What to put under laminate on a wooden floor. How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands. Leveling a wooden floor

My article will help you lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, which describes all the features and methods in detail.

Laminate– modern flooring. Distinguished by its practicality and aesthetics, it has become especially popular in recent years. Nowadays, not only craftsmen, but also amateurs who do their own repairs have the skills to lay laminated panels.

Laminate can be laid on any surface. However, many people have a question about how to properly lay it on a wooden floor, what technology should be followed. On this matter, you can find practical advice, photos and videos on the Internet. At them, craftsmen share their experience of working with fashionable coatings and the secrets of using it for construction purposes.

To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should make sure of the quality of the latter. To do this, the boards are examined for safety. The most common defects are:

deflection of boards under weight;
gaps between individual parts;
deformation of floorboards, their curvature;
damage from dampness, fungus or pests.

It is especially important to eliminate any differences in base height, bulges and depressions. You cannot put laminate on. In the video, the masters show how to eliminate this defect using a grinding machine or plane.

A professional tool can be

Video on how to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Floorboards can creak for two reasons:

poor fixation of boards on rough flooring or joists;
friction of individual elements among themselves.

In the first case, the products are attached to the crossbars with screws or nails. In the second, for minor cracks, add graphite and talc and seal the resulting gaps with putty.

To find out the condition of a wooden floor, it is recommended to remove a layer of paint and expose the structure of the wood. Rotten and decayed floorboards are checked with an awl or tapped with a hammer. If such parts are found, they are carefully removed and replaced with boards of the same thickness and width, driving them into the resulting gap.

If the floorboards are in good condition, but gaps have formed between them, the wooden floor is knocked together. The distance that arises between the flooring and the wall is filled with a piece of board. Instead of hammering, thin bars are inserted into the cracks and driven in with a mallet. Then they must go over the floor with a sanding machine so that the uneven floor turns into a smooth surface.

For preventative purposes, it is recommended to soak floorboards that have been cleared of paint with an antiseptic against fungus and mold and some kind of bioprotective composition against wood insects.

Leveling a wooden floor

The most important problem for laying laminate flooring is. Height differences between boards should not exceed 2 mm per 1 square meter. For minor results, use a grinder or plane. They are passed over the entire surface, periodically checking the condition of the floor using a level or a wooden plank and a spirit level.

If the wooden floor is too uneven, use plywood, OSB or chipboard. This method is ideal for creating a basic base for laminate flooring. Recently, OSB has been actively displacing plywood from the field of construction work. These materials are similar in quality, but OSB products are preferable because

easy to process;
have good strength;
do not delaminate under mechanical influence;
moisture-resistant, do not warp from water and fumes;
have elasticity;
are cheaper than plywood;
have advantageous dimensions.

Today, OSB boards are one of the best materials for laminate flooring. The canvases are fully compatible with other wooden parts and rough flooring.

OSB is used as a substrate for laminate flooring. The choice of dimensions of this material depends on the thickness of the main coating. For a 7 mm laminate, 2 mm slabs are laid, 8-9 mm - 3 mm OSB. If you put a base under a laminate made of thicker sheets, they may sag during further use. This will negatively affect the locking joints: they will become deformed and break.

OSB boards are screwed with self-tapping screws or nailed with nails of suitable length to joists or rough boards. The distance between them is determined by the size of the canvas. Usually the step from one fastener to another is 20-25 cm. This procedure can be observed on a special video.

Do not place the slabs under the laminate, pressing them tightly against each other. It is important to leave a technical gap of 5 mm. Subsequently, it is covered with epoxy putty or filled with foam.

When watching a video on preparing the base for laminate flooring, you should pay attention to the waterproofing device. It must be laid under OSB boards in order to further avoid the accumulation of condensation, the formation of high humidity and damage to wooden products.

So, with the help of plywood or OSB boards, you can turn even a very uneven wooden floor into an ideal surface for laminate, the main thing is to lay everything correctly.

Laminate features

Laminated boards (lamellas) are multilayer products. They are based on a fiberboard or chipboard panel. It is this that provides the entire floor with strength and reliability in operation.

The aesthetics of the coating is given by a decorative layer consisting of paper impregnated with special resins made from artificial components. At the bottom of the laminate panel there is a protective waterproof layer – melamine. It provides rigidity to products and saves them from deformation.

Laminated boards have different thicknesses, from 6 to 14 mm. When choosing laminate flooring for rooms with different functionality, you should be guided by the fact that thick panels are more resistant to abrasion and durable in use. They are placed in living rooms, hallways and rooms with high traffic. Such panels have excellent sound-absorbing properties. Thick boards are easier to lay than thin ones. Therefore, it is better for beginners to train on such products.

Laminated boards are connected to each other using special locks. They come in two types - Click and Lock. Click lock is more practical. It is difficult to break or damage. When the tenon enters the groove, the latter does not expand. The laminate with such a lock is combined at an angle of 45 degrees, slightly rocked and gently, with little force, pressed the panel to the floor.

