Laminate is a coating that requires the preparation of a perfectly even base. But what if there is no way to dismantle the old floor and arrange a new cement screed? Can laminate flooring be installed on wood floors? These questions are of interest to those who decide to refresh the interior without resorting to capital investments. You can learn about how to lay the material on an existing surface from the recommendations and videos given in the article: how to put a laminate on a wooden floor with your own hands.


Can laminate flooring be installed on wood floors?

The question of the possibility of laying laminate on an old wooden floor often arises due to the fact that the cost of dismantling and installing a new cement base in many respects exceeds the cost of purchasing the floor covering itself. In addition, the expediency of a major overhaul is not always justified, as it is associated with the duration of the process, while you can change the interior of the room by resorting to cosmetic repairs.


Is it possible to lay laminate on a wooden floor and not be afraid that the coating will deform, creak when walking, or come apart at the seams? Knowing how the old wooden base behaves, and what measures must be taken to comply with the basic requirements for laying laminated floors, you can safely proceed to work. The technology of laying laminate panels on a wooden floor is similar to the procedure for covering a screed.

Despite the warnings of manufacturers and some installers, it is possible to lay laminate over a wooden floor, taking into account two main differences between a wooden and cement base:

  • Instability of a wooden base. Laminate floor boards laid on top of a wooden base can move. This will put additional stress on the laminate locks, which are the weakest point of this flooring.
  • Loss of mechanical properties of wooden flooring during operation. This fact obliges, before laying the laminate on a wooden floor, scrupulously check the wooden structure for defects and fix the loose elements.

    • In order for the laminate to be perfectly even, not to diverge in locks and to serve for a long time, it is necessary to prepare the base, taking into account all the requirements for the surface when laying this material. The base must be:

    • even - deviation from the horizon should not exceed 2 mm per 1 linear meter of surface;
    • absolutely dry;
    • clean - it is necessary to remove from the surface all the debris and dust that have arisen during the preparation process;
    • stable - there should be no displacement of the elements of the base relative to each other.

    How to level a wooden floor under a laminate

    There are several options for leveling wooden floors under a laminate:

    • cycling of a wooden floor;
    • floor covering with plywood or chipboard;
    • leveling with plywood using linings and bars.

    The choice of one or another option for correcting the surface depends on the degree of unevenness of the wooden base.

    Repair of an old wooden base

    Work on the preparation of a wooden floor for laying a laminated coating is carried out either immediately before installation, or in advance. It depends on how complex the process will be and how long it will take to fully meet the specifications. First, you should check the condition of the wooden floor for all sorts of defects.

    Most often, boards that have been in operation for more than one year have a slightly convex surface as a result of applying several layers of paint to them. The edges of boards or parquet lamellas may be damaged in the form of cracks, holes and gouges. In addition, it is possible that the floorboards do not adhere tightly to the joists at the docking points. Sometimes there is a significant slope of the floor in one or more directions. All these shortcomings need to be addressed.


    Before laying a laminate on a wooden floor, all potholes should be repaired, the loose elements should be wedged and fixed with glue and self-tapping screws. If there are cracks in the wood, they are stapled together with a construction stapler. Moldy and rotten boards must be replaced with new ones. To eliminate the creak of a wooden floor, it is necessary to sort out all the floorboards.

    You can also get rid of creaking in a wooden floor by driving wedges between poorly fixed boards and joists, as well as between adjacent floorboards. This method will help to neutralize the friction of the boards against each other. If the boarding is heavily worn, this method may not be effective. Nevertheless, the main threat to the integrity of the laminate remains the unevenness of the base.


    How to lay laminate flooring on uneven wood floors: sanding the surface

    If all the floorboards of the wooden base are well fixed and the surface does not have a significant slope, scraping or electric planing can be used for leveling. This method is appropriate for surfaces whose roughness does not exceed a slope of 5-6 mm per square meter. Local irregularities are eliminated by processing defective areas with sandpaper or using a manual scraper. This treatment is also used in hard-to-reach places.

    To facilitate the process, it is recommended to start leveling by dividing the entire surface into several sections. After processing, the plane of each section and the quality of grinding is controlled. Before starting work, it is necessary to deepen the heads of all self-tapping screws by 2 mm into the wood in order to avoid contact with the metal knives of the grinding power tool, which can damage them.

    Upon completion of leveling, check the entire surface of the wooden floor with a level, and then carefully sweep or remove sawdust and dust with a vacuum cleaner. If the small rubbish left after leveling is not removed, there is a chance that it will get into the locks of the laminated coating, and this, in turn, will lead to an unwanted creak when moving along the laid laminate.


    Before laying the laminate on a wooden floor after leveling, it is necessary to treat the entire surface with an antiseptic composition or proliferate and dry well. To reduce the possible deflection of the laminated coating, it is recommended to lay the material panels perpendicular to the direction of the boards.

    Leveling the floor with plywood under the laminate

    One of the simple and at the same time low-cost types of surface adjustment to the required level is the method of laying plywood on a wooden floor under a laminate. To perform such work, plywood sheets with a thickness exceeding the thickness of the finished laminated coating should be purchased. It is recommended to choose the thickness of plywood for the floor under the laminate in the range from 12 to 15 mm.

    Before starting laying, it will be useful to check the level of humidity in the room. This can be done by placing a sheet of polyethylene approximately 1x1 m in size on the floor. The polyethylene should be pressed tightly to the floor and left for three days. If after this time no condensation forms on the inside of the sheet, plywood sheets can be used in such a room.


    Begin the process by cutting plywood sheets. They are cut into squares 60x60 cm in size. Separate extreme sheets are adjusted to fit the outlines of the room, fill in the niches and bypass the protruding sections. When laying between the sheets, gaps of 7-10 mm are left, which act as expansion joints. The distance between the end sheets and the wall should be between 15 and 20 mm. In order not to confuse the cut sheets of plywood during assembly, it is recommended to number them.

    You can fix plywood boards to the floor with glue, but you can do without it. Using the laying scheme and numbering, the sheets are laid out on the wooden floor in their place and fixed with self-tapping screws in the corners of the square and along diagonal lines with a step of 15 cm. For fastening, it is important to use self-tapping screws, the length of which is three times the thickness of the plywood. After final assembly, plywood sheets are carefully sanded with coarse sandpaper.

    Laying plywood under the laminate on a wooden floor with fastening to the logs

    Before laying a laminate on a wooden floor, you can use the leveling of the surface by laying plywood and attaching it to the logs. This method is quite laborious and expensive. The principle of this method is to install the log in such a way that their upper faces are in the same horizontal plane. To achieve this position, wedges or wooden bars are placed under the logs. When laying adjustable logs, their position is fixed by means of adjusting screws.


    Plywood boards are cut with a circular saw and laid on logs, while checking the horizontal level of the plane of each sheet. Laying is done in a checkerboard pattern to avoid overlapping seams at one point. Sheets are fastened to a wooden base with self-tapping screws along the perimeter and diagonally in increments of 20 cm. For quick and convenient installation, it is recommended to pre-mark the attachment points.

    After complete laying, the sheets are sanded and treated with an antiseptic solution, and then the laminate is laid on plywood. On wooden floors leveled in this way, the flooring will hold firmly and for a long time. The only drawback of laying plywood on logs is that this option is not very suitable for rooms with low ceilings, since their height can decrease to 8-10 cm. In addition, trimming the door leaf may be required.


    Is it possible to put laminate on fiberboard

    When renovating an apartment, many people wonder if it is possible to put a laminate on a wooden floor covered with fibreboard? Some recommendations state that if fiberboards are laid flat and held firmly, they can be used as a base for laminate flooring. However, some experts do not agree with this statement.

    The thing is that fiberboard panels do not have the ability to redistribute the load over a large area, unlike plywood or chipboard sheets. In addition, when fiberboard sheets are laid, there is no way to carefully examine the condition of the old wooden floor. How to put a laminate on a base, the elements of which are possibly rotten or worn out? This can lead to the fact that over time, all existing defects will appear on the finished floor covering.

    The use of fiberboard, which is based on pressed paper, as a base for a laminated coating, raises serious doubts about the durability of the repair. On old floors, under load, a play of up to 0.5 mm may appear, which will cause the laminate locks to loosen. This can lead to creaking and breakage of locks. And given that the logs of the wooden floor can be cracked, the gap can be much larger.


    Considering that not everyone has the opportunity to dismantle the old wooden floor or sort it out (which is also costly in itself), you can lay the laminate on the fiberboard. However, it must be ensured that the fibreboards are firmly fixed to the wooden floor. And if the base for the laminate is strong, then there is not much difference what is the base - chipboard, plywood or fiberboard.

    Laying laminate on a wooden floor with your own hands

    To figure out how to properly lay a laminate on a wooden floor, you need to have an idea about the material itself, its classes, types of substrate used, calculations and installation technologies. This information will help during the work to avoid mistakes that lead to damage, waste of material, and will also contribute to high-quality and durable installation.


