Lay the laminate under the pipe, watch. Step by step instructions on how to lay laminate flooring correctly. Concrete floor preparation

The cost of laying laminate flooring is 30-60% of the cost of the floor covering itself. You can save this money by installing laminate flooring yourself. The article will discuss the procedure for carrying out work, as well as common problems and their solutions.

Preparing the floor for laminate

Preparing the floor for laminate one of the most important stages styling The service life of the floor covering directly depends on quality preparation. Unevenness prevents installation flooring smoothly and have a strong influence on the castle connection, which is its weak point. When walking on laminate flooring, the panels bend and the interlocking joint gradually diverges, causing the flooring to become unusable.

The basic requirements for the floor surface are as follows: the floor must be dry and level, and local unevenness must not exceed 2 mm per 2 meters in length.

You can check whether preparation is necessary before laying laminate flooring as follows. Place a long level or drywall profile on the floor; if it is in contact with the floor along its entire length, the floor meets the requirements; if there is a gap of more than 2-3 mm, then appropriate preparation must be carried out before laying the laminate. A similar check must be carried out in several places in the room.

Concrete floor preparation

A concrete floor may have the following defects: residual moisture, dust, bumps and depressions. All these defects are unacceptable and preparatory work must be carried out.

Laminate does not tolerate well high humidity. If a concrete floor has been poured recently, it has a high percentage of residual moisture. In this case, the preparation measures will include thorough drying of the room.

An unstable floor surface that generates dust does not affect installation, but does affect operation. Dust from the concrete floor when walking on the laminate penetrates the interior of the room, settles on the furniture, and causes a lot of trouble, even after several years after the repair. In this case, the preparation of the floor before laying consists in treating it with a deep penetration primer, in order to bind the particles on the surface and prevent them from forming dust.

Another common defect in concrete floors are bumps. They are unacceptable, as they will bend the laminate panels and, as a result, cause excess load on the lock. Preparation in this case consists of removing all bumps exceeding the permissible size. This is done using a chisel or grinder with a diamond blade.

A less common defect is dimples. Small depressions will not affect the operation of the floor covering, large ones will lead to the panels playing when walking, which is extremely undesirable. Therefore, it is advisable to putty the depressions cement-sand mortar. You can use ready-made dry mixtures to repair concrete floors.

Wood floor preparation

Wood floors also require preparation before laminate flooring is installed. They often have two drawbacks: loose boards and loose joists. This leads to creaking and play of the floors. This type of wooden floor is not suitable for laying laminate flooring.

Fig.1.

You can prepare a wooden floor using plywood. In most cases, as preparation it will be enough to lay a layer of plywood 10 mm thick on top of the boards and secure it well with self-tapping screws. Plywood will strengthen the floor and make it level.

Laminate laying direction

The direction in which laminate flooring is laid affects the appearance of the room and flooring. Traditionally, it is laid either along the walls or diagonally. Depending on the direction of installation, you can visually expand or narrow the room.

The laying direction must match the orientation sunlight from the window. Otherwise, all the joints of the laminate panels will be clearly visible, and visually the floor covering will not be monolithic, but consisting of separate strips.

Fig.2.

If it is necessary to visually expand the room due to the direction of laying, then you need to lay the laminate diagonally, but at the same time, the orientation of the incidence of sunlight from the window should coincide with the laying line.

So if we have an elongated room with a window along a wide wall, then the laminate should be laid perpendicular to the window. If the window is located on a narrow wall, then installation should be done diagonally, in the direction of incidence of sunlight. If you want to achieve the effect of a wooden floor with the help of flooring and plan to lay laminate with a chamfer, you can safely lay it parallel to the window. Thus, the incident light from the window will only improve the appearance of the floor.

Laminate laying technology

The laminate laying technology stipulates a number of rules that must be followed. By following the installation technology, assembling the flooring will not create any difficulties, and the laminate itself will serve for many years.

