Most often, laminated panels are laid on a concrete screed base, rather than on plank floors. Therefore, finding information on the technology of such installation is quite difficult. In this material we will tell you how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor so that it retains its attractiveness and functionality for a long time.
Distinctive qualities of a wooden floor under laminate
For anyone who still doubts whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, let’s say right away that it is possible. A wooden base is no worse suitable for laying laminate flooring than, say, a concrete base. However, it should be borne in mind that plank flooring has some distinctive characteristics that may affect the further operation of the laminate.
Therefore, before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands, it is worth understanding all the intricacies and features of such a material in order to avoid possible complications in the future.
In essence, there are only a few basic requirements for the surface under laminate - cleanliness, that is, the absence of dust and dirt, dryness, evenness and reliability.
Note that, contrary to the manufacturers' claims, the substrate, although it compensates for minor flaws in the base, still does not have sufficient rigidity to eliminate all defects. This should be taken care of separately.
The main differences between a plank base for laminate and concrete are as follows:
- Stability. This means that the fastenings of the floor boards weaken over time, individual sheets may move somewhat relative to each other, which leads to an increase in the load on the locking mechanisms of the laminate. By the way, it is the locks that are the weak points of the laminate.
- Mechanical strength. In this regard, a plank floor is significantly inferior to a concrete floor, since wood becomes more fragile and weaker over time. Therefore, before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should make sure that the underground structures (support beams or joists), as well as the plank flooring, are durable and do not require additional repairs. Otherwise, you need to eliminate all defects before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor.
Preparing the plank base
Checking the quality of the wooden base
The preparatory stage before laying the laminate on a wooden floor involves checking the floor and its supporting structures for strength and reliability.
As a rule, you should not completely remove the boardwalk to ensure the quality of the joists. Such emergency measures are needed only if it is necessary to raise the level of the flooring, or if one or more joists are rotten and can no longer perform their functions.
First, you should check the levelness of the floor, conduct a visual inspection of the boards, and also tap the flooring to detect cracks or chips. All the data obtained allows us to paint a complete picture.
It is advisable to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands if it:
- consists of whole, strong boards in which no cracks or rot are detected; has no cracks and looks good;
- able to withstand use for a long time;
- does not bend when walking or under the influence of other loads (except, perhaps, heavy cabinet furniture);
- does not make sounds;
- has an ideal horizontal surface without flaws (knots, chips), and the permissible deviation from the horizon should not exceed 2 mm per 2 m.
If the wooden base meets all the conditions, you can begin installing the laminate. Conversely, if the requirements are not met, the foundation should be repaired first.
Carrying out wood floor repairs
Often, when working with wooden floors, builders are faced with the problem of curvature of the flooring, that is, in different parts of the room there are differences in the floor level relative to the horizon. The solution to this problem will be discussed separately.
However, plank floors may have other defects that require intervention before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor.
You can solve various floor problems in this way:
- All boards affected by rot, or damaged by insects or mechanically, need replacement. If the board is deformed on only one side, it can be turned over and laid inside out on the joists.
- If one or more floorboards are loose, they need to be secured with self-tapping screws. It is worth considering that it is better to use nails for these purposes if scraping is subsequently carried out. In this case, the heads of the nails need to be recessed into the wood.
- Loose floorboards along with joists must be strengthened directly in concrete base. Anchor bolts fixed in through holes in joists and concrete are ideal for this.
- If the frame of the plank floor has sagged, then in problem areas the flooring needs to be dismantled and the joists raised level using wedges. But if the logs are not suitable for further use, the entire plank floor is dismantled and the frame is reassembled from new logs.
- Minor cosmetic defects in the form of potholes, crevices or cracks can be filled with putty.
Leveling plank flooring by scraping
If anyone is looking for a way to lay laminate flooring on an uneven wooden floor, let us say right away that it is better not to do this, since such a base will shorten the service life of the coating and will also create unnecessary troubles in the form of squeaking when walking (more details: " "). Before laying the laminate, all irregularities must be eliminated. If they are insignificant, that is, they do not exceed 4-6 mm per 1 m2, then you can get rid of them by grinding with an electric planer or scraping.
Note that if only small, localized defects are observed, a hand scraper or emery may be useful for leveling.
Before you start processing the surface with a sander, you should take care to deepen all the nails into the thickness of the wood so as not to damage the tool. It is better to carry out scraping in sections, after completing the processing of each of which, it is important to check the horizontalness of the surface and the quality of the work.
Plywood or chipboard for leveling the floor
This process is carried out in the following sequence:
- Sheets of plywood are prepared with a thickness of at least 15 mm, in a word, the thicker the better, as far as the budget allows.
- Plywood is treated with fungicides or drying oil to prevent the appearance of fungus.
- The subfloor frame is leveled using support wedges or adjusting screws, which are used to set the level on the joists.
- Using a circular saw, the plywood is cut to the required size (read also: " ").
- When starting to lay plywood sheets, level differences are monitored. If deviations are observed, support slats are placed under the plywood to eliminate them. When laying plywood, you need to make sure that the seams are staggered and do not meet at one point.
- At the last stage, the plywood is fixed to the base.
Laying laminate
The process of how to properly lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor includes the initial placement of a waterproofing layer of polyethylene on the base, and a special underlay on top of it.
