How to properly install fiberboard on a wooden floor? How to lay fiberboard on the floor with your own hands - advice from professionals Level a wooden fiberboard floor

When leveling the bottom surface of a room, the most practical and in an accessible way All that remains is to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor. This method is advisable when laying on old lumpy floors, a plane with unevenness, defects or with some slope. Fiberboard sheets are most often laid on joists, but another method is also possible.

It is possible to lay them under linoleum or carpet with insulation. This material is not always advisable, for example, under heavy loads, and all the features of the coating are worth considering in more detail.

Basic conditions for laying fiberboard on a wooden floor

Each flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages, and installing fiberboard over a wooden floor remains the simplest and most practical. It doesn’t always make sense to tear old boards off the floor, especially in old houses and country buildings. They provide surface integrity and provide additional warmth. However, the boards become deformed over time and require partial or complete replacement.

Experts recommend leveling the surface using sheets of plywood, fiberboard or chipboard (not to be confused) using joists made from high-quality timber. However, thin layers of these materials cannot always withstand significant loads, for example:

for working machines that produce high vibration;
under thin metal furniture legs;
under heavy and bulky furniture, especially if the supports are not on the logs under the sheets of covering, but on the gaps.

The choice of materials for installation and how professionally the installation work was carried out is very important. Whether or not there will be floors in the future directly depends on this:

smooth;
solid;
durable;
sustainable.

The horizontal surface is a fundamental criterion for the quality of floor installation work. Therefore, prepare in advance necessary tools, including universal building level, without which it is difficult to verify the accuracy of the floor geometry.

It is equally important to properly prepare the old base:

thoroughly clean and remove all construction debris;
remove the plinth, which prevents the installation of the base under the fiberboard;
seal all cracks in the floor for tightness;
clean off everything that is peeling and crumbling on the floor;
mark the level of the lower horizontal lines near the walls along which the surface will be leveled;
if in the floor of the dacha, country house or the building is supposed to have an entrance to the cellar, it is better to start with its arrangement and then lay the floors.

Attention: If the logs are perfectly aligned, then poor-quality work on laying fiberboard sheets can ruin the whole impression!

Fiberboard should not be laid too tightly without a gap, otherwise, when the level fluctuates, their edges will rise, splitting. The sheets should also retreat from the walls by about 4-7 mm - this edge will still go under the baseboard.

Experts recommend starting laying out fiberboard sheets from the opposite wall to front door. If there is no experience in how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor, experts recommend immediately checking the first layer with a level for leveling if any inaccuracies are identified. Each subsequent row is checked horizontally using the same method - haste in case of inaccuracies is inappropriate.

When gluing slabs, it is advisable to place a weight on top of the seams, but if they are nailed, then there is no need. If the floors are laid under linoleum or carpet, then no further processing is expected.

Advantages of fiberboard floors

Wood fiber boards are a fairly common construction material. finishing material, applicable for repair and cladding various surfaces. Fiberboard is used not only for rough installation various designs, but also for the floor. It is noteworthy that even those who do not know how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor prefer this material due to its reasonable cost and practicality. Fiberboard sheets are irreplaceable:

when leveling the old floor;
for rough laying of linoleum or parquet;
for covering surfaces (floors, walls, arches).

Main advantages:

easy installation, but you need to know how to place joists on a wooden floor;
high strength of a fragile-looking material resembling wood cardboard;
tolerates temperature changes well with moderate air humidity;
durability (in the absence of excess moisture);
environmental friendliness, thanks to which fiberboard is natural material used by allergy sufferers with intolerance to chemical components in living quarters;
convenient packaging;
affordable price.

At the same time, fiberboard floors have their “disadvantages”:

when leveling the floor, additional costs are required for timber under the logs as a base;
insufficient protection from water, although this is quite suitable material for a nursery or bedroom;
at high pressure or if struck by a sharp, heavy object, a small gap may form between the joists;
poor fire resistance in case of fire;
the appearance is too simple for cladding;
without protective treatment the surface wears out quickly, especially with heavy loads and furniture movements;
in a damp, unheated room it may delaminate.

Attention: Regarding environmental friendliness, this is a controversial issue, since the old form of release involved a different technology for gluing materials, so it is not advisable to use the remains of fiberboard sheets lying around workshops and garages in a residential area!

How to choose materials

Buying fiberboard sheets is a responsible business, and a large list of building materials from different manufacturers not only gives more choice, but also, to some extent, creates confusion. Today there remains a risk of purchasing a low-quality or unsuitable product.

1. If leveling the floors is done for painting, then it is better to purchase decorative plywood, which can be laid out in patterns, like parquet or laminate - high-quality floors will cost much less.

2. If appearance is not so important, since fiberboard flooring on a wooden floor is planned under laminate or carpet, then visual parameters are not as important as specifications. Fiberboard sheets are different sizes, soft and hard, and are classified according to their standardization scale:

grade T with a regular front surface;
T-S has a front layer with a finely dispersed mass of wood fibers;
T-P has a color on the front surface;
T-SP finely dispersed front layer is tinted;
T-B has increased water resistance without tinting;
NT – semi-solid sheets;
ST – super-hard sheets with a regular front surface;
ST-S – super-hard sheets with a finely dispersed front layer.

Quality groups A and B are found in hard slabs of brands T, T-P, T-S, T-SP, and their front surface assumes grades 1 and 2. The density of soft sheets varies: M-1, M-2 and M-3. Separately, hardboard is distinguished - fiberboard brand T, which is produced wet method. It is used for various purposes:

insulation and finishing;
soundproofing and thermal insulation of the floor;
construction of internal partitions;
wall cladding;
underlay for parquet, laminate, linoleum;
For decorative cladding various panel structures.

Tip: When purchasing, pay attention to the appearance of the hardboard. They must be free of defects, have the same thickness around the entire perimeter, with the same shade of the surface of the sheets in one pack (batch).

