Laminate is a coating that requires the preparation of a perfectly flat base. But what if it is not possible to dismantle the old floor and install a new cement screed? Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? These questions are of interest to those who have decided to refresh the interior without resorting to capital investments. You can learn about methods of laying material on an existing surface from the recommendations and video given in the article: how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands.

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor?

The question of the possibility of laying laminate flooring on an old wooden floor often arises due to the fact that the cost of dismantling and installing a new cement base largely exceeds the cost of purchasing the floor covering itself. In addition, the feasibility of carrying out a major overhaul is not always justified, since it is associated with the duration of the process, while the interior of the room can be changed by resorting to cosmetic repairs.

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

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

In order for the laminate to be perfectly smooth, not come apart in locks and 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 should be:

• flat - 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 debris and dust that arose during the preparation process;
• stable - there should be no displacement of the base elements relative to each other.

How to level a wooden floor under laminate

There are several options for leveling wooden floors under laminate:

• scraping a wooden floor;
• covering the floor with plywood or chipboard;
• leveling with plywood using pads and bars.

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

Repairing an old wooden base

Work on preparing a wooden floor for laying laminated flooring 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 technical requirements. First you should check the condition of the wooden floor for any possible defects.

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

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should fill all the potholes, wedge and secure the loose elements with glue and screws. If there are cracks in the wood, they are stapled together using a construction stapler. Moldy and rotten boards must be replaced with new ones. To eliminate the creaking of a wooden floor, you need to go through all the floorboards.

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

How to lay laminate flooring on an uneven wooden floor: surface treatment by scraping

If all the floorboards of the wooden base are well secured and the surface does not have a significant slope, you can use a scraper or power planer for leveling. This method is appropriate for surfaces whose unevenness does not exceed a slope of 5-6 mm per square meter. Local irregularities are eliminated by sanding the defective areas with sandpaper or using a hand scraper. This treatment is also used in hard-to-reach places.

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

Upon completion of leveling, check the entire surface of the wooden floor using a level, then carefully sweep or vacuum away sawdust and dust. If the small debris remaining after leveling is not removed, there is a possibility that it will get into the locks of the laminated covering, and this, in turn, will lead to unwanted squeaking when moving on the laid laminate.

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

Leveling the floor with plywood under laminate

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

Before starting installation, it is a good idea to check the humidity level in the room. This can be done by placing a sheet of polyethylene on the floor measuring approximately 1x1 m. 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.

The process begins by cutting plywood sheets. They are cut into squares measuring 60x60 cm. Individual outer sheets are adjusted to the contours of the room, fill niches and go around protruding areas. When laying, gaps of 7-10 mm are left between the sheets, acting as expansion joints. The distance between the outer sheets and the wall should be between 15 and 20 mm. In order not to mix up the cut plywood sheets during assembly, it is recommended to number them.

You can attach plywood boards to the floor using glue, but you can do without it. Using the laying diagram 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 in increments 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, the plywood sheets are carefully sanded with coarse sandpaper.

Laying plywood under laminate on a wooden floor with fastening to joists

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you can use the method of leveling the surface by laying plywood and attaching it to joists. This method is quite labor-intensive and expensive. The principle of this method is to install the logs in such a way that their upper edges are in the same horizontal plane. To achieve this position, wedges or blocks of wood are placed under the joists. When laying adjustable joists, their position is fixed using adjusting screws.

Plywood boards are cut using a circular saw and laid on joists, while the horizontal level of the plane of each sheet is checked. Laying is done in a checkerboard pattern to avoid combining the seams at one point. The sheets are fastened to a wooden base using 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 fastening locations.

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

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on fiberboard?

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

The thing is that wood fiber 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 lay laminate on a base whose elements may be 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 become loose. This can lead to squeaking and broken locks. And if you consider that wooden floor joists can be cracked, the gap can be significantly larger.

Considering that not everyone has the opportunity to dismantle an old wooden floor or rebuild it (which is also expensive in itself), you can lay laminate flooring on fiberboard. However, the condition must be met that the fiberboards are sufficiently firmly fixed to the wooden floor. And if the base for the laminate is strong, then there is not much difference whether the base is chipboard, plywood or fiberboard.

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands

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

Selecting 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, you should determine the surface area to be covered. 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 purchasing material, you should also take into account the consumption coefficient, which varies from 5 to 14%. This or that coefficient value depends on how the laminate panels are laid. If you decide to lay the laminated flooring diagonally, the maximum coefficient is taken. Consequently, there will be more material waste.

In addition, it should be taken into account that during installation work, the plate lock may be accidentally damaged or incorrect trimming may be performed. In this case, it would be useful to purchase several boards in reserve.

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

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

Preliminary preparation of the base

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should analyze the condition of the existing subfloor. It is necessary to identify all existing defects: potholes, cracks, holes. Loose boards should be wedged and secured with glue and screws. Potholes should be filled with wedges using glue, and if possible, the ventilation holes should be cleaned.

A completely old floor should be dismantled down to the supporting joists. If the inspection reveals that some elements are rotten, they should be replaced. Flooring 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 a building level and a lath.

If a difference in the floor surface of more than 3 mm is detected, the scraping method should be used. If you don't have a sanding 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 chipboards

Laying chipboard slabs is done after strengthening all elements of the wooden floor and impregnating the base with an antifungal compound. The baseboard is dismantled and unnecessary objects that could interfere with the process are removed. The slabs are laid from the corner of the room. A gap of about 10 mm is left from the wall. Place the chipboard sheets so that the joints of the material fall on the lines of the beams.

