At the moment, most renovations cannot be completed without laying laminate flooring. Types of laminate nowadays are not limited to classic shades of wood. It comes in glossy, matte, laminate with imitation of rough wood, stone, tiles and other species. Today we’ll talk about how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor.

Peculiarities

To select a coating, you must consider the room in which it will be used. Depending on some properties, laminated products are divided into classes:

21-23 grades the lowest, have low wear and moisture resistance. They can be used in rooms with low traffic. For a home, a laminate of this level is quite enough, if you do not use it in the kitchen.
31st class more durable and can be used in a small office.
32nd class can last from 5 years in a store-type premises and more than 10 years in an apartment.
33rd class the strongest and most durable. It can be used in any halls, kitchens, restaurants.

Experts advise using laminated flooring in rooms with low humidity and a concrete base, but it can also be used on a wooden floor.

In order to properly install the laminate and avoid further problems during operation, you should know some features of a wooden floor:

Over time, it loses its original properties and is susceptible to moisture and other external factors.
It is deformed and prone to movement. All this can lead to swelling, creases of the laminated surface and other unpleasant consequences. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully analyze and prepare the surface.

Base requirements

According to standards, it is considered that for a laminated coating the following conditions must be met:

a flat floor, the height differences of which should not exceed 2 mm at a distance of 2 square meters. m;
the floorboards must be securely fastened so that when walking they do not sag or make sound;
there should be no distance between the boards;
the boards must not be damaged.

If defects are found, they must be eliminated.

Material calculation

After assessing the entire condition of the floor, you need to determine how much and what materials will be needed. Let's start with the boards. If you decide to completely replace your existing wood floor, measure the width and length of the room. Next, divide the width of the room by the width of the new boards and select the desired length of materials.

Now we count how many logs and boards we got. You will need 1 screw for each board. Screw them every 50 cm to the joists. Plus you need to take 20% as a reserve. For example, if there are 4 joists and 12 boards, then 48 screws + 20% will be required.

To calculate the amount of plywood, you need to know the dimensions of the room and the sheet itself. For example, the area of 1 sheet is 2.17 m2. For a room with an area of 8.7 m2 it turns out: 8.7 / 2.17 = 4.09 pcs. 4 sheets may be enough, but it is better to take 5 pieces, taking into account trimming and possible defects. The thickness of the sheets should not be less than 10 mm.

The plywood is fixed in increments of 15 cm. To calculate the number of screws for plywood, the length and width of the room are divided by 0.15 m. The two results obtained are multiplied together. For example, there is a room measuring 2.80 m by 3.10 m. 2.80 / 0.15 = 19 pcs.; 3.10 / 0.15 = 21 pcs. Now 19 x 21 = 399 pcs. + 20% stock.

We calculate the required amount of laminate upon purchase, since there are different parameters for laminated boards. Don't forget to measure the size of the room before going to the store. For example, our room has an area of 8.7 m2. On average, one pack of coating is 2.6 m2. This means you will need 4 packs (half of one pack will remain in stock).

With standard installation, the margin should be at least 5%, and with diagonal installation, at least 10%.

Please note that the batch and production date of all packages is the same to avoid differences in the shade of the products.

Installation technology

Floor preparation includes the following steps:

First, inspect the floor and identify all its flaws.
You should start by analyzing the condition of the joists and floors. If you have a high basement, then you can inspect it from there. If this is not possible, then it is necessary to dismantle the floor to the base. Doubtful and damaged areas must be replaced with new ones. This will require thick beams.
If everything is in order, determine whether the boards are rotten and whether they can withstand the load. To do this, remove the top layer of wood. If the color of the coating is uniform and close to the natural color of the wood, then the coating is in good condition.

You can use an awl and try to pierce questionable areas. If the awl is not included, then this specimen is intact. Bad elements must be removed and new ones installed.

If the boards are in fairly good condition, you need to check them for sagging and squeaking. If any are found, you need to screw the old boards to the joists with self-tapping screws. The cause of the squeak may also be friction between adjacent specimens. This can be eliminated with polyurethane foam or special solutions.
Next, treat the wood with a scraping machine and coat it with an antiseptic.
If the floor was “moved” not so long ago, then these steps can be skipped.
Next, it is necessary to level the floor if there are differences of more than 2 mm per 2 m2.

How to level?

This can be done in several ways.

Cycling

Laying plywood, OSB or GVL on a subfloor

When leveling with plywood, two options are possible: laying on the subfloor if the differences are less than 1 cm, and installation on additional logs if the differences are large.