The substrate under the laminate is designed to perform several functions: to compensate for minor differences in floor level; serve as thermal insulation; promote the absorption of extraneous sounds.
At the same time, a wide selection of substrates from various materials is available for sale:
- polyethylene foam;
- cork;
- made of bitumen fabric with cork grains;
- polyurethane foam, with increased density.
Depending on the material and form of release, there are sheet and roll backing materials. The underlay under the laminate is always laid end-to-end, and the seams between adjacent sheets are taped to prevent movement. Then you can proceed directly to the installation of the laminate.
Laminate flooring
Let us consider in detail the technology of laying laminated panels, which includes several successive stages.
Starting from the corner of the room, located near the window, lay out the first row of panels along the wall, joining them together at the end parts. It is worth remembering that laying panels on a plank base should always be done across the flooring boards. To ensure the required gap, restrictive plastic or wooden wedges are placed between the laminate and the wall.
Having reached the opposite wall, measure the remaining distance and cut the laminate to size using a jigsaw. The installation of the next row begins with the piece remaining after trimming. A piece of laminate is suitable for installation if its length is 20 cm or more. At the same time, we note that too short pieces can make the floor pattern sloppy. To avoid this, you can cut a piece 2/3 of the length from the new panel, laying out the laminate using the “one-third of the length” offset method.
Thus, a beautiful visual effect is achieved when the end seams of adjacent rows of panels do not coincide in one place, but run apart. The second row of panels is assembled in the same way as the first.
All subsequent rows of laminate are installed in a similar manner. In this case, the locks, if necessary, can be lightly tapped with a hammer through a wooden block.
During installation, you should carefully ensure that there are gaps between the laminate and the walls on all sides of the room.
When all the laminate has been laid and only the last row of panels remains, it may usually be necessary to saw them in half lengthwise. It is best to cut the laminate with a jigsaw, trying to make it as even as possible. However, even if the line is imperfect, it will still not be visible under the baseboard.
Upon completion of all installation work, the wedges between the laminate and the walls are removed, after which the gaps are closed with skirting boards around the perimeter of the room.
Laminate is one of the most popular floor coverings today. It is used in both residential and commercial establishments. Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor is done when it is necessary to hide the defects of the old plank covering, as well as when you want to simply update the interior.
According to experts, it is better to completely dismantle the old wooden floor, after which, to level the rough base, apply a concrete screed under the laminate. But since this process will require additional costs that may exceed the cost of the laminate, it is possible to lay the product directly on a wooden base, as well as using plywood or OSB as a substrate. Let's look at the first and second methods of installing laminate flooring on a wooden floor with all the details.
Tools and materials for working with flooring
1. Drill, jigsaw and screwdriver. Power tools allow you to increase the speed of installation, facilitating manual labor. 2. Hammer and mallet. Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor simply cannot be done without them: hammer in nails, knock down the laminate, tap the boards. 3. Level and roulette. 4. Fiberboard or plywood. Used to level floors.
5. Nails or screws. Necessary for attaching a wooden “screed”. 6. Underlay for laminate. Purchased depending on the room.
Getting ready to lay laminate flooring
Before laying laminate flooring, you need to remember that the material must be left for some time in the room where it is intended to be used. This is done so that it adapts to the humidity characteristics of the room and does not warp later. This is especially important if you are planning to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor. The fact is that wood is a rather capricious material. Indoors, the laminate is left sealed for approximately 48 hours. According to experts, it is best to place it in the middle of the room. The room where the laminate is “maintained” must have a temperature of at least 18 degrees and a humidity of no more than 75%.The feasibility of laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor
The answer to the question whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor most often depends on the strength of the base. Most consumers who prefer laminate-based floor finishing doubt the possibility of installing slats on wooden floors and are thinking about dismantling the wooden covering. Of course, removing a wooden base takes a lot of time, and besides, this work is not only labor-intensive, but also dirty. However, it should be remembered that in some cases dismantling cannot be avoided. Thus, laying slats on wooden floors that are rotting or affected by fungi is unacceptable. Covering the damaged surface will not be able to stop the process of wood rotting, and after some time the laminate will also be affected by rotting.
An alternative to expensive dismantling work can be local replacement of the areas most affected by rotting, followed by the use of waterproofing materials. In this case, it is advisable to use moisture-resistant plywood sheets as a substrate.
Assessing the condition of a wooden floor
Laminated panels can be laid on wood floors only after a full range of measures has been taken to properly prepare the surface. Wood is a good base for laminate, but its condition must be suitable for the finishing work. Often, before installing laminate flooring, it is necessary to repair the wooden base. The most common defects are creaking floors as a result of drying out and surface deformation. In addition, repair work may be required if it is necessary to strengthen loose wooden floorboards of the base. Sometimes you have to use additional fasteners. You can identify the main irregularities using a building level. This method will allow you to correctly assess the volume of activities to level the base.Features of a wooden floor
The base for the laminate must be smooth, strong and rigid. These conditions must be observed so that the locking system is not damaged during operation. For example, if we lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor without preliminary preparation, this is not recommended, since the plank covering may have significant differences in height, individual boards may sag, which is considered unacceptable. Owners of apartments or houses where the old floor is made of wood often have a question about how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor and whether it can be done. It is possible to lay laminate flooring on such a base, the main thing is to carry out the correct preparatory work. Wooden bases are found quite often in rooms for various purposes. To prepare it for subsequent use, it is necessary to study it and, if there are any defects, eliminate them.
