Laminate is a functional flooring that is offered by many modern manufacturers in a wide variety of colors and textures. If you want to change the flooring, then you will probably face the question of what should be the direction of laying the laminate, if this material is preferable for you.
Basic Methods
The technology provides for transverse or longitudinal installation of trim. The choice of method will depend on several factors. Another, but less common, is the diagonal lamella arrangement technology. The transverse and longitudinal options are straight laying. The most difficult mounting method is diagonal. If you prefer the transverse version, then you should keep in mind that the room should not be crowded with furniture, this applies to cabinet and soft interior items.
The hardest way
Diagonal styling is best used in rooms like hallways and corridors. The most common way isstraight. In this case, the elements should be parallel to the walls. Work should begin in the direction from the door.
When to use longitudinal laying
Laminate laying direction can be longitudinal. This technology is recommended by experts for any premises. At the same time, the amount of waste will be minimal, the work will not require large time costs. In addition, the master does not have to have special skills. The finished flooring in this case will look neat and beautiful.
If the window is located on a short wall, then the question is not even worth it. Installation is carried out relative to the long wall of the room. In this case, the seams at the joints will not be visible, because the shadow is not cast. Cloths will create a perfectly flat surface. If the windows are located on two opposite or adjacent walls, this effect will not be achieved.
Cross stacking
Laminate laying direction can be transverse. The location is not perfect. The advantage here is the ability to visually expand the space. You can use the transverse method of mounting the finish in elongated rooms or narrow corridors. The process is accompanied by large financial and time costs, because the lamellas will have to be cut more often.
Conclusions on choosing a styling method
Before you choose the direction of laying the laminate, you mustchoose its texture, as well as decide on the color scheme and the manufacturer. In choosing the direction of the arrangement of elements, several factors must be taken into account. For example, your decision will be influenced by the presence of a window. It is necessary to start installation work from the far corner, moving perpendicular to the light opening. The sun's rays in this case will hide the seams, and the coating will turn out even.
If the room has two windows on different walls, you should focus on the window that gives more light. Before you choose the direction of laying the laminate in the apartment, you should stand with your back to the front door and imagine the arrangement of furniture. If the installation of the floor is planned throughout the apartment, you should imagine how the finished painting will look like. All design features of the room should be taken into account. The source of light sometimes becomes not a window, but spotlights, floor lamps, chandeliers and wall sconces. Their light must be taken into account when choosing the laying direction.
Choosing direction depending on the size and shape of the room
The correct direction of laminate flooring will determine the appearance of the flooring. Consider the size and shape of the room. If the proportions of the room are correct, then the installation must be carried out along a long wall, placing the slats in the direction from the window. If the room is narrow and long, it is better to use the transverse direction, which will expand the space visually.
Irregular shapes and complicatedproportions will please designers, but will significantly complicate the work. In this case, it is better to prefer the diagonal direction. Without special training to perform such work will not be easy. If you have doubts about your abilities, it is better to trust the professionals.
Other things being equal, in rooms with low ceilings, it is better to resort to longitudinal installation, while high ceilings are best combined with transverse installation. But before you choose the direction of laying the laminate, you should consider that this factor will not affect the quality of the coating. To give visibility to individual boards on a laminate, a special chamfer is sometimes made. If you purchased this type of coating, then the joints should be emphasized by mounting perpendicular to the window.
Choice of direction depending on design features
This factor should also be taken into account, as well as the presence of furniture in the room. If the space is crowded with objects and the floor is carpeted, installation can be made more economical. Such technology is the longitudinal arrangement of elements.
When a new floor is laid on wooden boards, and there is no plywood on top of them, it is better to place the lamellas perpendicular to the direction of the boards to prevent deflection. Plywood on top of the boards will allow you to choose the direction that you prefer.
Preparing for laying laminate flooring: instructions for work and installation procedure
Step by step instructions for laying laminate flooringwill allow you to do the work yourself. But first you must prepare the tools, among them:
- electric jigsaw;
- scissors;
- fasteners;
- wooden bars;
- angle;
- drawing tool;
- rope;
- self-tapping screws;
- knife.
Instead of an electric jigsaw, you can use a hacksaw. The saw must be discarded, as its large teeth will only spoil the decorative layer on the laminated panels. If there is no cord, you can use a fishing line or rope. You will replace the wooden blocks with wedges if necessary.