You cannot lay laminate flooring immediately after purchase. According to the technology for assembling the floor, you should wait 1–2 days for the temperature of the laminate to become equal to the temperature of the room. This feature of the technology is due to the fact that the panels have different sizes depending on the temperature. If the temperature of the panels and the room is different, then after the flooring, cracks or swelling may form at the junction of the panels.

A special feature of the laminate flooring technology is the installation of a vapor barrier for the floor. Vapor barrier is performed using polyethylene film up to 0.2 mm thick. This step is required for concrete floors and desirable for wood floors. This technological operation will not require much effort, but will protect the laminate from excess moisture in the base and dust residues.

It is advisable to use a thick film, however, the technology allows the use of thin films, and as practice shows, they also cope well with their functions. The film should be laid with an overlap of approximately 20 cm. All joints of the film should be taped with tape to seal and fix the film strips to each other.

Second technological stage– laying the underlayment under the laminate. The backing is laid close to the wall. All joints are taped to secure the sheets together.

The technology of laying the substrate may be different. The substrate can be laid either all at once or in parts. It is advisable to lay in parts when you have to cut laminate panels in the room where the flooring is being done. In this case, it is difficult to prevent damage or contamination of the substrate. It is also convenient to lay the roll underlay in parts as the floor is being assembled. In all other cases, it is advisable to lay the entire substrate at once.

Fig.3.

The laying technology provides for a certain order and orientation of the boards during floor assembly. Laying the laminate starts from the wall with the assembly of the first strip. In this case, the panels are laid with the lock towards themselves. The panels are connected along the narrow end to form the first strip.

The method of connecting the panels also has a new technology, which ensures reliable adhesion of the panels to each other. To connect the panels, the lock is engaged at an angle of 20 - 30 degrees and snapped into place. It is important to control the protrusion of one panel over another. It's easy to do. It is necessary to run your finger along the wide end in the place of the castle. If there is a step, then the connection is bad. If the step is not groped, the connection is assembled according to the technology.

The relative position of the laminate rows is also determined by the laying technology. The assembly of the flooring is carried out in the floor of the panel. This feature of the technology ensures reliable connection of the panels to each other and high strength of the floor covering.

When assembling the floor, one effective technological technique is used, which significantly reduces the consumption of laminate. If not a whole number of panels fit in one strip, then the last board is sawn off and the next row begins with it.

One of the most important technological features Laying laminate flooring is a gap of 5-10 mm between the wall and flooring. It is needed to compensate for the thermal expansion of the laminate. The gap is formed using spacer wedges.

Fig.4.

Methods for laying laminate

There are two main ways to install laminate flooring: traditional and full strip installation. The first requires the use of a special tool, but installation can be done alone. The second one does not require special tools, but it is very difficult to assemble the flooring alone.

The first way - one panel at a time

The peculiarity of this method is that the flooring is assembled one board at a time. Along the wide end, the lock is engaged at an angle of 20 - 30 degrees and snaps into place. At the narrow end, the lock is closed at a right angle using a clamp and a hammer. This is the traditional way, it is recommended by all laminate manufacturers.

The assembly order of the row is as follows:

• The first panel is connected along the wide end to the previous row, and a wedge is installed between the narrow end and the wall.
• The second panel is installed next to the first and connected to the previous row in a similar way. At this stage, the panels are not connected at the narrow end.
• A clamp or a special block is installed on the narrow end of the second panel. By hitting a clamp with a hammer, the first and second panels are connected along the narrow end.
• All other laminate panels are connected in a similar way.

Fig.5.

The last panel in a row can only be installed using a clamp.

Fig.6.

The second method is laying in whole strips

The essence of this method is that the laminate strips are first assembled in the same way as the first row is assembled. After that, the assembled strip is brought to the previous strip, the lock is engaged at an angle of 20 - 30 degrees and latched.

Fig.7.

