Self laying laminate
Today laminate flooring has become very popular. The main merit of this is the relatively low cost and good quality. At a low price imitate expensive natural wood floors in a very high quality. Although, sometimes laminate of high class and quality from elite collections can be priced at a level, or even higher, than wooden flooring. Caring for such a floor is simple, and the coating is durable. To use laminate in both living rooms and public spaces, it is necessary to consider the wear resistance class. Also laminate is laid in the kitchen and in the bathroom, using a moisture-resistant coating.
In the range there is a wide variety of laminate floors. The structure and color range is limitless. Carry out imitation of any wood, stone, mat, bamboo, bright glossy or matte surface. And this is not the whole range of possible types of such a floor. And one of the main advantages – ease of assembly.
Laminate board consists of the following layers:
The top layer – a laminating film to protect the floor from moisture and sunlight, gives a glossy shine or a matte shade, it is resistant to wear. That is, the quality of this film determines the class of laminate;
Next, a layer of pressed paper. The texture and color are applied on it;
Under the paper there is a dense fibrous carrier layer, which provides rigidity to the whole structure;
The final layer is another layer of paper impregnated with special resins that protect the board from moisture.
This material is quite durable and environmentally friendly.
Laminates are also distinguished by joining systems: Click lock system, double lock, Lock system with spikes and grooves, adhesive method.
The most popular system is Click double lock. With it, the connection of the boards among themselves is carried out by snapping at an angle of 30 °. Thus, we obtain high-quality adhesion between the plates. If necessary, such floors can be disassembled and used elsewhere.
A more economical option is the system locks Lock with studs and grooves. But with such a system, the quality and reliability of such a clutch is worse. Also, it requires additional installation skills, as you need to gently tamp the clutch with a hammer, using a wooden bar.
Adhesive attachment method is outdated and is practically not used today.
For laying laminate, you must purchase a foamed polyethylene backing that protects the coating from moisture and is also a soundproofing layer.
In the case where the floors are cement, you can additionally use 10-mm plywood to increase their thermal insulation. You can use a cork substrate, which copes with heat, noise and waterproofing, and evens out small unevenness of the floor. It absorbs due to synthetic rubber and granulated cork, but this material is quite expensive.
When the laminate is at home, it must be allowed to rest for several days without packaging in that room. Where it will fit. Thus, it will take shape according to the temperature and humidity of the room. It is necessary to examine all the material in order to identify defective copies (chips, different in shade – light – dark), which can be used for cutting or used in poorly viewed parts of the room, as well as where the furniture will be.
After that it is necessary to prepare the floor before laying. It should be perfectly smooth. Permissible differential for every two meters of the surface is not more than a couple of millimeters. In that case when floors ideally equal, the laminate can be stacked on old linoleum without substrate. If the floor is wooden, then it must be initially aligned. To do this, the grinding machine removes the irregularities, fill the grooves with special compounds or glue with sawdust. When laying on a concrete floor, it must be leveled with a self-leveling mixture and allowed to dry completely. Before laying the floor must be dried and degreased.
The laminate floor is laid in a floating way, without attachment to the floor, so it can react to changes in temperature and humidity, expanding slightly or contracting without deformation. The direction of laying should be along the sunlight falling from the window.
The styling technology is as follows:
First of all, the substrate is laid on the floors perpendicular to the laminate laying line and the connections are taped with adhesive tape. Thus, a holistic surface is obtained.
Begin laying the floors from the far left corner of the room along the wall, observing the direction of the sun’s rays.
At the first row of the laminate they cut the locks at the planks with a special saw, hacksaw or grinder. The last panel is filed to the desired length. Moreover, its balance can be used for subsequent rows.