In a Lock-lock, when the tenon of one product enters the groove of another, it expands. If you carry out the procedure carelessly, you can damage the thin connection and ruin the laminate panel.

In order to correctly align and lay the laminate boards together and not leave gaps, the products are tapped along the entire length with a mallet. It is important not to damage the lock. Therefore, they use a wooden strip and a piece of unusable panel.

The laminate will be more pliable and will bond better if it is brought into the room where it will be laid in advance, about a day before installation.

How to lay laminate flooring

The laminate finish is classified as a floating structure. It is capable of contracting and expanding. Therefore, before laying, it is important to provide a gap of 7-10 mm between the wall and the floor. To make it the same, use planks of equal thickness. They are installed along the walls and lightly secured. Upon completion of work, carefully remove.

Substrate

Next, you should place an underlay on the wooden floor. It is sold in rolls and sheets, made from synthetic or natural components, serves as an excellent waterproofing for laminate flooring and can correct uneven floors with minor defects. When choosing a substrate, they are guided by the price and quality of the product. Natural cork fabrics are most preferred. However, they are expensive.

The substrate is laid along the wall, first in one row. You should not cover the entire wooden floor at once: this will make it more difficult to work with the boards. The pieces of the backing sheets are glued together with tape.

Laying boards

Lamels can be laid in different ways:

"scatter";
diagonally;
"herringbone";
in 2 minutes.

For beginners in the construction business, it is better to choose the simple “staggering” method. It is as follows:

Place the first row of laminate along the wall opposite the entrance, starting from the inner corner of the window.
In the second row, the first board will be a piece of half the product. The other half will complete this row.
Next comes the alternation of solid boards and sections at the beginning of the row.
In the last row, it may turn out that the solid board is wider than necessary. In this case, it is cut lengthwise using a jigsaw. The cut should be flush with the wall and the lock should connect to the previous board. When cutting the panel, it is important to be careful not to split the laminate. You should measure and cut it as evenly as possible.

This method allows you to give the greatest strength to a wooden floor. Laminate panels do not diverge and adhere tightly to each other. It is more economical and simpler than, for example, “herringbone”. Both methods of laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor can be seen in the video. But in order to lay lamellas in the second way, you need to master a special technique for working with material and tools.

When laying laminate flooring on a plank wood floor, there is a danger that the joints of the boards and panels will overlap. And this is undesirable. In this case, you should choose the diagonal method of installing the laminate. The laying angle may be different. The advantage of this method of installing slats is that it allows you to visually break up the space and visually enlarge it. This method is described in detail and captured on video.

Upon completion of the work, remove the planks from the walls and attach the baseboards. They complete the overall composition and mask the gap between the wall and the floor. They are purchased in the color of the coating. Plastic products with a recess and cable channel are now popular. Mobile or stationary wires are laid in it.

Video on laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Laminate: laying on an old wooden base

The technology of laying laminated boards on floors has been mastered not only by professional builders, but also by amateurs who do their own repairs. It is not difficult to carry out this work: modern flooring is easy to install and practical to use. However, questions often arise as to whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on an old wooden base and how to do it correctly.

The work of laying “layered” wooden boards as a finishing coating consists of two stages: preliminary and main. On the first, the study and preparation of the base is carried out, on the second, the actual laying of the boards. In the case where the base is old wooden floor, carry out a more thorough check of all structural elements. This will allow you to avoid many troubles associated with the operation of the coating in the future.

Preparing the wooden base

Can be an excellent base for laminate . Both materials are of natural origin and harmonize perfectly with each other. This combination provides warmth and comfort of the coating. Therefore, there is nothing better than putting “ply” boards on old wood products.

At the stage of preliminary work, the plank base is carefully examined, the degree of preservation of the material, the presence of defects and damage are checked. Depending on this, further work is performed.

Elimination of defects in old wooden floors

If the floorboards are very loose and there are wide gaps, they need to be nailed down or the resulting gaps filled.

wooden dies, specially cut to fit the size of the hole formed;
putty;
strands impregnated with glue;
sealant;
polyurethane foam.

After the materials have dried, the protruding fragments are cleaned.

If the old wooden floor is relatively well preserved, but minor defects are noticeable, they can be eliminated in an accessible way:

small cracks and chips of the floor are puttied or filled with sealant;
protruding nail heads are driven flush;
wooden boards are sanded with a special machine or sandpaper.

In most cases, old wood floors are covered with paint. There is no need to remove it specially. It is enough to remove the exfoliated fragments. After using the sander, it is recommended to prime the boards or soak them with an antiseptic for greater reliability.

Sometimes an old plank floor is so bad that it requires complete replacement. In this case, a full range of measures is carried out to create a new foundation.

Leveling an old wooden floor

In order for laminate flooring to be laid on an old wooden floor without any problems and for the coating to lie flat, the base should not have any differences in height. All wooden floorboards should be at the same level. Protruding fragments are cut off with a plane and smoothed with sandpaper or a grinder.