The first thing to remember is that wood is an unstable material; it is characterized by processes such as drying out and desiccation. During such movement, gaps may form between the boards, which will increase the load on the laminate locking system. Second: it is necessary to examine not only the surface of the wooden floor, but also its structure - beams, joists. If any defects are found, they must be eliminated, as they can further harm the floor covering. Next, we will consider the main methods of preparing a wooden base, since the preparatory processes are the main ones in the work. If you simply throw them away, then the whole arrangement will come to naught.
Preparing a wooden base for laying laminate flooring without plywood
In order to lay laminate directly on a wooden floor, you must ensure that the surface is in satisfactory condition:
Sometimes it is necessary to repair and strengthen the logs themselves, which “walk” under load - for this, beams or bricks are installed under the logs. Floorboards can creak due to friction against each other. To eliminate the grinding between them, graphite or talc is poured into the gap. Existing gaps are filled with putty. Next, to fully ensure that the wood is in good condition, you need to remove the old layer of paint with your own hands. The appearance of the tree should be close to the natural shade throughout the entire plane. If in some places on the floor the boards look dubious, it is recommended to test them for strength with an awl. The second way to identify rotten or rotten floorboards is to tapping the floor surface with a hammer. In this case, tapping on intact healthy wood will be heard loudly and clearly. While the muffled sound will be a serious reason for replacing old wooden elements with new ones. Even though rotten boards are still strong, you still need to replace them yourself, as the rot can spread to healthy parts over time. Treatment will help prevent their occurrence in the future. antiseptic composition and waterproofing of wooden base. If grooves in the form of grooves are found on the floorboards, it is necessary to apply a bioprotective composition to the wood flooring, since their presence indicates contamination of the material with wood borers. An uneven wooden floor must be leveled; differences in its surface can be 1.5-2 mm/1m2. The way to determine how uneven the flooring is is to use a building level. In the absence of the specified measuring device, you can use a two-meter bar and a spirit level. If the height difference is not critical, an uneven floor can be leveled using a grinding machine, or with your own hands using a plane. The second method is too long scraping technology copes with the task at hand faster and more efficiently. The main thing is that before leveling the floor for subsequent laying of the laminate, do not forget to recess the heads of the nails located above the surface deeper, which can cause the grinding equipment to fail. If your old wood floor is too uneven and sanding cannot solve the leveling problem, there is another way to make it as level as possible - by pouring. Pouring a wooden base for laying laminate is done by using a self-leveling screed, but not a self-leveling mixture, which is not used for wood. To level a wooden floor, compounds with fiberglass are used, due to which the materials firmly adhere to each other. Unlike standard solutions, fiberglass mixture is thicker and hardens faster. But before pouring, waterproofing in the form of a dense polyethylene film is laid on the wooden base. Waterproofing is arranged along the floor in such a way that its edges can be fixed to the walls around the perimeter of the room. The pieces of film are laid overlapping each other, with an allowance of 15-20 cm, the joints are glued with construction tape.
Leveling a wooden floor with plywood under laminate
The technology for leveling a wooden floor using plywood or OSB is low-cost, but at the same time, effective method make the base ideal for laying laminate flooring. To find out which substrate will be better for laminate - OSB or plywood, you need to compare specifications both products. Sheets of plywood and OSB boards are materials of similar quality: the products are easy to process, have a durable structure and relatively high moisture resistance. At the same time, OSB boards are cheaper than plywood, but appearance products does not allow their use for the construction of a finished floor.
Despite this, OSB is slowly displacing plywood products from the construction market, because the behavior of plywood during operation is difficult to guess, which cannot be said about OSB boards, which do not have the property of delaminating under atmospheric and mechanical influence. In addition, the modulus of elasticity during bending, compression and tension of OSB boards is an order of magnitude higher than that of plywood. Based on the above, we can conclude that OSB boards are the most suitable products that will not only level an uneven floor, but also extend its service life.
Rules for laying OSB boards on a wooden base
Basic rules for laying OSB boards on a wooden floor: as a substrate for laminate, it is necessary to use materials with certain parameters. For example, for a laminate with a thickness of 7 mm, you should not buy slabs more than 2 mm thick; for a thicker finish coating of 8-9 mm, the optimal substrate thickness is 3 mm. A thicker backing will sag slightly when pressed, causing the laminate's interlocking joints to become deformed. Installation of OSB boards on a wooden base is carried out by screwing them with screws or nailing them with rods of a certain length. The distance between fasteners is calculated by multiplying the existing slab thickness by 2.5. It is necessary to leave 5 mm technological gaps between the plates, which are subsequently filled with polyurethane foam. It is mandatory to install waterproofing under the substrate to prevent the formation of condensation that destroys the structure of the wood. The uneven transition at the junction of the plates is leveled with epoxy putty.Choosing a substrate for laminate
There are several types of materials used for laying laminate flooring. Cork backing- valued for its composition: it consists exclusively of natural materials, no chemical components. Does not rot, does not spread mold. Does not deform and retains its original appearance throughout its entire service life. Bitumen substrate- when laying laminate flooring on wooden floors in an apartment, you can also use thick paper in combination with bitumen: this material protects the laminate from moisture and is perfect for uneven floors.
