In the modern world, every person strives toyou can better equip your home. Everyone wants their home to be comfortable, well-appointed and cozy. And floors play an important role here. In addition to the fact that they should look perfect, they are subject to enormous daily loads. Therefore, not only an aesthetically attractive appearance is important, but also reliability and durability. Do-it-yourself laminate flooring is becoming increasingly popular due to its excellent characteristics.
Laminate is one of the most durable,beautiful, reliable and durable finishing materials for the floor. It is difficult to find any disadvantages in this material, it meets all the above requirements and properties. But the cost of such a floor is quite high. And since you can’t save on quality, then installation remains. Specialists charge a lot of money for their services. But you can do the flooring yourself. To do this, you just need to familiarize yourself with the information on this issue.
Some features and recommendations
Under no circumstances should laminate be laid inrooms with high humidity. Perhaps, the installation of such a floor is the simplest and most basic task. You do not need to be a jack of all trades to do this job. Laying such a floor is permissible only in those rooms where there are no sudden temperature changes. It is prohibited to lay laminate on an electric heated floor. This will lead to deformation. If you bought a material with sound insulation, then when installing the laminate with your own hands, you cannot carry out additional sound insulation yourself. The top layer of lamellas is a protective film that protects the material from premature abrasion, sunlight and moisture. Next comes a layer of special paper, and after it - the main layer of the plate, with very high strength. It is this that makes the material highly reliable and durable. After the selection and purchase of the laminate is successfully completed, it needs at least three days to adapt to the surrounding atmosphere. Installation is carried out only after this period. In the meantime, while the laminate is “getting used to” your home, you can start preparing the base of the floor. You will need a building level to check the horizontality of the floor. If the unevenness exceeds a few millimeters, then it is necessary to carefully sand the entire surface. And at the same time check whether the floor is strong enough, whether its individual elements require replacement. If the laminate flooring is to be laid on a concrete surface, then the algorithm of actions is the same. But instead of sanding, the unevenness is eliminated with a leveling screed. Then waterproofing is laid. Regular film will cope with this task well. The preparation of the base is complete, and you can start working. Return to the table of contents</a>
What may be required for work
To complete this task you will need the following materials and tools:
Tools for laying laminate flooring.
- laminate;
- primer;
- expanded polyethylene;
- wedges for gaps (they are best bought in the store);
- glue;
- skirting boards;
- fasteners for plinth;
- roulette;
- building level;
- hacksaw;
- electric jigsaw;
- a hammer;
- wooden bars;
- paint tape.
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How to lay laminate yourself
Stages of laminate flooring installation.Once all the materials and tools are prepared, you can start working. The first step is to clean and wash the room from dirt and dust. The surface must be perfect. If possible, a construction vacuum cleaner will do the job perfectly. The second step is to carefully prime the base. And the wood must be additionally treated with an antiseptic. This will protect the base from rotting and premature wear. The third step is to lay a waterproofing film on the prepared surface. The seams of the film are glued with tape. Masking tape will protect the surface of your floor from shifting and skewing. The fourth step is to lay foamed polyethylene. The sheets are laid end to end and fastened together with tape.
Scheme of laying layers of floor coverings.Step five - soundproofing. If the laminate you purchased does not have this function, then you should lay a film around the entire perimeter of the room. Step six - now comes the installation of the slats. It starts from the wall with the window, do not forget to insert wedges for the gap. It is necessary to connect and lay all the elements correctly. Step seven - there are special grooves on the ends of the tiles, one tile is inserted into another evenly and without any distortions. If a whole piece does not fit against the wall, then feel free to cut it off. It is not recommended to use a hammer, but you can slightly adjust the slats to each other using a rubber mallet. Step eight - the second row begins with a tile that remains from the first row, but only if it is more than 30 cm. Step nine - after you have laid the second row, you can start snapping the locks. In addition to locking systems, there are also adhesive ones. This is similar to laying parquet. The process is very labor-intensive and time-consuming, so this option is not used very often. Step ten - in this way you lay the laminate over the entire surface of the room. The floors are ready for use. Return to the table of contents</a>
A little about other ways of laying a laminate with your own hands
If you decide, it will visually enlarge your room and add originality. But here you should take into account one important detail, the material consumption will increase by 10%.
Methods of laying laminate.
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A few words in conclusion
This type of flooring has many advantages andPros. Firstly, such a floor looks simply impeccable, it will be very pleasant to walk on it. Secondly, thanks to the budget price, everyone can afford it, unlike parquet, the installation of which will entail quite large financial losses. Thirdly, such a floor will harmoniously fit into absolutely any interior, will suit any style. You will have a great opportunity to choose a suitable color. This product is presented in the widest range. Fourthly, the installation of such material is quite simple, you will not have to involve professionals and overpay a large amount for floor repairs. The only rooms for which laminate is not suitable are the toilet and bathroom, due to the high level of humidity. If you decide to change your apartment beyond recognition, to make a chic floor, then the choice should undoubtedly stop on laminate. Reviews of such material are enthusiastically positive, everyone who used laminate when renovating their home has already been convinced of the strength, durability and high quality of this material.
