We present instructions for laying laminate flooring yourself. is one of the most common floor coverings due to its attractive appearance and relatively low price. This material is produced in various patterns, as well as in the appearance of various materials, for example, parquet or marble. Laying this flooring yourself is not at all difficult and does not require special construction skills. So anyone can cope with this task if they have the desire.
You can watch a training video and get detailed information about laying laminate flooring with your own hands in the article below.
Necessary tools and additional materials
As is expected when performing any construction work, we start by collecting the necessary tools.
- We will need marking supplies: a pencil, a large square, and also a tape measure.
- Scotch tape for gluing insulation or substrate.
- A fine-toothed hacksaw or jigsaw for cutting material.
- Lightweight hammer. It will be needed to pad the panels to achieve a tighter, inconspicuous joint.
- Also, depending on the method of laying the laminate, you may need a miter box, spacer wedges, and staples.
- Among the additional components, in addition to the laminate, you need to purchase a plinth, a corner for it, and a threshold between the rooms. If necessary, then piping around the pipes and a flexible profile. Why we need all this will be discussed below.
Instructions for laying laminate flooring yourself
Preparing the base for laying laminate flooring with your own hands
We prepare the base before laying. Depending on, as well as the material from which it is made, various events are held. Laminate flooring can be laid on a concrete screed, wooden floor, and in some cases on linoleum flooring.
Concrete floor
If you have a smooth concrete screed, this is an ideal option that does not require much preliminary preparation. The only thing you need to make sure is that the screed is already dry if it is just completed. Drying time is approximately 30 days from the moment of pouring. If the floor has been in use for some time, it is necessary to check it for cracks, unevenness and chips. If any are found, fill the floor with a self-leveling mixture, then let it dry thoroughly!
If the floor is severely damaged, you will therefore have to postpone laying the flooring for about a month.
When the concrete floor is in proper condition, we lay a vapor barrier made of dense polyethylene. In this case, we place the canvas with a spade on the walls and overlap it, securing it together with tape. Excess will be removed after installation.
If there is a dry screed on the floor, there is no need for polyethylene, since according to the screed technology, a vapor barrier has already been laid.
Wooden floor
When laying laminate flooring with your own hands using technology on a floor made of boards, you need to check the quality of the surface. A wooden floor should be a flat, strong surface. We remove all rotten and collapsing boards and replace them with new ones. We check the floor for creaking (and therefore loosely fastened), loose boards in the grooves and displaced boards. All this must be additionally pierced with nails or secured with self-tapping screws. If necessary, treat the surface with a plane or sanding machine. Another option is to cover the floor with plywood 7-12 mm thick. Or use chipboard and fiberboard. True, it will be more expensive, but the result will be the same. It is worth paying attention that if you are laying an additional underlay on the floor, make sure that it subsequently opens freely.
Floor with linoleum or tiles
If you have previously covered the floor with these materials in compliance with the technology and the floor has a flat surface, then it is permissible to leave the coverings in place - lay the covering on top, having first laid only the underlay.
Types of panel mounting
The most common and, perhaps, the most convenient fastening is a locking connection at an angle of 30 degrees - “Click”. If the technology is followed correctly, the joints will be practically invisible, installation of the panels is quite convenient and does not require a professional approach.
There is another similar connection “Lock”, in which the lock runs parallel to the floor. It is not recommended for installation by novice builders due to its rather complex installation; ideal surface evenness is also very important. A hammer is required to join the panels.
The third type of fastening is adhesive. The most rarely used due to its fragility (over time, the glue dries out and cracks), however, it is convenient in rooms where a large load is planned on the floor surface. In addition, it is a rather labor-intensive process.
There are several ways to apply the coating.
The classic version, the most common due to the saving of material. Laying starts from the window along the direction of the light. In this case, the next row uses a section of the panel remaining from the previous row. Waste is minimal - about 5% of the total amount of material.
The staggered installation is very similar; the panels are laid offset in half a panel. In this case, material consumption increases by 15 percent.
It is worth noting that probably the most original styling is diagonal with an angle of 45 degrees. Quite labor-intensive in terms of employment, but it looks very nice. Here, the material consumption directly depends on the dimensions of the room; the narrower and longer it is, the greater the material consumption, which can reach 20-25%.
Regardless of how the material is laid, the place from which, as they say, we begin to “dance” is of paramount importance.