To speed up the process of installing the floor covering, the old wooden floor is leveled with sheets of plywood or DSP. They are placed “randomly”, fastened with self-tapping screws or glued to a special compound. If necessary, you can put two layers of leveling material such as plywood. This is a very reliable way to create the ideal base required for laying laminate flooring.

Underlay on old floor

Before laying the laminate on the old floor, create a layer of hydro and sound insulation.

Polyethylene film does a good job of protecting against moisture. It is spread around the perimeter of the room. The strips are overlapped and secured with tape so that they do not diverge. The edges should protrude onto the walls.
Next, they “throw in” any soundproofing material: old linoleum, turf, polyurethane or cork. On the market you can choose an affordable product that will protect the room from noise and extraneous sounds.

This multi-layer structure will be an excellent support for laminated boards and will protect the old wooden floor from rotting. Although you can do without it.

Basic work: laying laminate flooring on an old floor

Options

From an aesthetic point of view laminate- excellent floor covering. The pattern of natural wood creates coziness and warmth in the living space. It is unobtrusive and pleasing to the eye, perfectly harmonizing with furniture and other interior items.

Laying of panels is carried out in three options:

simple: the boards are laid like ordinary floorboards strictly in one line;
parquet(herringbone): parts are placed at an angle to each other;
diagonal: laminated products lie at an angle of 45 degrees to the wall. This is the most original way to arrange the panels. But it is the most expensive, since with this installation the consumption of the laminate increases by half. This should be taken into account when purchasing products in a store.

Non-professionals who do the repairs themselves should start laying the flooring with simple installation. Diagonal and parquet patterns require a certain skill and skill in using tools. This is labor-intensive and time-consuming work.

Methods

At the stage of purchasing laminate flooring, it is important to decide on the method of laying it. There are two of them:

adhesive;
castle

The first method involves the use of a special adhesive composition. Construction work takes a lot of time. Then it takes a certain period for the product to dry. This increases the time it takes to start using the floor. However, this method is considered the highest quality, and the coating lasts longer.

Most often they resort to the castle method. Each laminated board is equipped with a fastening system that, during installation, is combined, snapped into place, and securely fixes the products to each other. Laying laminate flooring using this method significantly reduces installation time, and the floor can be walked on immediately after completion of the work.

Laminate is laid on an old wooden floor using both methods. With the adhesive method of fastening, you do not need to use a backing. The composition is evenly distributed and further serves as a natural shock absorber.

Tools

To carry out installation work on laying laminate flooring on an old wooden floor, you need a simple set of tools and accessories. It includes:

plastic or wooden die;
mallet (rubber hammer);
measuring instruments: tape measure, square;
small wooden wedges for inserting between the wall and the boards;
sharp knife for opening packages;
jigsaw or hacksaw.

Laminate laying technology

Laminate They begin to lay from the window from the left corner. The grooves of the boards should be directed toward the wall, the ridges outward.
Stepping back 10-15 mm from the wall, place a wooden block, which will create a uniform gap between the wall surface and the coating. Upon completion of the work, it is removed, the gap is sealed with sealant and covered with a plinth. This gap is necessary, since laminate is a moving product that will contract and expand during use; it needs “space.” Otherwise the boards will break.
First, lay the first row along the entire wall, fastening the laminated panels with a lock. The last board may be longer than necessary. It is cut with a jigsaw or hacksaw to the required size.
The remaining trim can be used when laying the second row, starting with it. In this case, the vertical joints of the panels will be additionally fastened with the long side of the board.
When combining the tongue and groove of products, you should act with extreme caution so as not to break the thin contour and not violate the integrity of the panels.
The boards of the second row are first fastened along the width, and then attached to the first row along the entire length of the room. The entire strip is carefully lifted at an angle of 35-40 degrees and lowered until a characteristic click is heard.
To ensure that the boards lie tightly and there is no gap between them, use a mallet. It is used to knock together parts with light movements.
Next, laying the laminate on a wooden floor is carried out according to an established scheme.
In the last row it may turn out that the width of the boards is wider than necessary. Then measure the segment to the wall and transfer the parameters to the wrong side of the laminated part. Along the resulting line, the board is cut lengthwise, keeping the ridge, which will need to be aligned with the groove of the previous row. These actions are performed with all products intended for laying in the last coating line.

If all measures for laying laminate flooring with your own hands are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the technology, then with proper use the coating will last for many years. A flat, old, wooden floor as a base for the finishing sheet contributes to good preservation of the “layered” products. This floor will be warm and comfortable.

Do-it-yourself wooden floor under laminate
Laying tiles on a wooden floor: technology and its features

When renovating an apartment, a situation often arises when old plank floors need to be covered with a new floor covering, for example, laminate. In this case, specialists from organizations involved in repairs assure that before laying laminate flooring, it is necessary to completely dismantle the old covering and make a new concrete screed, leveling the floors. However, the work of dismantling and installing screeds often turns out to be much more expensive than a new coating, so the question arises: how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor without dismantling it?