    Choosing a material: calculation and purchase of laminate

    The amount of laminate required is calculated based on the area of ​​the room, the material consumption rate and the installation method. First of all, the area of ​​the covered surface should be determined. The number of square meters of the room is divided by the area of ​​​​one laminate board. As a result, the required number of coating strips is obtained. Knowing that each pack contains 8 boards, you can easily determine the number of packs.

    When buying material, you should also take into account the consumption coefficient, which varies from 5 to 14%. This or that value of the coefficient depends on how the laminate panels are laid. If you decide to lay the laminate flooring diagonally, the coefficient is assumed to be maximum. Consequently, there will be more material waste.

    In addition, it should be taken into account that during the laying work, the lock of the plate may be accidentally damaged or an incorrect trimming may be performed. In this case, it would be useful to purchase a few boards in stock.


    To work with laminate in residential premises, a coating with certain technical parameters is chosen. Manufacturers present four classes of material, the main indicator of which is wear resistance. The most common plates are 6, 8 and 10 mm thick. The thicker the board, the stronger the coating. For domestic use, grades 31 and 32 of the material are quite suitable.

    In addition to strength indicators, laminate plates are distinguished by locks. There are two types of locks - CLICK and LOCK. The CLICK lock is more common, it perfectly holds the seam and allows unevenness up to 3 mm per linear meter of surface. Panels with the second type of lock are difficult to install, require a perfectly even base and are used less often.

    Preliminary preparation of the base

    Before laying a laminate on a wooden floor, the condition of the existing subfloor should be analyzed. It is necessary to identify all existing defects: potholes, cracks, holes. Loose boards should be wedged and fixed with glue and self-tapping screws. Potholes should be sealed with wedges using glue, and if possible, clean the ventilation holes.


    A very old floor should be disassembled to the supporting logs. If during the examination it was found that some elements are rotten, they should be replaced. Floor boards that are leaky on one side can be turned over with the unworn side up, and completely rotten ones can be replaced with new ones. Checking the slope of the floor is carried out using the building level and rails.

    If a floor surface difference of more than 3 mm is detected, the scraping method should be used. If you don't have a scraping machine, you can always rent one. It will be more reliable to level the floor by laying chipboard or plywood. In addition to the leveling function, such a coating will provide additional insulation and sound insulation of the floor.

    Leveling a wooden floor with chipboard boards

    Chipboard boards are laid after strengthening all the elements of the wooden floor and impregnating the base with an antifungal compound. The plinth is dismantled, and unnecessary items that may interfere with the process are removed. Laying of plates is carried out from the corner of the room. A gap of about 10 mm is left from the wall. Chipboard sheets are arranged so that the joints of the material fall on the lines of the beams.

    Chipboard boards are fixed with self-tapping screws, while trying to ensure that the caps of the fasteners do not extend beyond the surface. The pitch of the screws should be about 30 cm. After laying all the chipboard boards, the joining lines must be putty with thin-layer compounds specially designed for working with wood. When the solution dries, the surface of the chipboard boards is polished.


    The base of the freshly laid chipboard should be thoroughly dried. Ideally, the plates should be kept for about a week, so that acclimatization takes place and excess moisture evaporates. If during this time it is found that some joints are swollen or displaced, they should be cycled, puttied and cleaned with sandpaper.

    Necessary tools for the job

    For people who are not professionally involved in repairs, but are going to lay a laminate on their own, a logical question arises about a set of tools for the job. To lay a laminate on a wooden floor, you will need a tool that should be in the arsenal of every owner:

    • construction roulette;
    • ruler, pencil;
    • construction knife;
    • hacksaw or jigsaw;
    • rubber mallet;
    • pliers.

    Do not forget about the plinth, for fixing which you will have to slightly expand the range of tools. If you plan to install wooden skirting boards, you will need a miter box. In the case of plastic baseboards, this device is not needed. You will also need a screwdriver or drill to tighten the screws.

    A puncher can also be useful for arranging holes for fixing the plinth. Not everyone has this power tool, but it can be rented for the duration of the work.

    Choosing a substrate for laminate on a wooden floor

    Before laying a laminate on a wooden floor, it is correct to cover the surface with a substrate. This layer allows you to compensate for minor irregularities, provide moisture and sound insulation of the laminate, as well as the space between the coating and the base. There are quite a few types of substrates, and they differ in composition, properties, cost, appearance, and other features.


    The material for the manufacture of substrates can be synthetic (polyethylene foam), natural (cellulose, cork, needles, etc.) and combined. The most budget option is polyethylene foam - lightweight, easy to install, but fragile material that is quickly compressed and does not provide proper moisture exchange. A more durable substrate is made of polystyrene in the form of 1x1 m plates, it does not cake and provides high-quality sound insulation. But these types of substrates are more often used when the base is made of concrete.

    Before laying the laminate on a wooden floor, it is recommended to arrange an underlay made of natural material. The cork backing has excellent properties; in combination with a laminate, it demonstrates excellent heat and sound insulation. Its cost is quite high, but this is offset by the long-term preservation of the wooden base. The thickness of the substrate is chosen, focusing on the same parameter of the laminate board.

    For example, under an 8 mm board, a substrate 3 mm thick is selected. With regard to the laying of the material, it should be noted that the strips of the substrate are placed end-to-end without overlaps and stationary fastening to walls or a wooden base. Docking lines are glued with adhesive tape along the entire length or in periodic places.


    How to put laminate on a wooden floor: installation technology

    Once all preparatory work is completed, you can proceed directly to laying laminated panels. The process of laying laminate flooring is relatively simple and does not require special knowledge and skills. However, it is still worth familiarizing yourself with some of the nuances of installation. Choose a place where the packages with laminate will be located, remove the doors from the hinges, free the room from unnecessary items.

    Before laying the substrate, it is necessary to remove all debris and carefully dedust the surface of the substrate. The underlayment strips are laid parallel to the future arrangement of the laminate boards. If a single piece of the substrate is not enough, it is necessary to connect several parts with adhesive tape, cutting them using the mirror cut method. All docking lines are also glued with tape.

    Next, lay the first row of coating. Don't forget that the laminate panels should be placed across the planks of the wooden base. Carefully connect the lamellas of the first row with each other. First, we collect solid panels, and then we measure the length of the last board of the row and outline the cut line. When cutting, it is necessary to turn the board 180 degrees, otherwise the locks will not match. Cut off the excess part according to the mark. As a visual aid, use the video: how to lay a laminate on a wooden floor with your own hands.

    Do not forget to leave gaps between the end of the panel and the wall, in which you can put 8-10 mm wide limiters made from laminate scraps. After the formation of the starting strip, the next one is assembled. The distance between adjacent rows should be small so that it is easier to connect them. The formation of the next row begins with a cut lamella.


    After assembling the second strip, it must be carefully lifted, holding on to the end joints, and turned slightly so that the lock snaps into place. It is necessary to go along the entire length of the strip, alternately lifting the end joints and snapping the locks. In order for the locks to be tightly fastened, it is necessary to bring them by tapping with the palm of your hand or a mallet.

    By this principle, all other rows of coverage are assembled. Laying laminate panels is best done in a chaotic manner, i.e. some of the rows should not be started from the cut board of the previous strip, but from a whole board or from a short cut.

    Features of laying the last row of laminate

    The closer the laying moves to the last row, the more inconvenient it will be to carry it out. When the room is covered by 80%, it is necessary to lay the panels, turning in the opposite direction and standing on the already laid laminate. Some difficulties are caused by laying the last row, which must be carefully measured and cut along the strip.


    When the laying process reaches the last strip, the distance from the edge of the penultimate row to the line of the opposite wall along the entire length may not be the same. In view of this, the marking of the last row is carried out in stages: first, the first board is marked and cut, then the next one is measured and cut off, and so on until the end of the row. We outline the outlines of the first panel with a pencil and cut out the necessary strip according to the markup.

    As soon as the laminate flooring is laid, proceed to attach the skirting boards. Docking places between rooms are covered with special thresholds to prevent dust from entering there. At the end of the work, sawdust, debris are removed from the coating and the surface is wiped with a slightly damp cloth.

    How to properly lay laminate flooring on hardwood floors

    Laying laminate in places where pipes, heating radiators, around doorways and in other hard-to-reach places does not present any particular difficulties. The pipes are bypassed in the following way: make marks on the board with a pencil and cut out the corresponding holes in it, not forgetting to take into account the temperature gap between the coating and the pipe (8-10 mm).


    Gaps around pipes and other iron fittings should be filled with a matching acrylic sealant, while expansion joints near walls should be left unfilled. Subsequently, their unaesthetic appearance will be covered with skirting boards. Similarly, the material is laid near the thresholds, steps and other ledges.

    As far as avoiding doorways, before laying laminate flooring on a wood floor, it's a good idea to remove the sheet from the hinges and determine if the door will close after the flooring is laid. To do this, it is necessary to sum up the thickness of the laminate, the substrate and the leveling layer (if any). Subtract the resulting value from the distance from the edge of the door to the wooden floor. If less than 3 mm remains, the door leaf will need to be trimmed.

    After all the calculations, the laminate is laid around the door frame, leaving an allowance of 8-10 mm, the door is returned to its place and its progress is checked. If necessary, saw the door to the desired size.