It is important to ensure that the locks fit well and that there are no cracks between the panels. If a crack is detected, a piece of laminate is inserted into the panel lock and the required panel is corrected with a hammer blow.

Laying laminate flooring in a doorway

It is very difficult to install laminate flooring tightly in a doorway. And often it looks like the photo below. This is wrong and not aesthetically pleasing.

Fig.8.

Secret quality styling laminate lies in the fact that the laminate is not laid close to the doorway, but under it. This can be done in two ways, either install the door after laying the laminate, or file the door frame.

Fig.9.

To cut a door frame you will need a saw with small tooth and a strip of laminate.

You can proceed further in two ways. You can lay a laminate board and, leaning on it, file the doorway. Another option is to use a laminate board to mark the door frame, then remove the board and make a cut.

The junction of the laminate with another incomplete covering in the doorway is closed using a threshold. Thresholds can be metal or laminated fiberboard.

Fig. 10.

There are single-level and multi-level thresholds. For the right choice it is necessary to measure the difference between the coatings. If the difference is insignificant, then you can use a single-level threshold; if it is more than 0.5-1 cm, then you need to use a multi-level one.

Laying laminate around heating pipes

To bypass the heating pipes, mark the location of the pipes on the outermost strip. Use a drill to make holes. The diameter of the drill should be 5 mm larger than the diameter of the pipes.

Fig. 11.

Along the line passing through the centers of the holes, the panel is cut into two parts. Both parts are laid separately and adjusted to each other.

The gap between the pipe and the laminate can be filled with a special elastic mastic. Such mastics are sold together with the laminate.

Functional purpose of decorative products

Installation Features

A variety of linings for heating pipes and radiators

Appearance of pipes laid in the room and installed radiators heating should be in harmony with the overall interior.

bypassing the pipe with laminate

To do this, it is necessary to use decorative products such as panels, screens, and overlays. How to choose these elements correctly and what should you pay attention to first of all?

Functional purpose of decorative products

When laying flooring, for example, laminate or parquet, it becomes necessary to make the place where the pipes and the floor come into contact inconspicuous. Even if you make a hole, in the end the problem will not be solved. The joint will still be noticeable, since when performing correct installation you need to leave a gap of about 10 millimeters, which will help avoid problems when the flooring material narrows or expands.

Products such as decorative linings for pipes will help eliminate the problem of camouflage. They were specially created for such purposes. These elements are a ring that is made from different materials.

Pipe covers will not only carefully cover the gap, but will also not disturb the interior of the room.

Installation Features

Installation of such products is quite simple, since they have a simple design. Since the cover is a collapsible decorative ring for pipes, it is put on the girth and closes the gap, after which the element is slammed shut.

The pad should be firmly pressed to the floor covering. Thanks to their shape, the products are fixed securely. The decorative overlay is installed on the pipes within one minute. This product is convenient to use. If necessary, the ring can be removed without any problems.

To reuse heating pipe covers, you only need to wash them and then reinstall them. Experts recommend gluing the area where the floor covering connects to the ring.

A variety of linings for heating pipes and radiators

There is a huge selection on offer decorative elements for pipes and radiators.

Heating pipe rings vary:

1. Dimensions. Standard elements come in ½ and ¾ sizes.
2. Material of manufacture. Most often, this is solid wood, and they use different tree species. They are also made from MDF. The second version of the products has affordable price unlike the expensive first one.
3. Scope of application. A decorative overlay is produced for the heating pipe, imitating parquet, laminate, fake diamond etc.
4. Decorative design. Rings differ in color, shades, texture.

Along with rings, other options for masking joints are used:

• jute or hemp rope, which has good thermal insulation and reduces heat loss.
• use heat-resistant fabric;
• carry out painting.

Laying laminate Instructions 3

How to avoid terrain obstacles.

Laminate bypass of heating pipes

There is often a beautiful way to bypass heating pipes on the Internet. The experience of our laminate laying specialists will allow you to choose the most elegant way to get around obstacles of any complexity (corners, pipes).