If you have an ordinary room without any special features, work begins in a place that will be constantly in sight, not covered by furniture or carpet.
If you already have interior doors installed, especially those that open inward, then it is better to start from there. This will help to correctly select the gap between the coverings at the junction between the rooms; in addition, the doors will not have to be removed from their hinges later.
If there are pipes, which is especially important in the kitchen, if possible, we choose installation from the place where they pass.
Making the right choice when starting the job will save you from many additional problems later when laying the flooring.
Step-by-step installation of laminate flooring with your own hands
The first thing that is done is laying the substrate. It is made from a variety of materials. The cheapest is polyethylene, the most expensive is cork, which at the same time has many tangible advantages. The material used is natural and therefore environmentally friendly. Cork has low thermal conductivity, is not subject to deformation, and is not afraid of moisture and temperature changes. In addition, there are also polystyrene foam, polypropylene and bitumen-cork substrates. We choose the appropriate option and begin installation. The sheets of underlay are laid out on the floor end to end, then secured together with tape to prevent movement when laying out the floor covering.
Depending on the characteristics of a particular room, we begin step-by-step laying the laminate with our own hands from doors, pipes, or from the most visible place.
If you need to join the laminate to an already installed door, and there is no gap under the frame, you need to cut the frame to the thickness of the laminate and backing + 1-2 mm. The covering should not be pinched by the door frame.
We lay the first row of solid panels at a distance of 1 cm from the wall. There is almost always a small unclosed gap. We measure this segment with a square, not reaching the wall 1 cm. Using a square, we measure the required piece from the panel strictly perpendicularly, and cut it off with a hacksaw or jigsaw. Laying it down.
Now you need to insert spacer wedges between the row of panels and the wall. This is necessary to avoid the floor from deforming as it expands depending on the ambient temperature. You need enough wedges to provide an even gap around the entire perimeter of the room. Also, if there are, for example, pipes or any protruding elements in the room, there should be a gap between them and the laminate. That is, if we drill a hole for a pipe, it should be slightly larger than the diameter of the latter, although you are 8-10 mm. This is necessary for one reason: laminate has the same property as wood - it expands and contracts depending on external environmental conditions.
It is better to use the principle of checkerboard laying, it is the most reliable and also durable. Or a classic one, which is not much different from the above. In addition, material consumption with this method is the most economical.
Therefore, the first piece in the second row will be the piece that we cut. Important! The remainder should be at least 30 cm. We assemble the second row to the end.
Now the two strips need to be connected, beating with a hammer if necessary, but it is better to place an unnecessary piece. Using this principle, we lay the material over the entire surface of the floor.
If you need to bypass the pipes, mark the location of the hole on the panel and drill. Then cut the panel down the center of the circle. You can safely bet.
The last row must be installed very carefully, using improvised means, or purchase a special clamp; in this case, it is better to place a gasket on the wall.
If the width of the panel does not allow you to install the last row with a gap, you will have to cut the panels lengthwise. Please keep in mind that in most of our apartments the walls are uneven, so it is necessary to carefully measure each panel when cutting. To prevent large gaps between the covering and the wall.
The last step is to remove excess vapor barrier, if any. Place a plinth, as well as a threshold between the rooms, and install linings around the pipes.
After laying the floor covering and installing additional elements, the floor can be used immediately. The exception is for adhesive-based coatings or when using a sealant. You'll have to wait until it dries.
And finally, let’s summarize all the conditions that must be met when laying flooring in order to obtain an ideal coating. This floor will please you for a long time.
Rules for laying laminate flooring with your own hands
- The base for the laminate must be perfectly smooth and clean, without irregularities, depressions, protrusions and debris on the surface. The base must be strong, without the possibility of deformation. Otherwise, the coating will not last long, and the panel locks will begin to diverge or break. Therefore, before laying, we strengthen and clean the floor with a vacuum cleaner.
- We observe the temperature regime - the room should be warm, at least 15 degrees C, with humidity within 50-70%.
- Before laying, the laminate should lie indoors for at least two days, especially if it was brought in from the cold. During this time, it will assume a state corresponding to the humidity in the room, and subsequently will not change in size.
- If laminate flooring is installed in a hallway or kitchen, we treat the seams with a special sealant during installation. Or we use panels with adhesive joints.