Installing laminate flooring on a wooden floor
Here we come to the most important point, which requires attention and composure: every action will affect the final result, so be careful and strictly follow all the instructions described below. Installing laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands can be done in several ways:click system
The work process begins from any corner opposite the entrance door: along the entire perimeter, along the walls, wedges (pieces of plywood) 1 cm thick are installed. This is necessary to create a wall gap so that the laminate can freely expand and contract later. 1. The very first panel is placed in a corner and pressed against the installed wedges. 2. We continue the row with the second panel, which joins the first at an angle of 20-30 degrees: pressing the ends tightly, using gentle pressure, click the lock and lower the laminate board.
3. Lay out the row until we hit the wall/door. The last panel is trimmed to fit the remaining gap. 4. The next row begins with the cut piece, this is how the checkerboard effect is created. 5. Along the length, the laminate is also snapped into an acute 30-degree angle.
Lock system
This method will answer the question of how to lay laminate flooring vertically and diagonally on a wooden floor. 1. The work process begins from the corner opposite the door. 2. The second panel is brought horizontally to the first panel (to the short end), inserted into the groove and hammered with a mallet. 3. Along the long end we match the already pre-assembled row to the existing panels.
4. Try to use a mallet or hammer with blocks, this reduces the risk of damaging the laminate.
Glued laminate
Another way that can answer the question of how to lay the flooring yourself, without special tools and skills. There are no special notes on installation with glue, but there are some points that are worth knowing in advance. The adhesive at the joints of the panels best isolates the base of the laminate from moisture, thereby extending the service life of the floor covering.
Before you can walk on such a floor, you must wait 10-12 hours at room temperature, without creating drafts. It is no longer possible to reuse such a surface: during dismantling, most of the panels will be damaged.
Maintenance and care of laminate flooring
1. Avoid getting excessive moisture at the joints of the panels. 2. Place something soft under the sharp corners of the legs of sofas and other interior items. 3. Monitor the humidity in the room: with sudden changes in temperature and increased dryness, the laminate may come apart, cracks will form, which will be problematic to eliminate, and you will have to disassemble the floor.Laminate flooring can be laid on any flat, durable (stable) and dry surface. Wooden covering, concrete or other – it doesn’t really matter. There are some nuances that should be taken into account.
It is quite possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands. Many construction companies will assure you that the old wooden floor must first be dismantled and completely replaced. This step must be taken if the load-bearing joists have rotted. In the center of Moscow there are still buildings where wooden floors have not been changed since the 19th century, and when conducting a survey, the need for their complete replacement becomes obvious. However, this operation will cost the owner much more than a new floor covering.
Important! When diagnosing a wooden floor, you should pay attention not only to the safety of the joists and the condition of the floor boards, but also to their stable position - the boards should not “walk.” During operation, unstable elements of an old wooden floor will lead to displacement of the laminate panels relative to each other, increased wear of the locking joints and the appearance of cracks in the floor covering.
Diagnosis and leveling of wooden floors
In most cases, to diagnose the old floor, it is not necessary to open it. Such measures should be resorted to if a section of the floor has noticeably “sagged” and cannot be leveled with a layer of plywood. Or when there are serious concerns that the load-bearing joists have rotted. In other cases, the floor is visually inspected, tapped in search of possible cracks and places that creak when walking, and its horizontalness is checked. It is allowed to lay the laminate if there are differences in the plane within 2 mm per 2 m. To do this, apply a 2-meter level to the floor and look at the size of the differences in height.
Damaged boards of the old floor must be replaced. If the damage is superficial and minor, the board is removed, turned over and secured upward with the side that was previously bottom. Poorly secured boards are fixed using self-tapping screws. Subsequent leveling of the surface of the old wooden flooring only makes sense if the floor boards are well secured.
Advice . If you plan to sharpen the floor with an electric planer, use nails to fix the boards, the heads of which must be recessed into the board by 2 mm.
Old, uneven floors with significant differences in height can be leveled using an electric planer or sanding machine. Before leveling the floor with an electric planer, it is also necessary to eliminate squeaks. To do this, the boards are attached to the joists with long self-tapping screws. Self-tapping screws can be screwed into or near the holes of nails that were removed during inspection and repair. After leveling the floor, all debris is carefully removed with an electric planer, the floor boards are impregnated with an antiseptic, after which you can begin laying the laminate.
If there are a significant number of differences, which are quite difficult to remove using an electric planer, leveling the old wooden floor is done with sheets of plywood with a thickness of 10 mm or more. This can be done as long as the floor slope is satisfactory. They fasten sheets of plywood through the boards to the load-bearing joists with long self-tapping screws in order to firmly fix all the layers of the resulting “pie.” Sheets of plywood are laid staggered.
If there is a significant slope of the old wooden floor and large differences in height, the old floor is leveled using additional guides before laying the plywood. They are made from bars of different thicknesses. The plywood should first be laid out on the floor and the joints of the sheets should be marked. Laying guides from bars under the joints is mandatory. The laying step should be 500-600 mm. The bars are secured with self-tapping screws. Sound and heat insulation is laid in the gaps between the laid bars. Sheets of plywood are laid on the new guides and secured with self-tapping screws, without recessing their heads too much into the plywood. There must be a gap of 3-5 mm between the walls in the room and the sheets of plywood.
