics
Hacksaw with edge	TU 2731-2935-80	For sawing wood
Hacksaw for wood wide	GOST 26215-84*	For sawing wood
Parquet hammer		For bonding laminate flooring
Carpenter's hammer MPL	GOST 11042-90	Too
Rotary screw and center drills for it with a diameter of 20, 25, 32, 40 mm		For drilling holes in wood
Carpenter's chisel	GOST 1185-80*	For cutting holes in wood
Flat chisel with a blade width of 10 ... 25 mm	GOST 1184-80*	Too
Screwdriver	GOST 17199-88
Sharpening machine		For mechanized sharpening of cutting tools, grinding and polishing work

Appendix 5 Recommendations for the care of laminate flooring.

1. Laminate parquet flooring does not require complex care, it is enough to sweep, vacuum or wipe with a damp cloth. 2. With the help of a special dye, hardener and acetone, minor surface damage can be eliminated, and longitudinal cuts can be made using a hand circular saw when replacing worn laminate parquet boards. 3 . If necessary, the floor covering made of laminated parquet can be re-varnished with parquet varnish after 10 ... 15 years of operation. four . Stain Removal:

1. General provisions. 1 2. Materials and requirements for them. 2 3. Requirements for the base for flooring from laminated parquet. 5 4. Laminate parquet floor covering technology. 5 5. Installation of skirting boards and fillets. 7 6. Security requirements. 9 7. Requirements for the quality of flooring from laminated parquet. 9 Annex 1. Determining the quality of laminate parquet, depending on the loads. 10 Appendix 2. Classification table for laminate flooring. 10 Appendix 3. Preparation of leveling polymer-cement mortar mixtures. 11 Appendix 4. List of construction machines, equipment, tools, appliances and inventory recommended for laying flooring from laminated parquet. 12 Appendix 5. Recommendations for the maintenance of laminate flooring. 13

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 the elements of the laminate flooring are easy to cut and combine, such a floor covering can be installed quickly even in rooms with a complex layout.

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.

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%.
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.
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;
A hammer;
Pencil;
Roulette and building corner;
Hacksaw (jigsaw);
Construction knife;
Wooden block.

Wedges can be purchased at the store, along with laminate, or you can make it yourself by cutting laminate, drywall or lining trim 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. This will help you construction vacuum cleaner. After that, prime the base, both wooden and concrete. Wooden floors are also subject to antiseptic treatment.

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.
Laying the laminate starts from the window, as a source of natural light.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 cutting 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.
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.

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.
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.
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 messy and too conspicuous, 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 barrier 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 living space with a large area, 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!

Most people can install modern laminate flooring without any hands-on experience.

Beginners may face only one problem - how best to lay the laminate across or along? There are several points of view about this, and this will be discussed in the article.

Rules for laying laminate flooring

Before installation, it is necessary to level the surface on which the laminate will be laid. According to the installation instructions, the difference should not exceed 5 mm.
Some types of laminate flooring require the installation of an additional layer of waterproofing, consisting of a waterproof film. Please note that this will increase the installation cost.
Before laying the base, the floor must be thoroughly cleaned of debris and wiped dry.
When installing a laminated coating yourself, you need to remember the need for laying a special base. The thickness of the substrate must be at least 5 mm, for strips with a height of 8-12 mm, at least 4-5 mm.

Adhesive connection method.
Lock method: Click and Lock.

The installation method is selected depending on where the source is located. daylight. This could be a window or a source of artificial light in a room where there are no windows, such as a hallway, hallway, or closet.

This is due to the fact that sunlight or artificial light, when it hits the floor, the laminate of which is laid perpendicular to the source, illuminates the joints of the laminate planks. As a result, the floor has an unattractive appearance.

With this installation, all joints of the laminate planks will be clearly visible to each other. Therefore, the right decision is to lay the laminate along the light source in the room. (Also find out if laminate flooring can be painted)

Tools needed for laminate flooring installation

A hacksaw for cutting metal or an electric jigsaw, a saw for woodworking is not suitable, due to too large teeth that can damage the decorative coating of the laminate planks;
Metal ruler;
Large scissors, tailor's will do;
Sharpened knife;
Nails;
Fishing line or rope;
Small bars and stakes made of wood;
Square and pencil;
Rubber mallet.

In the absence of a rubber one, you can use a regular clothed hammer. Impacts on the ends of the slats must be made only with the use of a gasket.

Features of laying laminate with CLICK-locks

For the installation of laminate planks, a snap-in system is often used. It consists of collapsible locks. This mechanism is durable and resistant to mechanical stress.

The system is easy to install and has a long service life. This method of connecting the lamellas makes the gap between them minimal, but even it will be clearly visible if the laminate is laid perpendicular to the light source.

Care must be taken to ensure that the appearance of the floor is not affected.

Features of the adhesive method

The main advantage of this method is the complete protection of the joints from moisture penetration, which increases the life of the laminated coating.