Chipboard slabs are secured with self-tapping screws, and care must be taken to ensure that the heads of the fasteners do not extend beyond the surface. The pitch of the screws should be about 30 cm. After laying all the chipboard panels, 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 sanded.

The base of freshly laid chipboard should be thoroughly dried. Ideally, the slabs should be left for about a week to allow acclimatization and excess moisture to evaporate. If during this time it turns out that some joints have swelled or shifted, they should be sanded, puttyed and cleaned with sandpaper.

Necessary tools for work

For people who do not do professional repairs, but are planning to lay laminate flooring themselves, a logical question arises about a set of tools for the job. To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you will need a tool that should be in the arsenal of every owner:

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

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

A hammer drill can also be useful for making holes for mounting baseboards. Not everyone has this power tool, but it can be rented for the duration of the work.

Choosing a laminate underlay for a wooden floor

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

The material for making substrates can be synthetic (polyethylene foam), natural (cellulose, cork, pine needles, etc.) or combined. The most budget option is foamed polyethylene - lightweight, easy to install, but fragile material that quickly compresses and does not provide proper moisture exchange. A more durable substrate is made of polystyrene in the form of 1x1 m slabs; 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 laminate flooring on a wooden floor, it is recommended to arrange an underlay layer of natural material. The cork substrate has excellent properties; in combination with laminate, it demonstrates excellent heat and sound insulation. Its cost is quite high, but this is compensated by the long-term preservation of the wooden base. The thickness of the substrate is selected based on the same parameter of the laminate board.

For example, a 3 mm thick substrate is selected for an 8 mm board. As for laying the material, it should be noted that the strips of the substrate are placed end-to-end without overlaps and permanently attached to walls or a wooden base. The connecting lines are taped along the entire length or in periodic places.

How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor: installation technology

Once all the preparatory work has been completed, you can proceed directly to laying the 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 installation nuances. Choose a place where the laminate packages will be located, remove the doors from their hinges, and clear the room of unnecessary items.

Before laying the substrate, it is necessary to remove all debris and thoroughly remove dust from the surface of the base. The backing strips are laid parallel to the future location of the laminate boards. If a single piece of backing is not enough, you need to connect several parts with tape, cutting them using the mirror cut method. All connecting lines are also taped.

Next, lay the first row of covering. Don't forget that the laminate panels should be positioned across the wooden base boards. Carefully connect the slats of the first row to each other. First, we assemble solid panels, and then we measure the length of the last board of the row and mark the cut line. When trimming, you must turn the board 180 degrees, otherwise the locks will not match. At the mark, cut off the excess part. As a visual aid, use the video: how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands.

Don’t forget to leave gaps between the end of the panel and the wall, into which you can place 8-10 mm wide stops made from laminate scraps. After the starting strip is formed, the next one is assembled. The distance between adjacent rows should be small to make it easier to connect them. The formation of the next row begins with the cut lamella.

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

All other rows of coverage are assembled using this principle. Laying laminate panels is best done in a chaotic order, i.e. Some of the rows should not be started from the cut board of the previous strip, but from the whole board or from a shortened piece.

Features of laying the last row of laminate

The closer the installation moves to the last row, the more inconvenient it will be. When the room is 80% covered, 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, marking the last row is done in stages: first, the first board is marked and cut, then the next one is measured and cut, and so on until the end of the row. We outline the outlines of the first panel with a pencil and cut out the required strip according to the markings.

As soon as the laminated coating is laid, begin attaching the baseboards. The connecting points between rooms are covered with special thresholds to prevent dust from entering there. At the end of the work, remove sawdust and debris from the coating and wipe the surface with a slightly damp cloth.

How to properly lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor in hard-to-reach places

Laying laminate flooring in places where pipes pass, heating radiators, around doorways and in other hard-to-reach places does not present any particular difficulties. Bypassing the pipes is done 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 elements should be treated with a matching acrylic sealant, while expansion joints near walls should be left unfilled. Subsequently, their unaesthetic appearance will be covered with baseboards. The material is laid in a similar way near thresholds, steps and other protrusions.

As for going around doorways, before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, it would be correct to remove the panel from its hinges and determine whether the door will close after laying the coating. To do this, you need to sum up the thickness of the laminate, the substrate and the leveling layer (if there is one). 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, lay the laminate around the door frame, leaving an allowance of 8-10 mm, return the door to its place and check its movement. If necessary, file the door to the required size.

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

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

Video: DIY laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor

On the Internet you can find a whole series of courses on how to lay laminate flooring. Video instructions for installing floor coverings contain visual information and practical advice from both experienced craftsmen and those who first tried to level a wooden base and lay laminate flooring 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 a wooden base, choosing a substrate, as well as step-by-step instructions for laying laminate flooring. In addition, in the video materials you can find recommendations for eliminating possible defects in wood flooring.

Video: how to lay laminate flooring near a doorway

There are many educational videos about the installation of skirting boards, the features of interlocking floor coverings and the technology of fastening panels of material to each other. Thematic video tutorials contain information on how to lay 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 eliminating and sealing defects on already laid laminated flooring. From them you can learn how to disguise scratches and dents formed on the laminate from fallen heavy objects or heels, as well as how to eliminate damage caused during the installation process: chipped corners and edges, seam divergences, swelling of the coating.

