Laminate is a particularly popular material used for the final finishing of flooring. In order for the coating to serve for a long time, and during operation there are no problems, it is worth taking care of the correct preparation of the floor. The substrate plays a special role. During the installation process, you need to know exactly in which cases and on which side they put the substrate under the laminate. The correctness of this stage will affect the further state of the laminate.
Why is mounting a substrate important?
Before deciding which side to lay the substrate under the laminate, it is worth knowing what functions it performs. Professionals recommend that you use this type of building material, which will only positively affect the condition of the laminate. If there is no substrate, then the period of high-quality use of the coating will be reduced by almost 2 times.
The substrate performs the following functions:
- The required level of reversible deformation. The material allows you to smooth out irregularities and differences in the floor surface. At the moment of pressing, the substrate is compacted to the required level, and then returns to its original position.
- High level of noise isolation, which will help save neighbors from loud sounds from your home and reduce the opposite effect.
- Prevents the appearance of mold and mildew, as it has a high degree of waterproofing. Levels the moisture level of screed, laminate and main floor surface.
- Thermal insulation. The flooring will be warm at any time of the year. If there is a lining, there will be no need for additional floor insulation.
Floor preparation before laying the substrate
Even if the substrate is laid under the laminate, the surface must be carefully prepared, only after that it can be determined which side to lay the substrate under the laminate.
The floor surface needs to be leveled, to remove the most difficult defects. If the floor is concrete, then a screed is used. The wooden floor is leveled with a special screed or putty on wood.
The surface must be well cleaned of foreign elements: dust, residues of building material, construction debris. It is best to use a vacuum cleaner or broom for this purpose. Humidify the floor is not necessary.
Then the entire floor surface is covered with construction film. Joints are glued with masking tape or construction tape to keep the material in the process. About 2-3 centimeters of stock should be found on the walls.
Types of substrates and mounting methods
There are many types of materials, so it’s sometimes difficult to decide which side the substrate is placed under the laminate. Especially if the job is done by a layman.
The most popular types of substrates:
- Cork base. Eliminates the appearance of pests, saves from excess moisture and extraneous sounds.
- Bitumen-cork substrate increases the term of high-quality operation of the laminate.
- Polystyrene foam base allows you to reduce the deformation of the laminate, insulate the floor and hide defects.
- Polyethylene foam prevents the appearance of excess moisture, pests in the house. Easy to install and cheap.
Depending on the characteristics of the room, the necessary type of substrate is selected. To determine exactly, contact an experienced sales consultant or builder.
Correct installation of coniferous substrate under the laminate
To activate all the positive properties and functions of the coniferous substrate under the laminate, you must follow the installation rules of this material. Having learned which side to lay the coniferous substrate under the laminate, you can avoid many problems with the further operation of the floor covering.
The correct installation method:
- Cut the backing sheet with scissors into small strips or squares. Cut parameters will depend on the size of the room. It is better to use squares of the same size.
- The main question is which side to lay the coniferous substrate. The material is sold in rolls, one side of which is smooth and the other is grooved. Lay the squares of the substrate with the ribbed surface down, the smooth one should be in contact with the laminate.
- The lining is laid diagonally at right angles to the laminate boards. This method will avoid the appearance of gaps between the squares.
You can cut the material with scissors. Ready squares must lie down in the room where they will be laid for at least 12 hours.
Axton Underlay Guidelines
To do the preparatory work correctly, you need to decide which side to lay the substrate for the Axton laminate. The laying rules do not differ from others - the corrugated surface is applied to the floor, smooth to the laminate.
Other features of laying the substrate company Axton:
- When cutting a roll into squares, it is worth considering that the elements are stacked with an overlap.
- The squares need to be connected with each other with special tape.
- Due to the material thickness of 3 mm, oilcloth can be omitted.
Laminate backing with foil
Currently, more and more often, a foil substrate for a laminate is used, since this is a wonderful insulation. Thanks to the reflective surface, the foil substrate improves the sound insulation and microclimate in the room.
Secrets of laying material under a laminate with foil coating:
- The foil lining lays down so that the direction of the sheets and boards of the laminate matches.
- To activate the best qualities of the material, you need to know exactly which side to put the substrate under the laminate with foil. The foil should be on top.
- The material is stacked with an allowance for the walls of several centimeters.
- Joints of elements need to be glued with foil tape for the best effect.
When you know which side to lay the substrate under the laminate with foil, which side to waterproofing, you can improve the quality of the flooring.
Quick Step Lining Features
A special type of material, which is used to form one of the layers under the laminate, goes under the name "Quick Step" and has the following advantages:
- Evens out defects in the subfloor.
- Protects from moisture that may collect depending on the time of year.
- Bilateral sound and thermal insulation.
- Allows you to comfortably use the coating at all stages.
Preparing Quick Step Lining
Knowing which side to put the substrate under the Quick Step laminate, you can avoid many problems in the future. Correct installation is possible subject to all the rules:
- It is necessary to cut the canvas into squares of a certain size. It is important that it is convenient to work with the elements, and they correspond to the parameters of the room.
- It is desirable to lay a plastic film on the draft floor, which will improve waterproofing.
- Place finished squares on film with the rib side down.
- Glue the joints of the squares with construction tape.
So that in the process of work between the elements there is no space formed, it is necessary to lay down gradually - as the laminate is laid.
Rules for choosing a substrate for a laminate
A photo of which side to lay the substrate for the laminate can be found on the construction sites, read the instructions, consult specialists for advice. The most important thing is to decide at the initial stages what type of lining for the laminate to choose.
The choice depends on the features of the room:
- An ideal option for bedrooms and children's rooms is a cork substrate. This material guarantees environmental friendliness and cleanliness. Under the laminate, decay processes will not occur, pests or insects will appear.
- Polypropylene is ideal in rooms where there is high humidity and a high degree of defects in the subfloor. The only enemy is active cross.
- Expanded polystyrene withstands high mechanical loads, holds heat well and saves from high humidity.
- The needles substrate will be a wonderful material for children's rooms, bedrooms and hallways. It guarantees high-quality air exchange and efficiency during use.
- If the apartment has a low temperature, even in the warm season, then you should buy a substrate with a foil coating.
- A film made of polyethylene will be a wonderful option in order to absorb sound, smooth out irregularities, and remove the greenhouse effect.
Sometimes on the territory of one room they use several different types of substrates, determining the problem of a particular area of the room. Some manufacturers combine material types within a single product. To choose the right material for the base for the laminate, you need to consider for what purpose the floor will serve and build on the purpose of the room.