Before laying a laminate, consider its disadvantages:

Quite a complex installation process;
Additional costs for the purchase of glue;
If you have a desire to move the panels for laying to another room, it will be impossible to do this with an already installed coating;
Adhesive laminate cannot be used for underfloor heating.

When mounting on the ends of the strips, it is necessary to apply water-repellent glue.

The connection of the lamellas is carried out according to the tongue-and-groove principle.

Recommendation: with the adhesive installation method, it is not allowed to save glue and use PVA, its basis is water, and this will cause the coating to swell, which in turn will lead to a violation of the integrity of the connection.

Residues of glue must be carefully wiped off with a damp cloth.
After laying 3-4 rows, remember the direction of laying the laminate, leave for 2-3 hours.
Then you can continue the installation of the floor surface to the end.
When laying the final row, use a crowbar. Try to work carefully so as not to damage the wall and planks.

If there is a need to cut holes or bends, then this is best done with a jigsaw. You need to remember about the thermal gaps that should be between the wall and the slats, the door frame and the slats. To create them, you will need special spacer wedges.

Please note that adhesive installation is a laborious and complex process. If you have never encountered such work before, it is better to leave the work to specialists.

It should be borne in mind that this option for assembling lamellas excludes the possibility of disassembly in the future.

A few secrets

The main rule is to lay the laminate with the long side only along the light source.
To visually expand a room without windows, for example, a corridor, the slats are laid transversely.
If you find it difficult to choose the direction of laying the laminate, then be guided by the individual characteristics of the room and its design. The main requirement is that the light source should not provoke shadow casting between the joints of the planks.
Laminate laid perpendicularly - visually increase the width of the room, along - its length.
If the laminate is laid on top of linoleum, then its surface should be flat, without folds and bends.
During installation, check the correct laying of the laminated flooring. Mistakes made at the very beginning of work will lead to a lot of problems with the entire coverage. Using a cord and a ruler, check that the laminate is level, paying particular attention to the corners.
Skirting and laminate must be the same color.
In hard-to-reach places, you can use acrylic mastic, choosing it according to the color of the coating.

Conclusion

The article describes in detail the transverse and longitudinal methods of laying the laminate, as well as what factors affect this.

By adhering to all the above recommendations when laying the laminate, you will be able to install it yourself, while the joints between the planks will not be conspicuous, and the coating will have a perfect appearance. The video will give you Additional information about laying laminate flooring.

Laminate is one of the most popular flooring materials today. Its installation is quite simple, the coating itself is distinguished by its versatility, aesthetics, and is characterized by an extensive colors, variety of textures and, of course, availability. That is why in our article we will pay special attention to laminated panels, consider their features, subtleties of choice, scope and laying technology.

Structure and scope

They are a modern decorative four-layer coating, in which chipboard or MDF boards are used as the basis.

The bottom layer of the material is treated with water-repellent compounds, so that the product does not absorb the condensate accumulated at the base. The third layer is a durable MDF board, which performs a load-bearing function and gives the material strength.

On top of the plate there is a decorative paper coating, which gives the product the desired color and embossed pattern. It is covered with a heavy-duty polymer film that prevents damage to the material and acts as a front layer.

Focusing on the composition of the panels, you can understand what materials they are best combined with and where else you can use the laminate. Installation of laminated products today is carried out on almost all surfaces in the interior. In modern design projects, you can see laminate not only on the floor, but also on the walls, and even on the ceilings.

But can all rooms be laminated? Let's look at this issue in more detail.

Requirements for the premises

Before choosing this material as the main floor covering, you should make sure that the microclimate inside the renovated room is suitable for this type of finish. After all, it depends on the operating conditions how long the laminate will last. Installation of panels is carried out in heated rooms, where there are no sudden changes in temperature and jumps in humidity levels.

The optimal temperature for the operation of laminated floors are considered to be in the range of 15-30 degrees, while the humidity level in the room should not exceed 70%.

A flat concrete floor or wooden flooring (with height differences of no more than 2 mm per 1 m²) can act as a base for laying panels. If there are large drops and irregularities on the surface, it must be leveled with special leveling compounds or by pouring a new concrete screed. Installation on an uneven base will certainly lead to a quick failure of the coating.

over the underfloor heating system: for or against?

Today, many are interested in the question "Is it possible to install a warm floor under a laminate?". After all, some experts say that this coating is completely unsuitable for use when heated, others argue that laminated panels are the most successful option for arranging underfloor heating. So who do you believe?

The thing is that even 10 years ago this coating really could not be exploited in this way. The panels dried up, deformed, covered with a huge number of cracks and completely failed.

Modern laminated floorings tolerate heat well, so they can be safely laid on top of heating systems. But there is one caveat: not every type of laminate is compatible with similar heating systems.

Manufacturers produce products specially designed for these purposes and label them in a special way. In order to avoid unpleasant situations, before buying a laminate, pay attention to its packaging. It must be marked "Allows the use of underfloor heating" or "Possible to use underfloor heating". Next to these marks, the maximum allowable heating temperature of the coating and the type of heating system for which it is intended (water or electric) are usually indicated.