Leveling a wooden floor using any of the existing methods allows you to use it as a base for laminate flooring. If all work on preparing the floor surface is carried out in compliance with technical requirements, the floor covering will last a fairly long time, without requiring repairs and while maintaining an aesthetic appearance.

Technology for laying laminate flooring on wooden floors

The simplicity of laying the material allows you to install lamellas on almost any base, including wood. To perform installation as efficiently as possible, it is very important to know the basics of technology, which reveals the secret of how to install it with your own hands quickly and correctly.

The feasibility of laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor

The answer to the question whether it is possible, most often depends on the strength of the base. Most consumers who prefer laminate-based floor finishing doubt the possibility of installation and think about dismantling the wooden covering.

Of course, removing a wooden base takes a lot of time, and besides, this work is not only labor-intensive, but also dirty. However, it should be remembered that in some cases dismantling cannot be avoided. Thus, laying slats on wooden floors that are rotting or affected by fungi is unacceptable. Covering the damaged surface will not be able to stop the process of wood rotting, and after some time the laminate will also be affected by rotting.

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

Also read materials:

Preparing a wooden floor for laying laminate

The wooden base must be correctly visually assessed, which will allow us to develop a plan for its high-quality preparation for the installation of lamellas.

Condition assessment

Laminated panels can be laid on wood floors only after a full range of measures has been taken to properly prepare the surface. Wood is a good base for laminate, but its condition must be suitable for the finishing work.

Often, before installing laminate flooring, it is necessary to repair the wooden base. The most common defects are creaking floors as a result of drying out and surface deformation. In addition, repair work may be required if it is necessary to strengthen loose wooden floorboards of the base. Sometimes you have to use additional fasteners. You can identify the main irregularities using a building level. This method will allow you to correctly assess the volume of activities to level the base.

Leveling technology

Minor unevenness in depth can be eliminated with a plane or grinder. Significantly protruding and very loose floorboards should be strengthened using self-tapping screws, but not nails, which will prevent the process of loosening and creaking of the base. More significant differences are eliminated using sheet plywood. It should be remembered that differences in height of one centimeter for every three meters of area are practically unnoticeable.

For local or complete replacement of wooden coverings, only high-quality and dry wood should be used, which will help insure the surface from deformation and curvature. It is advisable to cover the wooden base with sheet plywood or chipboards. If the surface is relatively flat, it is possible to cover it with a standard, but thick and sufficiently durable substrate.

Repair work

Repair of a wooden base is necessary if it has significant damage or is already too old and dilapidated. The wood chosen to replace removed floorboards should be kept indoors for several days.

Differences in height of more than five millimeters are eliminated with the help of additional plywood pads, the use of which can replace labor-intensive work on arranging a concrete screed. A gap of one centimeter should be maintained between the sheets of substrate.

Preparing woodHow to lay laminate flooring (video)

The most expensive repair work involves the dismantling of all floorboards and full or partial replacement of the joists.

Installation features

The quality and service life of the laminate floor finish will ultimately depend on how correctly the substrate material and its thickness are selected.

Selecting a substrate

Typical problems that accompany the use of low-quality underlayment are the appearance of diverging seams, breakage of locking joints, the appearance of unevenness and “walking” laminated planks.

There are several types that are used when laying coatings on wooden floors.

1. Bitumen substrate is a moisture-resistant base. This is the best option for insufficiently level foundations in rooms with high humidity levels.
2. It is the most expensive version of the material and has high performance qualities. It is characterized by resistance to deformation changes, fungal and mold damage.
3. Substrate based on polyurethane foam presented in several versions, differing in thickness and density. This is the most budget option. It is recommended to purchase a thicker substrate with increased rigidity or lay a double layer of material.

Using a substrate

A high-quality laminated substrate should be purchased with a slight excess in quantity or volume. This rule is due to an increase in material consumption as a result of the need to trim the substrate due to the configuration features of the room being finished.

It is very important to remember the main rule: for a higher-quality base, you can use a less expensive substrate.

Installing laminate flooring on a wooden base

Currently, two methods are most in demand, according to which the lamellas are placed on the floor surface.

1. Direct laying involves the arrangement of lamellas in a direction parallel to the light incident from the window or perpendicular to the window opening. This option helps to level the joints, but may require an increase in the consumption of laminated planks by five percent.
2. Diagonal laying involves arranging the lamellas while maintaining an angle to the wall of thirty-five degrees. Material consumption may increase by 15%. This option helps to visually enlarge the space and is more suitable for small rooms.

Laminates with the “Click” system

The newest and easiest to install version of the locking system. Laying is carried out starting from the far corner with the installation of spacer wedges in increments of one centimeter. The joining of the planks is done by attaching the end of the second element at an angle of twenty-five degrees to the first, then the panels must be snapped into place by lightly pressing the element to be attached.

Laminates with the “Lock” system

Laying should begin from the corner farthest from the doorway. The laminate strips are joined horizontally with grooves aligned, which can be lightly tapped with a special rubber mallet. Tapping the lamellas should be done carefully, but until complete fixation is achieved.

Glued laminates

Glued laminates have recently lost much of their former popularity. The installation process of such finishing material for floors is the most labor-intensive, which is due to the need to treat the end parts of the planks with an adhesive composition and then connect all the elements together. Poor quality processing of the end parts makes the connection less durable and unstable to moisture. Dismantling the coating will lead to the complete destruction of all elements, which will make them unsuitable for reuse.