You can lay plywood boards on a subfloor with small differences using glue and self-tapping screws. First you need to clean the surface and prime it. Next, apply glue and lay the already prepared sheets. After the glue has completely dried, screw the sheets with self-tapping screws at a distance of 15 cm.

It is possible to lay plywood on an uneven, curved floor with differences of more than 1 cm using lathing, which will serve as leveling. First, we also clean the surface and install beacons along which the logs are secured to the boardwalk. If voids form somewhere, it is necessary to place additional bars or pieces of plywood.

Next, we cut the sheets into squares with a side of 60 cm, lay them on the sheathing so that the joints fall on the joists and screw them with a slight offset so that a cross-shaped intersection of the seams does not form. We fasten the squares with self-tapping screws, having previously drilled holes so that the caps “sink” into the surface.

Pouring the base

This method is implemented using a self-leveling screed designed for wooden surfaces. It contains fiberglass, which securely secures the surface. To level with a screed, we sand the base of the floor, fill large voids with putty, prime, and secure waterproofing around the perimeter.

Using a stapler, we install a reinforcing mesh with an overlap of 5-10 cm. Pour the prepared solution onto the surface and level the surface with a spatula.

Laying the substrate

The underlay serves as additional sound insulation; it hides small irregularities and prevents the laminate from rubbing against the wooden base.

Currently, there is a large selection of laminate substrates:

Can be considered the most environmentally friendly cork options. They hide irregularities well and are excellent thermal insulation. The only downside is the high price.
Bitumen-cork underlay is also considered a good option. The production technology is as follows: special paper is treated with bitumen and cork chips are applied. The disadvantages include harmful emissions, but they are negligible.

Expanded polystyrene is a relatively cheap material that also absorbs noise well and hides irregularities, but is not as durable as previous types.
Foamed polyethylene popular among consumers due to its low cost. It is convenient to install it yourself and has moisture-resistant properties. But this material fails quite quickly: it sags and loses its shape. On a prepared and leveled floor, it is enough to use a 1-3 mm thick underlay.

After selecting the underlay, you need to lay it on the floor. First, we attach the damper tape along the edges of the room. It compensates for the expansion of the tree. Next, we cut the backing into strips of the required length, lay them on the surface and seal all joints with construction tape.

Laying laminated sheets

We bring the laminate into the room where it will be installed and wait 2 days for it to adapt to the climatic conditions. At this time, it is necessary to decide on the direction of laying the boards: parallel to the light, perpendicular or diagonal.

If the room has windows on one side, experts recommend laying the material along the sunlight so that the seams of the laminate are more hidden.

For DIY installation you will need the following tool:

A mallet to tap the place where the boards are attached.
A block on which we will directly knock to adjust the boards to each other. It would be better if it was made of wood. Remember that you should never knock directly on the laminate, as you may damage the surface or the locks themselves. In this case, installation of the next level will not be possible.
Wedges for setting the gap between the wall and the floor.

Installation will be required to secure the last layer.
A jigsaw for cutting laminate to the desired size. If this is not available, do not worry, you can use a regular saw. Problems may arise only with the last row, when you need to saw the board lengthwise.
Ruler, pencil, measuring tape.

There are 2 ways to attach laminate: with a Click lock, with a Lock lock and adhesive connection.

Click and Lock Installation

We always start the flooring from the far left corner. First, we place wedges to create a gap between the future coating and the wall. They must be at least 10 mm for a room up to 10 m2. It should be taken into account that as the area increases, the size of the gap must also be increased. If such a distance is not left, then with an increase in humidity or a change in temperature, the laminate may bend.

Click lock. We place the first board in the left corner with a pre-cut ridge against the wall. We insert the next one to it at an angle of 30 degrees and press it to the floor to secure the lock. At the same time, you will hear a characteristic click, which will serve as a signal for the layers to be properly bonded together. Laminated surfaces must be laid in a checkerboard pattern so that the pressure is distributed and the seams do not rub against each other.

If the panel was cut in the last row, then the remainder of it must be placed at the beginning of the next row. If the width of the room allowed the panels to be laid without any residue, then at the beginning of the next row it is necessary to saw the board in half.

Lock Lock. The difference between this type is that the tenon of the subsequent element is inserted into the hole of the previous one. The elements are assembled on the floor, and then knocked close to each other using a mallet and a block. This is done every two layers.

How to cover with glue?