Laminate as a decorative element of the interior: which one to choose

Recently, the installation of laminate on the wall has become increasingly practiced. In the living rooms, it is used to equip TV panels, in the bedrooms they decorate the walls at the head of the bed, and in the corridors they install it as a decor for the ceiling.

When choosing a laminate for walls, you should not purchase expensive options, as the price is usually too high for the resistance of the coating to abrasion, which is more necessary for the floor. Since the walls are not subjected to any stress, you can buy samples of the lowest class for decorating them.

Laminate installation cost

Starting repairs, each owner of the premises wants to know the approximate amount that he will have to spend in the process of performing work. Therefore, we will touch on the issue of the cost of the laminate and the work on its installation.

The price tag of lower-class products starts from 300 rubles per m². More wear-resistant options cost from 400 to 700 rubles for the same volume. Do not forget that there are premium laminated panels, whose price tag is not limited.

Laminate installation will be charged separately. The price of the services of specialized teams also depends on the class of material and the complexity of the work. The minimum payment for laying laminate flooring is 250 rubles per m². Installation of elite products is carried out at 400-700 rubles per m². For facing surfaces of complex geometry, an additional fee is charged.

If your budget is very limited, you can Let's see what the technology of its installation is.

Do-it-yourself laminate installation: necessary materials and tools

Before you start doing work with your own hands, familiarize yourself with the basic rules and nuances of this kind of activity. Prepare everything in advance the right tools and materials that will be required during the finishing of the floor.

So, for laying laminate you will need:

Laminate;

Primer;

waterproofing material;

Wedges (for arranging gaps);

Fasteners for plinth;

plinth;

Substrate under the laminate;

Screwdriver;

Measuring tool;

Electric jigsaw;

Rubber mallet;

Pencil.

Laminate should be taken with a margin, as even experienced craftsmen are not immune from mistakes. Please note that products of different batches may differ in shade and even size.

Preparing for styling

After purchasing, the panels should be freed from packaging and left for two days in the room in which they will be laid. This is necessary so that the material "adapts" to the microclimate of the room and does not deform after installation.

The most important step in the process of laying laminate flooring is the preparation of the substrate. Quite high requirements are imposed on it, so the floor must first be prepared:

1. The base is carefully examined, all irregularities and other defects are revealed.

2. If a large number of significant height differences, chips and delaminations have been found, the old coating is removed.

3. Using the building level, the evenness of the surface is checked. All found pits are sealed with cement mortar or filled with self-filling compounds. If irregularities of more than 5 mm are detected on the surface, it is poured with a layer of concrete screed.

The even base is cleaned of debris, dust and various contaminants, after which it is treated with a primer. If the laminate will be mounted on top of the surface, it is pre-treated with an antiseptic.

Laying related materials

A waterproofing material is laid on the cleaned and dry floor. The film is positioned in such a way that adjacent strips overlap each other by 20 cm. The joints are glued with adhesive tape.

The next step is laying the underlayment under the laminate. Laying panels usually starts from the window, so the substrate is laid from the same angle. It is not necessary to immediately cover the entire base, because in the process of work you will have to walk on it, it will become uneven and dirty. You can lay out the material as the floor cladding is laid. To form a cushioning strip, the substrate should go 2-3 cm onto the walls of the room. The joints are fixed with tape.

Laminate installation technology

Now you can lay the laminate. Installation of laminate flooring is carried out in the following order:

1. The first panel is laid in the far corner of the room from the source natural light(window). At the first board, you should carefully cut down the lock located on the side of the wall.

Pegs are inserted between the product and the wall. So lay out a whole row until it stops against the wall. Panels are attached with special grooves located at the end of each element.

If it is necessary to cut a small piece of laminate, the panel is turned over to the other side, the desired length is marked and carefully cut with a jigsaw.

2. The second row should start with a piece of laminate that remains from cutting the last element in the first row (it must be no shorter than 30 cm). All panels of the second row are joined only by end grooves (until the entire row is laid). Then all products of the second row are slightly raised, inserted into the grooves of the first and snapped into place.

To make sure that all the locks have worked, a wooden block is applied to the ends of the second row and the laminate is lightly tapped with a hammer.

3. This is how the flooring of the entire floor is mounted. At the junction of the floor and wall, gaps of at least 1 cm wide are left.

4. A day after laying the laminated flooring, it is carried out on the laminate. First of all, skirting boards are mounted along those walls to which the end sides of the coating elements adjoin. Immediately before the installation of the thresholds and skirting boards, the pegs installed for the gap are removed.

Installing laminate doors

Usually, after laying the decorative coating, installation is carried out interior doors. Laminate is very easy to scratch during these works, so it is recommended to cover it with thick cardboard.

Many will decide that it is better to put the door first, and only then lay the floor, but this can cause certain difficulties, because it is impossible to guess how high the floor level will rise after laying the substrate and decorative material. There may be problems with opening the door. In addition, the box and architraves are also adjusted to the level of the floors, and it will be very difficult to cut them after installation. That is why experts recommend first laying the laminate, and only then deal with the doors.