How to properly lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor. Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor will make the old base shine with new colors. Why laminate? Advantages of the material

29.07.2023Heading: Masonry

Among the fairly wide variety of decorative floor coverings, there are not many options that can be laid on a wood base. Although, with strict adherence to the necessary rules, almost any material can be laid. But a laminated coating, created according to the floating principle, is an ideal solution for a wooden base. In this article we will talk about how to install laminate flooring on a wooden floor, as well as what options there are for laying laminate flooring.

How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor?

Laminated panels are only fastened to each other; there is no need to fasten them to static building frames, to the floor or wall. A floor created using the floating method sits comfortably on a sub-base and gives it the opportunity to expand and contract. The base also does not interfere with the laminate when it changes its geometry due to changes in temperature and humidity levels. The design features of laminated panels make it possible to do without adhesive. The glueless method is the most popular. It pleases both the wooden base and the owners of country houses with excellent spontaneous aeration, which is necessary for ventilation of parts of the wooden structure.

Despite its artificial composition, laminate does not differ much from timber during operation. Because its main part consists of MDF panels, chipboard, HDF and the same boards made by pressing wood processing waste. The basis of laminated panels is an important indicator that determines the scope of application.

When installing any high-quality laminate on a wooden base, it is worth considering certain features of this material:

a material that is made of wood will lose its quality after some time, for this reason, before installing the laminate, carefully inspect the floor, as well as the condition of the supporting beams and joists
timber is not highly resistant and stable, therefore, even a slight displacement of the panels will cause an increased load on the interlocking joints
Old wood flooring often has an uneven surface, bumps or depressions. Before installing the laminate, it is necessary to get rid of all defects so that the panels do not separate or cracks form.

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to level the surface. There are several ways to level a wooden surface:

using sheets of plywood or particleboard (chipboard). To do this, you need to take a thick sheet of plywood and treat it with an antiseptic solution to prevent the proliferation of microorganisms. Next, adjust its size using a special saw, after which you can lay them on the base. Backing slats will help level the slope of the base, and self-tapping screws will secure the sheets
scraping. This method is suitable for old floors that have minor flaws. Provided that the base imperfections range from 4 to 6 mm per square meter. meter, you need to conditionally divide the coating into several parts. Each of the resulting parts must be processed with an electric planer.
installation of support beams or joists. When the base has a significant slope or creaks strongly, you need to fit and attach special slats made of timber, called joists, to the concrete base.

In addition, if a rotten board is discovered, it must be replaced. Secure loose boards using self-tapping screws. When the logs wobble, they need to be strengthened at the base. For this purpose, drill a hole and secure the logs using an anchor. When the foundation subsides, special support wedges must be placed under the joists. Any cracks and crevices, even the smallest ones, should be sealed with putty.

Upon completion of all repair work, you need to thoroughly clean the base from dirt and debris, then you can implement the second stage of installing the laminate.

Do-it-yourself laminate installation on a wooden floor

On the leveled and repaired base, you first need to lay a 3 mm thick foamed polypropylene or balsa wood backing. The backing sheets are placed end to end and connected to each other using wide tape or construction adhesive tape.

Laminate panels are laid from the window towards the door. Thus, the joints between the laminate plates will be the least noticeable. The first row is placed at a distance of 1 cm from the wall. To maintain this distance, you need to insert a wedge between the panel and the wall. This gap is called temperature; it is needed to compensate for the linear expansion of the coating.

The second panel is mounted in the end lock at an angle of 25 degrees. It's rare to not trim the last panel in a row. Most often the rooms are so large that they need to be cut off. The second row begins with this piece.

Upon completion of the installation of the second row, it is worth carrying out the operation of minimizing the joints. To do this, you need to tap the panels with a hammer through a wooden stand. This is done until the joint is reduced in size. Then you can move on to the third row.

When the entire laminate has been laid, you can begin installing the skirting boards, which serve as an additional fixation for the panels and give the finished appearance to the decorative coating.