    Tutorial video: how to lay laminate on a wooden floor with your own hands

    According to the principle, it is better to see once than hear a hundred times, home craftsmen are invited to familiarize themselves with the instructional video of laying laminate on a wooden floor. From the videos you can learn everything related to the coating device on a wooden surface.

    Video: do-it-yourself laminate flooring on a wooden floor

    On the Internet you can find a whole series of courses on how to lay a laminate. Video instructions for installing flooring contain visual information and practical advice from both experienced craftsmen and those who for the first time tried to level the wooden base and lay the lamination on their own.

    In the training videos, you can see master classes on leveling the floor with plywood and chipboard, learn about the features of the wooden base, choosing the substrate, as well as step-by-step instructions for laying the laminate. In addition, in the videos you can find recommendations for eliminating possible defects in the wood flooring.

    Video: how to lay laminate flooring near a doorway

    There are many educational stories about the installation of skirting boards, the features of the interlocking joints of the floor covering and the technology of fastening material panels to each other. Thematic video tutorials contain information on how to lay the coating around radiator pipes, in niches, ledges, near doors and steps, as well as in other hard-to-reach and inconvenient places.

    Some video tutorials are devoted to the elimination and repair of defects on an already laid laminate flooring. From them you can learn how to mask scratches formed on the laminate, dents from fallen heavy objects or heels, as well as how to eliminate damage caused during the laying process: chipped corners and edges, divergence of seams, swelling of the coating.

    Leveling a wooden floor in any of the existing ways allows you to use it as a base for a laminate. If all work on the preparation of the floor surface is carried out in compliance with the technical requirements, the floor covering will last for a sufficiently long period without requiring repair and while maintaining an aesthetic appearance.

    Laminate flooring can be laid on any even, durable (stable) and dry surface. Wooden coating, concrete or other - it does not really matter. There are some nuances that should be taken into account.

    Laying laminate on a wooden floor is quite possible to do it yourself. Many construction companies will assure you that you first need to take apart the old wooden floor and completely replace it. Such a step must be taken if the bearing logs have rotted. There are still buildings in the center of Moscow where wooden floors have not been changed since the 19th century, and during the 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, attention should be paid not only to the safety of the log and the condition of the floor boards, but also to their stable position - the boards should not “walk”. Unstable elements of the old wooden floor will lead during operation to the displacement of the laminate panels relative to each other, increased wear of the interlocks and the appearance of cracks in the floor covering.

    Diagnosis and leveling of a wooden floor

    In most cases, to diagnose the old floor, it is not necessary to open it. It is worth resorting to such measures if the floor area noticeably “sags” and cannot be leveled with a layer of plywood. Or when there are serious concerns that the bearing logs 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. Laying a laminate is allowed if there are differences in the plane within 2 mm by 2 m. To do this, a 2-meter level is applied to the floor and the size of the differences in height is checked.

    Damaged boards of the old floor must be replaced. If the damage is superficial and minor, the board is removed, turned over and fixed up with the side that used to be the bottom. Poorly fixed boards are fixed with self-tapping screws. The subsequent leveling of the surface of the old wood flooring makes sense only if the floor boards are well fixed.

    Advice . If you plan to sharpen the floor with an electric planer, use nails to fix the boards, the heads of which must be sunk 2 mm into the board.

    An old uneven floor with a significant number of height differences can be leveled with an electric planer or scraper. Before leveling the floor with an electric planer, it is also necessary to eliminate squeaks. To do this, the boards are attached to the lags with long self-tapping screws. Screws can be screwed into the holes of the nails that were removed during inspection and repair, or next to them. After leveling the floor with an electric planer, all debris is carefully removed, the floor boards are impregnated with an antiseptic, after which you can start laying the laminate.

    If there are a significant number of drops that are difficult to remove with an electric planer, the old wooden floor is leveled with plywood sheets with a thickness of 10 mm or more. This can be done with a satisfactory floor slope. Plywood sheets are fastened through the boards to the bearing logs with long self-tapping screws in order to rigidly fix all the layers of the resulting “pie”. Plywood sheets are laid apart.

    If there is a significant slope of the old wooden floor and large differences in height, before laying the plywood, the old floor is leveled using additional guides. They are made from bars of different thicknesses. Plywood should first be laid out on the floor and mark the joints of the sheets. Under the joints, the laying of guides from the bars is required. The laying step should be 500-600 mm. Fasten the bars with self-tapping screws. In the intervals between the laid bars, sound and heat insulation is laid. Sheets of plywood are laid on the new guides and fixed with self-tapping screws, without sinking their heads into the plywood. There must be a gap of 3-5 mm between the walls in the room and the plywood sheets.

    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. It may be necessary to replace or re-hang the door.

    The vent that was in the old wooden floor needs to be preserved. To do this, a hole of the same size is cut in this place in the plywood sheet and in the laminate panels. The ventilation hole is then closed with a decorative cover in the color of the laminate. Usually such holes are in inconspicuous places, so it will not create problems for you, and the old floor will “breathe” and last for a long time.

    If there are concerns that the load-bearing logs need to be strengthened or even replaced, a part of the board is cut out with a jigsaw in places of maximum deflection of the old floor. It is better to hold the jigsaw not vertically, but at a slight angle. In this case, the cut out piece of board will have a narrowing down, and it will be easy to just put it in place.

    Logs through the cut hole inspect and determine their condition. Repair of the lag may be limited to driving wedges to level them or additional fixation of the lag to the base with anchors. Rotten or seriously damaged logs must be dismantled, for this you will have to remove the entire floor. New ones are installed in place of the old ones. An old wooden floor can be replaced with two layers of plywood. The thickness of plywood sheets is selected depending on the load on the flooring in the room.

    Features of laying laminate on a wooden floor

    Substrate laying

    Various types of underlays for laminate flooring are available:


    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 underlayment can compensate for minimal unevenness of the leveled old wooden floor or the base of their plywood, but no more.

    Important! The substrate is laid end-to-end, the joints are fixed with adhesive tape. So it will not move when laying the laminate.

    Laying laminate

    We determine the laying method: diagonally, perpendicularly or parallel to the light. Diagonal laying is more often used in narrow spaces - this is one of the ways to visually expand them.

    Usually the 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.

    For work you will need:

    • Jigsaw or hacksaw.
    • Plastic wedges.
    • Roulette.
    • Square.
    • Mallet and die (for Lock locks).
    • Pencil.

    From the corner, the first row is laid horizontally. The panels are joined at the ends. In order to maintain the required gap between the panels and the wall of 10 mm, 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 match.

    Advice. To give the panel offsets a neater look, a technique such as “a third of the board offset” is used. One third is cut off from the new panel, after which it fits.

    Laminate is one of the most popular flooring today. It is used in both residential and commercial establishments. Laying laminate on a wooden floor is carried out if it is necessary to hide the defects of the old plank flooring, and if you want to simply update the interior.

    According to experts, it is better to dismantle the old wooden floor completely, after which, to level the rough base, perform 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. Consider the first and second methods of installing a laminate on a wooden floor with all the details.

    Tools and materials for flooring

    1. Drill, jigsaw and screwdriver. The power tool allows you to increase the speed of installation, facilitating manual labor. 2. Hammer and mallet. Laying a laminate on a wooden floor simply cannot do without them: hammer in nails, knock out a laminate, knock out boards. 3. Level and roulette. 4. DVPO or plywood. Used to level floors.

    5. Nails or screws. Necessary for attaching a wooden "screed". 6. Laminate underlay. Sold according to location.

    Getting ready to install laminate flooring

    Before laying the laminate, you need to remember that the material must be left for some time in the room where it is supposed to be used. This is done in order to ensure that it adapts to the characteristics of the humidity of the room and does not warp afterwards. This is especially important if you are going to lay a laminate on a wooden floor. The fact is that wood is a rather capricious material. Indoors, the laminate is left sealed for a period of approximately 48 hours. According to experts, it is best to place it in the middle of the room. The room where the laminate is "withstand" must have a temperature of at least 18 degrees, and a humidity of not more than 75%.

    Benefits of installing laminate flooring on wood flooring

    The answer to the question of whether it is possible to lay a laminate on a wooden floor most often depends on the strength of the base. Most consumers who prefer a laminate floor finish doubt the possibility of installing lamellas on wooden floors and think about dismantling the wooden covering. Of course, the removal of a wooden base takes a lot of time, moreover, this work is not only laborious, but also dirty. However, it should be remembered that in some cases dismantling cannot be avoided. So, laying lamellas on wooden floors that rot or are affected by fungi is unacceptable. Covering the damaged surface will not be able to stop the rotting process of the wood, and after a while the laminate will also be affected by rotting.

    An alternative to expensive dismantling work can be a local replacement of the areas most affected by decay, followed by the use of waterproofing materials. In this case, it is advisable to use moisture-resistant plywood sheets as a substrate.