For this you will need special glue. The rest of the technology is similar to installation with a Lock. The difference is that glue is generously applied to the ends of the laminate. We place the first panel in the far left corner with the groove facing the wall. To secure the second panel, apply a large amount of glue to the edge of the first one, insert it and tap the tongue of this panel against the first one.

The wooden canvas must be assembled “in a running start”. To do this, before laying the second row, cut the first board in half, apply glue along the entire length of the groove of the first part of the second row and attach it to the first row, tapping it together. For convenience, you can use a montage in the last row.

Upon completion of assembly, the boards are glued together with small pieces of special construction tape, which are removed after the adhesive has dried. When you start assembling the surface in the doorway, you need to make holes in the frame equal to the width of the laminate. Laminate boards are inserted into these holes so that there is no gap.

Small parts under radiators, around radiators and at the door can be secured with glue. After complete installation of the laminated elements, it is necessary to remove the wedges that were left between the wall and the floor and secure the baseboards. It is important to make a transition between rooms, joints with other surfaces.

This can be done using thresholds. The most reliable of them are metal.

The following threshold options are available:

single-level is used if the floor height does not differ between rooms;
multi-level is necessary for different heights of coverings;
the corner one is fixed on the steps;
one-sided is needed for docking with the door;
curved is used for a wavy joint.

How to lay square laminate correctly?

The square look is gaining popularity. Firstly, with its help you can create unusual interiors. Secondly, this laminate comes with imitation of various coatings, which allows you to bring any ideas to life. Thirdly, its installation is somewhat simpler than installation of rectangular laminate. This is true when you do the installation yourself.

When installing square plates, the same conditions are observed as for rectangular ones: they are laid with brickwork, spacer wedges are installed around the perimeter of the room, it also comes with a Click and Lock fastening system. The size of such sheets is 60x60 cm.

For small rooms, laminate flooring is installed first along the walls, but for large spaces it is necessary to install it diagonally. It is quite difficult to create a laminate diagonally yourself. Usually specialists are hired for this.

Laying laminate flooring diagonally is justified in rooms with irregular or round shapes. This method will visually expand the space of a small room, and the drawing will look more unusual. When you assemble the laminate non-parallel, you need to maintain an angle of 45 degrees relative to the wall. But it is not always possible to do this, since walls rarely have an angle of 90 degrees. Then the angle of inclination of the laminate can deviate up to 30 degrees.

Given the strong mobility of wood, laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor has a number of nuances and requires.

Material characteristics

Laminate is one of the coatings that has become widespread in recent years. The coating is distinguished by its aesthetic appearance and practicality. It is rightfully considered a universal coating, suitable for any base. Laminate goes well with a durable base made of cherry tree trunk, divided into sectors.

It is not worth breaking the base into several parts with different coatings; the joints may have an unaesthetic appearance and may become deformed over time. Protective panels do not always provide tightness and strength of the joint.

And in the case of rotten bases, boards and parquet flooded with water, installing laminate flooring will not achieve the desired effect. Manipulations in the form of cycling often destroy layers of old material, leading to destruction of integrity; it is not recommended to use such a base in further operation.

Laminate features

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? This is a question asked by many who are planning to start renovating their apartment. The coating has a number of features:

The coating is spread only on a flat and solid base.
Such flooring as a base for laminate should not have deformations, cracks or sag significantly.
The flooring should not contain wet boards.

The laminated coating consists of boards, they are based on products from the processing of boards and sawdust. There are locks along the edges of the slabs, due to which one slab is tightly joined to another.

Laminate structure

A special feature of laminated products is their joining without the use of glue. In some cases, adhesives are used, but if it becomes necessary to disassemble the structure, difficulties will arise.

Tightly glued boards are difficult to disassemble, and reassembling them is simply impossible. Joining the slabs without using glue promotes good air ventilation between them. In such a situation, the coating will last longer and will not begin to rot as quickly as when using glue as a joining material.

Considering that the boards contain compressed board processing products, they are not recommended to be placed in rooms with high humidity. Recently, this problem has been solved through the production of moisture-resistant laminates that contain a protective moisture-resistant layer.

When laying laminate flooring on old wooden floors, they must be leveled in advance, replacing rotten and creaky boards.

When answering the question of how to properly lay a decorative covering, you must first prepare the base for it.

The process of preparing the base for laminate

Preparing the base

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to inspect its surface. Such a foundation must have the following characteristics:

do not creak;
do not sag when walking on it;
have a flat surface;
have no cracks, knots, damp boards, or crevices;
have good strength;
have a height difference of 2 mm for every 2 meters.