There are certain types of laminate flooring. Having made your choice, you need to make calculations in order to go to the store for a certain number of panels. To choose the direction of installation, you need to make sure that the pattern and texture of the panels are compatible with the lighting of the rooms and their shape. Today, modern materials make it possible to lay decorative coating along the line of sunlight, across it, as well as to perform herringbone installation. However, the latter option is not applicable to all laminate models.

Conventional panels are not suitable for herringbone installation. The panel must contain special locks that allow you to lay the laminate in a herringbone pattern or squares. For example, the collection of Quick Step Noblesse panels contains materials of small size, with a specific locking connection, which makes it possible to interlock the panels at an angle of 90 degrees. The panels of the quick step collection are laid along the line of natural light, as well as against it. When installing panels against the flow of light, you can visually enlarge a small room, but the joints will be visible.

When the window openings are located on one wall of the room, experts advise using the direct option of laying the panels in the direction of the sun's rays, because when installed across, the joints of the panels will be obvious and spoil the entire appearance. Laying across the light is carried out when the room is narrow. With this arrangement of laminated panels, the room visually expands and gives more volume. This option is very suitable for corridors or other long rooms. The essence of direct installation is that the panels are laid parallel to the wall, starting from the doorway. Trimming costs are minimal - only 5-7%, which significantly saves the amount of raw materials.

Diagonal installation is the most difficult and costly. Pruning costs are about 17%. This option is implemented at an angle of 45 degrees. There are two types of installation, from the corner of the room and from the middle. The second option is the lowest waste and simpler. Due to the unusual and neat installation, the room visually expands. Diagonal laying is used with an open view of the floor, when there are no carpets and the room is not cluttered with furniture.

Today, beveled laminate is gaining popularity. This option belongs to a special series of laminated materials. The chamfered panels lying on the floor look like a plank floor created from a single board. This laminate is produced at an angle, creating a beveled plane of the board throughout its thickness. The structural element is created along the entire perimeter or on two opposite edges.

There are two types of chamfers:

V-shaped
U-shaped.

In the process of joining two panels, an almost imperceptible groove is formed, which resembles laid elite parquet or solid wood. These recesses are not felt to the touch, so dust will not accumulate in them. And the ends of the material are most often impregnated with wax, so no liquid will penetrate inside. The recesses make it possible to hide minor flaws. According to experts, these recesses do not allow the material to “walk,” which provides a tremendous advantage compared to standard series. Now you know how to lay laminate flooring with your own hands.

Laminate flooring in a wooden house or apartment sometimes has to be laid on wooden floors. This process is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. In order to properly tile the floor covering, you need to familiarize yourself with a number of important nuances.

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on wood?

In a private house, the presence of a wooden floor does not surprise anyone; in some apartments, especially those belonging to the category of old housing stock, there may also be a similar covering. Laminate flooring is placed on different substrates: tiles, plywood, concrete, and boards.

Important! Laminate coating is suitable for any substrate that is as smooth and rigid as possible.

What is this connected with?

Boards are extremely capricious and sensitive to various factors (biological, seasonal, temperature). Their impact changes the structure and geometry of the panels, causing them to begin to warp, which negatively affects the strength of the locking fixation.
The wooden base has a much shorter service life than that claimed by the manufacturers of the laminated coating. Moreover, the floor made of boards, as a rule, had already served its owners for some time until the decision was made to change its cladding. For this reason, wood quickly loses its mechanical appearance.
This is not a stable base; during operation it is capable of bending in every possible way. For this reason, the integrity of the locks is compromised, causing the entire sexual base to be deformed.

However, experienced builders still allow laminate flooring over wood. This process has a number of features, which, when taken into account, significantly reduce the likelihood of negative developments.

The base on which installation work will take place must meet the following characteristics:

integrity, absence of cracks, lump inclusions, knots, and other defects;
dryness (optimal humidity should not be more than 12%);
the presence of bottom ventilation, allowing the tree to breathe properly, this will prevent the likelihood of rotting processes developing;
strength from 150 MPa;
smooth coating;
purity;
no infection by mold or pests.