Let's try to understand the requirements for the surface for laying laminate. The surface must be flat, the height difference should not be more than 2 mm per 1 meter of floor length in any direction. The floor should not sag. If these requirements are not met, there is a risk of breaking the laminate lock under load, as a result of which the integrity of the floor will be compromised and cracks will appear. Also, the base for laying the laminate must be strong, dry, and free of debris. Based on these requirements, it is necessary to inspect the wooden floor and, if necessary, prepare it.

Checking and leveling the floor

First you need to carefully inspect the floors. Old wood floors that have been painted over and over again often have a convex surface on the boards - this is due to many layers of paint in the center of the board and partial destruction of its edges. They may also have slots of varying widths. If the board is relatively new, tongue-and-groove, tightly fitted, the floor surface is usually flat, without drops.

Check to see if the floorboards are sagging or squeaking when walking; you should also make sure that the boards lie tightly where they are attached to the joists, and that the joists themselves have not collapsed or sagged. In addition to unevenness, the floor may have a significant slope towards the corners or center of the room , it is checked using a laser or bubble level. This deficiency also needs to be corrected before laying the laminate.

An old board with a lot of differences can be leveled in two ways:

Plan it using an electric planer or a parquet leveling machine;
Upholster with plywood, plywood thickness from 8 mm.

If the floor has a significant slope, it will be necessary to level it using additional guides and cover it with plywood.

If the floor boards sag, you need to check the condition of the joists. To do this, determine the location of the log, in the area of which deflection is observed, and cut out part of the board. This can be done with a jigsaw, and it is better to position its blade at an angle so that the cut out part forms a narrowing towards the bottom. The part of the board cut out in this way will not be difficult to put back without additional fastening. The logs are inspected through the resulting hole, and if they sag, a wooden wedge is driven under them until they are completely leveled.
Sharpening the floor makes sense only if the boards are tightly fastened and do not have a significant slope in any direction. Before leveling the floor with an electric planer, it is necessary to eliminate squeaks by securing the boards to the joists using long self-tapping screws. Self-tapping screws can be screwed into holes from previously removed nails, or next to them. The heads of screws and nails must be recessed to a depth of about 2 mm. The leveled floor is thoroughly swept, impregnated with an antiseptic for interior work or drying oil and dried. After this, laminate can be laid on the floor. The direction of installation must be chosen so that the joints of the laminate are perpendicular to the floor boards - this will reduce possible deflection.
Technology for leveling the floor with an electric planer
If the boards have small, numerous differences, but the overall slope of the floor is satisfactory, the floor is sheathed with 12 mm plywood, fixing it directly to the boards. To eliminate squeaks, it is necessary to secure the plywood with long self-tapping screws through the boards to the joists - this way, all layers of the floor will be properly tightened.
Plywood floor covering technology
Small humps, dips and uneven spots can be corrected by using pads made from pieces of plywood or lumber placed under the plywood sheets. If the unevenness is significant and reaches 5 cm, the floor will have to be leveled using block guides. It is necessary to calculate in advance the required number of bars of various thicknesses to make it easier to adjust the height. First, cut out the plywood and lay it on the old wooden floor. The joints of the plywood sheets are drawn on the floor with a marker - this will make laying the block easier. The block is attached to the floor with self-tapping screws with a minimum step of 50-60 cm, and support bars must be placed at the joints of the plywood sheets. For additional noise and heat insulation, the space between the wooden floor and plywood can be filled with insulation, for example, mineral wool. The plywood is attached to self-tapping screws with a cone-shaped head, deepening them flush with the surface. The gap between the plywood and the walls should be 3-5 mm. It should be remembered that leveling the floor in this way will raise it relative to the level of the rest of the floor in the apartment, and may require replacing the doors.
Video - how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Laying laminate flooring step by step