Very important! Leveling the old floor with the help of additional guides from the bars will inevitably change its level in relation to the floor in other rooms. The door may need to be replaced or rehung.
The vent that was in the old wood floor needs to be retained. To do this, a hole of the same size is cut in this place in the plywood sheet and in the laminate panels. Then the ventilation hole is closed with a decorative cover in the color of the laminate. Usually such holes are located in inconspicuous places, so it will not create problems for you, and the old floor will “breathe” and will last for a long time.
If there are concerns that the load-bearing joists require strengthening or even replacement, a part of the board is cut out in places of maximum deflection of the old floor using a jigsaw. It is better to hold the jigsaw not vertically, but at a slight angle. In this case, the cut piece of board will have a narrowing downward, and it will be easy to simply put it in place.
The logs are inspected through the cut hole and their condition is determined. Repair of joists may be limited to driving in wedges to level them or additionally fixing the joists to the base with anchors. Rotten or seriously damaged joists must be dismantled, which will require removing the entire floor. New ones are installed in place of the old logs. Old wood flooring can be replaced with two layers of plywood. The thickness of the plywood sheets is selected depending on the load on the floor covering in the room.
Features of laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor
Laying the substrate
Issued Various types underlays for laminate:
Manufacturers claim that the substrate is able to level the base under the laminate. This is an exaggeration. The substrate must provide heat and sound insulation. The underlay can compensate for minimal unevenness in a leveled old wooden floor or plywood base, but no more.
Important! The substrate is laid end-to-end, the joints are fixed with tape. This way it will not move when laying the laminate.
Laying laminate
We determine the installation method: diagonally, perpendicular or parallel to the light. Laying diagonally is more often used in narrow spaces - this is one way to visually expand them.
Typically, laminate is laid perpendicular to the window - in daylight, the joints between the panels will be less noticeable, but in the case of a wooden floor, you need to focus on the direction of laying the boards. On such a floor, the laminate is laid perpendicular to the floor boards to reduce possible deflection.
To work you will need:
- Jigsaw or hacksaw.
- Plastic wedges.
- Roulette.
- Square.
- Mallet and die (for Lock locks).
- Pencil.
The first row is laid horizontally from the corner. The panels are connected at their ends. In order to maintain the required gap of 10 mm between the panels and the wall, plastic wedges are used. The last panel in the row is cut with a jigsaw or hacksaw and laid in a row. You can start the next row with the remaining piece of the panel (provided that its length is more than 200 mm), the main thing is that the seams in adjacent rows do not coincide.
Advice. To give panel offsets a more accurate appearance, a technique such as “offset by a third of the board” is used. One third is cut off from the new panel, after which it is laid.
In the rather extensive list of floor coverings, there are not too many options that are compatible with a wood base. True, if you follow special rules, you can lay almost anything. But a laminated floor, constructed using the floating principle, is ideal for furnishing a house built over a structure made of beams, joists, and boards. However, compatibility does not save independent craftsmen from studying the nuances according to which laminate flooring is laid on a wooden floor, and from the need to remember the specifics of ever-moving wood.
Can laminate flooring be installed on wood floors?
Laminated panels are bonded only to each other; attach them to static building structures, that is, to the floor or to the walls, is not necessary. Built using a floating design, the floor rests freely on the sub-base, allowing it to expand and contract. And it, in turn, does not prevent the laminate from changing its geometric parameters following temperature changes and humidity fluctuations.
The design specificity of laminated boards makes it possible to do without adhesives that hermetically seal the butt seams. Although adhesive technology exists, it is used extremely rarely due to labor intensity, significant consumption of glue and the inability to disassemble and reassemble permanently joined panels in another place. Glueless, the most popular fastening method, pleases both the wooden base and the owners of country property with excellent spontaneous aeration necessary for ventilation of the components of the wooden structure. An excellently ventilated floor covered with laminate through the seams lasts longer and does not rot.
Despite the artificial origin of the laminated coating, its behavior during operation is not much different from the behavior of lumber. After all, its main element is made of MDF panels, chipboard, HDF and similar boards created by pressing wood products. The base of a laminate floor is an important characteristic that determines the scope of use of the material. In theory, laminate flooring is not recommended for installation in rooms where wet cleaning must be carried out regularly. It is allowed to arrange bedrooms, children's rooms, offices, and living rooms. However, flooring made with HDF is considered moisture resistant and can be laid on floors in hallways and even kitchens.
Note. For flooring in rooms with typical wet conditions, a laminated floor of class 33 on the wear resistance scale is suitable, but its cost rarely suits the owners of country houses.
Rules for preparing a wooden base for installation
Eat General requirements to the characteristics of the surface being constructed. According to the instructions of SNiP with the number 3.04.01-87 assigned to the normative collection, for laying laminated coverings:
- a leveled surface is required, the differences in relief of which do not exceed 2 mm within an area of 2 m²;
- allow a maximum slope of 4mm, evenly distributed over 2m in any direction.