Important! If you plan to install a “warm floor” system, then the maximum humidity here should not exceed 5%.

What are the advantages of laminate as a building material?

Laminate is an excellent building material with a number of advantages:

strength;
environmental friendliness;
long service life;
the ability to change its geometry (shrink, expand) under the influence of changes in air temperature and humidity levels;
ability to withstand short-term exposure to moisture and mechanical load (for a number of classes);
ease of installation work;
ease of subsequent maintenance and keeping the coating clean.

Laminate and old wood or parquet floors

You can lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor without plywood or with it, the main thing is to observe some subtleties that will help increase the service life of such cladding.

Sometimes it is simply not possible to lay one material on top of another, this is due to the fact that the subfloor is in poor condition. For example, the floorboards are already dry from old age and have multiple coatings of varnish that raise unattractive bubbles. In this case, you need to refrain from creating the finishing cladding. You will have to replace the subfloor, or bring it back to normal condition and, only then, lay laminate.

Defects in old wooden floors

To resolve the question of whether it is worth laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to consider the possible defects that it may contain.

Uneven shrinkage has caused the formation of different heights and ledges, the height of which can vary up to 3 cm. These places are subject to manual or mechanical scraping.
The instability of the surface has increased due to the fact that the joints of the nails and the joists have become loose. To eliminate this problem, you need to determine the location of the fasteners and screw in additional screws with a length of up to 100 mm (suitable for woodworking) next to them.
There are signs of rotting, infection with fungus and mold. These defects cannot be eliminated; in order to rid your home of their harmful effects, it is necessary to completely dismantle the old coating.
Exposure to moisture can cause the boards to warp, which requires puttying and sanding.
Some elements may swell or be completely absent. Defective components must be removed, the depressions that remain must be subjected to sealing of the seams, filled with a composition that is used to create self-leveling floors. Solutions of gypsum or cement with sand are prohibited here. They contain water, which will further disrupt the structure of the wood (the elements will swell, warp, swell).
Old parquet creaks: this problem is eliminated by tightening long screws that will press the creaking elements to the base.

Experts offer a variety of methods that will help level the existing surface and change height differences. For example, use a substrate in the form of plywood, fiberboard, chipboard. These works will entail additional monetary costs, as well as the treatment of these elements with hydrophobic agents, fire retardants, and antiseptics.

Preparing the base

To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to carefully examine the existing surface. Laying laminate over an unprepared base is strictly prohibited; this will greatly reduce the service life of the laminated panels.

The inspection requires identifying the following defects:

stains from paint, grease;
cracks;
fallen knots and formed cavities;
areas blackened by fungus and affected by rot;
damaged, sagging elements;
loosely secured specimens;
bulges resulting from deformation processes.

Detected defects must be corrected. Sometimes puttying, sanding, sanding will help, in other cases, it is impossible to do without completely replacing the damaged elements.

Subfloor repair

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? This cladding method is not prohibited; the main thing is to carry out the necessary repair work.

They may include the following steps:

removing the coloring composition using an electric plane or sanding machine;
pre-recess the caps of the fasteners into the floor using a hammer;
replacing damaged boards with new ones;
poorly adhering floorboards are securely fixed using self-tapping screws and “ruff” type nails;
cracks and places where knots fell out are sealed.

Leveling the wooden base

Not a single room can boast of having a perfectly flat floor surface, and both concrete and wood bases necessarily require preliminary leveling.

If we neglect this stage, then the lamellas fastened with glue will last no more than a year, and those fixed using the locking method, about no more than three months. Afterwards they will diverge in different directions, creaking treacherously when walking.

Important! Manufacturers of lamellas consider a permissible difference of up to 2 mm per linear meter, while the slope should be within 4 mm for every two meters of width and length.

Modern houses allow you to level the existing surface using the following raw materials:

mixtures with self-leveling ability;
putties;
plywood;
OSB boards,

Important! You can use chipboard, but experts do not recommend its use due to the harmful fumes of formaldehyde into the space.

Each type of alignment of an existing plane has characteristic features. Let's look at each of them.