- During installation, it is necessary to make an expansion joint near the interior doors, even if this covering will be laid throughout the apartment. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the gap is not too wide, otherwise the threshold simply will not hide it. Before laying, calculate the height of the laid covering so that the doors can open freely.
- The laminate is laid on a special substrate, which acts as insulation; if necessary, add a layer of polyethylene as a vapor barrier.
- Maintain a gap between the coating and the walls of at least 1 cm.
According to the rules for laying laminate flooring with your own hands, it is prohibited:
- Laying laminate on a “warm” floor as a finishing coating; there is a special technology for this.
- Laminate is not laid in the bathroom; there are some types that can be used in the kitchen or hallway, but when installing, be sure to use a sealant.
- Laying the flooring does not involve the use of screws, nails or other fasteners. As a last resort, glue or sealant.
These are the basic rules that must be followed when laying any laminate, regardless of its type, cost or method of placement in relation to the walls.
It has become a sought-after service in the market. Naturally, not everyone is ready to contact construction teams carrying out installation work. How to do your own styling quickly and without problems - we give simple step-by-step instructions.
Types of laminate installation
There are a number of installation methods. The most common ones are:
- traditional;
- diagonal.
Recently, the herringbone method has appeared, but it is quite complicated and requires special skills and labor-intensive work. Therefore, they usually prefer to assemble laminate flooring using only the two methods mentioned above.
Diagonal laying of laminate allows you to visually make the room larger and more spacious. However, it will require purchasing more boards, since a lot of material will be wasted.
Also read materials:
When installing in the traditional way, the boards are laid parallel to the wall from the window. Laying the laminate in this way allows you to visually hide the joints. Under no circumstances should boards be laid across the window - then the light, falling at an angle to the joints, will highlight them. When laying diagonally, the slats are placed at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the wall. In this case, the angle of incidence of light from the window does not in any way affect the perception of the floor - the joints of the finishing elements are not noticeable in any lighting.
Types of installation of finishing boards
There are also only two of them:
- adhesive connection;
- lock connection.
Advantages of a locking connection– ease of assembly, speed of operation. In this case, laminate boards have special grooves and tenons that are inserted into each other, forming a kind of lock.
Advantages of adhesive joints in that it makes the floors more resistant to moisture, since the risk of water getting into the grooves and gaps that still form when laying the laminate is eliminated. Installation becomes more labor-intensive. But this is justified in a number of rooms - especially in the kitchen, where the likelihood of water spillage is high.
Review of laminate locks (video)
Material calculation
Laying the substrate
The underlay is laid on the prepared floor surface. It's not difficult to do it yourself. The main thing is that the size of the substrate must correspond to the size of the floor. Lay the material without overlap, end-to-end. If the substrate is sheet, then it is laid with an offset - just like bricks are laid in the walls. The joints between the edges of the substrate are secured with tape so that it does not move. After this, the actual laying of the laminate begins.
Underlay for laminate (video)
Types of connection
If an adhesive connection is selected, a sealant is applied to the locks before installation. If the laminate has “lock” locks, then each board is attached separately, and the joint is made with the adjacent board and the top row of boards. If the connection is “click”, then first the boards are attached at the ends, and then row to row.
Installation in the traditional way
- This method is the simplest and you can do it yourself without any problems. The instructions for laying laminate flooring state that work should begin from the wall and perpendicular to the window.
- The first row must be assembled close to the wall, taking into account the compensation gap of 15 mm. In order to keep the gap constant, wedges are used. In this case, the board is placed so that the grooves are located towards the wall.
- Next, we lay our laminate in the first row - the second board is attached to the end of the first placed board. Immediately use a level to level the slats so that they are perfectly straight. The boards should run in a straight line, strictly perpendicular to the window to the opposite wall.
- The last board rarely fits perfectly into the size of the wall and will have to be cut. Therefore, first, the distance to the wall from the already installed board is measured along the floor, taking into account the compensation gap. Then the board is marked and cut with a jigsaw.
- The second row is laid in the same way. Starting work can be done with an already cut piece of board to save material. The tenons are inserted into the grooves and snap into place.
- After laying the row, the boards are inserted tightly together - for this you take a wooden hammer and a wooden block. The block is applied to the board and hit with a hammer - then the locking joint will fit tightly and the gaps between the boards will not be visible.