    Assessment of the condition of the wooden floor

    Laminated panels can be laid on wood floors only after the entire complex of measures for high-quality surface preparation has been carried out. Wood is a good base for laminate flooring, but it must be in a suitable condition for the finishing work to be carried out. Often, before installing the laminate, it is necessary to repair the wooden base. The most common defects are floor creaking as a result of drying out and surface deformation. In addition, repair work may be required, if necessary, to reinforce the loose wooden floorboards of the base. Sometimes you have to use additional fasteners. You can identify the main irregularities using the building level. This method will allow you to correctly assess the amount of measures to level the base.

    Features of a wooden floor

    The base under the laminate must be even, strong and rigid. These conditions must be observed so that the locking system is not damaged during operation. For example, if we lay a laminate on a wooden floor without prior preparation, this is not recommended, since the plank flooring can have significant height differences, individual boards can sag, which is considered unacceptable. The owners of apartments or houses where the old floor is made of wood often have the question of how to lay a laminate on a wooden floor and whether it can be done. It is possible to lay a laminate on such a base, the main thing is to carry out the correct preparatory work. The wooden base is found quite often in rooms for various purposes. To prepare it for subsequent operation, it is necessary to study it and, if there are defects, eliminate them.

    The first thing to remember is that wood is an unstable material, it is characterized by processes such as shrinking and drying out. During such movement, gaps may form between the boards, which will entail an increase in 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, logs. If any defects are found, they must be eliminated, as they can further damage the flooring. Next, we consider the main methods of preparing a wooden base, since the preparatory processes are the main ones in the work. If you just throw them away, then the whole arrangement will come to naught.

    Preparing a wooden base for laying laminate without plywood

    In order to install laminate directly on a wooden floor, you need to make sure that the surface is in satisfactory condition:
  • when walking, the floorboards should not bend and creak;
  • there should be no gaps between the boards, and the tree itself should not have rotted areas;
  • the horizontalness of the base should be close to ideal, that is, it should not have height differences of more than 2 mm.
    • If the wooden floor creaks underfoot or some of its floorboards sag, then the problem areas are repaired by screwing the boards with self-tapping screws or nailing them to the logs.

    Sometimes it is necessary to repair and strengthen the logs themselves, which “walk” under load - for this, bars or bricks are installed under the logs. The floorboards can creak due to friction against each other, in order to eliminate the rattle between them, graphite or talc is poured into the gap. Existing gaps are puttied. Further, in order to fully verify the normal condition of the wood, 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 plane. If in some places the floor boards have a dubious appearance, then it is recommended to test them for strength with an awl. The second way to identify rotten or rotten floorboards is tapping the floor surface with a hammer. At the same time, tapping on whole healthy wood will be heard loudly and distinctly. While the muffled sound will be a serious reason to replace old wooden elements with new ones. Despite the fact that rotten boards are still strong, they still need to be replaced with your own hands, as rot can spread to healthy parts over time. In the future, their appearance will be prevented by treatment with an antiseptic composition and waterproofing of the wooden base. If recesses in the form of grooves are found on the floorboards, it is necessary to apply a bioprotective composition to the treatment of wood flooring, since their presence indicates infection of the material with woodworms. An uneven wooden floor must be leveled, the 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 indicated measuring device, a two-meter bar and spirit level can be used. With non-critical indicators of height difference, an uneven floor can be leveled with a grinder, or with your own hands using a planer. The second way is too long cycle technique copes with the task at hand faster and more efficiently. The main thing, before leveling the floor for the subsequent laying of the laminate, do not forget to drown deeper the nail heads above the surface, which can cause failure of the grinding equipment. If the old wood floor is too uneven and sanding cannot solve the leveling problem, there is another way to make it as horizontal as possible - by pouring. The pouring of the wooden base for laying the laminate is carried out through the use of a self-leveling screed, but not a self-leveling mixture, which is not used for wood. To level the wooden floor, compounds with fiberglass are used, due to which the materials adhere firmly to each other. Unlike standard solutions, fiberglass mixture is thicker and hardens faster. But before pouring, waterproofing is laid on a wooden base in the form of a dense polyethylene film. Waterproofing is arranged along the floor in such a way that its edges can be fixed on the walls around the perimeter of the room. Pieces of the film are overlapped on top of each other, with an allowance of 15-20 cm, the joints are glued with construction tape.

    Leveling a wooden floor with plywood under a laminate

    The technology of leveling a wooden floor using plywood or OSB is a low-cost, but at the same time, an effective way to make the base base ideal for laying laminate. To find out which substrate will be better for laminate - OSB or plywood, you need to compare the technical characteristics of both products. Plywood sheets and OSB boards are materials of similar quality: the products are easy to process, have a strong structure and relatively high moisture resistance. At the same time, OSB boards are cheaper than plywood, but the appearance of the products does not allow them to be used for the construction of a finished floor.

    Despite this, OSB is slowly replacing the plywood product from the construction market, because it is difficult to guess the behavior of plywood during operation, which cannot be said about OSB boards, which do not have the ability to delaminate under atmospheric and mechanical influences. In addition, the modulus of elasticity during bending, compression and tension for OSB boards is an order of magnitude higher than that of plywood. Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that OSB slabs 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

    The basic rules for laying OSB boards on a wooden floor: as a substrate for a 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 plates 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 laminate interlocks to deform. Installation of OSB plates 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 plate thickness by 2.5. Between the plates it is necessary to leave 5 mm technological gaps, which are subsequently filled with mounting foam. Without fail, a waterproofing is arranged under the substrate, which excludes the formation of condensate that destroys the structure of the wood. The uneven transition at the junction of the plates is leveled with epoxy putty.

    Choosing a laminate flooring

    There are several types of materials used for 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, retains its original appearance during the entire period of operation. bituminous substrate- when laying laminate 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.

    PE foam underlay- the most common and affordable type of all laminate underlays: easy to use and inexpensive to purchase - a polyurethane foam film that isolates the room from external sounds and reduces the amount of heat lost. There is a small minus: with a strong deformation of the laminate, the substrate is also damaged, after which it no longer returns to its original form - a void is created under the wooden planks. "How to properly lay laminate on a wooden floor without a substrate?" - sometimes this question is asked by buyers in hardware stores. Interestingly, some sellers find something to answer, just to sell the goods. However, remember once and for all: the floor covering does not spread without a substrate, even if the surface is perfectly flat.

    Masters Tips: first of all, it is worth focusing on the cost of the product, if the price is too low, then this should arouse suspicion: shares are far from charity on the part of the company, but a subtle marketing ploy, do not forget about it. Choose a good quality product. All joints of the film and substrate plates must be sealed with masking tape or adhesive tape to prevent moisture ingress. Lay the film in stages, in those places where you are going to lay the laminate, so as not to walk on it and accidentally damage it.

    Laminate floor installation

    So we have moved on to the most basic point that requires attention and composure: each action will affect the final result, so be careful and strictly follow all the instructions described below. Do-it-yourself installation of laminate on a wooden floor can be done in several ways:

    click system

    The workflow starts from any corner opposite the front 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 expand and contract freely later. 1. The very first panel is placed in a corner, pressed against the installed wedges. 2. We continue the row with the second panel, which joins the first one at an angle of 20-30 degrees: pressing the ends tightly, with gentle pressure we snap the lock and lower the laminate board.

    3. We 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 off piece, this is how the checkerboard effect is created. 5. The length of the laminate also snaps into a sharp 30-degree angle.

    lock system

    This method will answer the question of how to lay a laminate on a wooden floor vertically and diagonally. 1. The workflow starts 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 tapped with a mallet. 3. Along the long end, we knock out the already pre-assembled row to the existing panels.

    4. Try to use a mallet or hammer from the bars, it reduces the risk of damaging the laminate.

    Glued laminate

    Another way that can answer the question of how to lay the flooring yourself, without a special tool and skill. There are no special notes for mounting on glue, but there are some points that you should know about in advance. Glue at the joints of the panels best isolates the base of the laminate from moisture, thereby extending the operational life of the floor covering.

    Before such a floor can be walked on, it is necessary to 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 excessive moisture at the panel joints. 2. Put 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 disperse, gaps will form, which will be problematic to eliminate, you will have to disassemble the floor.

    The choice of flooring in the construction market is very diverse, but the favorite of many builders and designers is the laminate. A laminated board can imitate the most expensive types of wood, but is more affordable. The most reliable installation method is installation on a flat concrete screed. However, subject to a number of rules, this coating is compatible with a wooden floor. Laying laminate flooring on your own is not difficult if you follow the detailed instructions provided in this article.

    Wood floor diagnostics

    The first step in renovating your flooring is assessing the condition of the old one. It is impossible to lay a laminate on an uneven base, especially if there is a strong difference from one corner of the room to another. The laminate board is installed by floating method, a large angle of inclination will cause the boards to slide to the bottom point. If the old wooden floor is strongly bonded, has wide gaps, and individual boards are rotten, it must be sorted out to the ground, replaced with old beams and strengthened.

    To accurately determine the degree of suitability of the floor, it is necessary to carefully measure it with a building level. Measurements should be taken alternately in all corners, in the center of the room and in the middle of the walls, and then compare the results with the table.