Self-leveling mixtures (for example, Vetonit 4310): require the following procedure:

lay a polyethylene film for waterproofing, making sure that there is an overlap on the walls and seams between the sheets. The latter are glued with paper tape;
a damper tape is attached around the perimeter to prevent expansion of the coating, eliminating the appearance of cracks;
dilute the mixture according to the instructions indicated on the package;
mix to obtain a homogeneous mass;
carefully pour the mixture onto the floor;
roll it with a needle roller to remove excess air;
give the mixture time to dry (about a week), only then can you continue working.

Important! You need to work with mixtures very quickly; some of them need to be poured out no later than 20 minutes after dilution.

Putty, which is a mixture of sawdust and PVA, involves the following stages of work:

clear the plane of future work;
install aluminum beacons with a height of up to 2 cm;
fill the openings with the mixture, creating a layer of up to 10 cm;
Apply each subsequent layer after the previous one has dried;
align the last layer using the rule;
when the last level is dry, you can remove the beacons and hide the remaining traces with putty.

Plywood is the easiest to work with. This material is affordable, and it effectively levels the existing surface. Large differences can be easily removed by laying sheets on the floor; small differences can be removed by applying pads in the form of plywood scraps.

Important! The process of laying plywood requires constant monitoring of the correctness of the work using a bubble level.

For leveling, it is better to use sheets with a thickness of 10 to 15 mm. For an apartment, the FC brand is suitable, for non-residential premises - FSF (here the level of environmental friendliness is lower). Before starting work, the sheets must be treated with drying oil or an antiseptic that will protect against the effects of fungi and pathogenic microorganisms.

The work goes like this:

cut the canvas, taking into account the narrowing and expansion of the material due to the effects of temperature and humidity;
be sure to leave compensation gaps of 5-9 mm between each sheet, from the wall to 15 mm;
secure the workpieces with cone-shaped self-tapping screws, screw them in around the perimeter with a distance of 20 mm from the edge, about 15 mm between each other;
the corners of the four panels should not overlap at one connection point;
To avoid subsequent squeaking of the lamellas, the surface of the plywood must be vacuumed before laying the underlay or waterproofing.

Laying the substrate

Having decided whether laminate flooring can be laid on a wood base, you need to carefully consider each stage of this work. The next step, after leveling, is laying the underlayment.

It performs the following functions if laid on wooden coverings:

eliminates existing irregularities;
serves as a damper;
provides noise insulation;
protects against moisture if treated with a special compound.

On a wooden floor without plywood or with it, it consists of sequentially performed stages. The first of these is the acquisition of the necessary raw materials.

To lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you must first decide on the required amount of materials. These calculations are not complicated: you need to measure the area of the room, add 10% to the resulting figure (for scraps), provided that you use the direct installation method. Diagonal installation requires an allowance of 20%, and creating a pattern (checkerboard method) requires 30%.

Laying methods

Laying laminate flooring on top of a wooden base in a wooden house or standard apartment can be done using one of the methods.

Popular masonry methods:

straight;
diagonal;
chess.

Regardless of the chosen technique, you need to prepare some tools:

electric jigsaw;
hammer with rubber tip;
large crowbar or screwdriver;
block for padding panels;
spacer wedges;
electric drill;
roulette;
square;
marker.

To obtain high-quality, long-lasting coverage, you must follow important rules:

purchased raw materials must be from one manufacturer. It is important to check the release dates; they must coincide, otherwise the risks of mismatched lock connections increase;
Before installation begins, up to three days must pass from the day the raw materials were purchased. It should lie for that long in the place where it will be placed. This way the material will get used to the existing conditions of humidity and air temperature;
The first row of canvases is placed with spikes against the wall, along the length and end. The thorn, in this case, needs to be cut off;
it is necessary to place wedges along the entire length of the first row, retreating about 40 cm from the wall. They are needed to create a compensation gap;
Wedges are also placed at the very beginning of each row. To connect the end locks, tamping is carried out, resting the lamellas against the wall;
during installation, you need to remove elements from several packs, this way you can avoid the appearance of pronounced color spots (the color of panels from adjacent boxes may differ slightly);
The locking connections at the ends must not be allowed to coincide. These locks are weak and do not place unnecessary stress on them;
The following installation scheme is recommended: 1st row – whole lamella, 2nd row – 1/3 of the whole lamella, 3rd row – 2/3 of the lamella;
we lay down the panels, starting work from the back of the room;
when cutting door trims, you will need to start work from them. This is due to the fact that serious difficulties may arise with the installation of the platband under the lamella;
The rows must be laid perpendicular to the wall on which the window is located. If done differently, the sun's rays will highlight the seams, reducing the aesthetics of the appearance.