Key quality indicators:

identical sheet sizes;
uniform thickness of fiberboard sheets;
uniform, homogeneous front surface.

Choosing timber for logs

When choosing timber for logs for installation, it is important to adhere to some recommendations:

wood laid under fiberboard on a wooden floor must be dry (light timber - dry);
You should not purchase it in advance and display it in a damp room - it will warp and become unusable;
use wood treated with special antiseptics of the 2nd or 3rd grade from healthy wood without knots from coniferous trees;
it is recommended that the beam cross-section is at least 40mm and up to 70mm;
knots will “lead” the logs later due to the heterogeneity of the wood, but trimmings without these defects can be used;
a small number of cracks is acceptable, since this is a natural state for timber beams;
* absence of fungi and germination on damaged areas of wood (quality indicator);
It is better to immediately discard warped or “winged” bars or use the trimmings on short sections of the joist sheathing.

Attention: You can check the “winging” (screwing of a warped beam) with a plumb line or a thin elastic cord stretched along any wood edge.

How to cut fiberboard correctly?

When laying sheets of facing materials such as hardboard or plywood, you have to deal with the need for cutting, especially in the outer rows. Construction supermarkets offer such services, but they need exact dimensions of the room with its deviations from the norm, for example, not all angles are 90°.

Attention: Remember that it is better to make the sheets shorter - they will go under the baseboard, but it is very difficult to cut off the excess.

When cutting with a machine, the cutting of sheets is carried out most evenly and with a high-quality edge. If this is not possible, you will have to do it yourself:

jigsaw;
circular saw with a laser guide and disks for working on hardboard;
universal construction tool for cutting building materials;
grinder according to precise markings.

Tip: It is better to use a special homemade machine holding the grinder. Metal scissors will help you remove the edges a little. If you have no cutting experience, it is better to practice on an unnecessary piece, first studying the video at the end of the article.

Often it is necessary to trim sheets to make holes for pipes for radiators and plumbing, niches or wall projections. Special holes are made with a jigsaw, universal tool or a reliable, sharp knife. Take care of this tool in advance, for example, rent it. Prepare a template from cardboard and check everything on site; if everything is accurate, transfer the markings to the fiberboard.

Technology for laying logs and fiberboard on the floor

It is unacceptable to store fiberboard slabs and timber in a damp room; it is best to place the timber horizontally on the floor, and the sheets vertically along the wall in conditions close to room temperature.

The logs are laid on previously prepared surfaces - screed, self-leveling mixture or old wooden floors. As a rule, the method of laying fiberboard on a wooden floor is applicable both for leveling the surface and for updating the surface. If there are slight curvatures, differences in floor level from east to north or from west to east, a noticeable slope or obvious unevenness, then it is worth trying to either eliminate them or close them.

If you have no experience in how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor, then you can ask for advice in the video. In many cases, you can turn to specialists for the installation of logs, and fiberboard sheets lay it yourself. However, there is nothing difficult about this if you have a tool, patience and experience working with wood.

It is necessary to carefully inspect the entire surface of the old floor, and if fungus or mold is found there, it should not be left under the fiberboard sheets, otherwise over time they will “eat up” all the new floors. The remaining areas are treated with a special fungicidal primer or construction antiseptic for wood and other surfaces.

Tip: It’s also worth removing those boards that creak - don’t think that the weight of the new floors will change anything. Sometimes, due to defects, a significant portion of the old wood flooring has to be cleared away. Don't worry - it will all be hidden under the joists and new cladding!

1. If the old floors are relatively flat, but the surface needs to be updated, it is enough to sand them and then cover them with sheets of high-quality fiberboard - hardboard. With this method of installation, the old base must be thoroughly cleaned after sanding for primer. It must dry for at least 8-12 hours, depending on the composition and air temperature. Just after this, apply glue and lay down sheets of hardboard, pressing down with weights on the corners and edges.

2. In the design of the joists, special galvanized locknuts with a nylon ring are usually used, which prevents the nuts from moving along the thread.

The devices do not allow them to unwind and weaken the structure. When tightening the top locknuts, which secure the joists in the position required on a given area of the floor, they are slightly buried in the wood structure. Because of this, the surface level may be slightly lower than expected. By tightening the upper locknuts, the boundary of the laser level is monitored, taking this error into account. Experts also sometimes create 2 levels, an additional one under the locknut.

3. All logs are laid in a similar way - see the diagram:

Preliminary calculations for the interval between them and the floor level correlate:

with a beam section;
floor slope;
sizes of hardboard sheets.

The bars are mounted directly to the old wooden base, and where there are no boards at the base, instead of them, pieces of timber or other pieces of wood are installed under the logs. It is not recommended to make partial sheathing of joists or leave gaps in the floor under them before laying fiberboard.

Before laying them on the floor, it is worth recalling that for the subfloor, as a substrate for linoleum, parquet or carpet, less expensive slabs with a small thickness are used, and for finishing– high-quality solid hardboard.

Attention: Purchased fiberboard sheets stand for 2-3 days in a living room - for acclimatization 2-3 days. Before sticking, you can lightly spray the back side with a spray bottle or treat it with a primer for better adhesion. When installing with nails, this is not necessary.

Features of fastening fiberboard to logs:

the sheets are laid on the logs so that the seams meet on the bars;
hardboard (fibreboard sheets) are nailed with screws, self-tapping screws or nails at intervals of about 100mm along the edge and at intervals of 120-150mm in the center;
the next row does not fit tightly, with a small gap - about 2-3 mm;
All parallel sheets are laid in the same way.

Features of fastening fiberboard with glue:

assembly adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the sheet and is well distributed without smudges,
the sheet should be soaked for 25-30 minutes;
glue is also applied on top of the primer on the floor;
the sheet is pressed down and checked horizontally.