    Suitability of the floor for laying laminate Board height difference The size of the gaps between the boards Jump from one wall to another Depth of grooves on the surface of the boards
    The floor is even, ready for laying, the thickness of the substrate is minimal Not more than 2mm/m2 There are practically no gaps Not more than 0.5 mm The boards are even, do not fasten, firmly fixed
    The floor has irregularities, it is possible to level it by sanding or a denser substrate. The thickness of the laminate is at least 8 mm Not more than 5 mm/m2 no more than 2 mm no more than 2 cm Boards are curved or concave, the depth of recesses and pits is not more than 3 mm
    The floor needs to be leveled. Without leveling, the thickness of the laminate must be at least 12 mm, the substrate is made of expanded polystyrene Not more than 10 mm/m2 Not more than 5 mm about 2cm Boards have depressions up to 3-5 mm
    The floor must be leveled beforehand (including sheet materials) More than 10 mm/m2 More than 5 mm More than 3 cm The boards creak strongly, have deep depressions of more than 5 mm

    Floor leveling methods

    Acrylic putty or sealant used when the total difference does not exceed 3-5 mm. The advantage of such a putty is its high plasticity, which means that when the boards are displaced under load, it will not collapse. Before applying it, the boards should be treated with a primer to increase adhesion. You need to putty 1-2 times. Instead of acrylic, you can use a stronger mixture with PVA glue. The putty on the adhesive is applied in the same way, however, after applying it, the surface must be sanded.

    Plywood cope with large and medium height differences. This material is often used when leveling floors because of its lightness, hardness and resistance to various loads. On sale there is a wide selection of moisture resistant varieties. Depending on the degree of unevenness, choose either plywood fasteners on the logs, or directly to the floor. Under the laminate, the plywood thickness must be at least 10 mm.

    Fastening plywood without using lags:

    • If the width of the boards does not exceed 20 cm and the floor is without significant irregularities, plywood can be chosen with a thickness of up to 8-10 mm. For a floor with large defects, deflections and a difference of more than 0.5 cm, the thickness should reach 18-20 mm. When there are wide gaps, the joints near the walls must be sealed with mounting foam. For ease of installation, plywood sheets can be cut into 1250x1250 squares with a jigsaw.
    • The first step in leveling the floor with plywood will be the removal of the old baseboard, nails. Irregularities and protrusions are smoothed out with a planer, and then the floor is thoroughly cleaned from dust and debris.
    • Plywood is fixed with screws or self-tapping screws with a gap of 15 cm, leaving small gaps near the walls and between the sheets. Gaps of 0.5-1 cm will be enough to avoid squeaks and swelling due to the expansion of the material.

    Mounting plywood on logs:

    • Logs are installed with a significant curvature of the floor, a height difference from one wall to another, or in a room with high humidity.
    • The direction of the lag is determined by the direction of the sunlight. They need to be installed perpendicular.
      sunlight or parallel to the movement of people in rooms without windows.
    • In the case when the difference from opposite walls is large (up to 8-10 cm), mini-lags are made - special linings of different thicknesses made of plywood or timber. Where the difference is not strong, a beam of small section is installed, but it is fixed more often, approximately every 30-35 cm, and where it is large, a beam of greater thickness is accordingly attached.
    • Before starting work, engineering calculations must be made to determine the height of each support element.
    • Then the logs are installed around the perimeter of the room at a distance of 40-50 cm and transverse bars.
    • You should not put heat-insulating material like mineral wool between the lags, because it is not durable and over time the floors will have to be sorted out again and the insulation changed. If expanded clay is used for thermal protection, it must be hermetically covered with plastic wrap.
    • After the crate, plywood sheets are attached with a gap of 0.3-0.4 mm. Installation is completed by sealing the gap with elastic mastic.
    • The surface is primed and the laminate is glued.

    Before starting work with plywood, it must be kept for two days in the room where the work will be carried out so that the material has time to acquire the necessary moisture characteristics.

    Wet screed suitable for solid wood floors with a maximum unevenness of 1 cm. It cannot be used for larger distortions. For maximum strength and elasticity of the screed, special dry mixes with plasticizers and fillers for a wooden floor are selected. Alignment begins with the imposition of a reinforcing mesh, followed by a primer floor. The screed is a layer of no more than 1 centimeter.

    For a wooden floor, constant ventilation is important to avoid rot. Therefore, often in the corner of the room a channel with a diameter of up to 50 mm was drilled through the board. Such channels must not be covered during the renovation and repair of the flooring.

    How to choose a laminate

    An important step is the choice of laminate

    Quality and cost-effectiveness have made laminate such a popular flooring. Its characteristics include strength, moisture resistance, ease of installation and maintenance.

    A solid laminate is similar in properties to natural wood: the same texture, pattern, shade. Before choosing a laminated board for certain rooms, the quality of the top layer and the required thickness are evaluated.

    The wear resistance of a laminate is determined by the quality of the outer coating, which is indicated in the classes. Usually on the market there are classes 31, 32, 33, 34. The first two options are universal for any residential premises. A higher class is set if there is a heavy load on the floor, for example, in shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, etc. The service life of the coating also depends on the class. With proper care, class 31 laminate can last up to 12 years, and the most durable class 34 can last up to 25 years.

    The thickness of the laminate is 5, 8, 10 and 12 mm and the higher it is, the stronger the coating. Sometimes a large coating thickness is used to eliminate irregularities. However, it is more correct and more reliable to pre-level the floor and use boards of medium thickness.

    • Laminate for the kitchen use moisture resistant so that it does not deteriorate from frequent cleaning. A textured surface will be preferable, because it does not slip and makes stains or stains less noticeable. Due to the high load in this room, class 33 is the most optimal.
    • For bathrooms produce a waterproof laminate consisting of PVC boards with a rubber seal. Such boards do not let water through, do not deform and are similar in properties to the usual ceramic tiles. Laminate is warmer than ceramic and can be embossed to prevent slipping on wet floors.
    • When replacing flooring in a residential area the main decisive factor is color, design and soundproofing properties. Although the board is sold with a special rubber layer glued to the decorative surface, you still need to additionally install a separate substrate for more reliable sound insulation. For living rooms, a class 31 or 32 laminate will suffice.
    • Hallway- this is a room with high traffic and a significant load, so 33 or 34 coverage class will be chosen for it. The board must be moisture resistant so that frequent cleaning from dust and dirt does not disturb the decorative layer.

    It is better to buy a laminate from one manufacturer, because sometimes the thickness may differ from one company to another. Even a difference of a few millimeters can complicate installation.

    Types of substrates

    The underlayment is a layer of insulating material that spreads between the subfloor and the decorative floor. It protects the flooring from friction, deformation, as well as from moisture and heat loss. The underlay smooths out floor irregularities up to 0.5 cm.

    Choosing a substrate is not an easy task due to the wide variety of options on the construction market. In principle, they are all suitable for laying on a wooden floor and differ in price, service life, physical characteristics.

    • Cork backing made from pressed crumbs of oak bark - an environmentally friendly material. Sometimes bitumen or rubber is added to the composition. Such a substrate is durable, long-lasting, has good thermal and sound insulation properties. Suitable for children's bedrooms. Among the disadvantages: high cost, poor resistance to moisture.
    • another eco-friendly material with a density that allows you to hide the unevenness of the subfloor. It has increased thermal insulation, which is a big plus for the northern regions. Easy to install, but not suitable for damp areas due to the risk of mold.
    • Extruded polystyrene- synthetic moisture-resistant material that is not subject to deformation and decay. Due to its high thermal insulation properties, it can be installed in an unheated room. The exact geometric shape simplifies installation, and the low price makes it affordable. However, the material does not have high leveling properties.
    • Polyethylene backing light, moisture resistant and cheap, but wears out quickly from mechanical damage. It needs to be changed 4-5 years after installation.
    • Foil isolon consists of two layers: foil and polystyrene. Suitable for wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens. The material is durable, but it should be borne in mind that it sags over time, so the optimal thickness should be about 5 mm.
    • Integrated underlays. Some types of laminate are sold already with a substrate.

    The thickness of the substrate should not exceed 2 mm, because due to the uneven load on the laminated boards, the coating will deform and the locks will become unusable.

    Calculation of the amount of materials

    The calculation of the amount of materials must begin with the installation of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. The main problem is that the total area often does not correspond to the actual area. If there is a room 3 meters wide and 5 meters long, the total area is easy to calculate by multiplying one value by another. However, for the actual area, all ledges, doorways, thresholds, niches must be taken into account. Therefore, the best way to calculate the area is to take measurements meter by meter.

    At the second stage, it is worth making a detailed drawing of the room, taking into account all the protrusions. A plan diagram will help you identify difficult spots and possible additional material costs. At this stage, it is good to determine the method of laying the laminate. The simplest and most economical laying methods are parallel and perpendicular, but it is worth remembering a material reserve of 10-15%. With a diagonal laying pattern, the margin reaches 15-20%.

    There are more complex laying methods, for example, in the manner of a herringbone parquet. These methods are the most difficult and expensive, up to 30% of additional materials are needed. Due to the difficulties in installation, it is better to leave such work to professional craftsmen.