- This is how a row is placed behind a row. The last row may not fit entirely and then you will have to cut the boards lengthwise.
Diagonal laying
- The first board is laid from the far corner of the room. To orient the lamellas and mark them correctly, you will need a carbon ruler with sides of 45 degrees. After cutting the board, wedges measuring 15 mm are placed on the walls and the lamella is placed in the corner. The first row consists of one board.
- The second row already consists of two boards. The main thing is that the end connection of the elements falls on the center of the first board. Having measured the length of the lamellas, cut the corners again at 45 degrees - they will fit against the wall. Connect the rows together. To make the floor look beautiful, it is important that there is a distance of 20-40 cm between the ends of the boards of adjacent rows.
- In this way we lay row by row, not forgetting to knock together the rows of laminate with a wooden hammer in order to make the gaps invisible and get rid of cracks.
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Laying laminate flooring is not particularly difficult - you can do it yourself, following the instructions, within one day.
Master class on laying laminate flooring (video)
Before installation, the laminate must be left in the middle of the room for 48 hours at a stable temperature (minimum 180) and a relative humidity of more than 70%. Please note: all laminate packages must be sealed. This procedure is necessary to ensure that the laminate adapts to the conditions of future installation.
When installing yourself, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules for installing laminate flooring, which are located in each package on the insert included with the floor.
To install laminate you will need:
- hammer
- granny (a block for beating laminate flooring)
- wood saw or jigsaw
- clamp for installing the last laminate panels
- spacer wedges to provide clearances near walls
- Ruler and pencil
- polyethylene film is necessary when laying laminate flooring on concrete floors as a vapor barrier.
- 2mm sound-absorbing underlay or substitutes, such as Parkolag, an excellent bitumen underlay on cork chips that significantly extends the life of the laminate.
Please note: laminate cannot be installed in bathrooms, showers and saunas, that is, in rooms with high humidity.
Since the laminate is laid in a floating manner, that is, the panels should not be attached to the base in any way, therefore rigid fastening of the panels to the base using nails, screws, glue, etc. is STRICTLY prohibited.
Please note: all laminate packs must be intact and the boards undamaged. Defective panels cannot be used in floor installations as they are not covered by the warranty and cannot be returned. If a defect is detected during the installation process, stop installation and return the unopened packs to the seller.
Laying laminate flooring is permissible on linoleum, parquet board or other base, provided that the requirements for evenness, strength and moisture content of the base for laying the laminate are met. It is not advisable to install laminate flooring over carpet due to the “static discharge” effect.
If installation is carried out on a concrete base, the relative humidity should not exceed 2.5%. All screed irregularities exceeding 3mm per 1 lm. must be eliminated. The base must be clean, dry, level and durable.
Start laying in such a way that the light from the window falls parallel to the seams of the laminate. In the case of a perpendicular incidence of light, the seams from the laminate will be visible more clearly.
If you want to make a laminate flooring with heating, please note that this heating must be water. This is due to the fact that sudden heating of the floor is extremely undesirable for laminated parquet and can affect the disruption of the locking joint and, as a result, lead to the formation of cracks.
If you are laying laminate flooring on a concrete base, then you will need a plastic film to provide a vapor barrier from the residual moisture of your screed. After this, a sound-absorbing substrate is laid out, on which the laminate is installed.
If installed on linoleum or wood flooring, no vapor barrier is required.
We consider it ideal to use a special functional sound-hydro-insulating underlay called Parkolag, which additionally provides the ventilation effect of your screed.
Laying the laminate begins with the formation of the first row of 2 boards, while special spacer wedges are installed to provide a gap between the laminate and the wall from 7 to 15 mm. These gaps are necessary so that the laminate, after installation, is not interfered with by the wall expanding and contracting. If your laminate flooring stands on end, then there is a very high probability that this particular rule has been violated. The laminate is laid with a lock on itself to facilitate snapping of the panels.
After forming the first row, we proceed to the 2nd row. Please note that professional installers always install laminate flooring in half a board, that is, the top view should resemble brickwork on a half-brick wall, although the instructions allow installation with the boards offset relative to each other by at least 20 cm. Laying in the “floor board” allows for even distribution pressure between panels as the laminate expands and contracts.
The 2nd row panel is brought to the other panel at an angle, inserted into the lock and latched, and it should make up half of the board. Please note that the laminate is not yet snapped into place at the ends, but is only being “tried on”.