Peculiarities finishing gender:

it is important to remove all remnants of glue that has protruded into the cracks;
large gaps between the sheets are sealed with putty or glued with reinforcing tape - under the subfloor;
The fiberboard surface can be varnished or painted.

When leveling the floor, laying fiberboard (fibreboard) is the simplest and most practical solution. This coating will cover floors with slopes, unevenness and even cracks. The main advantage of fiberboard is that the slabs can be laid even on old floors. It is not recommended to lay this covering in rooms with heavy traffic.

Benefits of use

Fiberboard has many obvious advantages:

Durability and wear resistance. With proper protection from moisture (painting and varnishing) and correct operation, Fiberboard is no more inferior expensive types floor covering.
Density of the material. The slabs are made using the hot pressing method.
Protective properties. The sawdust that makes up the fiberboard is treated with an antiseptic and various impregnations - this makes the boards more resistant to fungi, mold and wood pests than regular wood floors.
Good insulation. If necessary, it is used for sound and heat insulation.
Leveling floors. Fiberboard can be used as a subfloor for other flooring.

How to lay fiberboard correctly

The main method of laying fiberboard is to use logs made of durable timber. This technology allows you to avoid breaks under significant loads. There are other installation methods.

First step: preparation

Preparatory work includes several important practical steps:

We remove garbage. Remove the baseboards and clear the floor of construction debris. Particular attention should be paid to areas where the surface is chipping or peeling. Remove linoleum, if present.
We seal the cracks. Seal all cracks in the floor.
Determine the floor level. Using a level, determine the slope of the floor and the wall along which the alignment will be made. Using a pencil, make the desired marks.

Fiberboard sheets also need to be prepared for installation. Humidity levels may vary depending on room temperature. This can cause the fiberboards to shift and break. To avoid this, you need to moisten their back side with a small amount of water and leave it like that for a day.

If the flooring will be laid in rooms with operating heating, you can skip this step. In this case, simply leave the fiberboard sheets in the room for two or more days so that they “get used” to the humidity and temperature.

Wood fiber boards are used to level floors with slight differences in surfaces. If the difference is greater than usual, you need to close the depressions using logs or special mixtures. To ensure that the floor is level, use a regular or laser level, making marks at the same height on each wall.

Step two: foundation

If you already have wood floors installed, there is no need to tear them down. Using 6 mm slabs, you can get a flat surface.

If the fiberboard will be laid on any other surface, you can get a level base for laying using a thin cement-sand screed. The solution is poured onto a 3-5 mm layer of sand. Then a solution of bitumen in gasoline or a primer should be applied over the entire surface area and left to dry for 8-10 hours. Then glue is applied to the sheets and the floor and installation is gradually carried out.

Important! It takes time for the plate to stick well. For reliability, a suitable weight is placed on top.

If logs are used, they must be treated with an antiseptic and attached to the floor. Any strong, well-dried timber will be suitable as lags. The distance between them should not exceed 40 cm. The edges of the fiberboard slabs should lie exactly on the joists to prevent the floor from sagging.

Step three: laying fiberboard

Whatever base you choose, when laying fiberboard panels you need to consider the following:

Laying sequence. You need to start from the far corner of the room towards the entrance. If you are doing this for the first time, use a building level as often as possible, checking the accuracy of the placement of each subsequent sheet.
Availability of a cellar. If the fiberboard floor is on the ground floor, where there is a hatch for the cellar, laying the sheets should begin with its arrangement.
Laying density. The edges of the sheets should be adjacent to each other to avoid distortions. On the other hand, clamping should not be allowed, because when humidity and temperature fluctuate, the edges of the slabs should not crack. The same applies to sheets located near walls - be sure to leave a small gap of 5-7 mm. Such a gap will still not be visible under the baseboard.

After installation, inspect all cracks for the presence of glue and remove it. Gaps larger than 2 mm are covered with putty. If linoleum or carpet is laid on top of the fiberboard, no additional processing is required. If the slabs will be used as a subfloor for something else, it is better to clean them and treat them with a primer. If the floor will be used as the main floor covering, you need to apply a special protective varnish - this will prevent its rapid abrasion.

Inexpensive, reliable fiberboard coating

One of the most important points- choose high-quality and inexpensive fiberboard covering. The manufacturing company "Perm DSK" is ready to provide you with favorable terms of cooperation and convenient delivery. You can purchase fiberboard slabs from us at low prices.

All Consumables undergo additional quality control and are always available in our warehouse in the required quantity. For regular customers we offer additional discounts. If you are interested in our offer, you can contact us by phone or leave your contact information. Our manager will contact you shortly to clarify details.

June 1, 2016
Specialization: master in construction plasterboard structures, finishing works and styling floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

There is a misconception among many developers that laying linoleum on fiberboard is not the most the best option, they say, the surface becomes deformed after a short period of time. In fact, if the installation is carried out in accordance with the technology, then such a base will serve you for decades. In the review, I will describe the workflow in detail, and if you follow all the recommendations, the result will be excellent.

Workflow Description

Let's figure out what you need when working, how to choose best material and what are the stages of laying fiberboard on different types surfaces. Everything is quite simple, the main thing is to understand all the nuances and avoid the mistakes that most developers make.

Preliminary stage

At this stage you need to perform the following steps:

First of all, you need to take measurements, to determine required amount material. It is important to do this not by eye, otherwise it may turn out that you are missing 1-2 sheets or, conversely, there are several elements left and there is simply nowhere to put them. It is best to make a rough plan of each room, so you can lay out the sheets, this will allow you to arrange them in such a way as to minimize the amount of waste;

As for fiberboard, the material is made from crushed wood with the addition of natural adhesives: paraffin, rosin - this ensures the environmental safety of the material, it can be used in rooms with the highest hygiene and safety requirements;

For all its advantages, fiberboard has one big drawback - the slabs are afraid of moisture.
Therefore, use this option to prepare the surface for linoleum in rooms with high humidity Not recommended.