Direct laying technology

You can lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor in this way:

Lay down a layer of backing.
Install the first row.
Along the first line, place wedges from the wall, acting as spacers, to obtain the required amount of technological gap. This operation must be repeated starting each row.
After the second row, the slats are secured by connecting the locks along their length. Using a mallet, hammer the boards to create a strong joint.
When the first backing sheet is closed, the next one is placed, then the process is repeated in the same order.

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden surface is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. All work is completed with the installation of skirting boards. They perform a number of functions:

create an excellent appearance;
cables hide the presence of a technical gap between the wall and the base.

There are many types of skirting boards. The most commonly used are wooden, MDF laminated, and polyvinyl chloride skirting boards. Wooden ones are expensive and are often used to frame parquet floors. They are rigid, which makes installation difficult if the walls are not very smooth.

Laminated ones are cheaper, they also require a perfect wall, because they are highly fragile and break easily when bent.

Plastic skirting boards are an ideal solution; they have the following advantages:

affordable price;
aesthetic appearance;
durability;
lack of fear of water, light;
the presence of special channels to hide fiber optic cables;
flexibility.

The plastic plinth is secured using self-tapping screws with dowels, but it is more convenient to use liquid nails. The latter method is simpler, but dismantling such a structure becomes impossible.

The step-by-step installation of skirting boards is as follows:

remove the bar from the clip;
lay a polyethylene film along the contour of the room, this will avoid the occurrence of a sound bridge;
clips are attached, retreating up to 5 cm from the corners;
make a hole for the dowel at a distance of 5 cm from the clip;
the following are created with a distance of half a meter between each of them;
hammer the dowels into the resulting holes;
attach the clip to the wall and screw in the self-tapping screw, pressing the element tightly against the wall surface;
snap the bar into the clip;
attach locks at the corners to hide the connecting points;
Carefully remove the film.

Laminate can be laid on wooden floors; this option is used quite widely. Not all houses have the opportunity to remove wooden floors and lay laminate flooring on a concrete base; in many cases, it is more convenient to leave the existing floors alone and lay laminate flooring on top of them. But at the same time, the strength of the floors is very important; the service life of the laminate directly depends on this.

Strengthening a wooden floor, eliminating its defects

For a strong connection, the laminate sheets are equipped with a special lock. If the floor “breathes,” the load on the locks increases sharply, and cracks and chips may appear. That is why the base under the laminate must be absolutely motionless.

Before laying laminate flooring, it is necessary to carefully assess the condition of the wooden floor. Using a level, its horizontalness is checked and the presence of “breathable” floorboards is assessed. It is usually not necessary to disassemble the floor to eliminate identified defects; in most cases, it is enough to tighten the boards to the joists with screws. Dismantling the floor is only necessary if the joists are rotten and need to be replaced.

The floor, ready for laying laminate, should not creak or sag, it should have a flat surface without bumps. If there are humps and protruding knots, they should be planed.

Leveling and strengthening the floor with plywood, laying the underlay

To completely eliminate the possibility of laminate breakage, plywood with a thickness of at least a centimeter or chipboard is additionally laid on wooden floors. If necessary, sheets of plywood are leveled by placing slats under them. It is very important to create a horizontal, even base; the beauty and durability of the laminate flooring depends on this.