Next, the formation of 2 rows continues without end (on the short side) snapping using the next board.
Next, all 4 panels are joined and tapped. They will serve as a starting point for subsequent installation. Please note that the spacer wedges must remain in place.
Next comes the installation of the remaining rows.
A clamp is used to install the last board adjacent to the wall. It allows you to easily connect to the previous panel.
Pay attention to how the final panels are installed. This diagram will greatly simplify the marking of laminated boards.
This diagram allows you to visualize how you can solve the problem of bypassing the pipes of the heating system.
After laying the laminate, you can begin installing the baseboard. Here is a diagram of how to attach the plinth with clips. Please note that when using ventilation underlays (Parcolag), the lower part of the plinth should not prevent the outflow of residual moisture from the screed.
Many who are faced with floor renovation for the first time are intimidated by laying laminate flooring with their own hands. This material is considered quite “young”, having recently gained wide popularity. Therefore, working with it seems to be a rather complex task that requires professional skills. But this is not true at all.
The fact is that all activities can be carried out absolutely independently and give any room a unique look. Of course, for someone who has never engaged in such manipulations, it will take much more time, but the result will exceed all expectations. For greater efficiency, you should use the step-by-step instructions presented below.
There are some rules for laying laminate flooring, the implementation of which allows you to obtain a durable coating. They are equally suitable for laying it on the floor, as well as on walls or ceilings.
- The material can only be laid on a flat base. This applies to any surfaces. Any defects that have not been eliminated in advance will lead to the appearance of cracks, destruction of seams, and “playing” areas.
- To be more convincing, measure the surface using a level or a long iron ruler. It is believed that the permissible error is 1-1.5 mm per 2 m.
Attention! Many masters indicate that differences can be in the ratio of 2 mm per 1 m. But this is a rather controversial statement. Perhaps, in small rooms, such a difference will not create problems, but in large areas it will be very noticeable. For example, for a floor length of five meters there will be a slope of one centimeter.
- The panels are prepared in advance. It's not difficult, you can do everything yourself. This nuance is indicated in any instructions located on the packaging. So, the product is unpacked, completely removing the cellophane or cardboard. Then they are transferred to the room where installation will take place, leaving it for two to three days.
- All work is carried out only under optimal environmental conditions in the premises. Thus, the temperature range is from fifteen to thirty degrees above zero, and the humidity is forty to sixty percent.
- It is impossible to do without a substrate. It comes in different types. Most often they are used from polyethylene and expanded polystyrene.
- If a “dry” screed was used, then the vapor barrier is laid first.
- The technology of laying laminate flooring in combination with a heated floor requires completely different conditions and materials.
Attention! There is a technology where a polyethylene backing will replace a vapor barrier on a concrete base. Yes it is possible. But the material must be selected - exceptionally high quality.
Preparing the base
All work carried out independently begins with preparing the foundation. This is done to ensure that installation of the laminate is quick and simple. In each specific case, the method that will be most effective is used.
Laying laminate flooring on an uneven floor made of concrete is unacceptable. The technology for preparing a concrete base is as follows:
Need to know:
Do-it-yourself laminate flooring on a wooden base can be different. More precisely, the preparation will be different. The fact is that a lot depends on the condition in which the old coating arrives. It happens that it does not need to be changed at all. Then do this:
- Conduct a visual inspection. All damaged and defective areas are marked. The presence of fungus or mold is unacceptable. If they were discovered, then almost everything will have to be changed, because without removing the mycelium, the problem will return with renewed vigor.
- Problem boards are replaced, the rest are additionally screwed with self-tapping screws.
- The mounds are cut with a plane, it is convenient to use electrical equipment.
- Sheets of plywood are laid on top. They do this so that the seams of the rows do not match. Don't forget to leave gaps between them and step back from the walls.
- When everything is laid, they begin processing the joints. Elastic putty is suitable for this.
If the wooden floor is significantly damaged, then a complete replacement is made, starting with the joists.
Need to know:
- Laying a vapor barrier is not required in a particular case, but a substrate is required.
- When laying sheets of various materials, you need to remember that the previously installed doors were calculated based on the height of the old covering.
Working with laminate
The technology for laying laminate depends on the fastening system that is used. You can do any installation yourself.
Advice! You always need to leave a gap between the wall and the material. It should be at least 1 - 2 cm.