The plywood or leveled floor is ready for laying laminate. Under the laminate, a foamed polyethylene backing is required. The underlay is necessary to avoid the laminate hitting the base. The thickness of the substrate varies from 1 to 3 mm, but during operation it tends to cake, so there is no particular point in buying a thick substrate. The underlay is placed end-to-end on the floor, and the joints are taped with construction tape to secure it to the floor. Additionally, you can secure the backing with tape around the edges.
Technology of laying laminate on a polyethylene foam backing
Before installation, the laminate must be kept in the room for 2 days so that it acquires the temperature and humidity of the given room. Before installation, you need to decide on the installation method: parallel to the light, perpendicular to the light or diagonally. Diagonal laying requires more careful adjustment and is recommended for narrow rooms to visually expand them. Usually laminate is laid perpendicular to the window - this way the joints are less noticeable.
Once the laying direction has been chosen, you need to measure the distance between the walls and calculate the number of laminate boards, as well as the width of the last board. If the width of the last board is less than 1/3, it is advisable to start laying the first row of boards sawn in half. The sawn-off parts of the laminate will be useful for the last row.
There are three types of laminate: with “Click”, “Lock” type locks, as well as adhesive laminate. The “Click” lock is attached by installing the board at an angle of 45° to the previous one and clicking the lock. This system is collapsible. The “Lock” is secured by lightly tapping the opposite end of the board until it clicks, and the laminate tenon is inserted into the groove. It is necessary to tap the laminate through the block so as not to damage the groove. Adhesive laminate is more often used in damp rooms; special glue is used to attach it.
Technology for correct laminate joining
Laminate flooring with a “Click” lock is installed in rows. First, the ends of the boards of the first row are fastened, the row is leveled in place and the laminate is wedged between the walls using thin slats. This is necessary to create a gap that regulates the thermal expansion of the coating. The second row is assembled in the same way and, placing it at an angle to the first, is inserted into the lock, after which it is lowered and the lock latches. So continue laying until the end of the room.
Laminate laying technology with “Click” lock
Laminate with a “Lock” lock is placed staggered - this will help to fasten the boards into a single surface. To do this, measure the length of the board, the length of the room, and calculate the number of boards in one row. If, as a result, about half of the last board remains, then it is used at the beginning of the next row. If an even number of boards are laid along the length of the room without any residue, then in every second row one board is cut in half, starting laying from half the board. A gap of 3-5 mm is also left between the wall and the covering, installing a wedge from the slats there.
Laminate laying technology with Lock
Adhesive laminate is laid using the same technology, but the tongue-and-groove joint is coated with glue, and after installation the boards are temporarily secured with tape. After installation, the wedges are removed and the baseboards are installed.

If a number of conditions are met, you can easily lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor yourself and get a smooth and very beautiful coating.

Previously, laminated boards were mounted exclusively on a concrete base. Nowadays, there is a simple technology that allows you to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor. At its core, it is not much different from the installation scheme of such a coating on a leveled sand-cement mixture. You just need to take into account some of the features of plank foundations. And then the installation with your own hands will go without a hitch.

Laying laminate flooring

The wood base has two key features. Over time, they lose their original characteristics and change geometric parameters. Therefore, before laying laminate flooring on an old wood floor, you should carefully analyze the joists, support bars and boards. If their condition leaves much to be desired, it is imperative to prepare the base for installation of the laminated coating.

Plank foundations are not stable or truly sustainable. In this regard, even minor shifts of laminated panels cause additional load on their locks. This causes deformation of the coating during its operation.

If you want the laminate to delight you with its smooth and elegant surface, eliminate all defects of the plank base in advance. We will talk further about how to do this with your own hands.

The first step is to identify uneven areas of the floor. Perform this operation using a building level (even better, use a laser tool). You can level an old plank floor with your own hands using several methods.

Looping is suitable for substrates with slight unevenness (about 4–6 mm per square floor). Sanding is performed with an electric plane or sandpaper (if all the defects of the wooden base are located in one area). Before starting the operation, it is necessary to sink all fasteners (for example, nails) into the wood so as not to damage the knives of the plane or hand scraper, which can also be used to level the floor. Be sure to check the quality of grinding work and the plane after processing each individual section of the base. After scraping, you should check the floor surface again with a level.

Floor scraping

When leveling using chipboards (chipboards) or plywood, it is recommended to use relatively thick sheets (about 1.5–2 cm). Treat plywood or chipboard with a fungicidal compound or regular drying oil, carefully level the wooden base by placing plastic or wooden wedges under the logs. Plywood sheets must first be cut with a special circular saw to the required dimensions, and then placed on a rough base. After this, check the resulting difference in planes and, if necessary, place small-thick wood slats under the sheets of leveling material. Chipboard and plywood are attached.

Often there is a need for minor repairs to the wooden base on which you want to lay laminated boards with your own hands. Such work is carried out simply:

when the coating subsides, special support wedges should be installed under the wooden logs;
rotten boards are replaced;
gaps and cracks are treated with putty;
shaky boards are fixed with self-tapping screws;
when both the logs and the boards on them wobble, you need to secure the supporting elements (press the logs at the base with anchors).

After repairs, do not forget to very thoroughly clean the base from debris and fine dust. Use a vacuum cleaner.

Laying laminate flooring requires the use of underlays. They can be made from:

bitumen;
polyurethane foam;
environmentally friendly natural cork material;
foil;
polypropylene (foamed).

Laying allows you to hide minor unevenness of the subfloor, and also provides heat-saving effects, noise and sound insulation. It is important to choose the right lining material. For wooden bases, experts recommend using cork pads, which interact well with wood. However, you can also use less expensive products made of polypropylene or polyurethane foam.

Laying laminate on a substrate

Note! The substrate must be laid on a pre-mounted polyethylene film. It performs a waterproofing function. The film is laid with an overlap of at least 15 cm (more is possible). And the installation of the substrate itself is carried out end-to-end.