A layer of waterproofing is laid on top of the plywood; ordinary polyethylene film is quite suitable. But that’s not all - a special backing under the laminate is placed on the film; it can be bought in specialized stores. The tasks of the substrate include compensation for small unevenness, as well as thermal insulation and sound insulation.

Remember that one underlay laid on top of a wooden floor is not enough to compensate for unevenness, deflections, etc. You can avoid using a layer of plywood only if the floorboards are not lying on joists, but on a rough floor laid on top of them, which provides additional strength. It is also acceptable to lay laminate flooring on new, durable wood floors that have not yet become loose. In all other cases, laying plywood or chipboard is required.

Laying laminate

The most important point when installing laminate flooring on a wood floor is that it is laid across the floorboards. A distance of 1 cm must be left between the walls and the laminate; for this, pieces of slats of the required thickness are inserted.

When laying laminate, ensure that the seams are offset by a third or half of its length. This will provide the coating not only with a more beautiful appearance, but also with additional strength. The laminate is placed directly on the substrate and is not glued or screwed with anything. The solidity of the entire structure is ensured by the strength of the locks. After finishing laying the laminate, all that remains is to mount the baseboard.

In the rather extensive list of floor coverings, there are not too many options that are compatible with a wood base. True, if you follow special rules, you can lay almost anything. But a laminated floor, constructed using the floating principle, is ideal for furnishing a house built over a structure made of beams, joists, and boards. However, compatibility does not save independent craftsmen from studying the nuances according to which laminate flooring is laid on a wooden floor, and from the need to remember the specifics of ever-moving wood.

Can laminate flooring be installed on wood floors?

Laminated panels are bonded only to each other; there is no need to attach them to static building structures, that is, to the floor or walls. Built using a floating design, the floor rests freely on the sub-base, allowing it to expand and contract. And it, in turn, does not prevent the laminate from changing its geometric parameters following temperature changes and humidity fluctuations.

The design specificity of laminated boards makes it possible to do without adhesives that hermetically seal the butt seams. Although adhesive technology exists, it is used extremely rarely due to labor intensity, significant consumption of glue and the inability to disassemble and reassemble permanently joined panels in another place. Glueless, the most popular fastening method, pleases both the wooden base and the owners of country property with excellent spontaneous aeration necessary for ventilation of the components of the wooden structure. An excellently ventilated floor covered with laminate through the seams lasts longer and does not rot.

Despite the artificial origin of the laminated coating, its behavior during operation is not much different from the behavior of lumber. After all, its main element is made of MDF panels, chipboard, HDF and similar boards created by pressing wood products. The base of a laminate floor is an important characteristic that determines the scope of use of the material. In theory, laminate flooring is not recommended for installation in rooms where wet cleaning must be carried out regularly. It is allowed to arrange bedrooms, children's rooms, offices, and living rooms. However, flooring made with HDF is considered moisture resistant and can be laid on floors in hallways and even kitchens.

Note. For flooring in rooms with typical wet conditions, a laminated floor of class 33 on the wear resistance scale is suitable, but its cost rarely suits the owners of country houses.

Rules for preparing a wooden base for installation

There are general requirements for the characteristics of the surface being developed. According to the instructions of SNiP with the number 3.04.01-87 assigned to the normative collection, for laying laminated coverings:

a leveled surface is required, the differences in relief of which do not exceed 2 mm within an area of 2 m²;
allow a maximum slope of 4mm, evenly distributed over 2m in any direction.

You should not deviate from the instructions regulated by technical regulations, since failure to comply will damage the sensitive locking system. The grooves will become loose, the fragile thin ridges will break, the floor will not last long and will have to be re-laid.

You can, of course, partially change the elements if only a few boards are damaged, but the repair procedure will require a lot of effort. In such situations, the laminated panels are dismantled to the restoration site, then the broken elements are replaced and laid again in the reverse order. If the laminated planks are damaged multiple times, partial replacement is out of the question. At best, a few boards will be preserved, which can be used to arrange storage rooms, closets, and compact covered verandas.

Before laying laminate panels on a wooden subfloor, it is mandatory to inspect the base. The scope of work is determined, as a result of which the base, brought into full order, will be ready to install the covering on its reinforced “shoulders”.

