In the modern world there are a huge number of different building materials. Sometimes such a wide range of misleading customers. If we talk about flooring, recently very often began to use a laminate. This is a very beautiful and reliable finishing material. But in order for it to serve for a long time and not be deformed, it is necessary to know the rules for laying the laminate. Installation and its technology will be discussed in our article today.
What it is?
Laminate is a durable plate, which is made from waste wood industry. The material used is wood dust and fine sawdust. Due to this, the laminate is much cheaper than similar flooring. During production, these filings are glued together with strong epoxy compounds. As a result, the laminate becomes even stronger than natural wood. Bottom plate is covered with a layer of thin plastic. It protects the material from moisture absorption. A laminated film is mounted on top of the panel, which imitates the structure and color of natural wood. And in order for the front part to be resistant to mechanical stress, it is additionally covered with a layer of transparent varnish.
How to choose the right material?
If we talk about the type of room, this flooring is used almost everywhere. It:
- Corridor.
- Bedroom.
- Kitchen.
- Living room.
- Children's room.
Please note that the thicker the protective layer at the board, the higher its class. For each of the above premises, the load is different. Accordingly, you need to use a different class of laminate. So, for the bedroom it is recommended to purchase products of 21 classes. For the living room and the nursery, a laminate is selected under the number 22. But the corridor takes on the maximum load. In addition, dirt and sand often accumulate here. Therefore, the coating must be strong. For the corridor, it is recommended to purchase a laminate with a class of at least 23. And for the kitchen, a moisture resistant coating of 32 classes is suitable. You need to understand that the higher this value, the more expensive the laminate will be. But do not save. If a cheaper coating is chosen (for example, for a corridor), it will quickly lose its aesthetic appearance, it will be necessary to completely replace it.
As for the service life, observing the laying rules and practical recommendations, the laminate can be used up to 20 years. But if a poor-quality model (of an inappropriate class) was chosen, it will last no more than five years.
Training
According to reviews, the correct laying of the laminate begins with the right preparation. So, the material should be acclimatized in the room, that is, lie in the room for two days.
The next step is the preparation of the foundation. How to lay a laminate? The manual states that the installation of the coating can only be performed on a perfectly flat floor. To do this, use the long level and attach it to the base. The magnitude of the differences should not exceed two millimeters.
If it's a concrete floor
If the differences are more than two, but not less than five millimeters, you can use self-leveling mixtures. It will be a bulk floor. This method is very popular in construction. But if the differences are significant, you have to do a full coupler. So, the floor is poured with a cement-sand mixture. But the disadvantage of this method is prolonged drying. It takes at least 27 days for the floor to dry. Only after that it is possible to do the laying of the laminate (the procedure will be considered a little later).
It is worth noting that the bulk floor needs a vapor barrier. What is used for this? Usually used plastic film. Its thickness is 200 microns. The film is placed in the direction of laying the laminate. The overlap on adjacent rolls should be 20 centimeters, and on the walls - half as much. Additionally, the joints are glued with tape. This is necessary so that the film does not move.
If cement-sand screed is performed, do you need vapor barrier? Experts say that it is already provided for when pouring the solution itself. Therefore, the film does not need to be additionally laid.
If it's a wooden floor
Such a floor is considered to be of high quality when all the boards are securely nailed to the lags and not covered with fungus. If there are any irregularities on the surface, they can be corrected by looping the boards. But in advanced cases, you have to completely overthrow the foundation.
Other methods
If you need to prepare an uneven floor for laying a laminate in a short time, you can go the other way - lay boards from chipboard or plywood with a thickness of 10 millimeters or more. Such a coating does not need vapor barrier. After installation, you can immediately start laying the laminate.
Mounting option on unprepared surface
If the floor already has any kind of coating (linoleum or tile), you can mount the laminate directly on it, without preparation. The main thing is that the floor is smooth and strong. However, there are recommendations for surfaces on which the laminate should not be placed.
Limitations
But installing a laminate is prohibited on:
- Carpets (commonplace for reasons of hygiene, since moisture can accumulate in the carpet and microorganisms will develop).
- Screed with built-in underfloor heating cable. Due to the large thickness of the coating, the efficiency (heating) of such a design will be minimal.
It is also forbidden to lay laminate in a chaotic manner and fasten plates on nails or on self-tapping screws.
Connection types
There are several varieties of tile joints:
- Glue.
- Lock system (can be Click or Lock).
Glue is used in rooms with the expected intensity of loads and with a high concentration of moisture. The procedure for laying the laminate on the cement floor is carried out by pressing the panels to each other. Previously, glue is applied to the ends of the finishing elements. And then these joints are pressed. The result is a durable and moisture resistant compound. But reviews note several drawbacks of such coverage. It:
- Low service life.
- Additional costs for glue.
- Unrepairability of the base.
Therefore, this type is not recommended for use with underfloor heating. Otherwise, the adhesive will quickly dry out when exposed to temperature.
The more popular type is the cover with Click locks. The installation procedure for the laminate is quite simple. This results in a solid connection. The spike of one panel is inserted into the groove of the other at an angle of 45 degrees. Next, the bonded fragment engraves on the floor. The last board to fully snap the lock is knocked down with a block or a rubber mallet.
The Lock system operates in a slightly different way. So, the panels are located in one plane, and then the groove and the spike of adjacent boards are combined and are achieved by the bar until it clicks into place. According to reviews, the bond strength is slightly lower than the previous version, but such a laminate is cheaper.