To attach the lining, construction tape is usually used (gluing is done in solid lines or periodic dots). There is no need to fix the substrate to wall surfaces and to the floor base.

Installation of laminated panels start from the corner that is as far away from the door as possible. The first row of products is laid horizontally, and it is carried out along the joints of the laminate.

During installation, monitor the position of the laminated boards in relation to the wall. They must lie absolutely flat.

Important point! The panels are laid on the boards perpendicular to the location of the latter. You also need to ensure a gap between the laminated products and the wall. To do this, simply install the limiters. They can be made of wood or plastic.

Do-it-yourself laminate installation

After the first correctly laid row rests against the wall, take an electric jigsaw and cut off part of the panel. Then you start laying the next row. At the same time, at the ends, its joints should not coincide with the joints of products of the previous line. To achieve this, you need to take a new product, cut off about a third of it and start installing the second row (similar to the first).

Consider the following nuance. It is necessary to fasten all the panels of the second row together and only then join them with the products of the first line. Tapping the laminate with an ordinary hammer is allowed. But in this case, be sure to use a fuse block so as not to damage the panels.

The next steps are clear. Install all rows in the same way. Keep an eye on the gaps between the laminate and the walls. The products of the last row will need to be cut to length.

You managed to lay the laminated boards yourself! Now remove the limiters installed at the very beginning of the installation work and begin installing the plinth. It is recommended to use laminate caps to mask cut areas.

The final touch is the installation of the door threshold. This element is installed so that the height difference between individual rooms is visually invisible.

For any decorative finishing coatings, the most optimal base is considered to be a base made of concrete, mineral screed with a strength of 15 MPa. A wood subfloor is less desirable. Some reputable manufacturers do not directly recommend installing laminate flooring on such flooring.

Permitted and prohibited bases for laminate flooring.

The reason is that wood is a very capricious material, which is influenced by seasonal, biological and other factors. The concerns of manufacturers are understandable: the geometric dimensions of the base periodically change due to changes in humidity, the planks can bend and warp. All this violates the integrity of the finish. Therefore, most often factories indicate that warranty obligations do not apply to products mounted on top of wood.

If you still plan to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, then the base must meet the following conditions:

Integrity. The coating installation guidelines from reputable manufacturers indicate that the wood must be healthy, free from cracks, deterioration, loose areas, fallen areas and other similar defects. In difficult cases, it is possible to carry out a complete overhaul of the flooring and replace defective areas.
Humidity - 8-12% (which corresponds to 40% Rh at a relative surface temperature of +20 ° C). When using the “warm floors” system, the boards should have an indicator of 5%, no more.

Do not underestimate the problem of water vapor diffusion, which leads to the formation of dampness inside the floor structure. That is why manufacturers of laminated and vinyl flooring recommend installing them on wooden structures with bottom ventilation. This arrangement of the floor “pie” will allow the wood to “breathe”, and therefore achieve a unique temperature and humidity balance. Even when using a waterproofing film and a substrate with zero vapor permeability.

Thus, it is allowed to lay laminate flooring with your own hands or by an experienced craftsman on a wooden floor, but provided that the base is of good quality or has been carefully prepared.

Preparing the base for installation

The best subfloor is considered to be stabilized old parquet or plank flooring. It is quite dense and dry, that is, it does not absorb water, is not afraid of seasonal changes in humidity and temperature, and any deformation changes are already a thing of the past. But at the same time, such a base is characterized by multiple irregularities, the presence of gaps between the planks and other defects.

Old wooden base.

Regardless of the age of the base flooring, the installer's first priority is to check the condition of the subfloors in all rooms where laminated parquet is planned to be installed. It is necessary to identify:

Local irregularities;
Rotten, moldy or blackened areas;
Damaged planks;
Areas with gaps between boards;
Loosely attached or falling out elements;

Areas with damaged lamellas must be replaced; they cannot be covered with putty or a mixture of sawdust and PVA. Poorly fixed planks are repaired in two ways:

It is easy to close the gaps between the planks yourself using elastic wood putties or sealants. It is advisable to use colorless, non-pigmented formulations.

But you will have to tinker with the unevenness. When installing a laminate, each defect will appear in the form of a damaged section of the coating, so deep grooves and chips are filled with putty or a paste made from wood flour and PVA, which you can prepare yourself. And differences and bumps are leveled in the following ways:

Grinding

Small areas with curved slats can be treated with a plane, a hand angle grinder with an abrasive attachment, or regular sandpaper. If the surface is uneven over the entire area, then it is better to use a professional parquet sanding machine complete with a construction vacuum cleaner. All necessary units should be rented, but consumable components will have to be purchased separately.