Preparation actions depend on the degree of wear of the wooden structure:

Old plank floor will have to be disassembled down to the support beam, because over the years of its long-term operation, sensitive natural organic matter could suffer from excess moisture or become infected with fungus. It is impossible to find out through the floorboards what the real condition is if the wooden floor is not the ceiling of a spacious basement. Those with a high underground are lucky. It will provide an opportunity to examine and repair ceiling parts without tedious dismantling. We carefully examine the entire list of structural elements. We cut out doubtful sections of beams and joists and replace them with new timber. The boards removed from the floor with a low subfloor, which inspire confidence in their reliability, are turned over with the unworn inside out, laid again, and the cracks filled with foam or repair compound. We replace old, worn-out boards without regret. We will “go through” the floorboards secured in the bottom using a scraping machine. All structural components of a long-established wooden floor must be carefully treated with antiseptic impregnation and fire retardant. Nowadays it is easy to buy a mastic that performs both functions that are significant for wood.
New plank floor There is also no need to scrupulously diagnose it, since it was built not so long ago and is probably covered with compounds that protect against putrefactive bacteria and fire. Therefore, preparing to lay laminate flooring on a newly constructed wooden floor will not take much time and labor effort from the contractor. We check the fasteners, change or repair loose fasteners, “sink” nails or screws a couple of mm into the floorboards. We foam or fill the cracks with wood glue, mixed in half with sawdust, and scrape if necessary.
Floor with structural defects needs to be improved. It is very difficult to determine in advance the range of actions in such cases, because the situation can have a lot of different reasons. For example, if the floorboards sag, the joist system will need to be strengthened by additionally installing timber or replacing the boards with thicker material. It is often more profitable and easier to lay another row of boards of similar thickness on top, laid “cross” to the previous layer. The latter measure is acceptable if the additional subfloor, together with the laminate and underlay, does not take away too many cm, which are very necessary for a limited space, from the ceiling height.

You can level the rough wood base with plywood, GVLV, OSB sheets or by placing pieces of roofing felt under the joists, as well as glassine rolled into several layers. You can purchase a “constructor set” from Knauf with a full set of fasteners, supports and plywood sheets. The method is chosen based on economic considerations and ease of implementation.

Laying technology for laminated boards

We invite you to watch the thematic video:

It is impossible to cover the wooden rough base with vapor or waterproofing, it will interfere with ventilation. Condensation harmful to wood will accumulate under the insulation. But if nothing can break the burning desire to isolate, it is better to use a diffusion membrane.

Before laying, you will only need to lay the underlay; it is advisable to choose a natural material for this. For the sake of the safety of the wooden structure, it is worth forgetting about the high prices for cork and the bitumen-cork or bitumen-rubber pressed options created with its use. The thickness of this layer is selected based on the same parameter of the laminated panel. Typically, strips of 3mm underlay without overlaps are placed under an 8mm laminate. No permanent fastenings to the walls or to the base are needed, only gluing with tape in periodic dots or solid lines.

Note. The choice of direction for laying out laminated boards is influenced not so much by the preferences of the owners as by the direction of the existing floorboards. Laminate panels should lie across the boards. This means that the strips of substrate located under the coating need to be laid lengthwise.

Let’s assume that it has already been decided how we will lay the laminate panels, an elementary plan has been drawn out by hand in advance and a rational scheme has been selected. There is plenty of information about methods, rules and layout options on the website. Here are a couple of articles on the topic:

You can join the boards by gradually increasing the coverage of each piece separately or by joining pre-assembled rows. The preferred method is usually specified by the material manufacturer, and we examine the individual algorithm.