    The calculation of the amount of laminate is done on the basis of information on the label, which indicates the area covered by the boards of one pack. But this figure is valid only for the simplest installation scheme, without taking into account the characteristics of the room. For more accurate calculations, it is necessary to add the percentage of waste to the actual area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room, and thendivided by the area indicated on the package. The resulting number is rounded up.

    The number of screws and self-tapping screws is calculated by the number of logs and plywood. Let's say 10 lags are installed on the floor, on which 20 boards are laid. Multiplying these numbers, we get the number of fasteners. Additional margin should be 10-20%. Plywood needs to be fastened every 15 cm, so the number of screws is easy to calculate by dividing the length and width of the room by 15, and then multiplying by the total number of sheets.

    Installation tools

    Laminate installation is not difficult to do on your own. You don't need to buy complex and expensive tools for it. The only thing worth spending money on is a good jigsaw. With any layout scheme, the last laminate boards in a row will have to be filed.

    • tape measure 3 to 5 meters long
    • soft construction pencil for precise marking
    • square up to 30 cm
    • jigsaw or handy saw
    • hammer or kiyak

    Special tools for laminate flooring are necessary so that the locks and decorative coating are not damaged during work:

    • metal brace or fitter
    • wedges
    • doboynik (or bar)
    • set of flat milling drills

    Laminate brace- This is a thin plate with bends at the ends at an angle of ninety degrees. It helps when laying laminate boards near the wall, evenly distributes the load when pressed and does not deform the edges. The wide thin part of the bracket is placed under the board, and then tapped with a hammer on the opposite end.

    Due to the fact that the laminate is a hygroscopic material that can expand, special gaps of 10 mm must be left along the walls. These temperature gaps are formed by wedges.

    The plastic material of the hammer or bar softens the impact force of the hammer and helps to avoid the formation of chips on the decorative part. A set of drills is needed for large diameter holes for the pipeline and radiator.

    Additional Tools

    Additional tools may also be required to quickly install laminate flooring. The cutting machine and square help to quickly and reliably fit the board to corners and niches. For complex patterns, stencils are used.

    Substrate laying steps

    The underlayment process is simple. It does not require any special equipment to be purchased.

    Minimum set of tools:

    • roulette
    • scotch
    • stationery knife
    • pencil

    As with steel materials, the sheets of the substrate must be left indoors for a day to accept the temperature.

    Further stages of work:

    • clean the floor from dust
    • lay the sheets of the substrate on the floor with the smooth side up, overlapping in a checkerboard pattern to prevent coincidence of the joints of the insulation and the floor covering
    • joints are sealed with adhesive tape
    • the protruding edges of the substrate are cut off
    • start laying laminate flooring

    If not a sheet substrate was chosen, but a roll one, a transverse or longitudinal laying method is selected. When the underlay is placed across the laying of the laminate, it is installed immediately over the entire floor. With longitudinal laying, the material is laid in strips and a layer of laminate is immediately installed on top.

    Before laying the underlay on the wooden floor, it is not necessary to lay waterproofing.

    Laying methods

    Before choosing a method for laying a laminate, you need to familiarize yourself with the existing fastening systems.

    • Adhesive fastening system resembles the fixing of a parquet board using the tongue-and-groove method. After applying glue to the edges of the lamella, the boards are firmly pressed against each other. This method is used to increase the strength of joints and seams in very wet rooms. Gluing protects the coating from environmental influences. However, fixing with the adhesive method is very time-consuming work and over time the adhesive loses its properties, which reduces the life of the coating and the impossibility of re-installation.
    • Locking system "Lok" installed on the ends of the laminate board. The figured spike is fastened by driving an already laid board into the groove. Sometimes the spikes are pre-glued. This method is most convenient for horizontal laminate laying. Installation begins in adjacent rows, and then proceed to the end.
    • "Click" locking system the most common because of the ease and ease of installation. Fastening occurs as follows: the spike of one row is inserted at an angle of 30 degrees into the groove of the previous row, and then pressed against the floor until a characteristic click. Then the laminated board is slightly knocked out for a stronger fixation.

    Laying schemes

    The most common way of laying laminate flooring is similar to laying parquet: the boards are laid in the direction of the window light. However, the design or construction of the room allows for a different arrangement of boards.

    Laminate can be installed in one of the following ways:

    • parallel to the direction of the sun
    • perpendicular to the direction of the sun
    • at different angle

    If you want to visually change the width, height or length of the room by adjusting the flow of natural light, various laying patterns are selected: classic, diagonal or checkerboard. Regardless of the scheme, laminate boards are mounted with a shift of each subsequent row by 20-25 cm relative to the previous one. This gives the coating a reliable strength.

    1 Classic scheme laying is the simplest and most affordable for self-updating a wooden floor. Installation starts from the wall closest to the solar stream. Boards are laid out parallel to natural light. The first part of each subsequent row will be the cut off part of the previous one. Segments are used for flooring near radiators and doorways. For this installation method, you need to buy laminate boards with a length of at least 30 cm. Waste with the classic scheme is minimal, no more than 5%.

    2 Chess scheme the most reliable, but the material overrun increases to 15%. The pattern of the laminate floor is made by mixing each next row strictly at a certain distance relative to the previous one and resembles a checkerboard pattern or brickwork. Do not use this scheme with a colored decorative layer. It will look neater with a plain canvas.

    3 Diagonal scheme styling is used to visually expand a small room. The consumption of material for a square-shaped room is much less than for a narrow one. On average, the segments are about 15%. The installation is similar to the classic scheme, however, the boards are installed at an angle of forty-five degrees with respect to the wall with the window.

    Laying sequence

    After leveling the floor, carrying out all the preparatory work and laying the substrate, the further actions of the master should be as follows:

    For longitudinal and transverse mounting

    • installation of the first row of boards begins at the wall opposite the exit
    • wedges are installed around the perimeter to separate the flooring from the walls
    • the first panel is placed close to the gap made by the wedge
    • the second board is attached in the manner recommended by the manufacturer and tapped with a hammer through the bar so as not to injure the locks. Installation will be easier if the locks on the boards are fastened with the Click system
    • in this way the first row of laminate flooring is assembled
    • for the first board of the second row, sawing across the laminate board
    • starting the rows alternately: either from halves or from solid boards, creating a stronger grip. So the load on the floor is distributed evenly
    • when the first two rows are assembled, it is necessary to dock them with each other. To do this, we raise the second line at a certain angle and connect the groove with the spike until a characteristic click
    • lay rows to the extreme
    • to assemble the last row, you need to measure the width of each board separately and make appropriate notes on the back side. Careful measurement of each board will help to avoid problems due to the possible unevenness of the walls. Be sure to take into account the gap between the wall. The laminate is cut along the drawn line.
    • to fit the extreme row of panels, it is worth using a clamp-clamp. For the sake of economy, some craftsmen refuse to buy this tool and use a nail puller.
    • after completing the assembly of all rows, the selections along the walls are removed, and the slots are closed with a plinth or a decorative threshold

    For diagonal mounting

    • diagonal mounting is mounting at any angle relative to the walls. You can start the installation in two ways: either from the central point of the room to the corners, or from the corner near the window to the opposite corner of the wall with the front door
    • to accurately align the direction of the laminated board, you can pull a dense nylon thread onto the screws from opposite corners of the room
    • the main difficulty with diagonal installation is the correct cut of the last boards in a row. It must be made under a certain bevel in order to precisely dock with the walls and the baseboard. After installing the penultimate panel, the remaining distance to the wall is measured from the two end corners of the board. The segments of the resulting length are applied with a construction pencil to the back of the laminate, and then the points are connected. On the inside, trimming is done with an electric jigsaw or saw
    • protrusions and niches are also a difficult moment with this type of installation. They are found in the form of decorative elements of the room or with a continuous flooring of boards in several rooms of the apartment at the same time. Laying panels in such places requires careful calculations and accuracy.
    • Laminate boards are cut exactly to the shape of the protrusions and laying should begin right next to them
    • the gaps between the flooring and the doorway are usually closed with a panel, which is two times thinner than the laminate, respectively, and the gap should be less

    Laying laminate around pipes and other communications

    During the installation of laminate flooring in many rooms there are problematic places, such as pipes or radiators set too low. In this case, the board must be sawn to the desired length, and drilled so that the hole is larger in diameter than the diameter of the pipe. Then the board is sawn across in the place of the sawn circle. Most of it is fixed with a lock to the previous panel, and the smaller one is led behind the pipe and fixed with glue. They also come with radiators, the sawn off pieces are placed under them and glued.

    The door frame can be designed in different ways. You can simply saw the last boards in the row to match the distance to the door, and then close the joint with a small plank. But more often a different method is used. The base of the door frame is sawn to the thickness of the laminate and the plate is pulled close under the jamb beam.

    The width of the temperature gap near the front door should be no more than 5 mm.

    Optimum gap width between wall and laminate

    First of all, it is worth describing in detail what this gap is for. The temperature gap is more correctly called compensation, it is necessary for the free movement of laminated boards when they decrease or increase due to changes in temperature or humidity in the room. If it is not observed, then the extreme panels installed close to the walls will begin to deform from expansion.