Dry prefabricated screed

For differences of more than 5 mm, it is recommended to completely level the base using sheet materials for the floor: moisture-resistant plywood, chipboard, OSB, gypsum fiber board, etc. Slabs with a thickness of at least 16 mm are laid in 1-2 layers, along the perimeter they are rigidly pulled to the base with self-tapping screws, dowel-nails, and suitable hardware in increments of 30-40 cm. Before leveling, preventive treatment of the wooden flooring with antiseptic primers is allowed.

Dry screed is a great way to additionally insulate the floor. The most common options:

place on the floor dense thermal insulation boards made of standard or extruded polystyrene foam (PSB-50, Penoplex Foundation), mineral wool with a density of 125 kg/m³. Sew plywood or chipboard on top of the insulation;
form a frame from logs, lay a vapor barrier membrane, fill in the gaps or put insulating material - expanded clay, ecowool, stone wool, pine mats, etc. Place sheets of gypsum fiber board, chipboard, and SML on the slats and secure them.

Dry plywood screed over joists with insulation.

Self-leveling filling compounds

If the floor has differences of more than 10 mm? The sanding machine will remove too much layer, and the prefabricated screed is inapplicable in some cases. To minimally raise the floor level and get a perfectly flat surface, you need to use industrial bulk mixtures. Moreover, not all are suitable, namely elastic ones, on the label of which in the section “type of base” boards, plywood, chipboard are indicated.

Although many people believe that it is possible to pour the solution directly onto the wood, excess moisture can cause damage. Therefore, it is better to make a so-called floating screed on a separating layer of film or waterproofing membrane. It is recommended to lay the material over the entire surface of the floor, placing it on the walls and installing a damper tape. This will eliminate the risk of cracks. The thickness of the filling layer varies - from 20 to 70 mm.

Instead of film, you can use waterproofing compounds for wood: polymer primers, water repellents, etc. That is, any liquid product that is absorbed into wood without leaving an oil, bitumen or other film on the surface.

The procedure for working with bulk mixtures is described in detail in the instructions on the packaging of the material. The composition is mixed with water, thoroughly mixed until smooth, carefully distributed over the floor and rolled with a roller or brush to remove air bubbles. After 5-7 days, the base for the laminate is ready.

Laying technology

Our step-by-step instructions will help you cope with the last stage and avoid mistakes when installing the finishing coating.

For work you will need the following tools and materials:

Laminate of suitable design with a margin of 1-4 m². Decide in advance whether to lay the covering along the walls or diagonally. In the first case, a reserve of 1-1.5 m² is sufficient, in the second, at least 3 m² will be required;
Coniferous substrate, made of foamed polyethylene, cork, extruded polystyrene foam with a cross-section of up to 3 mm;
Waterproofing film 150-300 microns or membrane, tape for fixing layers;
Hydraulic level;
Cutting hand or power tools for adjusting the lamellas to size;
Kit for laying laminate flooring, including spacer wedges to create a temperature gap around the perimeter 8-10 mm wide, mounting bracket and tamping block made of wood or PVC;
Square, pencil and tape measure.

Installation of the laminated coating is carried out in 5 steps:

Checking conditions

Can I start styling immediately after purchase? No. First, check all the packs to ensure they are from the same batch or identical year of manufacture. Otherwise, there may be a difference in tone, a mismatch in the decor or even the locking part. This is especially common when purchasing finishing materials on sale. You can, of course, return or exchange the product within 2 weeks from the date of purchase, but do not forget the receipt or invoice.

The optimal period for acclimatization of the floor covering.

Check the climate conditions. They must comply with the requirements of the instructions:

Air temperature – from +16 to +25 ºС;
Relative humidity - 40-70%;
“Warm floors” - switched off 5-7 days before the start of work, in winter 3 days;
The normal moisture content in flooring boards is 8-12%, if there is a heating system - no more than 5%.

The laminate must be brought in and, without unpacking, left in the room for 2 days.

Preparing the base

As noted above, the surface must be dry, smooth, solid and clean. Even the slightest defects must be eliminated in advance so that you do not have to disassemble the laminate or repair it later.

Laying waterproofing and underlayment

It is necessary to lay strips of film or membrane on the base with an overlap of 10-20 cm. It is recommended to glue the joints with tape. Then the substrate is laid end-to-end, the slabs or layers are secured to each other using adhesive tape.

Laminate is a common floor covering. It is cheaper than parquet, but also looks attractive. More resistant to wear and various damages than natural wood. Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor is a feasible task that you can do yourself. In order for the material to be laid correctly, the technology must be followed. You should start editing only after studying a sufficient amount of material on the topic.

Surface requirements for installation

Laminate flooring can be laid on a wooden floor only if the conditions that must be met by the old plank flooring are met. Do-it-yourself installation of laminate flooring without complicated preparation can be done if the following base characteristics are provided:

integrity;
height difference is no more than 2 mm per meter of surface;
strength;
lack of moisture and damage by various microorganisms (mold, mildew, etc.);
absence of too wide cracks and holes (no more than 5 cm).

If these conditions are not met, it must be leveled before laying the laminate on a wooden floor.