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor (video)

Even a very high-quality laminated flooring installed in accordance with all the rules will not last long if the requirements for operation and maintenance are not followed. It is very important not only to maintain the humidity and temperature in the room, but also to protect the laminate from traumatic factors, as well as to carry out timely and proper cleaning of such flooring.

When renovating a house or apartment, one of the main problems is the flooring. The work of replacing it becomes one of the most labor-intensive. This is especially true for wooden bases. In a house whose walls are made of wood, or in apartments of an old building, wooden floors along joists are often found. Such flooring can raise a lot of questions, one of which is whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on a rough wooden floor.

Foundation requirements

The question posed can be answered in the affirmative. A base with wood flooring can serve as a rough surface for the laminate, but certain conditions must be met, which are dictated based on the characteristics of the final coating:

1. Integrity of the flooring, absence of cracks and potholes, there should be no areas where boards are missing or laid staggered.
2. No large elevation changes. If there are serious irregularities, there is a possibility of damage to the connecting element of the laminate. Securing individual boards is carried out using a tongue-and-groove system, and if the base deviates significantly from the horizontal, the tenon may simply break, the floor covering will no longer be a solid surface, and there will be a need for repair work. The maximum possible vertical difference is 2 mm per meter of length.
3. Foundation strength. The flooring should not include damaged elements. It is also important that the support joists are in good condition. All parts of the structure must be securely fixed: when the boards move relative to each other, such an unpleasant phenomenon as creaky floors occurs.
4. No damage. Laminate can only be laid on a wooden floor that is not damaged by fungus, mold, rot or other microorganisms. It is important that the wood has normal humidity, since a high water content is ideal conditions for the development of destructive organic matter.

If all these requirements are met, you don’t have to worry about the safety and service life of the flooring.

Inspection of the base before starting work

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to assess its condition. You can do this using the following recommendations:

1. First, the subfloor is inspected visually. It is necessary to ensure not only the safety of the flooring, but also the log underneath it. The boards may be fine, but failure of the support bars will eventually cause the floor to warp, squeak, and sag. Piece materials can only be laid on a stable base that is in good condition. It is better to remove several flooring boards for inspection and make sure that there is no high humidity or rot underneath them.
2. After a visual inspection, use tools to measure the levelness of the deck. The most accurate device will be a laser level, but its high cost and the need for special skills during operation do not allow the device to be used for independent repairs. Available options are hydraulic and bubble levels. The first one is easy to make yourself, but working with it is quite labor-intensive. A bubble level can be purchased at any hardware store. The price depends on the length of the case and averages several thousand rubles. To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, a level 1-2 meters long will be enough. The simplest and most accessible tool is the rule. This is a long strip made of wood or metal profile. It is important that during manufacturing the accuracy of geometric dimensions (parallelism of edges, degrees of angles) is observed. Also, to work with the rule, you will need a ruler with which deviations from the horizontal will be measured.

After completing the research, you can begin further work. If the rough coating meets all the above requirements, then you can lay the laminate on a wooden floor immediately after treating it with antiseptic compounds. They are needed to protect the material from damage by fungus and mold. Fire resistance can also be increased by treating with fire retardants.

If the base does not meet the requirements, then laminate flooring can be laid on a wooden floor only after it has been leveled and reinforced.

Work to eliminate defects

It all depends on the degree of damage. Several main groups can be distinguished depending on the complexity of the problem:

• the base is in good condition, unevenness is 1-2 mm, there are no cracks or gaps;
• the base is in good condition, no cracks, unevenness no more than 5 mm;
• the height difference exceeds 5 mm, there are cracks or potholes less than 5 cm wide, boards and joists are in good condition;
• the boards and joists are damaged, there are serious defects in the elements.

In the latter case, there is only one way out - replacing the subfloor. It is worth considering the degree of damage. Sometimes only the decking needs to be replaced, but the joists remain in good condition. In another situation, the support bars are also damaged. If you need to replace the entire subfloor pie, you should think about using a cement-sand screed as a base. This is only relevant for multi-apartment stone buildings, the floors of which were originally made of wood. With a wooden building structure, it is better not to overload the floors with a heavy screed.

Having determined the extent of the problem, you can begin to eliminate it, and then lay the laminate flooring on a wooden floor.

Irregularities 1-2 mm

The following measures will help eliminate such differences:

• laying a substrate made of elastic materials, the thickness of which is taken to be within 2-5 mm (when using a laminate board with a thickness of 8-10 mm, thicker substrates up to 10 mm are used, the choice depends on the finished floor covering);
• leveling mixtures;
• laying cement screed;
• scraping (removal of the top layer of wood with a special machine).

All these methods will not require serious financial and labor costs. It is only important to remember that when using cement, further work can be started only after it has hardened. Strengthening can take an average of 2-4 weeks.

For self-leveling mixtures there is also a drying period, but it lasts several days.

Irregularities up to 5 mm

Screeds made of various materials can also be used here. Sanding should be used with caution. It is important to ensure that the thickness of the layer being removed does not greatly reduce the load-bearing capacity of the flooring. The minimum cross-section of subfloor boards depends on the pitch of the logs of the expected load from furniture and equipment. Boards with a thickness of 32 mm can be taken as an average value. It is important that after scraping the thickness of the element meets the requirements.

