Laminate is one of the most popular floor coverings. It has many advantages, one of which is ease of installation. Even a non-professional can handle this job. However, you need to familiarize yourself with all the subtleties of the process. If you make a mistake, the flooring will wear out quickly, and new repairs will be required. How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor will be discussed in detail later.
Material features
Even a master without laying experience can correctly put a laminate with his own hands on a wooden floor. However, before that, you need to consider in detail how this process is correctly performed. Laminate has a number of specific qualities. This is a multilayer board. Its decorative finish imitates natural wood.
Panels are interconnected using specialgrooves. These fasteners are called locks. They are located on both sides of the panel. It is thanks to these connections that the installation of the laminate is quick and relatively simple. If the need arises, most interlocks allow the cover to be removed.
Laminate, which is on sale today, differs not only in design, but also in strength class. The more people live in the house, the less subject to mechanical stress should be the surface. Before starting installation, you should also find out what qualities the material has.
Can I put laminate on a wooden floor? The answer to this question is unambiguously positive. In order to avoid gross mistakes, you need to pay attention to the features of this flooring.
According to building codes, the humidity in the room in which the laminate will be laid should be 40-70%, and the air temperature should be 15-30ºС. The panels must "get used" to the existing conditions in the room. For this reason, the laminate is taken out of the packages and laid out in the room. Here he must remain at least a day before the master can proceed with the installation. Otherwise, deformation may occur.
Laminate is a material that is afraid of moisture. Therefore, it can only be installed in dry, heated rooms. On sale are also panels that are not afraid of getting on the surface of the water. However, the cost of such material will be much higher. Joints even in this type of panels must be treated with a special sealant.
Requirements formounting
How to put laminate on a wooden floor yourself? There are certain installation requirements that are clearly specified in building codes and regulations. When creating such a floor covering, it is imperative to ensure an even base. Otherwise, the panels will bend. Deformations will appear in the locking joints. Here, the fixation due to vibration when walking on an uneven floor will gradually weaken. As a result, the floor will creak. There may even be gaps between individual panels.
Builders remind that the material is afraid of moisture. Therefore, you need to mount it on a completely dry surface. All building materials that are under it must dry well. Also, condensation should not collect under the laminate. Therefore, increased requirements are put forward for the quality of the base.
Laminate absolutely does not tolerate transverse deformations. Even if there is a solid base under the board, it will not be able to prevent the panel from breaking if there are voids under it. The weak point is the lock connection, as the material is thinner here.
The base must be properly prepared before installation. It is absolutely unacceptable that it has tubercles or dents. If the bulges under the laminate layer remain, they will press on the panel from the back. In these places, the decorative layer will be subject to abrasion faster than anywhere else.
To determine if the floors in a wooden house are even (under the laminate, the base must be perfect), you can make a simple measurement. Have to takebuilding level or ruler meter length. The tool is placed on the floor with an edge in different places. If there is a gap of more than two millimeters between the level and the base of the room, you will need to pre-level the floor.
Old boards need to be checked if they are strong enough. Rotten elements (they make a dull sound when tapped) the bases must be dismantled. New boards are installed in their place. The floor should not sag, have cracks, chips, scuffs. Therefore, old boards need to be restored with a grinder.
Laying scheme
There are a number of recommendations on how to lay a laminate on a wooden floor yourself. First you need to determine which laying scheme is suitable in a particular case. The laminate is mounted in the direction of the source of natural light in the room. So the joints between the stripes will be almost invisible. But this is not the only option. Specialists also use other schemes.
If you want to save material, it is recommended to choose the classic type of installation. It starts from the window. During installation, you need to move in the direction of the sun's rays. When the row reaches the opposite wall, the panel is cut off. The remaining piece is transferred to the beginning of the next row. This scheme is suitable if the trimmings are no shorter than 25 cm.
You can put laminate on a wooden floor like brickwork. In this case, the first row is laid out. The second line of panels is offset by half the length of the previous board. In this case, the base material will be maximumdurable.
Laying laminate boards diagonally looks more effective. This option is similar to the classic one. However, the panels must be mounted at an angle of 45º. The material consumption in this case will be quite large. The choice of installation method depends on the characteristics of the premises, as well as the budget for repairs.
Experts say that it is necessary to lay the laminate with an offset. Otherwise, the floor covering will be fragile. Moreover, the next row should be shifted relative to the previous one by at least 20 cm.