Determining differences and eliminating them

You can correctly identify the magnitude of deviations before laying the coating from the horizontal with your own hands by using the following devices and instruments:

laser level;
hydraulic (water) level;
bubble level;
rule.

It's easiest to use the last two tools. High accuracy is not required here; it is only important to determine the scale of the problem and choose the right way to eliminate it.

Wooden flooring can be laid after leveling using the following methods:

a substrate made of elastic materials is suitable only for minor problems, if you need to lay the coating on a surface with differences of several millimeters; thickness is taken from 2 to 5 mm);
leveling mixtures and cement screeds are also used for simple cases;
scraping the floor allows you to cut off protruding areas, while it is important to ensure that the plank flooring does not become too thin and begins to sag;
Installing plywood will eliminate almost all irregularities and prevent such troubles as floor creaking and sagging.

The plywood laying technology suggests two scenarios:

If the height difference is less than 1 cm, you can lay sheets fastened with glue and screws. For greater efficiency, a substrate is placed under the material. You can arrange the parts in this way quite quickly. First, clean, degrease and prime the base. After this, an adhesive composition is applied in a layer of up to 2-3 cm and the sheets are secured. After the glue has dried, you can start screwing. For them, before laying the material, holes are prepared at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the sheet and 15-20 cm from each other.
The second technology is suitable for differences of more than 1 cm. In this case, the basis for the plywood are logs with a cross-section of 15 by 40 mm, which are fixed with your own hands to the boardwalk with self-tapping screws. As in the previous case, the surface is cleaned, the joist boards are laid out and secured, after which the plywood sheets are screwed onto the screws.

It is important that with any method, before starting work, the sheets are cut. To do this, you need to lay them on the floor, cut out the parts of the required sizes and number them to indicate the order in which the plywood is laid. Installation is best done using moisture-resistant material of the second or third grade. The backing under the sheets performs soundproofing and shock-absorbing functions. It can be made from elastic materials such as isolon and polyethylene foam.

The minimum permissible sheet thickness is 10 mm. It is important to take into account the traffic flow of the room and the load on the floor from furniture and equipment.

It is best if the backing for the plywood laminate is made with your own hands and is 14-22 mm thick. If you lay thinner material, it may sag or crack.

Flooring installation

After the leveling substrate has been completed and the surface has been prepared, you can proceed to the next stage of work. Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor is done with your own hands in the following order:

If plywood or other rigid base is used as a base, a laminate underlay will be required. It is needed to avoid the coating hitting the plywood or screed. Unlike leveling, a large thickness is not needed here. The layer is taken from 1 to 3 mm. The joints of the material are taped with construction adhesive tape. You can additionally attach it at the edges.
The laminate is brought into the room and allowed to adapt to temperature and humidity conditions. To do this, it is recommended to wait 2 days. Installation begins with determining the direction of installation (parallel to the light, perpendicular, diagonal).
Measure the distance between the walls and calculate the number of boards. If the last piece is less than one-third wide, it is recommended to start laying the first row of elements by sawing them in half.
Lay the laminate, taking into account the method in which the coating is attached.

Procedure for laying laminate flooring

Laying parts can be done in three ways:

Clik lock;
lock;
adhesive connection.

The board is installed at an angle of 45 degrees to the previous one, after which the lock is latched. The system is dismountable, which means that if necessary, you can easily replace or repair the underlying wooden floor. The parts are wedged between the walls using thin slats; this is necessary to provide a seam that compensates for the expansion of the laminate under load or changes in temperature. First, they assemble a row together, and then attach it to the previous one. Installation continues to the opposite wall of the room.

Laying is done in a running start. Measure the length of the board and the width of the room, after which the number of boards in one row is calculated. If you get an uneven number of elements (about half remain), in order to ensure a run-up, it is rational to start the next row with the half that remains from the previous one. This will minimize the amount of material consumed for coating. If a whole number of boards are laid in width, then the first row begins and ends with a half, and the second is made from whole parts. This way you can perform the dressing without waste.

Fastening is done by inserting the tenon into the groove. Installations, unlike the previous method, are not performed at an angle. You need to bring the element to the already laid one and lightly tap on its opposite edge.

They most often tap the block with a rubber hammer so as not to damage the groove of the element.

Adhesive laminate

Most often used for wet areas. Instructions for installing the exit with the previous lock. The difference is that the joint is coated with an adhesive solution. After laying the laminate, you need to allow time for the glue to dry. During this period, it is best to glue the boards together on top with tape. After the installation is completed, remove the wedges that were responsible for the gap between the wall and the floor covering and install the baseboards. The tape is removed after all work has been completed and the adhesive has dried.

Most often on sale you can find laminate with a Lock type lock. To guarantee the quality of installation, it is important to correctly fasten the elements to each other and ensure that all requirements for the base are met, especially evenness. If the technology is followed, we can talk about the durability of the floor and its attractive appearance.