Irregularities more than 5 mm

Plywood will help strengthen and level such a floor. Use sheets with a thickness of 14-22 mm. The method of fixing to the base depends on the height difference:

• for unevenness less than 1 cm - with glue and screws;
• for unevenness more than 1 cm - laying on joists.

Plywood will provide not only a flat, but also a strong base for a laminate floor, so it can also be used in cases of minor damage, such as cracks, missing parts of the flooring, and the like.

My article will help you lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, which describes all the features and methods in detail.

Laminate– modern flooring. Distinguished by its practicality and aesthetics, it has become especially popular in recent years. Nowadays, not only craftsmen, but also amateurs who do their own repairs have the skills to lay laminated panels.

Laminate can be laid on any surface. However, many people have a question about how to properly lay it on a wooden floor, what technology should be followed. On this matter, you can find practical advice, photos and videos on the Internet. At them, craftsmen share their experience of working with fashionable coatings and the secrets of using it for construction purposes.

To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you should make sure of the quality of the latter. To do this, the boards are examined for safety. The most common defects are:

• deflection of boards under weight;
• gaps between individual parts;
• deformation of floorboards, their curvature;
• damage from dampness, fungus or pests.

It is especially important to eliminate any differences in base height, bulges and depressions. You cannot put laminate on. In the video, the masters show how to eliminate this defect using a grinding machine or plane.

A professional tool can be

Video on how to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Floorboards can creak for two reasons:

• poor fixation of boards on rough flooring or joists;
• friction of individual elements among themselves.

In the first case, the products are attached to the crossbars with screws or nails. In the second, for minor cracks, add graphite and talc and seal the resulting gaps with putty.

To find out the condition of a wooden floor, it is recommended to remove a layer of paint and expose the structure of the wood. Rotten and decayed floorboards are checked with an awl or tapped with a hammer. If such parts are found, they are carefully removed and replaced with boards of the same thickness and width, driving them into the resulting gap.

If the floorboards are in good condition, but gaps have formed between them, the wooden floor is knocked together. The distance that appears between the flooring and the wall is filled with a piece of board. Instead of hammering, thin bars are inserted into the cracks and driven in with a mallet. Then they must go over the floor with a sanding machine so that the uneven floor turns into a smooth surface.

For preventive purposes, it is recommended to soak floorboards that have been cleared of paint with an antiseptic against fungus and mold and some kind of bioprotective composition against wood insects.

Leveling a wooden floor

The most important problem for laying laminate flooring is. Height differences between boards should not exceed 2 mm per 1 square meter. For minor results, use a grinder or plane. They are passed over the entire surface, periodically checking the condition of the floor using a level or wooden plank and a spirit level.

If the wooden floor is too uneven, use plywood, OSB or chipboard. This method is ideal for creating a basic base for laminate flooring. Recently, OSB has been actively displacing plywood from the field of construction work. These materials are similar in quality, but OSB products are preferable because

• easy to process;
• have good strength;
• do not delaminate under mechanical influence;
• moisture-resistant, do not warp from water and fumes;
• have elasticity;
• are cheaper than plywood;
• have advantageous dimensions.

Today, OSB boards are one of the best materials for laminate flooring. The canvases are fully compatible with other wooden parts and rough flooring.

OSB is used as a substrate for laminate flooring. The choice of dimensions of this material depends on the thickness of the main coating. For a 7 mm laminate, 2 mm slabs are laid, 8-9 mm - 3 mm OSB. If you put a base under a laminate made of thicker sheets, they may sag during further use. This will negatively affect the locking joints: they will become deformed and break.

OSB boards are screwed with self-tapping screws or nailed with nails of suitable length to joists or rough boards. The distance between them is determined by the size of the canvas. Usually the step from one fastener to another is 20-25 cm. This procedure can be observed on a special video.

Do not place the slabs under the laminate, pressing them tightly against each other. It is important to leave a technical gap of 5 mm. Subsequently, it is covered with epoxy putty or filled with foam.

When watching a video on preparing the base for laminate flooring, you should pay attention to the waterproofing device. It must be laid under OSB boards in order to further avoid the accumulation of condensation, the formation of high humidity and damage to wooden products.

So, with the help of plywood or OSB boards, you can turn even a very uneven wooden floor into an ideal surface for laminate, the main thing is to lay everything correctly.

Laminate features

Laminated boards (lamellas) are multilayer products. They are based on a fiberboard or chipboard panel. It is this that provides the entire floor with strength and reliability in operation.

The aesthetics of the coating is given by a decorative layer consisting of paper impregnated with special resins made from artificial components. At the bottom of the laminate panel there is a protective waterproof layer – melamine. It provides rigidity to products and saves them from deformation.

Laminated boards have different thicknesses, from 6 to 14 mm. When choosing laminate flooring for rooms with different functionality, you should be guided by the fact that thick panels are more resistant to abrasion and durable in use. They are placed in living rooms, hallways and rooms with high traffic. Such panels have excellent sound-absorbing properties. Thick boards are easier to lay than thin ones. Therefore, it is better for beginners to train on such products.

Laminated boards are connected to each other using special locks. They come in two types - Click and Lock. Click lock is more practical. It is difficult to break or damage. When a tenon enters a groove, the latter does not expand. The laminate with such a lock is combined at an angle of 45 degrees, slightly rocked and gently, with little force, pressed the panel to the floor.