Actions of the installer when assembling a laminate floor piece by piece:

Let's position ourselves in the starting corner, usually the corner farthest from the doorway, taking 4 panels with us. For two of them (1st and 3rd), planned for installation against the wall, you must first cut off the ridge. We do not touch the groove; it is always directed towards the stacker.
Let us first outline the distance by which we will move the panels in adjacent rows in order to avoid cross intersections and thereby increase the reliability of the connections. The recommended offset for the offset is no less than 30 cm. We will shorten the second board by this amount.
Using the method specified by the manufacturer, depending on the type of Click or Lock locking system, we join the 1st and 3rd panels, then attach a piece of the 2nd board to them, then the 4th uncut board.
We move the assembled floor segment to the designated location, installing spacers approximately 1 cm thick between it and the adjacent walls. They will provide the clearance required for the laminate to move during thermal expansion.
We extend the first row with the 5th board with a cut ridge, then extend the second strip of covering with the 6th.
By analogy, we follow until the successful completion of laying the first two rows, not forgetting to cut off the ridge facing the wall. We cut the boards that complete both strips according to precisely measured distances. To snap the last ones into the rows of elements, we use a special mounting bracket.
Next, we follow the course we have learned, only there is no need to trim the ridges anymore.
We measure the panels of the last row at the place of installation and cut them taking into account the temperature indentation, attach them and snap them into place using a clamp.

Methods of bypassing pipes, methods of laying under radiators and arranging doorways correspond to standard rules for covering laminate floors.

Important point. In a large room, the temperature gap should be left not only along the walls. It is formed every 10 m, measured in width, and 8 m in length. The expansion joint is left in the opening along the axis of the closed door leaf. The gap after installation is closed with a profile made of plastic or aluminum.

Absolutely simple rules that explain how to economically lay a laminated flooring with your own hands will help you perfectly decorate your countryside and city property. And for those who did not intend to do the construction themselves, knowledge of the technology will help them competently monitor the actions of builders who are not always diligent.

Laminate is a beautiful floor covering that turns any cottage or home into a cozy room.

concrete;
tiles;
parquet;
boards;
plywood.

The main thing is that the base of the floor is rigid and level. However, few people pay attention to the fact that lamella manufacturers do not recommend laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor.

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on wood?

The refusal of warranty obligations by manufacturers of laminate panels when installing them on wood is explained by several factors.

Wooden flooring is a capricious material. It is very sensitive to the influence of seasonal, biological, temperature and other factors. Under their influence, the geometric parameters of the floor base change, as a result of which the boards can warp, which negatively affects the integrity of the interlocking joints.
The service life of a wooden base is significantly less than the period of operation of the laminate, especially if it was laid on an old floor - over time, the wood loses its original mechanical characteristics.
Wooden floors are not stable substrates. As they are used, the boards begin to sag, which leads to the inevitable destruction of the locks and deformation of the entire floor covering.

However, experienced builders still cover the wooden subfloor with laminate. What is the peculiarity of the technological process, how to properly lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? There are several subtleties here that must be taken into account. The wooden base must be:

Whole. All boards must be healthy, without cracks, fallen pieces, free from tobacco knots and other defects;
Dry. The moisture content of the boards should not exceed 12%;
With bottom ventilation, which allows the wood to “breathe”. In this case, the problem of drying the subfloor when humidity changes is solved - rotting is prevented;
Durable, 150 MPa or more. This indicator is achieved by replacing weak boards and impregnating the entire floor with water-dispersion varnishes (“AquaLid Exterior”, VD-UR-202, “Tex”, etc.);
Smooth;
Clean.

Attention: installation of “warm floors” on a wooden base is possible if its humidity is no more than 5%.

Preparing the subfloor for laying the finishing coating allows you to take into account the above requirements for a subfloor made of wood.

Preparing the base

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor with your own hands begins with a thorough inspection of the subfloor. Note that the best wooden subfloor is old plank flooring. During operation, it has dried out and, therefore, become dense, as a result of which it does not absorb moisture during seasonal changes in temperature and humidity.

At the same time, all internal stresses during drying are already behind us. Therefore, such a foundation is not threatened by various deformation changes. During the inspection it is necessary to identify:

grease and paint stains;
fallen knots;
cracks;
rotten, blackened and fungus-damaged areas;
sagging and damaged boards;
loose floor elements;
bulges that appear during wood deformation.

Identified defects are eliminated.