You will need a light or rubberized hammer. The first can be used exclusively with a rubber gasket so that when hitting the panels, the material is not damaged. At risk of deformation are the end locking joints for fastening the panels together.
Preparing the floor surface
Before you lay the laminate, you need to prepare the floor. Allowable unevenness should not exceed 2 mm for every 2 m2 of area. If the slope is 4 mm by 2 m2, then this floor is not suitable for installing furniture and other interior items. If you start working with an uneven floor, there will be a skew, due to which the doors of the cabinets may not close.
When preparing the floor, the leveling method will depend on the underlying material. The old concrete pavement needs to be repaired. Cracks should be widened and filled with mortar, andlarge recesses are immediately filled with a mixture, for example, self-leveling. At the end, the floor must be sanded or poured with a screed. In a wooden floor, broken boards are changed. Can be leveled with plywood.
If a cement screed is available, it must be primed. Plank or plywood coating is sanded with special equipment for small irregularities. All types of floors must be cleaned and vacuumed before installing laminate flooring. When choosing the best option for the preparation method, it is necessary to focus on financial costs and the amount of effort expended.
Preparatory work may be accompanied by the installation of the substrate and the insulation layer. The floor covering must not come into contact with a surface that releases moisture. Additional installation of special layers is needed, which will absorb water and exclude steam condensation. These layers may be a diffusion membrane or a polyethylene film layer. The overlap should be 20 cm. The canvases are interconnected with tape.
Work instructions
Step-by-step instructions for laying laminate include measuring the width of the room at the first stage. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the expansion gap between the wall and the flooring. Its width should be 1 cm. This will create a floating floor covering, it will not deform when the temperature rises and the panels expand. If the area of the room is more than 12 m2, then the thickness of the expansion gap should be larger. The value is 1.50mm per meter of room length.
The next step is to calculate the width of the row of panels that will be laid last. After you can start laying the material. Start from the left corner of the room. The first row should be located towards the wall with a protruding part.
In the previous steps, you had to choose the direction of laying the laminate in the room. The main rule is the location of the panels parallel to natural light. Each next row is mounted with an offset of 40 cm relative to the previous one. This will allow you to distribute the load evenly.
Lamels are connected to each other at an angle of 45˚. After the top board is lowered, and you can hear a characteristic click. This will let you know that the element is fixed. In the future, the algorithm should be repeated. In the last row, panels of the desired width will be cut. The board can also be cut to length.
Instructions for work. Slats with Lock connection
No matter what direction the laminate is laid in the hallway, you can choose panels with different locks and connections. If we are talking about what is mentioned in the subheading, then the installation is carried out according to the same principle as in the previous section, but one nuance will need to be observed here - the panels are knocked down according to the spike-to-groove system. Do not forget about which way to lay the laminate, because there are seams between the panels even with this installation method.
Laying can be glued. It, in comparison with the floating method, has some disadvantages,among them:
- extra spending on glue;
- increased installation complexity;
- impossibility to dismantle the coating after laying;
- intolerance to hot glue.
This suggests that the laminate cannot be laid on top of the warm floor. Now you know how to choose the right direction for laying the laminate, but for a successful result, you also need to read the instructions for the work. If you chose the adhesive method, you will need to remove the liquid mixture with a moistened rag from the surface of the lamellas.
After you managed to lay out three rows, you should stop for several hours until the glue dries completely. If the coating has not shifted, you can finish laying. The last row is mounted with a crowbar to lay the material between the deck and the wall.
Laying in reverse order
After reading the instructions, you will be able to understand that the laminate is laid from the wall. The tongue will then be directed towards itself. But some craftsmen set themselves the task of installing a threshold at the entrance to the room. In this case, it will be necessary to lay the laminate in the opposite direction. The material will be placed back to front on a small piece of flooring. Some difficulties may arise here.
"Castle", however, allows you to lay out the slats in the reverse order. But you may experience some inconvenience. Sometimes it becomes necessary to raise the stacked row. When choosing a nut in a store, you should pay attention to the quality of the material. Some products are completely unsuitable for long-termoperation. If you are doing modern repairs from the nut and it is better to refuse altogether, some experts advise resorting to this method only in extreme cases. At the same time, according to the rules for laying laminate, the direction will be one, and there will be no transition between rooms.