The thickness of the material ranges from 2.5 to 6 mm. If you have a choice, it is better to purchase an option with maximum thickness, since fiberboard has high thermal insulation and sound insulation properties and using thin options is impractical. In addition, the rigidity of the elements also matters, and it also depends on the thickness, the minimum acceptable value is 3.2 mm;
As for the sizes of the sheets, they can vary, the width can be from 100 to 180 cm, and the length - from 120 to 274.5 cm. When choosing a specific option, use a simple rule - the more, the better: the fewer seams on the surface, the more reliable it is and the easier it is for you to carry out the work;

You must decide how the chipboard will be attached, there are three options - adhesive composition, nails or screws. Choice specific solution depends on the type of base and your preferences, below we will talk about all the methods of fastening and touch on their advantages and disadvantages;
As for the tool, for cutting you will need a hard construction knife and a metal ruler 1 meter longso that when cutting the lines are perfectly straight.

The price depends on the size of the sheet, so the 2140x1220 3.2 mm option will cost 140-180 rubles, a slab measuring 2745x1700 will cost 360-420 rubles. As you can see, the solution is quite inexpensive.

Preparing the base

How smoothly the fiberboard will lie directly depends on this stage, so it is important to carry out the work efficiently; the process consists of a number of actions.

Let's start our consideration with this type of base as a wooden floor, here the process looks like this:

First of all, you need to clear the room of all objects, then you need to remove dust and dirt from the surface and conduct a careful inspection for damage and cracks between the floorboards. Pay special attention to the heads of nails and screws; if they stick out, they must be recessed into the surface, otherwise you will subsequently get many flaws on the surface of the fiberboard;
Next, you need to check the plane of the floor using a level; very often the elements have a semicircular shape. If such a defect is detected, then you will have to grind the surface. If the problems are minor, then you can get by with an electric planer or grinder, but if you need to remove significant irregularities, then it is better to use sanding;

After the leveling is completed, you can begin to seal cracks, damage and depressions from nail heads and screws. For work, either a special wood putty or an acrylic sealant is used; this composition is excellent for sealing cracks, it has good adhesion and can be easily sanded;

When the putty has dried, the surface is sanded, after which you need to remove debris and carry out wet cleaning to remove even small particles from the surface.

Concerning concrete foundations, then the preparation has its differences:

First, you need to vacate the room, after which all debris is removed from the surface and wet cleaning is carried out;
Then the rule is taken and the plane is checked for curvatures and level differences. If there are any, they need to be sealed. cement mortar, if the unevenness is significant, then it is easier to use a self-leveling composition;

If you are working with a cement-based mortar, keep in mind that it needs at least 2 weeks to gain strength, so preliminary preparation It's better to do it in advance.

After all work is completed, you need to carry out a wet cleaning to remove all dust and dirt. After this, the base is treated with a water-repellent primer; it strengthens the surface and creates a reliable barrier to moisture penetration. Work can be continued after the composition has completely dried.

Fibreboard laying

In order to properly lay fiberboard on the floor under linoleum, a number of conditions must be met:

The most important thing to remember is that fiberboard does not tolerate moisture very well, so you need to take care of protecting the material; it is best to pre-treat the surface. For the work, drying oil is used, which perfectly protects the material, its application will not cause difficulties - the work is done with a regular brush;

After processing, the sheets should be allowed to dry, after which they should be stacked indoors so that they are aligned as best as possible. If necessary, you can put weighting agents on top so that under their influence the elements become perfectly even, this will simplify the work process and make the final result much better;
If the humidity in the room is low, then treatment with drying oil may not be necessary, but the elements still need to be leveled. To do this, the back of the fiberboard is treated with water, after which the sheets are placed with the wetted side facing each other and stacked in this way. After two days, installation work can begin.

As for the work process, it is done differently depending on the type of base, let's start with such an option as a concrete screed:

First of all, you need to apply a special adhesive to the surface to fix the fiberboard on the surface; if previously bitumen was used for these purposes, in our time there are many compositions that are very well suited for these purposes. As an option, you can use double-sided tape; it holds the elements well and, if necessary, removing the sheets is much easier;

Next, the sheet is carefully placed and pressed, do not forget that the material we are considering tends to expand, so a gap of 5-7 mm should be left between the fiberboards and the wall;
The work begins from the corner of the room farthest from the entrance, first all the whole sheets are laid, and then you need to attach the outermost element, which is carefully applied to the surface to determine the cutting line. After this, using a metal ruler and a durable construction knife, the fiberboard is cut and broken;

After the adhesive has dried, you can begin to process the joints; if there are any irregularities in their place, they must be removed by grinding. After this, the dust is removed from the surface and the seams are sealed with wood putty or acrylic sealant. When the surface is dry, final sanding is carried out, after which you need to thoroughly vacuum the surface before laying the linoleum.

Now let's figure out how to attach fiberboard to.

The instructions for carrying out the work are as follows:

As for alignment, the process is described above, so it makes no sense to consider it in detail. It is worth noting that if you do not want to wet the sheets, then it is better to bring them indoors and stack them at least a week before starting work, during which time the material will acclimatize and level out;
There are only two methods of fastening - using nails 16-25 mm long or using 3x20 or 3-25 self-tapping screws. You choose the option that is more convenient for you, but it is worth noting that working with nails is much faster and easier, so the nail method of fixing fiberboard is most often used;
The work is carried out as follows: in the farthest corner a slab is laid with indentations of 5-7 mm from the walls, after which fastening is carried out. Nails are driven in increments of 100 mm at the edges and 150 mm in places where the sheets adjoin each other. Self-tapping screws are located in increments of 150 mm around the perimeter and 200 mm along the junctions;

When attaching Special attention Make sure that the fastener caps are level with the surface or are slightly recessed into it, otherwise after laying the linoleum, the protruding caps will appear.