If there are defects in the form of creaks, rotten boards, cracks, or unevenness, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparatory work.

The creaking of the boards is eliminated by screwing in the screws (it is necessary to recess the heads of the screws into the boards in order to prevent problems during subsequent sanding of the floor).

Any cracks that appear must be sealed with polyurethane foam.

Rotten boards must either be cleaned and turned over, or completely replaced with new ones, depending on the degree of damage.

If there is a significant difference in height, a complete replacement of the frame of the old base under the laminate is suitable, especially in the case of a large percentage of defects or chips. Loose logs require fastening by drilling a through hole in the board and fixing it with anchors on the screed.

The basis should be assessed with the help of a specialist; you should not rely on your own strength in this matter. Construction organizations conduct an inspection, analysis, and also issue a corresponding document on the work performed. The procedure takes place in one stage, the results appear to the customer within one working day.

How to lay laminate flooring on wood floors

Preliminary preparation

Before installing the material on a base in the form of a wooden floor, the height difference will have to be eliminated. There are two possible ways.

First way

Make the rough base level by placing wood or plastic wedges under the joists, and then fix the plywood on top in a horizontal position. Then, if necessary, put slats under it, and in order for the plywood to lie tightly on the rough base, you need to screw it to it with self-tapping screws every 15 cm.

Second way

Carry out scraping with a special device to remove old coating, dirt, and dust.

Preparatory work includes the purchase of necessary materials:

laminate boards;
screws;
self-tapping screws

The amount of materials is calculated based on the size of the room; it is planned to lay a laminated coating in it.

At the final stage of preparatory work, it is necessary to lay a substrate on top of the plywood. The material used for it is polypropylene or balsa wood.

The optimal thickness of the substrate is 3 mm; it must lie in one layer with joints facing each other and secured with construction tape or tape. It is recommended to lay it with a spade on the walls with the possibility of later cutting off excess elements.

Laminate base folding process

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, it must be adapted to the humidity conditions of the room. It is recommended to store the coating indoors for several days.

The process of arranging parts must begin from the corner part of the room, starting from the window. It is necessary to make a 9 mm indent from the wall and insert a wedge. Thanks to this, it will be possible to compensate for the likely expansion of such slabs when the humidity and temperature in the room changes.

Floating laminated flooring is often used. It is not strongly attached to the substrate and fits freely to it. Over time, the base changes size and does not require tightly screwing to the subfloor.

The trend of creating a coating with an extraordinary ornament has found fans among young people; the use of a floating look allows you to visually increase the space. Laying materials is done at different angles.

Laminated panels are formed using the butt method. One layer fits tightly to the other, and then the layers are joined using a special lock. To make the connection more dense, sealant must be applied to the locks. Slabs that do not fit the size of the room must be sawed with a saw with fine teeth, since large teeth will seriously damage them.

After the first row, place the second and insert it into the previous one. To simplify the process, it is recommended to fix the laminated panels closer to the lock. Then you just need to lift the row at an angle and press. The panels fit tightly together.

It is important to follow the rule: between the wall, pipe, door and the laminate layer there must be a free area no more than 2 cm wide. The clearance will be needed for further fastening of the baseboard.

Features and tricks of masonry

Construction work has many nuances and tricks; laminate is no different in this respect from other building materials. The use of boards and coverings is popular among designers.

There is a special technology for laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor. The panels are placed in a checkerboard order, which does the following:

First, a whole panel of material is laid down;
the second row consists of halves;
the third row, like the first, consists of a whole board.

Thanks to the technology, it is possible to ensure tight fastening of the locks and low cutting costs.

When the formation reaches the heating pipes, it is necessary to use a drill to form a round hole from the laminated board and secure the resulting trim with a plinth or liquid nails.

When laying the last row, it is necessary to cut the panels in width, taking into account the gap. At the stage of final work, the formation of skirting boards will be required.

Features of fastening plastic skirting boards in the interior

Installation of skirting boards

After attaching the laminate with your own hands, you need to attach the baseboards. The process has a number of features:

the installation of the plinth starts from the corner;
when laying skirting boards, it is important to ensure that they fit snugly against the wall;
the baseboards must be fastened only to the wall, and not to laminated boards;
Before sealing the baseboards, it is recommended to store them in the room where the laminate is laid so that the products adapt to the humidity in it;
It is recommended to choose skirting boards, they are based on durable material to give the floor a natural look and completeness of the work.

The baseboards are attached to the wall using self-tapping screws. The plinth strip is sawn on both sides. On the one hand, the cut is made at an angle, on the other hand, it is made at an angle of 45 degrees for connection.