How to lay laminate flooring using the adhesive method
This is perhaps the most complex method of all. Although there is now less and less material that requires such installation, we will still consider this method. In this case, no substrate is required.
- Prepare special glue for installation. It may emit an unpleasant odor, so work in a ventilated area.
- Glue is spread on the required area. Next, you should coat the groove joint well with sealant.
- Lay the first row, followed by the second. To connect them more reliably, you can tap a little on the second row. This is done using a wooden hammer die. In places where there will be a joint, apply a little more glue.
This method is inconvenient because it takes quite a lot of time. It will also be impossible to simply remove one damaged area; the entire structure will have to be dismantled. Moreover, it will be impossible to restore it.
This system is becoming increasingly popular. Installing laminate flooring using it is simple and does not require the use of complex tools or adhesives.
- Lay the first row directly on the substrate. The end locks engage immediately.
- The second row starts from the first bar. It is brought at an angle of 30-45 degrees, inserted into the groove and immediately bent towards the floor. A characteristic click is heard. Lightly hit with the palm, now everything has fallen into place.
- The second part is laid out a little differently. First, it is inserted into the end of the first one and lowered.
- Raise the first and second panels at an angle of thirty degrees and insert them into the groove. A light blow of the palm and everything is in its place. Further, the technology is repeated.
- End joints in adjacent rows should not coincide. They are made at a distance of 35-50 cm.
VIDEO:
In this case, the laminate laying technology is a little more complicated. Requires the use of a hammer and a wooden (plastic) die or block.
- The first row is laid by tapping each plank along the end. To do this, a wooden block is pressed against the end groove (on the side opposite to the attachment point) and hit with a hammer.
- The installation of the second row begins. This is done like this: fix the first part, put the second one next to it. It is inserted into the connector of the first row, and then with a blow to the end it is driven into the lock of the first part. So, install all the other elements.
- And again, do not forget about the distance between the joints.
VIDEO: step-by-step instructions for laying laminate flooring with your own hands
Various laying schemes
Any installation of laminate begins with drawing up a detailed or not so detailed project. It is immediately determined how this coating will lie. There are different ones in the room, based on the direction of the light source:
- perpendicular;
- parallel;
- at an angle.
Most often, the first option prevails.
Based on the design solution, we can distinguish the following laminate laying schemes:
- Symmetrical. The panel is shifted by half the length of the adjacent row. This option is characterized by high material consumption.
- Deck. The part of the panel that is cut off at the completion of one row becomes the first in the next. This method has low material consumption, but it is less reliable due to the small distance between the dies.
- Ladder. The panels are laid like a ladder. A very unusual and stylish installation option, but quite uneconomical and unreliable.
Laying laminate flooring according to the “ladder” type Before starting work, you need to remember the rule - laying laminate flooring on an uneven floor is unacceptable. And then, if you strictly follow all the conditions and follow the step-by-step instructions, you can be sure that everything will work out.
Laminate has gained leadership in the flooring market due to its excellent performance and ease of installation. Despite the low cost of assembling the coating, many try to do it themselves. Indeed, laying laminate flooring with your own hands is very simple and does not require special skills or special tools. In this material we offer you detailed step-by-step instructions.
Step #1: Preparation
Laminate is demanding on the quality of the floor surface. It should be smooth, without any depressions or protrusions, and prepared accordingly. The check is carried out using a level 1.5 m long. It is applied to the floor in several places in the room and the gap is checked. The permissible gap between the level and the floor is no more than 2 - 3 mm. If the specified values are exceeded, it is necessary to carry out a series of leveling works. Depending on the material of the subfloors, they proceed differently.
The screed is prepared as follows:
- The protrusions are ground off.
- The depressions are filled with cement mortar.
- In case of significant deviations, self-leveling mixtures are used.
- The finished floor must be cleaned of dust and preferably treated with a primer.
In the case of a wooden floor, it is important that it is not only smooth, but also durable. If any problems are identified, then there is only one solution - reupholstering with plywood. Lay sheets of plywood 10-12 mm thick in a checkerboard pattern and secure with self-tapping screws in 15 cm increments. In most cases, this is more than enough to eliminate any defects.
Required tool:
- Installation kit consisting of wedges and clamps.
- Saw or jigsaw.
- Hammer.
- Ruler.
- Roulette.