Cutting is done as described above, if there are protruding areas around the perimeter, then cuts are made in the fiberboard sheets required configuration. Remember a simple rule: if the platband interferes with installation, then you need to trim it, not the fiberboard. All recommendations are collected in the diagram below to make it even easier for you to understand the process;

All protruding areas are ground with a stone sandpaper, after which the surface is cleaned of dust and puttied, the fewer irregularities there are, the better the linoleum will lie, remember this. After the putty has dried, it is also sanded, and the work can be considered successfully completed.

It is worth noting that laying linoleum on chipboard is done in a similar way. The only difference is that particle board is much thicker and heavier, and cutting it better with a hacksaw or an electric saw.

Recommendations for laying linoleum on a fiberboard base

Let's figure out how to properly lay linoleum on a prepared base; this process is simple, so you can easily handle it with your own hands. We will consider three main ways of carrying out work:

Without fixing material	If the area of the room is less than 12 square meters, then the linoleum does not need to be fixed to the floor surface. In this case, you need to cut the canvas according to the configuration of the room and carefully lay it. Fixation is carried out using skirting boards, which are located around the perimeter, and metal threshold, which is attached to doorway, it is these elements that should press the material and prevent it from moving
Using double sided tape	This option appeared relatively recently, but has already gained great popularity due to the simplicity of the work process and high-quality fixation of the material on the surface. The work is done as follows: first, the adhesive tape is glued over the entire area in the form of a lattice in increments of 30-50 centimeters, the top protective layer is not removed. Afterwards, the top protective tape is removed from one edge at a distance of about 50 cm, linoleum is laid, and so on
Adhesive fastening method	A classic solution that involves the use of a special adhesive composition. This option is used in rooms with an area of more than 20 square meters, its essence is simple: you smear part of the surface with an adhesive composition, and then carefully press the linoleum. The work is done gradually - part of the surface is lubricated, the roll is unwound, and so on until the end of the room.

As for the connection at the seams using the glueless method, the easiest way is to stick double-sided tape on the base; it will securely fix the connection, and you do not have to purchase an adhesive composition. A metal strip is attached to the top, which protects the joint and additionally secures it.

Conclusion

Fiberboard is excellent for preparing the base for linoleum, it is important to choose quality material and carry out installation work correctly. The video in this article will clearly show the workflow, and if anything is unclear to you, then ask questions in the comments below the article.

In this article we will talk about the popular building material— Fiberboard, let’s look at the features of its use as a floor covering. You will learn about the differences between brands and installation features. The article contains information about mechanical, consumer and operational properties Fiberboard for the floor.

Fiberboard is a wood-fiber board, which in modern Russian-language terminology is also called MDF (from the English MDF - Medium Density Fiberboard).

It is produced by pressing ground wood material (ground sawdust, wood chips, shavings - natural fiber) and cellulose. Before molding (pressing) solid slabs, additives are added to the mixture:

Synthetic resins for welding particles together.
Hydrophobizers (rosin, paraffin) to resist getting wet.
Fire retardants and antiseptics.
Impregnation with pectol for strengthening.

Soft slabs of grades M-1, M-2 and M-3 are pressed using the “wet method” - raw materials moistened with water are sent under a hot press - without adding additives.

The material has been known for a long time and is widely used in construction, household products, furniture production and packaging all over the world. Accordingly, under different needs use “their” type of this slab. In total, twelve varieties of fiberboard are known, which in the context of this article can be divided into two categories.

Solid slabs (grades T, T-S, T-P, T-SP, T-V, T-SV, NT, ST, ST-S)

Laminated fibreboards are pressed boards coated with finely dispersed polymer-wood pulp. Has relatively high strength and fire safety. This is a well-known laminate or parquet board low classes (6-12 mm). Thinner panels (3-5 mm) are used for finishing walls and ceilings. This material is also used to make furniture elements (facades), packaging, decorative items (it can be processed well).

Soft slabs (grades M-1, M-2, M-3)

It is this material that is the object of interest of our article. People often call it “hardboard” or “pressed cardboard” and there is a lot of truth in this. Up to 60% of recycled material is used for the production of soft boards (sheets) - waste paper, wood chips, bark, used corrugation. It is widely used in construction, furniture industry and packaging.

Characteristics of fiberboard M-1

As a sample, we will take the optimal common version of fiberboard brand M-1 (GOST 4598-86). Distinctive feature— no glue or resins are used in its manufacture (biologically friendly material). His indicators:

Density - 400 kg/cubic. m.
Bending strength - 1.8 MPa.
Compressive strength (10% deformation) - 35 MPa.
Tensile strength is not standardized.
Thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.09 W/m°C.
Release form: sheets up to 3 m long and 1.2 or 1.8 m wide.
Sanding, decorative (paint and varnish) or protective water-repellent coatings - on one or both sides.

As can be seen from the initial data, fiberboard is more of an insulation material than a structural material. For comparison, the thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene, suitable for a similar application, is 0.032 W/m °C. At the same time, the bending strength of the slab is significantly inferior even to relatively weak wood - pine (79.3 MPa). However, it is not without reason that the fibers are formed in the form of a slab - this provides the necessary advantages for using this material on the floor.

Using fiberboard for floor finishing

The shape of the sheet or slab allows you to easily and quickly level surfaces, bridge gaps and create an intermediate preparatory layer. The pliability and fragility of the material when tested for bending, fracture and rupture do not play a role in this case - on fiberboard floor works on compression. In this sense, MDF is already closer to wood - the compressive strength of pine is 44 MPa (versus 35 MPa for fiberboard).