    To prevent the board from deforming during use, it is necessary to carry out climatic adaptation of the floor covering. To do this, the purchased boards are taken out of the package and laid out in the center of the room. The material gets used to the temperature conditions of the room. It is important to lay out the laminate in the center, and not against the walls, so that it does not absorb their moisture. Acclimatization should last several days.

    For standard rooms with normal temperature and humidity, a gap of 7-9 mm is enough, but for long and narrow rooms it should be increased. In particularly humid rooms, the gap width can reach up to 15 mm. To form them, you can buy special wedges or make them from the remnants of plywood or timber.

    The plinth is attached not to the floor, but to the wall with glue. Its width must be at least 5 mm larger than the width of the gap. The fact is that if the laminate was installed without acclimatization, the boards can move and the gap between the coating and the plinth will become visible. There have been cases when, due to insufficient leveling of the subfloor, the laminate rolled into one corner and a gap formed at the opposite wall. Between boards and convex corners or niches, the gap can be masked with sealant.

    Selection and installation of skirting boards

    In addition to the practical benefits of the floor border in the form of protecting walls from dirt and masking the expansion gap, the plinth plays an important aesthetic role. It can change the geometry of the room and give a neat finished look. Skirting boards of various structures and colors are sold on the construction market, and in order not to get lost in them, you should pay attention to several basic characteristics: color, thickness and material compatibility.

    The closest to the laminate in terms of material composition and texture is the plinth made of laminated MDF. The same dense films are applied to the laminated board and the plinth, and it is very easy to choose a border in the color of the flooring.

    The correct selection of the color of the plinth can either visually expand the space, or reduce it and emphasize all the shortcomings of the repair. Plinth in the same tone with the floor makes the room wider. If you choose a color to match the color of the walls, the ceiling will seem noticeably higher. Sometimes designers advise using floor borders in contrasting shades to emphasize expressiveness. In order not to waste time on careful selection of the color of the skirting board, you can buy wooden or veneered and repaint.

    Under the unusual colors of the laminate, it is difficult to choose the right skirting board. Therefore, a plastic profile with a suitable texture would be a universal option.

    The skirting board is installed in two ways. At the first, the plates are fastened together with a bayonet-groove system, and then on the wall with brackets and nails, or on glue. Due to the constant sliding of laminate boards under the influence of different temperatures, fixing the skirting board directly to the floor covering is impossible. Another problem arises, often the walls are not quite even, and in order for the profile to fit snugly against them, you should choose a plinth with a rubber backing along the entire length of the whip. Rubber additionally protect the coating from moisture and protect it from mold and decay.

    The stages, as well as installation methods, depend on the specific type of skirting board model. The plastic profile consists of a fixing strip and a decorative panel. First, the base is adjusted to the dimensions and fastened with dowels or glue. The decorative part is installed with additional docking elements.

    Aluminum multi-level thresholds

    Between two types of laminate. Joints between several types of laminate appear when boards of different fastening systems are used, the floor area is too large, and the surface needs an additional expansion joint or protrusions or steps are formed with material. To hide the joints, decorative moldings are used. They keep the gap, while covering it from dust and dirt. Moldings come in different types and solve several problems. Straight lines mask joints at the same level, leveling boards are designed for height differences up to 2-3 mm, multi-level planks eliminate differences up to 2 cm, and corner planks connect laminate boards arranged crosswise.

    Between laminate and parquet/linoleum the gap is closed with a sill. Depending on the level of floor coverings, the sills are single-level or multi-level. Sometimes the joint with linoleum is filled with glue.

    Flexible PVC profile in the interior

    Different floor coverings are used in design, for example, for effective zoning of large rooms. In this case, it is necessary not only to choose the method of joint design, but also the features of the installation. In many apartments, you can find a combination of ceramic tiles and laminate, when the board is installed in the hallway, and the tiles are in the kitchen.

    At the first stage, you need to find out the thickness of the coating, draw up a template for further installation and outline the junction. The next question is which of the materials should be put first. When it comes to tile and laminate, the tile should be installed first. It has standard parameters and thickness, while the final thickness of the laminate depends on the substrate and can vary by several millimeters under load.

    It is not difficult to install the tile directly along the intended connection line with the laminate. The gap between the surfaces must be at least 5 mm. The laminate is easily adjusted to the joint due to the simple processing. Then one of the nut options is installed at the joint:

    • flexible PVC profile is suitable for multi-level joints and even joints. Has a decorative part and is customized in color
    • an aluminum sill is a good option if two floor coverings meet under a doorway. Such a threshold can hide a height difference of several millimeters. According to the method of fastening, they are self-adhesive, for self-tapping screws and with hidden fasteners
    • a box threshold is a large threshold, up to 3 cm high. According to popular belief, it can protect against drafts and stop the flow of water in case of a leak in the bathroom
    • however, in practice, the box threshold does not protect against anything, it causes inconvenience when washing floors. Many builders recommend leaving a gap of at least 2 cm between the door and the threshold.
    • the profile from the array is very beautiful, but is considered the most expensive. Attached with glue
    • cork compensator closes the temperature joint without forming significant protrusions. However, such material does not protect the gap from dirt and dust.

      • During repair, the surface must be thoroughly vacuumed.

      On the one hand, the laminate is an affordable coating that is easy to install thanks to a convenient locking system. However, problems sometimes arise with it, because the board is susceptible to uneven subfloors. For proper installation, you must follow all the instructions exactly, but even in this case, sometimes even a new floor can begin to creak. Sometimes it is difficult to determine the exact cause of gender problems.

      uneven base

      May be the cause of creaking when depressions form under the laminate board. At this point, the board begins to sag, and when stepped on under pressure, bend. If the creak is heard only under a few boards, they must be carefully disassembled, find a notch, cover it with mortar or put a layer of cardboard, then put it back together.

      When the problem is global, the entire surface creaks, it is necessary to completely sort out the floor. For ease of reassembly, the panels should be numbered. The base needs to be leveled and the substrate replaced.

      thick backing

      Often installed when they want to level the surface, but this approach is wrong. A soft and thick underlay causes the boards to sag a lot over uneven flooring, and under load, such a board can even crack. The optimum thickness of the substrate should not exceed 3 mm.

      Need to sort out the floor and replace it. If this is not possible, it remains only to get used to unpleasant sounds and not to allow this mistake during the subsequent replacement of the coating.

      small gap

      Between the laminate and the walls, it not only impedes the natural movement of the boards, but also creates high pressure on the fastening mechanisms. Because of this, a creak occurs. Fixing this problem is relatively easy. It is enough to take out the boards around the perimeter of the room and cut them along so that the gap is at least 5 mm.

      Variable Humidity

      It strongly affects the condition of the laminate floor, it begins to creak over the entire surface. It's best to wait until the season changes. If the laminate was installed during the cold season, it is worth waiting for warmer weather to find out if the squeaks will disappear. If the problem is inconstant humidity, it will soon resolve itself.

      Sand and dust

      A common cause of a strong squeak. Foreign particles are not only a source of unpleasant noise, but also damage to the locks of laminate boards. Particles entering the locks, due to friction, begin to deform them little by little. To avoid this, when repairing, it is worth carefully vacuuming all the debris with a vacuum cleaner, and it is advisable to cut the boards in a separate room.

      The problem is much more serious if the dust did not arise as a result of replacing the flooring, but due to shedding of the screed. To avoid destruction, the surface of the screed must be carefully primed. To clean the floor of dust, it will have to be completely sorted out and then vacuumed. The outdated screed should be re-primed and a new substrate applied.

    Floors can be repaired in several ways and with the use of materials of various costs. Laminate is considered a budget flooring, in this regard, it is very popular among domestic builders. Laying laminate on a wooden floor has its own characteristics. Later in the article we will talk about them in detail.

    Substrate requirements largely depend on the physical and performance characteristics of the finish coats. Manufacturers obsessively advertise the advantages of laminate flooring, but are silent about their weaknesses. This is understandable and is explained by the desire to increase sales volumes and profitability of companies. What are the negative features of the laminate should be considered?


    For all floor coverings, there is one feature: the worse their physical performance, the more stringent the requirements for the base.

    Disadvantages of wooden bases

    A wooden floor is not a static but a dynamic architectural structure. It constantly changes its parameters, and such deviations can be critical for the laminate. They must be taken into account and eliminated.

    1. Variations in linear dimensions. Wood constantly changes its relative humidity based on the microclimate in the premises or due to contact with the humid air of the underground. As a result, the boards increase or decrease in size, the base under the laminate is unstable. Before laying the finish coat, a set of special construction measures should be applied to minimize the negative impact of this effect.

    2. Swelling floors. If the existing arrangement of old wood floors does not allow the boards to move slightly, then there is a risk of swelling on the floor surface. Laminate coatings react very negatively to such changes, and it is possible to eliminate adverse effects only after dismantling the coatings. It is expensive and difficult, it is much more expedient to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant situations than to eliminate their consequences.

