Modern flooring is very often done using laminated panels. They are a versatile, simple and inexpensive option to create a beautiful, tactile deck.
Mount such a cladding on various surfaces, including wood. And if concrete finishing work is carried out according to a standard algorithm, then laying a laminate on a wooden floor has its own nuances.
How to properly lay the panels on top of the boardwalk and what you need to pay attention to in the process of work, we told in our article.
A few words about the coating itself
The basis of the laminated panel is a board made of wood-fiber materials. Most often it is MDF or chipboard. The thickness of this layer plays a huge role in the operation of the finish: the thicker the slab, the more load the flooring can withstand.
The second layer is a decorative laminating film or the thinnest layerveneer. It only affects the decorative properties of the product.
The panels are protected by a transparent finish. It is able to withstand moisture, chemical components and mechanical stress.
Depending on the characteristics of the protective layer and the thickness of the base, the class of the laminate is determined.
The most commonly used three of its varieties:
- class 32 - with a minimum level of abrasion resistance;
- class 33 - panels with average wear resistance;
- class 34 are the most durable and expensive options.
On absolutely even grounds, products of the first group can be used. However, plank flooring is more flexible and unstable, so more durable options (grade 33 and 34) should be chosen for its finish.
Before laying a laminate on a wooden floor, you should carefully examine the base. Most often, floors made of natural material require preliminary preparation.
We examine the subfloor for defects
Laminate is a rather thin and vulnerable coating. If you put it on a crooked base, it will fail very quickly. This will entail high costs, especially in cases where the highest class of laminate is used. That is why, before laying it, you should make sure that the base is ready.
It is necessary to focus on the following factors:
- The presence of extraneous sounds. If you hear a creak while walking, it means that the boards are quite mobile, they canbend or deform.
- The presence of rot and large cracks. If any elements are affected by mold, they will soon fail. This will lead to a floor level difference. Laminate in this situation will be damaged immediately.
- Great differences in deck height. Panels can be laid only if the difference in the level of the base is no more than 1.5-2 mm per 2 meters. If large deviations are found, the wooden floor should be leveled under the laminate.
Important! If the boardwalk is damaged by fungus, there is no point in leveling it. In such situations, it is more appropriate to equip a new subfloor.
Fix minor defects
If you find several of these flaws, do not be upset. Many of them (except fungus) can be quickly eliminated in the shortest possible time.
For example, floorboard creaking is easily removed by screwing additional fasteners into them. To do this, use long self-tapping screws that can pull the board to the log.
If the boards sag in several places, leveling the wooden floor under the laminate is carried out using an additional support. The concave element must be torn off, wooden blocks or bricks placed under it. After that, the board can be screwed back.
Large gaps can be filled with slats of the appropriate size. Small cracks are well covered with elastic varieties of mastic.
How to get rid of a lot of smallbumps
If you plan to lay a laminate on a wooden floor that has a large number of chips, height differences (up to 5 mm) and bumps, the base does not need to be completely changed, but it is simply necessary to smooth it.
This task can be quickly handled with a scraper. If you don't have it in stock, don't worry. In almost every city, this device can be rented. The cost of 1 day is approximately 1000 rubles. This is enough time to renovate a 100 m2 floor2.
You can get away with a hand sander, but this work will take a lot of time, and the result is not always perfect.
Eliminating big swings
In the process of renovating old houses, it is often found that one of the corners of the rough flooring is simply littered down. Naturally, laying laminate on a wooden floor (in this state) is unacceptable.
What needs to be done? Most likely, the cause of this phenomenon was the failed lags. They need to be repaired or completely replaced. In this case, you will have to remove the flooring and check the condition of the supporting elements. After replacing the base, you can fix the boards again and start laying the laminate.
The most common situations are when the logs are in good condition, but the differences between the boards and the gaps do not allow laying decorative flooring. In such situations, you can level the floor with sheet materials. With their use, laying laminate on a wooden floor willhappen as quickly and comfortably as possible.
For these purposes, you can use plywood or OSB-plates. The thickness of the material is selected depending on the degree of unevenness. For minor defects, 10 mm sheets can be used. Differences of more than 5 mm are eliminated by plates having a thickness of 18 to 22 mm.
Technology for leveling the floor with sheet materials
Before arranging the flooring from the slabs, you need to prepare the base. Remove all interfering elements. Hammer deeper nails and clean off large bumps. Since the floorboard, plywood and the laminate itself are very susceptible to colonization by fungus, it is advisable to treat the base with an antiseptic compound.
In order for the laminate flooring to be installed correctly on a wooden floor, prepare the base as follows:
- Starting from the far corner, lay the first sheet of plywood. You can use solid slabs, or you can cut them into 100x100 cm pieces.
