Laminate is a fairly cheap and durable coating, very often used for flooring in modern rooms. Its main advantages can be considered high resistance to mechanical damage and aesthetic appearance.
The history of laminate flooring began in 1977 when the first boards were sold. However, at that time this material did not receive sufficient distribution. The fact is that the laying of the laminate was very difficult, requiring professional skills and the availability of special equipment. Plus, it was very expensive. Therefore, homeowners preferred parquet for decoration.
The situation changed when, in 1996, specialists from the Belgian company Unilin Decor NV invented a lock that allows you to connect individual panels in a glueless way. Laying quick step laminate (as the advanced coating was called) was no longer difficult. It became possible to do this even on your own. As a result, such panels became a bestseller in 1996 and are very popular to this day.
BIn 2002, by the same company, the lock connecting the boards was significantly improved in terms of ease of snapping into place. As a result, laying laminate flooring has become even easier. The installation technology is not anything particularly complicated. The only thing to remember is that the base under the laminate flooring must be perfectly flat. It can be a concrete screed or self-leveling floors. Mounting on a wooden or tiled surface is allowed. In case of a large degree of unevenness of the base, it is better to first cover the subfloor with sheets of plywood or OSB.
Laying laminate should always be done in such a way that the boards lie along the direction of the light rays, that is, perpendicular to the window. If this condition is not met, the joints between the panels will be very noticeable, which can visually spoil the appearance of the coating. If the windows are located on two or more walls, as an option, diagonal laying is allowed.
Boards are mounted in a checkerboard pattern, that is, with rows shifted in such a way that the panel of one row relative to the panel of the other is shifted by a quarter or half. Laminate flooring options are not very diverse. Installation can be started from the corner or from the door. At the same time, it is necessary to leave a gap - the space between the coating and the walls along the entire perimeter is at least 1 cm. The laminated board can change dimensions depending on weather conditions, and therefore, if the coating is made butt-to-wall with the walls, it may “swell” in the future. gapsneeded near static objects on the floor - pipes, radiators, etc.
First, the first board is laid, then the second spike is inserted into the groove of its end and snaps into place with little effort. In this way, the first row is mounted. The last board is cut to the required length. The remaining piece, if its length is at least 25 cm, is placed at the beginning of the second row. After several boards are connected, the first row is slightly raised, and the crest of the plates of the second row is inserted into its side groove.
Despite the fact that laying laminate is not difficult, you need to observe a certain amount of accuracy and not violate the technology. In this case, you are guaranteed to receive a high-quality and beautiful coating that will serve you for more than one year.