One of them is when the pipes are, as it were, taken into blocks:

• The laminate is laid until the next row is not blocked by a pipe.
• Using a tape measure, corner and others convenient tools The location of the pipes is measured - the distance from the center of the pipes to the laid laminate sheet and from the center to the wall
• The diameter of the pipes is determined
• The obtained values ​​are marked on the planned laminate board - circles of pipes are drawn taking into account the required gap from the wall and the pipes themselves (the diameter is 1 cm larger)
• The cut is made in a straight line across the laminate board
• The short part is started behind the pipes (from the wall), after which the long part of the laminate board is laid

Even more beautiful solution is an option when, instead of a cross cut of the connection of the short and long parts, an end lock is used. Those. all markings and drank holes for the pipe are made at the junction of laminate boards (as in the photo above)

In practice, this option is extremely rare. Usually the pipes are very close to the walls.

It is easier to make an oval drank under the pipe, taking into account the necessary clearance, and if you really want to, make the reverse part from the remaining piece. But this is not necessary - the presence of a gap and the installation of a skirting board on the wall leads to the need for decorative intervention (colored sealant or special linings).

It is better to mark up first on cardboard, check it several times, and then transfer it to a laminate board and saw it off. Because the radius of the oval will be small, the jigsaw must be driven very slowly and significant efforts must be made to twist. Usually the canvas begins to “burn” - smoke may appear, and the canvas is covered with soot. But it was never possible to bring it to the flame)). For greater convenience, you first need to cut out one side of the oval, then the other.

A gap between the pipe and the laminate (or between the pipe and the parquet board) is required. To prevent dust from accumulating in it, it is necessary to use decorating agents

Laminate around corners

If the angle is encountered in the direction of travel, i.e. the ledge is on the right in the direction of movement, then there is no great difficulty. Get to the corner, measure the geometry of the protrusion on the whole board: length to the protrusion, depth of the protrusion, add a gap, double-check it several times and saw off.

It is more difficult when the angle is on the left in the direction of travel and affects the geometry of several boards (i.e. a long partition). In this case, you can miscalculate the depth of the cut boards, because no azimuth. In this case, it is necessary to make a false row.

To the laid row we add either a whole board or the longest piece of board possible (if a whole board cannot be used due to limited width). We attach several boards to it - a false row to the extreme left position. We align all the edges and secure all the locks. We take measurements of the resulting niches and transfer them to the blanks, check them several times (dimensions, location of locks) and saw them off. Then we disassemble the false row and install the sawn blanks.

This work is complicated by the fact that the locks will have to be connected not from left to right, but vice versa.

Walking around door frames and furniture

There are two ways to pair floor coverings with door frames: adjustment of coating geometry or filed the box. Both methods have pros and cons. The filing of the box is a beautiful option - there are no gaps. But the door frame is a more static element than the floor covering. For example, first a parquet board was laid (height 12-15 mm), it was scratched, wet, and cracked. It was decided to replace it with laminate (height 8 mm) of the same color. And the box has already been sawed - there will be an 8 mm gap. Or you need to quickly disassemble the floor during flooding - with the option of boards placed under a box, this is not always easy to do.

The second disadvantage is the complexity and cost of the box. Prices interior doors can vary from 1,500 to 100,000 rubles (or more). Sawing down the door frame of an expensive door is an extremely unpleasant task. In this position (hacksaw blade bending, pressed to the floor), the cut may become distorted or the veneer may chip.

Adjusting the geometry of the floor covering to the shape of the box does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages, but requires decorative masking of the deformation gap. This is usually done with colored sealants.

If selected first way, you need to take a hacksaw with a fine tooth, mark the height of the cut using a small piece of coating (+ substrate, board and 1-3 mm of reserve) and very carefully make the cut. If it is possible to remove the platbands - it is better to do this, it will be more convenient. If not, the job becomes more difficult. Don't forget what's behind them concrete wall, which can damage the hacksaw. A margin of 1-3 mm is necessary so that the box does not press the laminate.

