All homeowners who decide to independently repair their homes, in the course of work, face many questions that only specialists can answer. The most common dilemma is doors or laminate flooring, what to mount first? Let's analyze this issue, consider the technology and procedure for repairing an apartment.
What do the experts say?
The first thing that comes to the mind of a perplexed master is to ask more experienced colleagues. It would seem that who else than a specialist can help find an answer to this kind of question? However, in most cases, their advice confuses beginner finishers even more.
The thing is that every technology is considered correct. Using both methods, you can perform a quality installation, but for this you should take into account some nuances. It is more convenient for some masters to install doors first, and for others - to lay a laminate.
In many respects, the choice of method depends on specific circumstances, the complexity of the upcoming work and the availability of a specific tool. Therefore, to the question of what is first: a door or a laminate, one can rarely hear a categorical and reasoned opinion. We will try to consider the features of each method, highlight their advantages and disadvantages.
A bit about the flooring itself
Laminate is a multilayer panel, which consists of a base, a decorative layer and a protective surface. The raw material for the manufacture of lamellas is wood shavings, which determines the whimsicality and moodiness of such flooring.
If moisture gets into the laminate structure, the product instantly swells and fails. This requires a special approach during the installation of panels. The main requirement is to lay the substrate before laying the laminate on the floor. It protects the flooring from damage and prevents it from absorbing moisture from the concrete base.
It is easy to conclude that the presence of a substrate helps to raise the floor level. And the panel itself has a certain width. These parameters must be considered when installing the door.
Features of the installation of floor panels
Before laying the laminate, the base is specially prepared. If the screed has irregularities, they are eliminated. In some cases, you have to fill in the final screed. Those who are interested in the question: βWhat is installed first: doors or laminate?β Should pay special attention to the height of the screed. If you install the canvas, and then it turns out that the base needs to be leveled, it will be very difficult for you to lay the panels under the already mounted door.
A substrate is laid on the finished base, on which the laminate is laid. But before laying the laminate on the floor, it is adapted to the local climate. The coating is left for a day without packaging.
Special struts are installed around the perimeter of the room, allowing you to leave a compensation gap between the walls and the flooring. This is necessary so that the chip products can expand and dry freely. This property of the panels must be taken into account when installing the door. If the humidity in the room rises, the panel may slightly increase in volume.
The listed properties can cause difficulties with fitting the door to the coating itself. Calculations must be done very carefully.
Features of the installation of the box and door
Interior door - this device, consisting of platbands, linen and extensions. All elements are fixed among themselves with the help of canopies, self-tapping screws, large and small nails.
Installation of wooden doors is carried out in such a way that nothing prevents the opening of the canvas. To do this, the masters leave a gap between the bottom edge of the door and the floor covering. If installation is carried out before laying the flooring, then it will be difficult to accurately measure the required gap width.
If you make a mistake in the calculation, the canvas may not close at all or scratch the floor, which will lead to unnecessary expenses. You also need to take into account the fact that if you are installing wooden doors from solid wood, the likelihood of swelling and the canvas itself increases, which requires an increase in the space between the product and the floor.
What other difficulties might arise?
Some experts prefer to install the door first, explaining that in the process of its installation, the laid laminate can be scratched. This is true, but you can secure the coating with thick cardboard laid on the floor.
Installation of the floor before installing the door is preferred by those who do not like to mess with fitting the lamella according to the parameters of the door frame. This is a rather laborious work, it is difficult for beginners to complete it.
Even at the planning stage of repair, it is worth deciding whether the door sill will be installed. It allows you to beautifully arrange the joint of the floor coverings of neighboring rooms, but its height must be taken into account before installing the canvas.
We install the doors and then the floor
It will be easier to draw conclusions about the appropriateness of each method by familiarizing yourself with the installation process itself. This will allow those who do not know where to start to make a decision. The stages of repair in the apartment (subject to the initial installation of the door) are presented as follows:
- A door frame is installed in the opening, hinges are mounted, the canvas is hung.
- The seam between the box and the adjacent wall is made using decorative trims - platbands.
- Outlines of platbands are drawn on the laminate panel.
- With the help of a jigsaw, curly contours under the opening are cut out in the bar.
- The product is inserted into place and fixed with glue.
- Next, the laying of the remaining panels continues.
You can simplify the work a little. To do this, do not let the laminate under the casing. Its installation should begin at the stage of installation of the box. The rectangular hole in the panel is cut much easier. Then the platbands are cut according to the thickness of the laminate and set in place.
Advantages and disadvantages of the described method
If you cannot decide what to do first (doors or laminate), you should choose this method when you are very worried about the integrity of the flooring after installing the door. However, you will have to spend a lot of effort cutting holes in the panel.
If you bring the laminate under the box itself, there will be no ugly gaps between the opening and the flooring, in which dust and small debris usually accumulate. But there is a possibility that after installing the laminate the door may start to close worse.
Using this method, you should correctly calculate the width of the gap between the canvas and the floor. This indicator should include the height of the substrate, the thickness of the panel, decorative nut and the compensation margin.
We lay the laminate, and then we put the doors
To decide what to do first (repair the floor or install the door), consider the features of laying the laminate before installing the canvas. Since the installation of the panels implies a gap between the coating and the walls, after installing the box, these slots may remain visible. To prevent this from happening, you should calculate the parameters of all elements as accurately as possible.
The work is carried out as follows:
- Position the laminate panel near the opening so that one half of it is in front of the aisle, and the other is slightly inland.
- Using a pencil, draw two straight angles on it under the side walls. Round them lightly and cut with a jigsaw.
- Install the flooring element in its place. If the opening is too wide, bring two stripes to the wall. In addition, each of them will approach its corner. In the center they will be joined by the cross lock.
For reliability, the laminate located near the door is recommended to be fixed with glue. Next, the door frame is installed on the finished coating. The space between the product and the wall is filled with foam, the hinges are fixed, the door is hung. At the finish stage, platbands are installed on top of the laminate.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
The positive aspects of this installation include the ease of laying the laminate, the attractive appearance of the coating, which has no gaps near the doorway. Installation of the canvas is carried out at the actual height of the floor, which allows you to save the master from difficult calculations and guesses.
After laying the laminate, you can order a door of a certain size, which will save time on fitting all the elements.
The disadvantage is the probability of damage to the laid coating. Laminate is easily scratched, so you must be careful during the work.
If you still have not decided that the door or the laminate is first, then choose the appropriate method, depending on which is easier for you: be careful when installing the door or spend time cutting holes for the trim in the laminate.