You should not deviate from the instructions regulated by technical regulations, since failure to comply will damage the sensitive locking system. The grooves will become loose, the fragile thin ridges will break, the floor will not last long and will have to be re-laid.
You can, of course, partially change the elements if only a few boards are damaged, but the repair procedure will require a lot of effort. In such situations, the laminated panels are dismantled to the restoration site, then the broken elements are replaced and laid again in the reverse order. If the laminated planks are damaged multiple times, partial replacement is out of the question. At best, a few boards will be preserved, which can be used to arrange storage rooms, closets, and compact covered verandas.
Before laying laminate panels on a wooden subfloor, it is mandatory to inspect the base. The scope of work is determined, as a result of which the base, brought into full order, will be ready to install the covering on its reinforced “shoulders”.
Preparation actions depend on the degree of wear of the wooden structure:
- Old plank floor will have to be disassembled down to the support beam, because over the years of its long-term operation, sensitive natural organic matter could suffer from excess moisture or become infected with fungus. It is impossible to find out through the floorboards what the real condition is if the wooden floor is not the ceiling of a spacious basement. Those with a high underground are lucky. It will provide an opportunity to examine and repair ceiling parts without tedious dismantling. We carefully examine the entire list of structural elements. We cut out doubtful sections of beams and joists and replace them with new timber. The boards removed from the floor with a low subfloor, which inspire confidence in their reliability, are turned over with the unworn inside out, laid again, and the cracks filled with foam or repair compound. We replace old, worn-out boards without regret. We will “go through” the floorboards secured in the bottom using a scraping machine. All structural components of a long-established wooden floor must be carefully treated with antiseptic impregnation and fire retardant. Nowadays it is easy to buy a mastic that performs both functions that are significant for wood.
- New plank floor There is also no need to scrupulously diagnose it, since it was built not so long ago and is probably covered with compounds that protect against putrefactive bacteria and fire. Therefore, preparing to lay laminate flooring on a newly constructed wooden floor will not take much time and labor effort from the contractor. We check the fasteners, change or repair loose fasteners, “sink” nails or screws a couple of mm into the floorboards. We foam or fill the cracks with wood glue, mixed in half with sawdust, and scrape if necessary.
- Floor with structural defects needs to be improved. It is very difficult to determine in advance the range of actions in such cases, because the situation can have a lot of different reasons. For example, if the floorboards sag, the joist system will need to be strengthened by additionally installing timber or replacing the boards with thicker material. It is often more profitable and easier to lay another row of boards of similar thickness on top, laid “cross” to the previous layer. The latter measure is acceptable if the additional subfloor, together with the laminate and underlay, does not take away too many cm, which are very necessary for a limited space, from the ceiling height.
You can level the rough wood base with plywood, GVLV, OSB sheets or by placing pieces of roofing felt under the joists, as well as glassine rolled into several layers. You can purchase a “constructor set” from Knauf with a full set of fasteners, supports and plywood sheets. The method is chosen based on economic considerations and ease of implementation.
Laying technology for laminated boards
We invite you to watch the thematic video:
It is impossible to cover the wooden rough base with vapor or waterproofing, it will interfere with ventilation. Condensation harmful to wood will accumulate under the insulation. But if nothing can break the burning desire to isolate, it is better to use a diffusion membrane.
Before laying, you will only need to lay the underlay; it is advisable to choose a natural material for this. For the sake of the safety of the wooden structure, it is worth forgetting about the high prices for cork and the bitumen-cork or bitumen-rubber pressed options created with its use. The thickness of this layer is selected based on the same parameter of the laminated panel. Typically, strips of 3mm underlay without overlaps are placed under an 8mm laminate. No permanent fastenings to the walls or to the base are needed, only gluing with tape in periodic dots or solid lines.
Note. The choice of direction for laying out laminated boards is influenced not so much by the preferences of the owners as by the direction of the existing floorboards. Laminate panels should lie across the boards. This means that the strips of substrate located under the coating need to be laid lengthwise.
Let’s assume that it has already been decided how we will lay the laminate panels, an elementary plan has been drawn out by hand in advance and a rational scheme has been selected. There is plenty of information about methods, rules and layout options on the website. Here are a couple of articles on the topic:
You can join the boards by gradually increasing the coverage of each piece separately or by joining pre-assembled rows. The preferred method is usually specified by the material manufacturer, and we examine the individual algorithm.
Actions of the installer when assembling a laminate floor piece by piece:
- Let's position ourselves in the starting corner, usually the corner farthest from the doorway, taking 4 panels with us. For two of them (1st and 3rd), planned for installation against the wall, you must first cut off the ridge. We do not touch the groove; it is always directed towards the stacker.
- Let us first outline the distance by which we will move the panels in adjacent rows in order to avoid cross intersections and thereby increase the reliability of the connections. The recommended offset for the offset is no less than 30 cm. We will shorten the second board by this amount.
- Using the method specified by the manufacturer, depending on the type of Click or Lock locking system, we join the 1st and 3rd panels, then attach a piece of the 2nd board to them, then the 4th uncut board.
- We move the assembled floor segment to the designated location, installing spacers approximately 1 cm thick between it and the adjacent walls. They will provide the clearance required for the laminate to move during thermal expansion.