With all the advantages mentioned above, one significant drawback does not allow it to be fully used as facing material for the floor - low density. It causes low abrasion resistance, which is unacceptable for flooring. In addition, soft slabs are “afraid” of water and quickly swell when wet. Therefore, M-1 fiberboard used on the floor must be well protected from abrasion and moisture, which leaves them the role of exclusively an intermediate layer. In this capacity, MDF performs the following functions:

Covering gaps up to 5 mm. Unscrupulous builders often take advantage of this by performing “quick” repairs. The draft is blocked, but the floor remains cold. For high-quality thermal insulation, be sure to check the sealing of cracks before installation.
Leveling the plane. Fiberboard smoothes out millimeter steps well old board floor. This must be done before laying a new coating, especially linoleum. Otherwise, the step will appear on it and the linoleum will break through over time.
Noise insulation. It is thanks to its softness and relative looseness that fiberboard absorbs noise and vibration. According to this indicator, it is also appropriate to compare it with basalt wool.

It is also worth mentioning that fiberboard is a rather demanding material. It does not tolerate changes in humidity and is not just intended for interior decoration, but for residential and constantly heated premises. 10 cycles of significant changes in humidity will lead to irreversible warping, even if the sheet is secured.

Features of installing fiberboard on a wooden base

Due to its low tensile and shear strength, the slab cannot reliably hold the force at one point - the heads of nails and screws push through the material. The small thickness of the sheet does not allow making a secret hole to hide the cap. Hence the conclusion - there are only two ways to attach the sheet - with many small dots or with glue.

Multiple point mounting - effective method, but quite labor-intensive. In this case, the sheet is fixed with small thin nails (12x1.5 mm) in increments of 100 to 250 mm. The nails create uniform pressure on the entire sheet, and the force is distributed not over 20-30, but over 200-250 points. In addition, their small caps do not stand out on the surface of the fiberboard.

This method has one critical contraindication - a shaky foundation. If there is even a barely noticeable backlash, it will definitely result in a gradual release of nails from seats and tearing of linoleum. It is not possible to use self-tapping screws due to the size of the cap. The multiple point method is only relevant on a wooden base.

Glue installation. Fiberboard in its basic version (sanded on one side) is well suited for working with PVA glue on the rough side. The glue perfectly connects the material to the wood surface. If you need to level an old wooden floor, it is better to use a combined method - coat it with PVA glue and fasten it with small nails. The cost of PVA glue is 1.2-1.5 USD. e. for 1 kg.

Installation of fiberboard on concrete (screed)

When installing on concrete or screed, there are nuances that need to be taken into account in advance:

The base must be level, without drops.
The moisture content of the cement base is unacceptable (it is blocked by special compounds - primers).
Uniform pressure must be ensured.
Concrete from factory floor slabs has extremely low adhesion.

A subtype of this method is installation on double-sided industrial tape, designed specifically for gluing wood, PVC, PPR to concrete. A roll of such tape, 460 m long and 12.5 cm wide, costs about 10 USD. e. (DK Film, DURACO, USA).

When laying on concrete with adhesive, it is recommended to install more than one layer - cold concrete is better to be reliably blocked. The clamp can be organized as follows: lay the boards on the surface and secure them with dowels to the screed (the sheet is already laid with glue). After the glue has dried, remove the boards mounting holes fill with liquid nails.

Operation of fiberboard on the floor

There is an opinion that if you paint fiberboard with enamel, it will make a good floor covering. This is not true because a sanded surface has poor adhesion. In addition, the surface is sometimes covered with a thin layer of water repellent.

Even a sheet impregnated with a water-repellent agent should be protected from moisture by all means. The simplest and most affordable is impregnation of the finishing surface with drying oil (on which the finishing layer will be laid). The cost of drying oil is 1-1.2 USD. e./liter

The material is also well suited for rough filing of insulation (from the inside!), especially mineral wool - fiberboard is vapor-permeable and allows the insulation to “breathe”. The slab is very easy to process - literally cut with a knife. The cost of fiberboard in the basic version:

with a thickness of 2.5 mm - 1.5 cu. e./m2
with a thickness of 3.2 mm - 2 cu. e./m2

Oddly enough, but among the most modern materials no alternative to fiberboard M-1 has yet been found. Manufacturers can only experiment with its composition, adding hardeners and fire retardants, and vary consumer properties. This one is cheap, light and comfortable material indispensable as an intermediate leveling layer when finishing the floor.

Laying fibreboard (fibreboard) on the floor

Fiberboard (Fiberboard) is a popular finishing material used in many areas of construction and renovation. Very often, fiberboard is used to install subfloors. It is noteworthy that they can be laid on almost any surface. The main thing is that certain conditions are met, and then these sheets can be laid even on old coverings. In this article we will look at the entire process of laying fiberboard on the floor with our own hands.

Price: first of all, how subfloors made of fiberboard differ from other options is the cost of materials and installation work. This flooring is one of the most budget-friendly.
Labor intensity: the process of installing the slabs is quite simple. The only thing that may arise is some difficulties when creating floor joists: they must be accurately placed over the entire surface. But we will look at all this further.
Environmental friendliness: Fiberboard basically contains wood - a natural material - so it can be used for finishing floors in residential areas.
Durability: a subfloor made from this material will be quite strong and durable, unless, of course, it is subjected to excessive loads and protected from direct exposure to water.

Disadvantages of fiberboard floors

Environmental friendliness: this point applies to those stoves that were purchased more than 20 years ago and were stored somewhere in your garage. Previously, the technology for manufacturing fiberboard was different; in particular, substances that were not entirely safe were used to glue the fibers of the material. Therefore, it is not recommended to use such slabs for flooring at home.
Moisture resistance: despite the fact that fiberboard boards withstand exposure to water much better than chipboard sheets or gypsum plasterboard, however, it is better not to install them in rooms with high humidity. Otherwise, there is a high probability of deformation of the coating. In such rooms, it is preferable to lay slabs of aquapanel, gypsum fiber or moisture-resistant plywood.
Fire resistance: this floor covering will ignite very quickly in the event of a fire.
Wear resistance: as a rule, it is necessary to apply a finishing floor covering over fiberboard, otherwise their surface will quickly wear out and be wiped. And the material itself does not differ in any special appearance.