In a Lock-lock, when the tenon of one product enters the groove of another, it expands. If you carry out the procedure carelessly, you can damage the thin connection and ruin the laminate panel.

In order to properly align and lay the laminate boards together and not leave gaps, the products are tapped along the entire length with a mallet. It is important not to damage the lock. Therefore, they use a wooden strip and a piece of unusable panel.

The laminate will be more pliable and will bond better if it is brought into the room where it will be laid in advance, about a day before installation.

How to lay laminate flooring

The laminate finish is classified as a floating structure. It is capable of contracting and expanding. Therefore, before laying, it is important to provide a gap of 7-10 mm between the wall and the floor. To make it the same, use planks of equal thickness. They are installed along the walls and lightly secured. Upon completion of work, carefully remove.

Substrate

Next, you should place an underlay on the wooden floor. It is sold in rolls and sheets, made from synthetic or natural components, serves as an excellent waterproofing for laminate flooring and can correct uneven floors with minor defects. When choosing a substrate, they are guided by the price and quality of the product. Natural cork fabrics are most preferred. However, they are expensive.

The substrate is laid along the wall, first in one row. You should not cover the entire wooden floor at once: this will make it more difficult to work with the boards. The pieces of the backing sheets are glued together with tape.

Laying boards

Lamels can be laid in different ways:

• "scatter";
• diagonally;
• "herringbone";
• in 2 minutes.

For beginners in the construction business, it is better to choose the simple “staggering” method. It is as follows:

1. Place the first row of laminate along the wall opposite the entrance, starting from the inner corner of the window.
2. In the second row, the first board will be a piece of half the product. The other half will complete this row.
3. Next comes the alternation of solid boards and sections at the beginning of the row.
4. In the last row, it may turn out that the solid board is wider than necessary. In this case, it is cut lengthwise using a jigsaw. The cut should be flush with the wall and the lock should connect to the previous board. When cutting the panel, it is important to be careful not to split the laminate. You should measure and cut it as evenly as possible.

This method allows you to give the greatest strength to a wooden floor. Laminate panels do not diverge and adhere tightly to each other. It is more economical and simpler than, for example, “herringbone”. Both methods of laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor can be seen in the video. But in order to lay lamellas in the second way, you need to master a special technique for working with material and tools.

When laying laminate flooring on a plank wood floor, there is a danger that the joints of the boards and panels will overlap. And this is undesirable. In this case, you should choose the diagonal method of installing the laminate. The laying angle may be different. The advantage of this method of installing slats is that it allows you to visually break up the space and visually enlarge it. This method is described in detail and captured on video.

Upon completion of the work, remove the planks from the walls and attach the baseboards. They complete the overall composition and mask the gap between the wall and the floor. They are purchased in the color of the coating. Plastic products with a recess and cable channel are now popular. Mobile or stationary wires are laid in it.

Video on laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor

Laminate: laying on an old wooden base

The technology of laying laminated boards on floors has been mastered not only by professional builders, but also by amateurs who do their own repairs. It is not difficult to carry out this work: modern flooring is easy to install and practical to use. However, questions often arise as to whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on an old wooden base and how to do it correctly.

The work of laying “layered” wooden boards as a finishing coating consists of two stages: preliminary and main. On the first, the study and preparation of the base is carried out, on the second, the actual laying of the boards. In the case where the base is old wooden floor, carry out a more thorough check of all structural elements. This will allow you to avoid many troubles associated with the operation of the coating in the future.

Preparing the wooden base

Can be an excellent base for laminate . Both materials are of natural origin and harmonize perfectly with each other. This combination provides warmth and comfort of the coating. Therefore, there is nothing better than putting “ply” boards on old wood products.

At the stage of preliminary work, the plank base is carefully examined, the degree of preservation of the material, the presence of defects and damage are checked. Depending on this, further work is performed.

Elimination of defects in old wooden floors

If the floorboards are very loose and there are wide gaps, they need to be nailed down or the resulting gaps filled.

• wooden dies, specially cut to fit the size of the hole formed;
• putty;
• strands impregnated with glue;
• sealant;
• polyurethane foam.

After the materials have dried, the protruding fragments are cleaned.

If the old wooden floor is relatively well preserved, but minor defects are noticeable, they can be eliminated in an accessible way:

• small cracks and chips of the floor are puttied or filled with sealant;
• protruding nail heads are driven flush;
• wooden boards are sanded with a special machine or sandpaper.

In most cases, old wood floors are covered with paint. There is no need to remove it specially. It is enough to remove the exfoliated fragments. After using the sander, it is recommended to prime the boards or soak them with an antiseptic for greater reliability.

Sometimes an old plank floor is so bad that it requires complete replacement. In this case, a full range of measures is carried out to create a new foundation.

Leveling an old wooden floor

In order for laminate flooring to be laid on an old wooden floor without any problems and for the coating to lie flat, the base should not have any differences in height. All wooden floorboards should be at the same level. Protruding fragments are cut off with a plane and smoothed with sandpaper or a grinder.

To speed up the process of installing the floor covering, the old wooden floor is leveled with sheets of plywood or DSP. They are placed “randomly”, fastened with self-tapping screws or glued to a special compound. If necessary, you can put two layers of leveling material such as plywood. This is a very reliable way to create the ideal base required for laying laminate flooring.

Underlay on old floor

Before laying the laminate on the old floor, create a layer of hydro and sound insulation.