- Step back from the edge of the sheet about 2 centimeters and screw in the first self-tapping screw.
- Fix the screws around the entire perimeter of the plate. Keep the fastener installation step within 10-15 cm.
- If you are laying a whole slab, the self-tapping screws must be screwed over the entire surface of the slab. For small elements, it is enough to fix the perimeter and pull the center of the sheet to the base.
- Place the second sheet of plywood on the floor. Please note that a distance of 5-7 cm must be observed between the plates. This gap will allow the material to adapt to the new climate. This will prevent the whole deck from buckling.
- Leave a technological seam between the walls and panels. After laying the finishing material, it can be filled with sealant or foam.
If you do all of the above before laying the laminate on uneven wood flooring, the life of the finish coat will be greatly extended.
After leveling the base, the substrate is laid under the panels. Today there are many varieties of such materials. Consider the most popular.
Styrofoam backing
Styrofoam mats are quite often used as a substrate for laminate flooring. They are laid on a wooden floor in cases where the difference on the base surface ranges from 2 to 3 mm per 2 meters. In such situations, choose options whose thickness is 5 mm.
The material is optimal for rooms with heavy loads, as there are a large number of air bubbles in its structure. Due to them, uneven floors are compensated, the surface becomes warmer and does not let in noise.
Roll pad
If the base is relatively flat, you can use a roll underlay under the laminate. Most often, polyethylene foam is laid on a wooden floor. The material has a low cost, therefore it is considered the most popular.
Despite the small price tag, PE foam film has excellent performance. These include:
- moisture resistant;
- excellent thermal insulation qualities;
- insect resistance;
- ease of installation.
If the difference in floor level does not exceed 2 mm per 2 meters, this option of the substrate is considered optimal. However, it should be noted that during long-term operation, the material tends to sag.
Bamboo pads
An excellent alternative to polyethylene foam varieties is a cork backing. It is completely environmentally friendly and has a long service life.
Bamboo substrates are a good thermal insulator. They have a high density, which means they do not shrink.
A significant disadvantage of this species is the fear of moisture. Therefore, before laying a laminate on a wooden floor, you need to pay due attention to the arrangement of waterproofing. For these purposes, ordinary polyethylene film is perfect.
Preparation for laying laminated panels
Starting work on the arrangement of flooring, you need to figure out how to properly lay the laminate on a wooden floor. First of all, you need to know that the purchased lining should lie in the room where it will be laid for 2-3 days. If this step is skipped, there is a high chance of heaving the laid flooring.
While the material is in the process of acclimatization, prepare all the necessary tools. This list includes:
- hammer drill (or drill);
- electric jigsaw;
- measuring tool;
- pencil or marker;
- hammer and block of wood;
- expansion wedges;
- screws for skirting boards.
First you need to cover the entire surface of the floor with the selected substrate. If it's a roll, roll it out on the floor. In this case, the joints of the strips must be glued with adhesive tape. Mats need to be fastened together using special grooves. The seams are also glued. On the finished surface, you can start laying the finishing floor.
Laminated panel installation technology
Laying laminate on the floor with your own hands is not a difficult process. The work is done very quickly. Panel installation instructions are as follows:
- Install spacer wedges around the perimeter of the room. They should create a seam between the vertical plane and the flooring, 1 cm wide.
- Start laying from the wall opposite the entrance to the room.
- Lay the first panel on the floor. Attach the second bar to it. Lay the entire first row in this way. If the last plank does not fit completely, cut it with a jigsaw.
- Second row, start with a half of the laminate. You can use the piece that remains from the last element of the first row. This allows for checkerboard layout.
- Lay out the entire second row, connect it with the elements of the first row. To do this, insert the spike of each panel at an angle into the grooves of the previous strip. In this way, collect all the flooring.
If the whole panel does not fit when laying the last row, it must be cut to the width you need.
Installation of skirting boards
Whether you are laying laminate on an old wood floor or on a new base, it will be fixed by skirting boards. They need to be fixed to the walls with a drill.
First, you need to remove the expansion wedges, fix special metal latches on the walls. If they are not provided, the skirting boards are fixed using self-tapping screws. Corner and straight joints of the planks are made with special plastic elements.
There are no requirements for the appearance of the plinth. It can be plastic, wood, flexible or solid, as long as it matches the flooring.
Conclusions
As you can see, laying laminate is a fairly simple process. Even in cases where we are talking about a wooden base, the work is quite simple. The emphasis should be on the preparation of the subfloor.
Whether you are laying laminate on wooden floors in an apartment or equipping flooring in a private house, the technology of work remains unchanged. Evaluate the defects, take the time to eliminate them and proceed with the installation of the decorative coating. By doing the work in this sequence, you will get the best result.
