In detail: do-it-yourself repair school laying laminate flooring from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.
Laminate is currently one of the most common floor coverings. This is because laminate flooring has several advantages. This floor covering is characterized by increased resistance to mechanical stress and abrasion, resistance to the effects of household chemicals during its processing, it is distinguished by non-flammability, high hygiene, as well as good thermal conductivity. It is also so easy to install that you can lay it yourself.
Before proceeding with the installation of laminate flooring, it is necessary to properly prepare the base. Old coverings (eg carpets) must be removed from the substrate. It must be dry, free from various dirt and debris, strong and even. Read here about installing a wooden floor.
If the surface is still uneven, then it must be putty or surface defects sanded. Here's a complete overview of how to level your floor under your laminate flooring.
It is necessary to accurately calculate the amount of material required for the room.
Before laying laminate it is recommended to withstand for 48 hours in the same room where it will be laid.
Temperature room air should not be less than 18 ° С, relative humidity above 70%.
There is no need to unpack the laminate, all packs of material must remain sealed. This is done so that the material has the ability to adapt to the conditions where it will subsequently be used.
Laying laminate flooring is done so that the light from the windows falls parallel to its seams. Thus, the seams between the laminate boards will not be very noticeable. The laminate is placed on the base in a floating way.
Video (click to play).
The next thing to pay attention to is that all laminate packages must be intact, not opened. And the panels should not be damaged in any way. If you find a defect in the laminate during the installation process, stop installing it and issue a return to the seller.
If the laminate flooring is to be laid on a concrete base, a vapor barrier must be installed first. This is done so that the concrete screed will give its moisture to the floor covering.
They protect the laminate from residual moisture from the concrete. After that, the soundproofing substrate is covered.
Foamed polyethylene can also be used for sound insulation. The best option is a cork underlay that can even out small unevenness in the subfloor. She copes remarkably well with heat and sound insulation. It also absorbs due to its composition, which includes synthetic rubber and granular cork. Sound-absorbing cork backing significantly increases the life of the laminate.
Laminate must be started from one of the walls. Initially, we lay two panels of the first row. They must be laid at a certain distance from the wall, which must be at least 10 mm. To maintain this distance, we use pre-prepared spacer wedges. This gap is needed in order for the laminate to expand freely. Otherwise, it may warp during expansion.
After the first row of laminate boards is laid, we begin to lay the next row. The second row begins to fit into half-planks, by analogy with brickwork, which is placed in half a brick. This technology gives the flooring rigidity and strength. The panels should be laid in the direction of the sun's rays.
Cut lines are drawn using a 90 ° angle. It is better to use a table saw for cutting, but you can also use a hand circular saw. When laying the panels, it is important to make sure that the edge of the cut "looks" at the wall, in this case the groove and the ridge will most closely adhere to each other.
Connecting laminate boards of the first and second row in practice, it looks like this: we apply the board of the second row to the lying first row at an angle, then we connect them and snap into place with a lock. At first, you do not need to snap the ends of the boards of the first and second rows. We need to try them on to each other. And after laying the second board of the second row, you need to dock and knock out all four boards. This design will be a kind of basis for the further laying of the coating. In the same way, we carry out the laying of others next to each other. Do not touch the spacer wedges, they are in place.
When installing laminate panels, you can use a special sealant, which will protect you from possible floor creaking in the future. The sealant is applied before the locks are snapped in. After the panels are connected, excess sealant will come to the surface. They need to be removed with a soft cloth.
If in the future it becomes necessary to dismantle the floor, the sealant will not have any effect on this.
To lay the last panels in each of the rows, you need to use a special clamp, which is made of steel strip and bent in such a way that one end of it could be behind the end of the board, and on the opposite it would be convenient to hit with a hammer. The shape of the bend of such a tool resembles the letter S. The spacer wedges that we inserted to maintain gaps against the walls are removed only after all the work on laying the laminate is completed.