Among the huge amount of materials used for finishing floors, laminate is especially popular. Its relevance is due to its attractive appearance, ease of installation and reasonable cost. But along with positive qualities, this coating has its drawbacks. The floor, covered with laminate, does not withstand contact with a lot of moisture and is very easily scratched.
To prevent premature replacement of the flooring, apartment owners are trying in every possible way to protect it from rapid wear. And here many people think: is it possible to varnish a laminate? Today this issue is very relevant and causes a lot of controversy, so in this article we will pay special attention to it.
Lacquer coating on the laminate: for or against?
Laminate companies are very negative about this method of floor protection. At the same time, manufacturers of paints and varnishes with might and main claim that their funds can significantly extend the life of the decorative coating and are even suitable for its restoration.
It is very difficult for an ordinary consumer to decide because of such conflicting opinions, so let's try to figure out on our own whether it is possible to varnish a laminate and what advantages and disadvantages this procedure can have.
Why flooring manufacturers do not recommend varnishing a laminate
In order to understand what the arguments of the manufacturers are based on, we will analyze the structure of the laminated board. It consists of the following layers:
1. The balancer.
2. HDF carrier panel.
3. Kraft paper.
4. Decorative layer (imitating the structure of wood).
5. Protective coating.
An ultra-strong film acts as a protective layer, which forms a smooth (monolithic) surface that does not have pores. For this reason, it is simply impossible to achieve good adhesion between the varnish and the laminate itself. After all, we all know that when processing wooden surfaces (in order to achieve better adhesion), varnish is applied in at least 2 layers, where the first fills the pores of the wood, and the second is fixing.
In the case of the laminate, the varnish will not be able to penetrate deeply into the structure of the material, so this protection will be very short-lived. In this regard, the varnish will quickly crack, begin to peel off and lag behind the base.
Floating laminate flooring is an obstacle to flooring
A dense coating is not the only argument, due to which many negatively answer the question of whether it is possible to cover the laminate with varnish. The styling features of this decorative material do not allow to make the floor covering solid and motionless. It is fixed only with the help of baseboards located around the perimeter of the room.
Due to the fact that the strips do not fasten to the base and are not tightly fixed to each other, the floors slightly “play” during operation, which negatively affects the integrity of the lacquer layer.
Some masters prefer to lay the laminate on a special adhesive, which makes it motionless and opens up the possibility of applying protective varnish layers. However, in this case, it should be borne in mind that if there are defects on the floor surface (in the form of bumps, depressions, grooves), the stationary coating will fail much faster.
Arguments for laminate flooring
Despite the above facts, the categorical "no" cannot be answered to the question whether it is possible to varnish a laminate. When making the final decision, the following points must be taken into account:
1. Before laying any floor covering, almost all masters try to fill the leveling layer of the screed, which eliminates the occurrence of bumps and drops. As a result of these actions, the laminate is almost motionless.
2. Modern air conditioning systems (available in almost every house) contribute to maintaining a stable temperature and humidity level in the room, which eliminates the swelling and deformation of the decorative coating of wood. The varnish, applied to a fixed base, lasts much longer and is not covered by cracks.
3. If the old floor finish looks unaesthetic, has a large number of scratches and scuffs, it is possible and necessary to varnish the laminate, as this is the only economical way to give the surface a beautiful appearance (without replacing the decorative coating).
What varnish to use and whether it is possible to cover the laminate with parquet varnish
As you can see, from the positive and the negative side there are significant arguments. When making your own conclusions, take into account the condition of your screed and the quality of the product itself.
So, if, after reading this information, you answered positively the question of whether it is possible to varnish a laminate, you can proceed to the choice of composition.
First of all, you should determine what the glossy surface of the cladding is made of.
You can find this information on the packaging from the laminate, and if it has not been preserved, then on the manufacturer's website.
This information is very important, since the varnish should be made on the basis of the same component, which acts as a protective layer. So, if the film deposited on the product contains acrylic, then the varnish should be purchased on an acrylic basis. For polyurethane coatings, a tool of a similar composition is selected.
Such recommendations are explained by the fact that the same components are much better in contact and interlock with each other.
Please note that for the laminate you should choose special compounds designed for working with glossy surfaces, as they are more adapted to contacts with specific substrates, such as laminate.
The shade of varnish is chosen depending on the color of the material itself. For light and matte coatings, it is better to choose white varnishes, while for more saturated colors it is better to acquire transparent compositions.
As for the question of whether it is possible to cover the laminate with varnish for parquet, then this possibility should immediately be excluded. The thing is that these compounds are oriented to adhesion to a rough wood surface, so they will not last long on the laminate.
Lacquer coating technology
Now consider the technology of varnishing a laminate. It involves the following work:
1. Thorough preparation of the foundation . The floors are cleaned of debris and dust. Naturally, the laminate can not be puttied and looped. The use of sandpaper is also unacceptable!
2. Elimination of defects . If there are scratches on the surface and various visible damages, they are masked with a construction paste or a suitable color of putty. It is applied to the desired area, gently rubbed and remove all excess.
3. Elimination of chips . If there are deep scratches and chips on the laminate, they are covered with a layer of ordinary PVA glue and left to dry completely.
4. Application of varnish . From the corner of the room with a wide brush or roller begin to apply varnish. In the process of work, you need to move towards the exit. For your own safety, care should be taken to ensure that enough fresh air enters the room.
5 Reprocessing . After the first coat of varnish dries, a second coat should be applied. In total, the composition is applied in 3-4 layers.
For best laminate safety, repeat this procedure every 3-4 years.
Advantages of the procedure
In deciding whether the laminate can be varnished, the feedback of people who have already done such work is of great importance. They say the following:
• Laminate coated with several layers of varnish lasts 2-3 times longer than unprotected cladding.
• Using a properly selected composition can easily get rid of dark scratches and dirt.
• The coating on which the varnish is applied is much less scratched, erased and stained.
• Shiny varnish gives the floors a glossy effect, which makes them more attractive.
Conclusion
In this article, we examined in detail the question of whether it is possible to varnish a laminate and what composition is better to use for these purposes. Obviously, there is no single answer. Each owner must weigh all the pros and cons of this procedure, and then draw their own conclusions. We hope our article will help you with this.