1. Polyethylene film does a good job of protecting against moisture. It is spread around the perimeter of the room. The strips are overlapped and secured with tape so that they do not diverge. The edges should protrude onto the walls.
2. Next, they “throw in” any soundproofing material: old linoleum, turf, polyurethane or cork. On the market you can choose an affordable product that will protect the room from noise and extraneous sounds.

This multi-layer structure will be an excellent support for laminated boards and will protect the old wooden floor from rotting. Although you can do without it.

Basic work: laying laminate flooring on an old floor

Options

From an aesthetic point of view laminate- excellent floor covering. The pattern of natural wood creates coziness and warmth in the living space. It is unobtrusive and pleasing to the eye, perfectly harmonizing with furniture and other interior items.

Laying of panels is carried out in three options:

• simple: the boards are laid like ordinary floorboards strictly in one line;
• parquet(herringbone): parts are placed at an angle to each other;
• diagonal: laminated products lie at an angle of 45 degrees to the wall. This is the most original way to arrange the panels. But it is the most expensive, since with this installation the consumption of the laminate increases by half. This should be taken into account when purchasing products in a store.

Non-professionals who do the repairs themselves should start laying the flooring with a simple installation. Diagonal and parquet patterns require a certain skill and skill in using tools. This is labor-intensive and time-consuming work.

Methods

At the stage of purchasing laminate flooring, it is important to decide on the method of laying it. There are two of them:

• adhesive;
• castle

The first method involves the use of a special adhesive composition. Construction work takes a lot of time. Then it takes a certain period for the product to dry. This increases the time it takes to start using the floor. However, this method is considered the highest quality, and the coating lasts longer.

Most often they resort to the castle method. Each laminated board is equipped with a fastening system that, during installation, is combined, snapped into place, and securely fixes the products to each other. Laying laminate flooring using this method significantly reduces installation time, and the floor can be walked on immediately after completion of the work.

Laminate is laid on an old wooden floor using both methods. With the adhesive method of fastening, you do not need to use a backing. The composition is evenly distributed and further serves as a natural shock absorber.

Tools

To perform installation work on laying laminate flooring on an old wooden floor, you need a simple set of tools and accessories. It includes:

• plastic or wooden die;
• mallet (rubber hammer);
• measuring instruments: tape measure, square;
• small wooden wedges for inserting between the wall and the boards;
• sharp knife for opening packages;
• jigsaw or hacksaw.

Laminate laying technology

1. Laminate They begin to lay from the window from the left corner. The grooves of the boards should be directed toward the wall, the ridges outward.
2. Stepping back 10-15 mm from the wall, place a wooden block, which will create a uniform gap between the wall surface and the coating. Upon completion of the work, it is removed, the gap is sealed with sealant and covered with a plinth. This gap is necessary, since laminate is a moving product that will contract and expand during use; it needs “space.” Otherwise the boards will break.
3. First, lay the first row along the entire wall, fastening the laminated panels with a lock. The last board may be longer than necessary. It is cut with a jigsaw or hacksaw to the required size.
4. The remaining trim can be used when laying the second row, starting with it. In this case, the vertical joints of the panels will be additionally fastened with the long side of the board.
5. When combining the tongue and groove of products, you should act with extreme caution so as not to break the thin contour and not violate the integrity of the panels.
6. The boards of the second row are first fastened along the width, and then attached to the first row along the entire length of the room. The entire strip is carefully lifted at an angle of 35-40 degrees and lowered until a characteristic click is heard.
7. To ensure that the boards lie tightly and there is no gap between them, use a mallet. It is used to knock together parts with light movements.
8. Next, laying the laminate on a wooden floor is carried out according to an established scheme.
9. In the last row it may turn out that the width of the boards is wider than necessary. Then measure the segment to the wall and transfer the parameters to the wrong side of the laminated part. Along the resulting line, the board is cut lengthwise, keeping the ridge, which will need to be aligned with the groove of the previous row. These actions are performed with all products intended for laying in the last coating line.

If all measures for laying laminate flooring with your own hands are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the technology, then with proper use the coating will last for many years. A flat, old, wooden floor as a base for the finishing sheet contributes to good preservation of the “layered” products. This floor will be warm and comfortable.

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Do-it-yourself wooden floor under laminate
Laying tiles on a wooden floor: technology and its features

The modern building materials market is rich in a variety of types of flooring: ceramic tiles, linoleum, carpet, cork flooring, parquet and others. Nowadays, buyers increasingly prefer laminate flooring because this material is durable, easy to use, has an affordable price and beautiful appearance. This article describes the secrets of properly installing laminate flooring on a wooden floor. Questions that concern many readers are also answered. Is it right to install laminate flooring over an existing uneven wood floor? How is a wooden floor prepared for laminate? How to lay laminate flooring with your own hands?

So, first things first. You bought laminate flooring. Now you need to install it, spending minimal resources of time and effort, and also ensure the high quality of the work done so that the repair is preserved for many years.

Step 1. Assess the condition of the existing pavement

It's no secret that dismantling an old wooden floor is a labor-intensive and dusty process. Often consumers want to avoid dismantling work, but have doubts about the correct installation of laminate flooring on the existing flooring.

To assess the feasibility of laying laminate flooring on a base made of wood, it is necessary to carefully check the entire floor area for the absence of fungus and mold, sagging and creaking of floorboards, and large deformation changes in the surface.