After installing the skirting boards, they must be puttied and varnished. The laminated material itself does not require a varnish coating. Its surface is already protected by a film that prevents the penetration and absorption of liquid by laminated boards. The action of the varnish causes the surface of the laminate to crack, losing its appearance.

It is difficult to correct the situation on your own; the help of a builder will give the coating a chance to become even and of high quality. You should not level the base yourself if you have not done such work in practice.

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.

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 protect 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 divergent 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.

Bitumen substrate is a moisture-resistant base. This is the best option for insufficiently level foundations in rooms with high humidity levels.
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.
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.

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.
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 laid in accordance with all 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.

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor is a good solution for updating it, especially if the floorboards are deformed, creaking and generally no longer pleasing to the eye. In this article you will find detailed instructions on how to lay laminate flooring with video and tips on preparing a wooden floor and installing it yourself.

Laminate is a fiberboard panel covered with waterproof film, decorative paper and a layer of acrylate or melamine resin. There are three types of this coating: with “Click” and “Lock” locks, as well as lockless.

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? Yes, if you prepare it correctly.

Preparing a Wooden Floor

It is better to level such a floor with plywood or OSB boards.

Before starting installation, you should check the condition of the wooden floor. Typically, old boards have a raised surface due to multiple layers of paint in the center of the board and damage to the edges. Often, the floorboards sag and do not fit tightly to the joists at the fastening points. In addition, it happens that the floor has a significant slope in one direction or another. Before you start laying laminate flooring, you need to eliminate all identified deficiencies, because... technology requires it.

Leveling the floor

Calculation and purchase of laminate

Before going to the store, you should measure the floor area and calculate the required number of panels. When calculating, you need to take into account the required reserve - from 5 to 14% of the total, depending on the method of laying the laminate on a wooden floor.

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor

The prepared floor must be covered with a polypropylene backing, for which the canvases are laid end-to-end, and the joints are taped with special tape. Also, the panels are kept in the room for about two days in advance.

Before starting installation, many people ask the question: “How to properly lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor relative to the window?” Indeed, the types of rooms can be different and the direction of the flow of light can play with the designers' ideas, so the panels can be laid in any way.

But usually laminate is laid with your own hands perpendicular to the window and this is correct - in this case the joints will be less noticeable.

After choosing the laying direction, measure the distance between the walls and calculate the number of whole panels and the width of the last one.

Panels with “Click” lock

How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor using these fasteners? The boards of the first row are fastened at the ends, aligned taking into account the gap, to obtain which thin slats are laid along the wall. The gap is necessary so that when the temperature in the room rises, the laminate does not “swell”, but simply moves smoothly towards the wall. In the same way, assemble the second row and insert it at an angle into the lock, then lower it and snap it into place, ensuring a strong connection with the first row, and so on. Using this technology, the first row is laid first, followed by all the others, constantly monitoring the evenness relative to the walls.

Panels with “Lock” lock

Laying staggered - in this case, the tenons are inserted into the grooves with the panels arranged horizontally. Then, using a hammer and a block, the connection is sealed.

Adhesive connection

Everyone probably knows how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor using the glue method - for this, the joint between the groove and the tenon is treated with glue and secured with tape until it dries completely.

There is one important feature - the panels must be laid in a checkerboard pattern. Then the connections will be tighter and the consumption will be minimal. Upon completion of the installation work, skirting boards are installed so that the room takes on a finished look and debris does not get into the gaps.

Watch the video instructions for laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor:

So, how to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? A video of correct installation, taking into account all the nuances, can be viewed on the panel manufacturers’ website, which will significantly complement this article.

Despite the fact that it is not easy work, requiring a lot of time for preparation, the result will exceed all expectations - the floor will sparkle with its newness and serve for a long time.

One of the most popular materials for interior flooring is laminate. It is valued for its beautiful appearance and fairly simple installation process. Experts recommend laying such flooring on a flat, concrete base, but there are cases when finishing needs to be done on top of the old plank flooring. How to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor? What are the features of working with such a foundation? All this must be known before work begins. Therefore, in our article we will pay special attention to this topic and consider in detail the process of laying this finishing coating.

Diagnostics of the old foundation

To the question of whether laminate flooring is laid on a wooden floor, you can confidently answer positively. However, it’s worth mentioning right away that a foundation made of natural material requires much more attention than a concrete screed. If you need to carry out such work, carefully examine the surface to be finished for defects and irregularities.