Next, the board is measured and cut. The geometry of the cut should be such that after laying all the edges are hidden under the box by 5-10 mm, but do not rest against an obstacle. For convenience, the minimum acceptable length of the board is desirable - equal to the width of the board.

Once the laminate board of the required geometry is made, it is snapped along the long side (into the longitudinal lock), and then gently tapped through a tamping block (or through a piece of board with a reverse lock) and moved under the door frame. In this operation, the slowness and frictional force of the longitudinal locks are important (the longer the board, the more difficult it is to move it along the longitudinal lock).

If selected second way, you need to use cardboard. The geometry of the box is applied to it, the necessary cut is made, checked and only then transferred to the workpiece. It is better to mark the threshold line using a flat tool placed between the jambs door frame.

A gap between the door frame and the laminate (or between the frame and the parquet board) is required. To prevent dust from accumulating in it, it is necessary to use decorative agents.

Laying laminate flooring in a doorway in a complex version

Most difficult option bypassing the door frame when the direction of laying the laminate or parquet board parallel to the doorway, and the laminate must be placed under the door frame.

• The joint of the boards should be done close to the middle of the opening. If the penultimate row does not allow this, then maintain a run-up, but meet in the doorway
• No matter how long the row is and no matter where it is doorway(edges of the wall or the middle), it will need to be laid from doorway.
• Saw off a small board (10-15 cm wide) so that it can be inserted into the lock of the penultimate laid row and there will be 1 cm between it and the wall.
• Remove the wedges from all sides of the laid laminate or parquet board
• Insert the board into the penultimate row and from one edge and move the entire sheet with a nail puller by 5-7 mm, then do this from the other edge.
• File the door frame on both sides (it is advisable to do this before laying the last 2-3 rows)

• Measure and cut the board (with any part of the lock in the middle - the left or right side of the structure). The geometry of the cut laminate or parquet board should be such that the cracks are covered by the frame and trim, but the board does not rest against the wall or frame anywhere.
• Insert the workpiece into the lock and carefully tap it to the extreme position, i.e. 5-7 mm from the normal position. If the geometry needs to be changed, do it.
• Measure and cut the next piece. Its geometry should be such that it fits into the short lock of the laid workpiece and fits into the remaining opening between the door frame. All cracks, in the end, should also be covered with the door frame and trim.
• Insert the workpiece into place. The following situation should result - the entire panel is shifted from the doorway by 5-7 mm, one board is placed under the door frame until it touches the wall, the other is laid in all the locks, but not under the door frame

• Next, you need to move two blanks along the canvas. This is done either by tamping or with a nail puller (if there is a stop).
• After this, using a nail puller, the entire canvas is shifted towards the doorway by 5-7 mm. It goes under the box.

  How to bypass the pipe when laying laminate?

  Do not forget about the distance for installing the threshold.

• Add the rest of the last row.

Note

Laying laminate or parquet boards in a doorway as described above is not an easy process. Without experience, you can ruin more than one workpiece, but there is no need to despair - the one who walks will master the road.

Note

Even if the entire apartment is planned to be covered with one floor covering, thresholds are necessary. Our craftsmen periodically travel to sites where it is necessary to break up a single covering of several rooms, because... it rose like a wave.

If the room has built-in furniture that cannot be moved, it can be left in place and a covering can be laid around. In this case, all geometric adjustments must be made using cardboard templates.

Note

There are very difficult ones geometric figures, for example, bypassing a door frame when diagonal laying boards Without a template it will be difficult even for experienced craftsmen.

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Instructions for laying laminate flooring

Step 1. Preparing to lay the laminate

Step 2. Row-by-row laying of laminate

Features of laying parquet boards

Laying laminate flooring with your own hands - brief instructions

Laying parquet boards diagonally