    3. Development of putrefactive processes. Not all builders comply with the requirements of building codes and regulations, and during the laying of boards they allow marriage. As a result, wooden floors are affected by rot and lose their load-bearing parameters, the floor collapses, and further operation is impossible. This is the most unpleasant situation that requires a lot of time to be eliminated. The fact is that natural boards rot for one reason - the underground space does not have effective ventilation. It makes no sense to change individual damaged elements without eliminating the causes of their failure. And it is very difficult to make natural ventilation of the underground space in operated premises.

    We have specially given the most objective analysis of possible situations and the reasons for their occurrence. Such knowledge will help make the right technical decisions while laying the laminate on.

    Laminate installation steps

    Regardless of the specific condition of the wooden floor and the chosen technology for laying the laminate, all work should be divided into several operations.

    Table. The procedure for preparing the base for laminate

    Preparation stageList and brief description of work performed
    Start with a visual inspection. If the boards have large cracks, and the surface is severely deformed or sags under loads, then further examination of the load-bearing elements is necessary to select a method for their repair. Damaged boards must be replaced. At the same time, the horizontal accuracy of the floor surface should be checked - the deviation cannot exceed two millimeters per linear meter. If it is larger, then you need to decide on the alignment method. There are many technologies, from the use of special leveling systems, self-tapping screws, linings, to pouring self-leveling compounds.
    If the floors are loose or there are completely rotten boards on the surface, then this indicates a high probability of damage to the lag. It is necessary to carefully examine suspicious places, if problems with lags are found, they will have to be changed.
    As mentioned above, dry boards can last for many decades, and problems arise due to their operation in wet conditions. In the case of floors, this means that natural ventilation is inefficient or completely absent. How to fix such a problem? The decision can only be made by a technically competent specialist, he must study and analyze the arrangement of all premises and only after that develop an optimal plan for eliminating the problem.
    Laminate coatings are recommended to be laid on special pads that reduce noise, minimize the risk of squeaks while walking, slightly reduce heat loss, etc. But this is not a load-bearing base, but purely auxiliary. The bearing base can be directly floor boards, plywood, OSB boards or cement-bonded, self-leveling screeds. In the final choice of material and technology for the preparation of the supporting base for laminate floors, it is recommended not only to take into account the current state of the old coatings, but also their behavior in the future. The floors are put on for a long period of time, the mistakes made will definitely show themselves, and this is a very unpleasant consequence.

    For example, we will consider a rather complicated, but one of the most reliable options for laying a laminate on a wooden floor. Each master can correct some technological operations depending on the actual state of the base, but the decisions made should not worsen the technical and operational characteristics of the structure.

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    Laminate installation method

    Laminate installation step by step

    Due to the rather large amount of work, production is divided into several stages, each of them is important and cannot be ignored.

    Strengthening floorboards and eliminating squeaks

    Previously, during the laying of wooden floors, only ordinary smooth nails were used. These are, in principle, good hardware, but in the situation with floors they have one big drawback. During an increase in humidity, the boards increase their thickness, as a result of which the nails are slightly pulled out of the lag. After the boards dry, their thickness decreases, but the hardware can no longer return to its original state on its own. As a result, the caps do not hold the boards, the fixation is significantly weakened, the floor staggers and creaks when walking.

    Step 1. Tear off the first row of parquet boards against the wall. If your floors are not made of piece parquet, then you don’t need to tear anything off, you can find the location of the log using slots. The problem arises when tongue-and-groove lumber is used. Carefully inspect the surface of the boards, in any case, the places where the nails are attached should be noticeable on them, they were driven into the middle of the lag, respectively, now it will not be a problem to find out their position. If this fails, then you will have to cut a groove at the junction between the boards and use it to find the supporting architectural elements.

    Step 2 Use a construction marker to mark the location of the lag. Check the correctness of the marks, they should be located at the same distance, because this is how the logs are laid.

    Step 3 Fasten the boards with self-tapping screws. Let them bend a little, this is not a problem, in the future the floor plane will level out. Screw all the boards, once again check the strength of the fixation.

    Immediately pay attention to the state of ventilation. It must be remembered that under the laminate, wooden structures will not be able to breathe at all, it will be possible to get rid of excess water only through effective natural ventilation of the underground space.

    Now you can proceed to the second phase of preparing the base.

    Installation of DSP boards

    We have chosen because of their excellent performance.

    How are these materials different?


    Step 1. Cut the board to size. The contour should copy the geometry of partitions, pipelines and other engineering structures.

    Step 2 Fix the plate with wood screws. Hardware is screwed around the perimeter at a distance of about 30-40 cm and along the lines of symmetry.

    Step 3 Jump on the plate, if there are places in which it bends, then screw them. It's okay that depressions appear, in the future the surface will level out. At this stage of base preparation, the main task must be performed - to ensure maximum stability, the final laminate coating should not sag or otherwise walk.

    According to the same algorithm, lay the slabs on the entire surface of the floor. The joints should be apart, due to this, the strength of the fixation increases.

    Final leveling of the DSP surface

    This operation can be skipped if the base is even and fully meets the requirements of building codes and regulations. If you want to save a little on the cost of the floor, laying a laminate floor on a flat surface of DSP boards is allowed. But we will consider the most complex and reliable option, we will correct surface irregularities with a thin layer of self-leveling floor.

    Step 1. Cover the walls around the perimeter of the room with plastic wrap, it will protect them from inadvertent contamination with a liquid solution.

    Step 2 Coat the plates with a primer, for this you need to use special compounds. The primer does two things.

    1. Prevents boards from getting too wet. Despite the previously taken measures, it is never out of place to make additional operations for the waterproofing of wooden bases.
    2. Provides even absorption. The quality of the self-leveling floor largely depends on the hardening time, and this parameter is affected by the thickness of the layer. If you do not impregnate, then the liquid component will quickly be absorbed over a thin layer of the self-leveling floor, which will disrupt the correct flow of the polymerization process of the composition. As a result, the quality of the self-leveling floor will not satisfy the existing regulations.

    Step 3 Prepare the first batch of liquid floor according to the manufacturer's instructions. The consistency of the solution should resemble sour cream, otherwise it will not level the surface.

    Practical advice. The thickness of the self-leveling floor should be as small as possible, due to this, the amount of expensive material is reduced.

    Step 4 Pour the prepared solution onto the dried surface. Use a spiked roller to spread the liquid over the surface. The needle roller not only levels the plane of the self-leveling floor, but also removes air bubbles. You need to know that they noticeably reduce strength after solidification.

    practical world. Filling work should start from the farthest corner and gradually move towards the exit from the room.

    Further work can be started only after the self-leveling floor has completely hardened, it will take about a day. The specific time is indicated by the manufacturer in the instructions and depends on the chemical composition of the material. If you pour a self-leveling floor with a thickness of at least 5 mm, then it is allowed to lay a laminate on such a coating.

    Laying laminate

    Now you can start laying the finish coat.

    Step 1. Unfold. This element is required to eliminate the likelihood of squeaks. Manufacturers claim that due to it it is possible to reduce heat loss, but such statements are only advertising in nature. Why? The fact is that the thickness of the cover is 2-3 mm, in addition, it is made of a material that is easily blown by air. Such physical characteristics do not allow retaining heat; its actual parameters are not taken into account during thermal calculations of the floor and are completely ignored.

    The substrates are cut with a mounting knife, adjust them to all the bends and turns of the walls.

    Step 2 Cover the seams with masking tape. You can use any, but this is considered the most budget option.

    Step 3 Start laying down the laminate. The first lamella is placed at the doorway, this place is always striking and should be symmetrical. Remember the rule, it applies to all floor coverings without exception: the central seam is not made in the middle of the room, but along the line of symmetry of the entrance doors. At the opposite wall, the laminate can already be adjusted to the remaining width, radiators are located here, they hide all the irregularities.

    Insert the lamellas into the locks and squeeze them firmly until they click. Check that the plates are connected tightly, the presence of even the slightest gaps is strictly prohibited. Before starting work, you need to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's instructions, the locks can slightly change the shape and principle of snapping, but the technology itself remains unchanged.

    The length of a piece cut from a whole lamella cannot be less than 40 cm, otherwise the strength of the connection is insufficient. The joints are always staggered. During installation, use a rubber mallet and, using appropriate supports, adjust the individual panels until they fit snugly. If the goods are of poor quality, problems may arise during installation, but most of them are solved during the production process. In any case, before purchasing building materials, it is strongly recommended to check their quality.

    Continue in the same way to lay the finish coat throughout the room. The final step is finishing the threshold. How to properly and symmetrically mount the lamella at the door?


    Important. Do not forget to always leave a gap between the floor covering and the walls of the room. For these purposes, you can use linings from laminate waste.

    Now it remains to put the baseboards in place, do not forget to make precise adjustments in the corners. Skirting boards can be plastic or wood. If everything is done correctly, then during operation there will be no problems. In terms of quality, reliability and durability of operation, a laminate on a wooden floor will not differ from a laminate on a cement-sand screed.

    TOP-6 laminate manufacturers

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    		Kronotex ⭐ 99 / 100
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