- We extend the first row with the 5th board with a cut ridge, then extend the second strip of covering with the 6th.
- By analogy, we follow until the successful completion of laying the first two rows, not forgetting to cut off the ridge facing the wall. We cut the boards that complete both strips according to precisely measured distances. To snap the last ones into the rows of elements, we use a special mounting bracket.
- Next, we follow the course we have learned, only there is no need to trim the ridges anymore.
- We measure the panels of the last row at the place of installation and cut them taking into account the temperature indentation, attach them and snap them into place using a clamp.
Methods of bypassing pipes, methods of laying under radiators and arranging doorways correspond to standard rules for covering laminate floors.
Important point. In a large room, the temperature gap should be left not only along the walls. It is formed every 10 m, measured in width, and 8 m in length. The expansion joint is left in the opening along the axis of the closed door leaf. The gap after installation is closed with a profile made of plastic or aluminum.
Absolutely simple rules that explain how to economically lay a laminated flooring with your own hands will help you perfectly decorate your countryside and city property. And for those who did not intend to do the construction themselves, knowledge of the technology will help them competently monitor the actions of builders who are not always diligent.
Almost any modern finishing materials can be installed on old wooden floors. This statement also applies to laminate, which is popular these days. True, its installation on a wooden base has a number of features. We will describe them.
Wooden bases and laminate – are they compatible?
Traditionally, laminated boards are mounted on a leveled concrete base. It is ideal for this finishing material. But now many home craftsmen are very successfully covering wood floors with laminate. The technology for laying such bases has some differences from the standard technique, which is due to the structure of products made of natural wood. Let's deal with them. This is not difficult, since a wooden base differs from a concrete one in only two features:
- 1. Wood floors are less stable. If we place the laminate on such a base without proper preliminary preparation, the coating will not last long. Loose old boards will create increased stress on the locks. They are considered the weakest point of laminated products. It is clear that the destruction of the locks will very quickly lead to deformation of the entire coating. As a result, instead of a beautiful and practical floor, we will have at our disposal a design that is unattractive in appearance and extremely inconvenient to use.
- 2. Wood bases are prone to losing their original mechanical characteristics over time. Therefore, before laying the laminate, it is necessary to carefully analyze their condition and, if necessary, replace elements that do not inspire confidence (support beams, joists, etc.).
In addition, the surface of wooden floors in most cases has a lot of bumps and roughness. They must be removed.
If we take into account the described features of wood and implement it quality training, we will be able to correctly lay laminated products and be confident in the durability of the created coating.
Floor preparation - do-it-yourself restoration and repair
We found that installing laminate flooring over an old wooden floor is quite possible. But provided that the latter is in satisfactory condition and meets the following requirements:
- 1. There are no gaps between the base elements.
- 2. There is no creaking when moving on the floor, and the boards do not bend under the weight of a person.
- 3. There are no signs of wood rotting.
- 4. The floor is fairly level. The permissible height difference for every two meters is no more than 2 mm.
When some areas of the floor base are affected by fungus and mold, it is recommended to replace them. Installing new boards will solve this problem. The main thing is to use high-quality and well-dried material. Do not use wet products. New boards will begin to dry out after installation, which will lead to deformation of the coating. If traces of rot are insignificant, they can be removed, the entire floor covered with waterproofing film, and then moisture-resistant plywood sheets placed on it. They will protect the surface from moisture and help make the base as smooth as possible.
If there are creaks and deflections, you need to nail the boards to the joists using nails or screws of suitable size. This type of base restoration is accessible to any self-taught master. In some cases, it is necessary to carry out minor repairs to the joists on which the wooden base is installed. A similar operation is performed when the supporting elements “walk” under load. You can place bricks under the logs or install additional bars. Squeaks can also occur due to the friction of floorboards against each other. The problem is solved by filling the gaps between the individual floor elements. There is another option for getting rid of squeaks. It involves filling the cracks between the floorboards with talc or graphite chips.
Next, we take a building level 200 cm long and take measurements of the floor base in order to determine the height differences present on it. If there are any (and significant ones), don’t be upset. There are several effective marks for leveling wood bases. More about them later.
Methods for leveling a wooden base - use the appropriate one
You can make the floor surface level with your own hands in two ways - sanding and laying particle boards or plywood. The first method is suitable for bases with insignificant (up to 6 mm per square) bulges, growths and depressions.
Very small local wood defects can be removed using a hand scraper or coarse sandpaper.
It is better to get rid of more serious irregularities that cover the entire base or most of it using an electric plane (it cuts off convex areas perfectly) or a sander. Before using these tools, you should thoroughly clean the wood from dust and debris, and push the caps of hardware protruding to the surface into the wood. Nails and screws should not protrude above the base. This is guaranteed to lead to damage to the working knives of the plane and the grinding unit.
The procedure for scraping wood flooring is simple. It is necessary to divide the entire floor area into several separate zones and treat them one by one with sanding equipment. After sanding each section, we make sure to check the quality of the work performed. When the entire floor has been processed, we reuse the building level. If we managed to remove the differences in altitude, we remove wood dust and sawdust from the base. It is advisable to carry out the operation with a broom and vacuum cleaner. Important! After cleaning, not a single ounce of dust should remain on the floor surface. It clogs the locks of laminated boards, which is why they squeak mercilessly and make other unpleasant sounds during the operation of the coating.