The amount of waste for each scheme will be different. This must be taken into account when purchasing material. So, with the classical scheme, you will need to purchase material 5-6% more than the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. This is the most economical styling option.
If you mount the strips in a checkerboard pattern, the amount of waste increases. It is approximately 12-16%. Since this method of fixation provides increased strength of the base, it is used quite often.
Installation of laminate strips with a diagonal slope looks spectacular. The consumption of materials in this case will be significant. Waste will be approximately 16%. If the room is long, narrow, their number increases.
Materials and tools
When considering how to properly lay a laminate on a wooden floor, you should pay attention to the materials and tools necessary for the work. First of all, along with the laminate, the substrate is also purchased. It can be of different types. The thickness of this material is selected according to the type of flooring, as well as unevennessgender. Sometimes you can do without additional alignment. The underlay is able to compensate for slight unevenness in the subfloor.
Using a special hammer, you will need to assess the condition of the boards. Each of them is tapped, marking rotten, deformed elements. Instead, you will need to purchase new boards and perform a reconstruction. If the condition of the floor wooden flooring is satisfactory, a grinding procedure is carried out.
This will require special equipment. Grinders are different. It is necessary to choose such equipment that will allow achieving high quality of the surface of the boards. However, there is absolutely no need to acquire professional models. This is a waste of money.
In addition, you will need to purchase wood putty. In our country, Tex construction products are in great demand in this area. It is made by a local manufacturer. The quality of such putty on wood complies with building codes, and the cost will be an order of magnitude lower than that of foreign brands.
You should also purchase brushes, a roller. Considering the technology of how to put a laminate on an old wooden floor, it should also be noted that it is covered with a primer.
Substrate
It should be considered in detail what to put under the laminate on a wooden floor. One of the required materials is a special substrate. She is able to level the floor a little, hiding small irregularities in the wooden base. The substrate also serves as a heat andsoundproofing.
Several basic varieties of substrates are on sale. They are made from different materials. This determines their performance and installation features. The substrate is also called a warm floor. However, this material should not be confused with electric or water base heating systems.
Underlays can be made from natural (cork, fiberboard) or synthetic (polyethylene, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, etc.) materials. Some substrates include bitumen.
The warm floor under the laminate on a wooden type of base is laid to reduce the negative consequences of unevenness on the draft layer of the boards. Also, the heat from the room will practically not leave through the floor. This reduces the cost of paying for energy in winter. Also, footsteps on a laminate with underlayment will be quieter.
The thicker the substrate, the more significant irregularities it can hide. However, with an increase in thickness, such an unpleasant effect as punching through the material appears. In this case, the laminate will loosen in the interlocks. Therefore, the substrate must be dense. Its thickness rarely exceeds 4 mm.
It is best to purchase substrates based on cork and chipboard. They have high performance. The most famous manufacturers of substrates in the Russian market are the Tikhiy hod companies from Isoplaat. These are natural materials. They can even be used in a nurseryrooms or bedrooms.
Preparing the base
There are several options for laying laminate on a wood floor. First you need to properly prepare the base. To do this, an evaluation procedure is carried out boards. If there are only a few rotten or deformed elements, the entire floor will not need to be torn down. The old boards are ripped off. In their place, new materials of appropriate dimensions are installed.
If the floor creaks when walking, you need to strengthen the loose boards. To do this, they are additionally fixed with self-tapping screws. Hats should not rise above the surface. It is recommended to deepen them into the boards.
Next, you need to sand the surface. In this case, great precision is not needed, as in the case of parquet processing. It is enough just to remove the top layer to reduce the number of irregularities. After this procedure, all construction dust and chips are removed from the base.
If there are small cracks, they are removed by treating the floor with wood putty. The places where the self-tapping screws are buried also need to be covered with this building mixture.
When mounting a laminate with your own hands on a wooden floor, the boards should be primed. When the first layer is applied, it should dry well. After that, the primer is applied again. In some cases, the floor is so uneven that the above actions will not be appropriate. In this case, you will need to take drastic measures. This will allow you to properly prepare the base before installation. In some cases, they mount new logs and create flooring from boards withzero. This is necessary if the material of the rough base is significantly deformed, rotten. If the boards are in satisfactory condition, a “dry screed” is mounted on them.
Installation lag
There is a special technique for laying laminate on an uneven wooden floor. If the draft boards are rotten, significantly deformed, there is no point in restoring them. In this case, you will need to create a lag system from scratch. All old boards are dismantled. You also need to assess the condition in which the support beam is located. Some lags may need to be replaced. Part of the supporting structure can be left if it is in satisfactory condition.