Requirements for a wooden base

1. Dryness. Old material should not have signs of rotting or fungal formations. This factor is very important, since the process of damage and decay of the tree will continue even after laying the lamellas. After some time, the laminate will also become susceptible to mold and mildew;
2. Hardness. The base must remain strong so that new structures do not undergo deformation and retain their original appearance;
3. Evenness. The height difference of the existing coating is not allowed to be more than 2 mm per 2 m of length. An uneven old floor will cause creaks of the lamellas and deformation of the laminate joints.

A more detailed description of the requirements for a wooden base can be found by watching the video:

Advice. If the existing flooring in your apartment does not meet these standards, you can bring the wooden floor into proper shape by locally replacing sections of the base. A plywood flooring will help level the surface.

Step 2. Preparing the wood flooring

Important! When partially replacing a wooden floor, it is necessary to use only dry and high-quality material. Otherwise, the base structure may deform during use and drying of the wood, which will lead to the destruction of the laminate coating.

Eliminating squeaky floorboards

A common cause of unpleasant sound is poor fixation of the boards to the joists. The old fasteners have become loose over time and need to be replaced with a new one. In this case, it is not necessary to remove the previous nails; you can make holes nearby. In this case, it is better to use self-tapping screws that are 2–3 cm less than the thickness of the floor. It is necessary to screw each board to the joists, recess the caps so that they do not stick out. A visual guide is given in this video:

Leveling an existing wooden floor

The first step is to identify differences in height using a building level. It is better to use this tool with a length of 1.5–2 m in order to maximally cover the entire surface area and make more accurate measurements.

If you have an uneven floor, then don't despair. Level the convex areas of the coating, preferably cutting them off with a grinder or electric planer. If you lay down sheets of plywood, you can easily eliminate differences in height and make the base of the floor more durable and level.

Step 3: Laying plywood on an uneven wood floor

Laying plywood is an effective way to eliminate defects in wood floors.

Advantages:

1. Strength, resistance to deformation, durable laminate flooring;
2. High thermal insulation. The material retains 30% more heat;
3. Soundproofing;
4. Moisture resistance;
5. Ease of use. You can lay this material yourself, without involving helpers;
6. The large dimensions of the product allow you to quickly level the surface of large and small rooms;
7. Low cost.

When choosing plywood, it is necessary to take into account that the thickness of the sheet must match the floor covering or be greater. Therefore, for laying under laminate it is better to use plywood sheets with a thickness of at least 10 mm.

There are several brands of plywood sheets. For the construction of industrial buildings, this material is used, grades FB and FOF; for work in residential premises, grades FSF and FC are used. At the same time, thanks to special adhesive compositions, FSF plywood sheets have an increased level of moisture resistance. However, such products are not recommended for use inside apartments and houses, since they can cause harm to human health due to the toxins contained in phenol-formaldehyde glue. It is better to lay an environmentally friendly and cheaper brand of FC plywood.

It is necessary to lay plywood correctly in a checkerboard pattern. It is impossible to allow 4 angles to meet at one point. Preliminary cutting of the sheets and their numbering will help you avoid confusion when it comes time to lay down the covering. The technology for laying plywood requires the presence of gaps between the seams of 2–3 mm and a space around the perimeter of the walls of 10–12 mm. This will allow the wood to expand without deformation due to temperature changes.

To level an old wooden floor using plywood, you need to fasten the screws at a distance of no further than 20 cm from each other along the perimeter of the sheet, while retreating 2 cm from the edge.

Details of cutting sheets, the diagram of fastening the sheets and the secrets of checking the quality of the work performed can be found by watching the video:

Advice. You can additionally glue the uneven floor with sheets of plywood. This will avoid unwanted loosening of the boards when walking, thereby increasing the durability of the laminate flooring.

Once you have leveled and prepared the wood flooring, you need to consider laying an underlay underneath the laminate.

Step 4. Selecting a substrate for the laminate

The underlay is a special rolled material that helps prevent the subfloor and laminate from coming into contact. By compensating and distributing the load, the substrate softens the pressure of gravity, thereby ensuring the strength of the entire coating structure. Thanks to this rolled product, the locking connections of the lamellas are not deformed. This material also performs the functions of noise absorption and vapor barrier; it can be used to level out minor deviations.

The substrate comes in the following types: polyethylene foam, polystyrene, cork.

What do you need to know to choose a laminate underlay? Requirements for this product. The following video will help you answer these questions:

Attention! A correctly selected substrate will increase the service life of the laminate and its performance properties.

Step 5. Laying the laminate on the prepared wooden floor base

The technology for laying laminate flooring is simple. You need to lay the underlay end-to-end on the prepared floor base, securing the edges of the strips of rolled material with tape or masking tape. It is better to start laying the slats from the window to the door, close to the wall. Having inserted a wedge that will ensure a temperature clearance of 10–12 mm from the walls, you can begin laying laminate boards. The last laminate plate in the row must be cut with a jigsaw, carefully measuring the distance remaining to the wall. It is important to lay the second row, moving the laminate board relative to the first row at a distance of 40 cm. This will give additional strength and integrity to the laminate flooring, and also improve the appearance of the floor.

Installation of laminate boards requires ease of clicking of locking joints. However, sometimes it is necessary to perform additional careful manipulations with a hammer to get rid of gaps and achieve a tight fit of the lamellas.