Irregularities larger than 6 mm cannot be corrected by scraping. We will only be wasting our time and energy. In such situations, as was said, you need to level the floors using plywood (or chipboard as an option). We choose materials wisely. We buy plywood more than 10 mm thick with a moisture-resistant coating. Experts advise using sheets marked FC or FSF for living rooms. If you plan to use it in a non-residential area, you can purchase it. It has maximum strength and moisture resistance. But it is not used for living rooms, as it is characterized by a low level of environmental safety.
It is advisable to treat plywood sheets with a fungicidal compound or regular drying oil. After this we proceed to leveling. First, we place plastic or wooden wedges under the logs, trying to level out differences in altitude. Then we cut the plywood sheets with a circular saw into pieces of suitable sizes. You need to calculate in advance how many products will be needed to cover the entire area of the floor base. At the same time, we take into account that the plywood is placed in a checkerboard pattern or with some offset. It is unacceptable for the corners of four different workpieces to touch at one point.
Plywood blanks are laid at a distance from the walls (1–1.2 cm) and with a mandatory gap between each other (about 2.5 mm). This is done so that the material does not deform when expanding under the influence of changing humidity and temperature conditions in the room. We fasten the plywood with self-tapping screws. We install them, stepping back from the edge of the workpieces by 20 mm. Along the perimeter of the sheet, hardware is screwed in so that the distance between them does not exceed 20 cm. Some experts advise coating the wooden base with glue before laying the plywood. This operation prevents the old boards from becoming loose. But the use of an adhesive does not eliminate the need to secure the workpieces with self-tapping screws.
Substrate - you can’t do without it
Must be used without fail. It is a rolled product necessary to prevent the mounted finishing materials from coming into contact with the rough wooden base. The substrate also distributes the loads on the coating and compensates for them. Due to this, the effect of reducing pressure on the floor is achieved. In fact, the use of the described material makes it possible to protect the laminate locks from damage and gives the entire coating a level of strength sufficient for normal operation. Additional functions of the substrate are equalization of minor differences in height, vapor barrier and sound absorption.
Linings for laminated boards are made from different materials:
- natural cork;
- polyethylene foam;
- polyurethane foam;
- bitumen sheets.
They are also popular. The choice of a specific product is yours. But remember that experts recommend laying underlays made of coniferous wood or natural cork on wooden floors. They interact with the base material in the best possible way. These are the kind of pads that should be used when installing expensive laminate flooring.
Substrates are available in rolls and individual sheets. The rules for laying linings do not depend on their shape. Both sheet and roll products are placed end-to-end on the base and then secured with tape. This prevents the risk of the substrate shifting during the installation of the laminated coating. Notice! There is no need to attach lining material to the floor and walls.
Piece-by-piece laying of laminate flooring – technology for dummies
To properly lay laminate flooring, it is enough to know a few rules. First of all, there is no need to lay special hydro- and vapor barrier layers under these types of cladding. They will be of no use, but there will be a lot of harm. Under insulating films Condensation will begin to accumulate, which will quickly destroy the structure of the wooden floor. Second point. Before starting finishing work, you should draw up a diagram of the location of the laminated panels on the floor. There is no need for an ultra-precise drawing. But a simple sketch, made by hand, will greatly facilitate the calculation of the required amount of material, as well as the process of its installation itself.
The joining of individual elements of the laminated coating takes place according to two algorithms. The first involves the preliminary assembly of rows of individual dies and their subsequent connection to each other. The second method is to build each panel separately. This technique is called piecemeal. This is what almost all self-taught craftsmen use when laying laminate flooring on their own. Let's look at the step-by-step method of cladding a wooden base:
- 1. Take four laminate sheets and stand in the far corner of the room (in relation to the door).
- 2. Cut off the ridge of the two panels that are planned to be placed against the wall. We cut the third board to the amount of displacement of the adjacent rows of the laminate being laid (it is taken within 30–40 cm), do not touch the fourth (leave it intact).
- 3. We join the dies without a ridge. This part of the work is carried out according to the recommendations of the manufacturer of the laminated coating and the type of lock with which it is equipped (Lock, Click).
- 4. We attach the third (cut) and then the uncut to the resulting structure of two products.
- 5. Place the resulting part in the place designated for it on the floor. We leave a gap between the assembled segment and the mating wall surfaces of about 10 mm. Spacers are usually installed in it.
- 6. Add a fifth strip to the first row, cutting off its ridge, and extend the sixth strip to the next strip.
- 7. Next, we proceed by analogy until the installation of two complete rows is completed. Remember! The comb facing the wall is always trimmed.
We cut off the last dies at the ends of the strips. The dies located in the last rows are secured with a mounting bracket. We collect subsequent strips according to the described algorithm. But now there is no need to trim the ridges. We simply join the products using the tongue-and-groove system. We cut the dies of the last row to the required sizes directly at the place of their installation and fix them with a clamp (special bracket).
Last moment. Temperature gaps left near the walls should be covered with plastic skirting boards after installation is completed. And the gap in the doorway is usually decorated with a profile made of aluminum or plastic.
Renew your old wood floor by refinishing it with modern materials. And enjoy the new interiors of your home. Good luck!