- Pencil.
Before installation, the laminate must be left in the room for 48 hours (it is acceptable not to remove the packaging). This is necessary so that the panels warm up to the room temperature, which will prevent them from swelling in the future.
Step No. 2. Laying the laminate underlay
A special underlay is placed under the laminate. It absorbs impacts when walking and allows you to compensate for minor unevenness in the floor, which has a positive effect on both the service life and the comfort of use of the floor covering. It is allowed not to lay the underlay in case of flooring on linoleum or carpet.
Substrates are made from various materials. The most widely used are polyethylene foam, polystyrene foam, and cork. The choice depends on the operating conditions.
Foamed polyethylene is used in cases of low operating loads. If the traffic in the room is large, then you should give preference to polystyrene foam. If it is necessary to create additional sound insulation, it is advisable to use cork.
The underlay can be installed in the entire room at once or in parts. The strips are laid end to end and secured with tape.
Fig.1.
For concrete floors, another technological layer is provided - waterproofing. Its function is perfectly performed by polyethylene film. Traditionally, a film with a thickness of 0.2 mm is used. Strips of polyethylene are laid with an overlap of 15–20 cm, the joints are taped.
Step #3. Procedure for laying laminate flooring
Laying is done with the lock towards you. This order greatly simplifies the work.
Start by assembling the first strip. To do this, connect the panels along the narrow end. It is necessary to engage the locks at an angle of 15 - 20 degrees and click into place.
It is not always easy to fit a whole number of panels into a row. In this case, the latter is cut to the required length. If the size of the remaining part is at least 1/2 the length of the whole, then you can start the next row with it.
Fig.2.
Spacer wedges are installed between the panels and the wall. They are necessary to create a gap of 8 - 10 mm, which compensates for temperature deformations of the floor covering. They are removed upon completion of work.
Fig.3.
The panels are installed with an offset of 1/2 the length. Therefore, the assembly of the second strip begins with half the panel.
The assembled second strip is brought to the first, the locks are engaged at an angle of 15-20 degrees and snapped into place.
Fig.4.
It is important to note that the third stripe must begin with the entire panel, i.e. all odd stripes start from a whole panel, and even stripes from half.
Fig.5.
By analogy with the assembly of the first two strips, the entire laminate flooring in the room is laid.
STEP #4. Laying laminate flooring in a doorway
When installed correctly, there should be no gap in the doorway between the floor covering and the door frame. To do this, it is filed in such a way as to place a panel under it.
This technological operation is performed in the following sequence: the panel is turned over and placed with its back side up next to the door frame, then, resting a hacksaw on it, an incision is made and the excess element is removed.
Fig.6.
A panel is inserted into the cut and connected to the previous row. For this purpose you will need a block. It is installed on the end of the panel and several blows are applied with a hammer, so the locks engage.
STEP #5. Laying laminate flooring near heating pipes
Around heating pipes, the laminate should be laid with a gap of 8 - 10 mm. The position of the pipes is marked on the panel and a hole is made taking into account the required gap. After this, two cuts are made at an angle (see photo below).
Fig.7.
Step #6. The junction of laminate with another floor covering
The junction of the laminate with the floor covering of the adjacent room is formed using a threshold. They come in two versions: single-level and multi-level. The first type is used if the flooring in adjacent rooms has one level. The second type is if it is different. With a small difference of up to 5 mm, it is permissible to use universal thresholds.
Thresholds can be aluminum or MDF. Aluminum ones are cheaper and can be purchased at any hardware store. MDF is more expensive and can, as a rule, only be purchased at the place where the flooring is purchased. MDF has the advantage of an exact color match, as well as hidden fasteners.
Fig.8.
The threshold is attached to the floor. When making a joint, it is important that the gap between the floor coverings is approximately 10 mm (to compensate for temperature expansion).
Step #7. Installation of skirting boards
Any type of skirting boards can be used. Of all the variety, plastic and MDF can be distinguished.
Plastic is installed after assembling the floor covering. It is attached to the wall using dowel nails.
Fig.9.
The MDF plinth is mounted to the wall using clips. They, in turn, are fastened with self-tapping screws.
Fig. 10.
Tips for work
Tip #1. Having chosen the laying direction, you must accurately measure the width of the room and make sure that the last strip in width will be more than 5 cm. If it turns out less, then the first one must be shortened.