Fiberboard floor installation technology

1. Preparatory work

Fibreboard slabs are used to level surfaces that have small differences in levels (up to 1 cm). If the base of the floor has more significant unevenness, then it is necessary to either eliminate them (for example, by pouring a leveling mixture) or lay fiberboard on the logs.

In any case, all work must begin with an inspection of the floor surface. If damage such as mold or mildew is observed on it, they must be eliminated using a special antiseptic primer.

Next, you should check the old flooring. If it is in good condition, that is, the boards on the floor do not creak, the surface does not have large differences, and the coating itself has a solid appearance, then fiberboard can be laid directly on old finishing without removing it. Otherwise, the floor is cleared of everything unnecessary, right down to the base.

Further work will depend on the choice of installation method for fiberboard sheets. If they are laid with glue, then the surface of the floor base must be carefully primed and wait until it is completely dry (6-8 hours). If there are already old logs on the floor, then they only need to be inspected and, if necessary, repaired (link).

Well, if you decide to make lags from scratch, then move on to the next point.

2. Installation of fiberboard floor joists

In fact, logs for any sheets of wood are laid in a similar way. First, the size of the fiberboard sheets used is determined, after which markings are made on the entire floor surface for the installation locations of the logs.

As a rule, logs are taken as material for the device wooden blocks, which are attached directly to the base. To place them on the same level, you can use various linings, for example, chipboard. You can learn about what size bars to take, how to fasten them to the floor, and what surface markings should be in the article “Installing floor joists.”

After everything is installed, you can begin laying fiberboard sheets.

3. Laying fiberboard on the floor

To create a subfloor, you should use slabs with a thickness of at least 6 mm. Before installation, all material must be left in the room for 48 hours. And for better acclimatization of fiberboard, their back side can be moistened warm water, but in small quantities (no more than 0.7 liters per 1 m2). For these purposes, you can use a regular brush.

Before you start laying fiberboard on the floor, you should read a number of recommendations:

Firstly, it is best to start installation from the corner opposite the entrance to the room.
Secondly, when laying sheets, it is necessary to leave gaps of 5-10 mm from the walls. This is required to form a “temperature” seam. Subsequently, it can be covered with a floor plinth.

3.1. Method 1: attaching fiberboard to joists

First, the sheet is laid on the logs and aligned so that all edges fall on the middle of the bars. After this, the fiberboard is fixed to the joists using nails, screws or wood screws about 30-40 mm long and 2.5-3.0 mm in diameter. In this case, the fastener pitch should be 80-100 mm along the edges of the sheet, and 120-150 mm in the central part.

The next slab is also first leveled, then tightly joined to the first, and then nailed to the joists. The seam between the sheets should be no more than 2 mm. The entire range of fiberboard is installed in the same way.

When laying the next row of fiberboard, it is necessary to offset the joints of the sheets by 30-40 cm relative to the previous row. This will give greater strength to the entire floor and allow the load to be distributed more evenly.

During installation of the slabs, there will definitely be a need to trim them. This is done quite simply using a hacksaw, jigsaw or hand saw. To create holes in fiberboard, for example for pipes, cuts can be made with a regular sharp knife. For more complex cutting, you can first make a template from cardboard or paper, and then trim the sheet using it.

3.2. Method 2: attaching fiberboard with glue

You can use glue to fasten the fiberboard to the base of the floor. It is applied and leveled over the entire surface of the sheet, after which the slab must be left for 20-30 minutes. To ensure greater durability of the coating, the adhesive should also be applied to the pre-primed subfloor.

Next, the sheet is attached to the surface, after which it is pressed against the canvas. After laying each fiberboard slab, you must not forget to check its horizontalness and evenness. Laying two adjacent rows, and trimming the outer sheets is carried out in the same way as paragraph 3.1.

4. Final work

The finishing treatment for fiberboard floors is as follows. First, you need to carefully inspect all the seams: the remaining glue that has come out must be removed with a rag, and in those places where the gap between the sheets is too large (more than 2-3 mm), it should be sealed with putty. To increase the strength of the connection of the plates, their joints can be glued with reinforcing tape.

This may be followed by grinding and (or) priming the surface of the subfloor, but these operations are not mandatory. Everything will depend mainly on finishing coating, which you are going to apply over the fiberboard. And this could be painting, laying parquet or laminate flooring, laying linoleum or carpet, and many other options, which you can learn about on the pages of our website.

This completes all work on laying fiberboard on the floor with your own hands.

Fiberboard on a wooden floor: selection and installation technology

Main features of fiberboard
Fibreboard fastening
Waterproofing
Mounting to concrete floor
Mounting on a wooden floor
Preparation for installation
Installation

The practice of laying linoleum on fiberboard has been around for decades. This solution is especially attractive because it is the most in the best possible way leveling surface unevenness. Today there are other methods, but many are still interested in how to properly lay linoleum on fiberboard.

One of the main requirements for laying linoleum is a flat base.

This is exactly what fibreboards are used for, but they are also one of the additions to floor insulation in private homes. The solution also shows high efficiency on the first floors of high-rise buildings, where many people lay fiberboard on the floor under linoleum.

Main features of fiberboard

Before you learn how to lay linoleum on fiberboard, you should know a couple of features of this material that will help you better understand the process:

To make fiberboard, crushed wood, paraffin, and rosin are used.
Compared to chipboard or particle board, the material is much more durable, but at the same time inferior in strength.
Fibreboard is produced in slabs 1.2-2.7 m long, 1-1.8 m wide and 2.5 to 6 mm thick.
Laying fiberboard under linoleum on a concrete floor is one of the most durable options, but chipboard-based analogues will be cheaper.

It would be wise to select sheets of the maximum available sizes for work. In this case, there will be joints between them minimal amount, and this in turn will result in an increase in the strength and reliability of the floor covering.

A few words about Alternative option. Chipboard is also easy to process, its ends can always be trimmed, and it lends itself to sawing and cutting just perfectly. An important point: in the case of chipboard, cutting should be used.