When considering how to lay a laminate on an uneven wooden floor, you should consider the procedure for replacing the lag. If the base is severely deformed, there is no other way out. The beam must be strong enough. Its diameter is 100 × 150 mm. Old and new logs are carefully treated with antiseptic impregnation. It is necessary to clean the base of the floor from various debris. Waterproofing is laid on the prepared base. It will be possible to install new lags on it. They are fixed with dowels.
The distance between each support beam should be about 60 cm. Insulation is placed in between - mineral (bas alt) wool. This material is not subject to decay, burning. However, it requires the use of high-quality waterproofing. Therefore, saving on film is not worth it. Mineral wool will reliably retain heat indoors. It should be noted that this is an environmentally friendlymaterial.
The bars are stuffed on the insulation perpendicular to the main lags. Plywood sheets will be mounted on top. Thanks to the transverse bars, this material will not sag. Fixation is carried out using metal corners. Next, you only need to level the floor with plywood sheets. Their edges should fall exactly on the center of the lag. After this, the recesses left by the heads of the self-tapping screws are treated with putty. Next, the substrate is laid and the laminate itself.
Dry screed
To level the base, a technique called "dry screed" can be used. In this case, the laminate is laid on plywood on a wooden floor. Sometimes drywall sheets are used instead.
To perform such an installation, you need to prepare not only plywood, but also rails for creating lighthouses, a building level and a damper tape. Also in the course of work, self-tapping screws, waterproofing, glue will be required. It is recommended to use expanded clay as a heater.
Laminate on plywood on a wooden floor is laid according to a certain method. It is necessary to clean the floor from construction and other debris. If there are potholes, cracks and other defects in the old boards, they are treated with putty. After it dries, the floor can be primed 2 times.
After that, markup is done. It is necessary to determine the highest place in the room using the building (preferably laser) level. It is projected onto the wall. This will be the level of the new draft base. A line on the walls is created around the entire perimeter of the room at a given level.
Nextthe floor is covered with waterproofing overlap. A damper tape is rolled out along the perimeter of the room and fixed with an adhesive composition. It will compensate for the deformation of wood during changes in temperature and humidity.
Next, beacons are installed, which are 60 cm apart from each other. Between the beacons they fall asleep and level the layer of expanded clay. Sheets of plywood are stuffed on top of the lighthouses. They should be pressed tightly against each other, against the walls in the room. After the first layer is created, the second row of plywood is stuffed onto it. Joints must be done with an offset to the middle of the previous sheet. The offset makes the foundation strong. Sheets are fixed with screws. They can be lined with a substrate.
Lock connection
How to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor? Before proceeding with its assembly, you need to consider the features of the castle connections. Panels are fixed in three ways. They are determined by the configuration of the locks.
In the first version, the locks are fixed with glue. This option allows you to create a strong joint that does not penetrate moisture. Such a connection is called a "groove-spike". Previously, this type of lock was used to create parquet boards. Glue is applied to both sides of the laminate. The panels are then pulled together. This connection technique is more often used for technical rooms. In them, the load on the floor will be significant.
More common is the Click connection. This is the same groove-thorn mount, but located at an angle of 30º. When the panel is lowered, the lock closes. Fixationhappens very firmly, which allows you to quickly and efficiently lay the laminate on a wooden floor.
The third type of joints is the fairly complex Lock joint. To drive the key into the recess on the opposite side of the panel, it is tapped with a hammer. It is almost impossible to dismantle this type of locks. Such compounds are extremely rare today.
Installation
To lay a laminate on a wooden floor, you need to complete all the preparatory steps. The surface is vacuumed before laying. The substrate is laid out gradually. A laminate is laid on it according to the chosen scheme. Small spacers are installed between the wall and the laminate. In this case, the gap will be uniform around the entire perimeter. This allows you to compensate for the deformation of the flooring, avoiding negative consequences.
Locks are first connected on the sides. Next, the material is attached to the main flooring. Excess boards are cut with a jigsaw. If necessary, the seams are treated with sealant (necessary for wet rooms). After that, a plinth is mounted around the perimeter of the room. Wires can be laid inside such edgings. At this stage, the installation procedure can be considered complete.
After considering the recommendations on how to lay a laminate on a wooden floor, you can do all the work yourself. The result will be good. The floor covering will be used for a long time.