Styling methods
To determine the direction of installation, it is worth looking in which direction the sun's rays fall. Based on this, there are several ways:
- Perpendicular to the direction of light.
- Parallel.
- Diagonally.
Everywhere there are different rules and procedures for laying laminate flooring. Methods can also be:
The latter scheme is highly economical, since waste accounts for no more than 5 percent of the material. In this case, the cut-off part of the last panel is the first board of the next row.
If strength is important, you can lay the laminate in a checkerboard pattern. But at the same time, the amount of waste will be 3 times more than in the previous case. In this situation, the subsequent board is shifted by half relative to the previous one.
If you need to beat the interior of a compact room, designers recommend resorting to the diagonal order of laying the laminate. But no matter what method is used, it is important that the boards in adjacent rows are offset relative to each other.
About the clearance
Laminate during operation can change its size depending on the temperature and humidity of the room. Therefore, always before you lay the laminate with your own hands, you need to provide a clearance. Otherwise, the coating will swell. So, wedges are installed along the wall, which form a 10-mm gap. If the length of the room is more than 12 meters, then this parameter needs to be increased. The calculation is very simple. The length of the room is multiplied by 1.5. The resulting value will be the necessary temperature gap.
Tool and materials
Among the tools and materials we need to prepare:
- Clamp.
- Wooden block.
- Rubber mallet.
- Pencil.
- Spacer wedges.
- Sawing wood.
- Ruler.
We put a sound-absorbing substrate
This substrate performs several functions at once. It ensures the quality of the cushioning layer, allows you to hide the defects of the base and prevents the release of heat.
You can select the following types of substrate:
- Polyethylene foam.
- Isolon.
- From extruded polystyrene foam.
- Composite.
- Cork.
The choice should be made depending on the cost and some technical features. As for the thickness, it usually ranges from two to three millimeters. If the thickness is greater, the joints of the laminate during installation will diverge.
Lay laminate with Click system
To do this, we need to measure the width of the room and calculate the same indicator of the last board. If it turns out to be less than five centimeters, it is necessary to evenly saw the panels in the last and in the first row. Also, do not forget about the temperature gap.
How to lay a laminate? The method involves starting from the far left corner. In this case, the direction of the panels should correspond to the flow of incident light in the room. After installing the first board, you need to dock the next one to it from the end (as we said earlier, at an angle of 45 degrees). We lower the second board to the base. The lock will work. By the same principle, the whole series is assembled further. The last panel can:
- Sign in whole. In this case, the board for the next row is cut in half.
- Do not fit in a row. Here you need to cut the panel. The remaining piece is not discarded. It is used as the first board for the second row. At the same time, the length of the last panel for the first and second row should not be less than 30 centimeters. This parameter is the minimum for the displacement of the joints when laying the laminate as a floor covering.
So the elements are staggered. When walking, the pressure will be evenly distributed between the panels. Squeaks and other troubles are excluded.
What is the laying procedure for the laminate apartment next? The second row is going in the same way. The board is connected at the ends. At the same time, the panels are not connected to the first row in any way. After assembly, you need to lift the second assembled fragment and install the spikes in the grooves of the first. This is done at an angle of 45 degrees. This operation is recommended to be performed with an assistant. While he fastens the row on one side, we fasten on the other. Further locks are latched and the structure is pressed to the floor.
Then the assembly is carried out in the same sequence, row after row. And when the entire laminate is laid, the spacer wedges should be removed. How can I close this gap? This gap easily conceals the baseboard.
Laying Laminate with Lock
Installation of panels in this case is not fundamentally different from the previous version. Here, too, you need to provide gaps and calculate the width of the last board. However, you need to know how to properly attach these panels. The connection occurs horizontally to each other. Further, in order not to damage the panel, it is necessary to knock part of it with a hammer through a bar. You need to knock until the lock works. The panels of the second row are joined in the same way with the first. That is, the main difference between the Lock system is that the panels of the second row are latched individually, and not a whole fragment. It is also worth knowing that the last board is lined with a clamp.
Installation of adhesive laminate
In this case, the preparation will be similar. However, the differences are that glue must be applied to the end parts of the boards. Then, the panels should be knocked down with a hammer and a bar. Remains of glue must be removed immediately, otherwise they will ruin the appearance. The fixing agent can be removed with a normal damp cloth. The main thing is not to hesitate, otherwise it will dry out. The installation procedure itself is as follows:
- Work begins with two boards of the first row.
- Two panels of the second are joined to them.
- Next, a pair of elements of the first row is installed.
- The same thing is done with the second.
Note! After the three rows have been laid, a three-hour break is required. This is necessary in order for the glue to dry. When the last board has been laid, you should wait another ten hours. After this time, the adhesive solution will completely dry. At this time, it is forbidden to walk on the floor.
Care Tips
It is important to know not only the correct laminate installation procedure. From time to time he needs to be looked after. Fortunately, care is not so complicated. To do this, you only need a well-wrung wet rag. It is with it that you can wipe the laminate from dust and dirt. If spots or other stubborn dirt have formed on the coating, special detergents must be used.
Please note that in order to avoid deformations of the coating, it is recommended to wear felt pads on the furniture legs. Thus, the laminate will not be scratched when moving heavy objects (sofa or cabinet). Well, in the event of scratches, do not be upset - there are special repair compounds to fix them.
Conclusion
So, we examined the installation procedure of the laminate. As you can see, there are several ways to do the work. Everyone chooses the most suitable for themselves.