In this case, a shoe knife is used, and a metal ruler or a metal ruler is used as a support. wooden slats. This allows you to get the most even line possible.

Fibreboard fastening

Today, many people use special glue for linoleum on fiberboard (in stores you can find a huge assortment of ways to glue linoleum to fiberboard), but it will be much easier to nail the material to wooden floor using ordinary small nails 15 mm.

Installation is quite simple and is unlikely to cause difficulties even for non-professionals.

Waterproofing

One of the most important points in laying fiber boards is high-quality waterproofing. Because of characteristic features the material often warps from contact with moisture. A small flood is enough for the floor to noticeably swell within six months. In order to avoid such troubles, waterproofing is used. For this purpose, the floor should be thoroughly dried after each stage of work, the material should be profiled, and polyethylene should be laid under the fiberboard sheets.

In the latter case, installation is carried out with an overlap of 5-10 cm.

Upon completion of the process, the cut material should be allowed to rest. This should be done for approximately 4 days - during this time the sheets should be completely leveled.

Upon completion of the procedure, you can begin to directly attach them. Depending on the base of the floor, the procedure has its own nuances.

Mounting to concrete floor

Boiled drying oil or tar is used for fastening. The first option is faster, but problems may arise later, since removing drying oil stuck to the floor is quite problematic.

As an alternative, fiberboard under linoleum can be attached to a concrete floor using dowels.

This approach has an obvious advantage - if necessary, dismantling will be simple.

However, with this approach, additional unevenness will be created on the slabs, which will eventually appear on the linoleum. To avoid this, you should make a small recess in the fiberboard in advance into which the dowel head will fit.

Irregularities are additionally sealed with putty.

Mounting on a wooden floor

Before you start laying fiberboard under linoleum on a wooden floor, you should first prepare it - level it. All bumps must be processed with a plane, and the holes must be filled with putty.

The slabs are attached to the base using self-tapping screws or nails.

Preparation for installation

Now that the flooring is ready, you can prepare to directly lay fiberboard on the floor under the linoleum.

Very important once again make sure that the joints of the sheets do not bulge anywhere - otherwise, the irregularities should be eliminated using sandpaper or putty. Today on the Internet you can find a huge number of photos of similar work, so this will not be difficult. Read also: “How to level a floor under linoleum - the best way.”

Experts recommend moistening the slabs a little before starting the process. Water calculation is 0.5 liters per square meter. m., this should be done using ordinary paint brush. Upon completion, all that remains is to fold the sheets in pairs with the wet sides inward, and then leave them indoors for 48 hours.

Installation

Despite the apparent simplicity of the operation, there is whole line nuances:

Work should start from the corner, the gap between the fiberboard and the wall is made equal to the gap between the covering and the wall.
Nails or screws should be screwed in increments of about 10 cm along the edge. The interval between rows should be 15 cm.
Each subsequent fiberboard slab under the linoleum is laid end-to-end.
The slabs should be tightly coupled. The only exception is the penultimate one in the row, which is nailed after the last one.
Before cutting the last sheet, you should first draw a line along the edge using a cutting board, which will allow you to indicate the required gap.
Laying fiberboard on the floor

The excess is cut off with a knife, and the slab is mounted.
The rows are joined to each other using the “brickwork” method.

Finally

As you can see from all of the above, preparing the floor yourself for laying linoleum does not pose any special problems. Even not the most experienced person, or even a complete beginner, can cope with this matter; you just need to follow the given instructions. Another question is how to lay linoleum on fiberboard, but this is a topic for another material.

One of the best ways leveling a wood floor means putting grain on it. In this article we will tell you how to do it correctly and what DVP is.

Brief information about fiber board

The idea of using chips left over from sawing wood has been around for a long time.

Already in 1858, the first patent for the production of fibreboard was achieved, and six years later the technology was improved and modern way The manufacture of this material was developed in 1924. Today there are three types of such plates:

soft;
solid and semi-solid;
super tough.

Advantages and disadvantages

Sometimes fibers are compared to wood, which is not true, because in fact it is a completely different material with various properties and appearance.

The main advantages of this board are:

durability;
good sound and thermal insulation;
ease of processing and installation;
low weight;
low cost;
good environmental characteristics.

It should also be noted that some varieties of this material are highly resistant to moisture and are successfully used for external treatments.

As for the disadvantages, there are two on this panel:

low fire resistance;
toxicity of certain varieties that use formaldehyde.

Installation Instructions

Wooden panels can be folded in three ways:

Over existing floor coverings without insulation;
in prisons without heating;
on heating logs.

Laying existing floor coverings without insulation

This procedure begins with the floor surface being thoroughly cleaned of old paint, soil and preparation.

After that the leaves wood panel are fixed in such a way that there are several millimeters between them. To ensure that the corners of the material are well attached to the substrate, it is better to place heavy objects on them.

Installation without delay

The bearing strips are made of high quality square wooden beam, treated with special compounds against the action of microorganisms.

Fibers on the floor - coatings, surface preparation and other shades of work

The spacing between them depends on factors such as the cross-section of the carrier, the size of the fiber sheets and the degree of slope of the soil. Level levels are set at the first laying level.

They are then attached to the galvanized posts using nylon rings.

Only after this the boards are installed. Their fixation is made in such a way that all joints are on uneven rods. The gap size between the plates should be about 2-3 mm, and the distance between the plates and the walls should be 4-6 millimeters. Nails, bolts or screws are used to secure the sheets.

Laying on insulated logs

This procedure is virtually the same as installation without insulation, but there is a lag during the delay before this procedure begins.

Experienced professionals advise:

technological and technological material only in well-ventilated areas or outdoors using personal protective equipment;
prepare the place for styling well;
start laying from the wall opposite the front door;
if installation is on the floor, replace the flicker first;
Before decorating the covers on the folding fiber board, dip the covers well.