Diagnostics of old coating includes the following work:

eliminating large gaps between boards;
checking the reliability of fixation of all floor elements;
identification of unevenness and sudden changes in floor level;
dismantling failed elements and replacing them.

Before laying laminate flooring on an old wooden floor, you need to prepare the base. Delaminated boards and plywood must be dismantled. Screw the loose elements to the joists using self-tapping screws. Bury any protruding nails in the wood. Eliminate large unevenness in the base. If differences in surface level do not exceed 1-3 mm per 1.0-1.5 meters, then it is not necessary to level the floors.

If high humidity prevails in the room where the laminate will be installed, then all elements of the wooden floor should be inspected for the presence of fungus and mold. Affected areas of wood must be cleaned and treated with antiseptic compounds. It would not be superfluous to completely process all wooden structures of the base.

Elimination of small irregularities and defects

If, during the inspection of the floor, small differences in its level were identified, then in order to lay the laminate (with your own hands) on a wooden floor, you can use two main leveling methods. Namely:

Looping. This method is optimal in cases where the unevenness is not particularly significant, and to level the surface it is enough to remove a small layer of wood (over the entire base or in a separate area). For such work you need a scraping machine.
Leveling the top layer using a plane. A planer can remove a much larger layer of wood compared to a sanding machine. For this reason, the floor level must be checked after each pass. Using this method, you can smooth out small areas that protrude greatly above the surface.

If the base is very curved and partial sanding is not enough, then before you lay the laminate on a wooden floor yourself, you will have to carry out more global work to level the surface.

Raising the floor level

If there is a strong slope, sanding the floor will be useless. Most often in such cases, the reason lies not in the floorboard, but in the failure of the logs themselves. Over time, they can rot or deteriorate from exposure to insects and rodents. In this situation, the floorboard must be completely dismantled and the condition of all joists checked. These works are quite lengthy and labor-intensive, but they should not be neglected. A failed foundation will not last long, so repairs will still have to be carried out, but it will be complicated by the dismantling of the new coating.

Failed joists and beams must be replaced with new ones. If they are in satisfactory condition, then they can be raised to the required level. This is done using wooden spacers. Wooden flooring is laid on them. When the floorboard is completely laid, the base needs to be smoothed using the board scraping method. After this, you can lay the laminate on a wooden floor.

Leveling using plywood and OSB boards

If the repair or installation of joists was carried out quite recently, but the floor is characterized by large unevenness, it is more advisable to level it using sheets of plywood or OSB boards. This work will require additional costs, but will allow for high-quality installation of laminate flooring on a wooden floor and additional insulation of the base.

In places where the surface falls below the main level, substrates made of boards or pieces of slabs are laid under the plywood. The lining material is fixed to the base perpendicular to the direction of the flooring elements.

Before installing the slabs, it is recommended to cover the entire floor surface with a vapor barrier material. The sheets are laid at a distance of 2-3 mm from the walls, with the rows offset by half the slab. For such work, sheet products with a thickness of at least 10-12 mm should be used.

To level the base using OSB boards, purchase materials no more than 3 mm thick. Thick and massive products will play under the coating and lead to its failure.

Installation of slabs is based on screwing them to the base using self-tapping screws or nails of a certain length. The distance between the fasteners is calculated by multiplying the thickness of the slab itself by 2.5. A gap of about 5 mm is left between the plates, which is subsequently filled with polyurethane foam.

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

Recently, more and more often, surface leveling is carried out using self-leveling floors. They allow you to easily smooth out an uneven base and give it smoothness and uniformity. At first glance, it may seem that it is impossible to use such compounds on wooden surfaces, but this is not so.

Before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, the base can be prepared as follows:

Cover the floor surface with thick polyethylene film (waterproofing).
Fix the edges of the canvas against the walls. Lay the rolled materials overlapping by 15-20 cm, seal the seams with waterproof tape.
Install a damper tape around the perimeter of the room. It will play the role of a compensator when the volume of the screed changes.
In places where the floors are below the general level, install metal beacons. They are fixed with cement mortar. The height of the beacon must correspond to the difference in surface height.
Pour the finished leveling mixture into the deepest place in the floors and level the mixture using the rule. When the solution dries, the entire surface is covered with a thin layer of screed.
The solution must be rolled with a needle roller so that there are no air bubbles left at the base of the screed.

When the mixture dries, you can lay the laminate on the wooden floor yourself. We will look further at how to do this correctly.

Underlay for laminate: which one to use?

The technology for laying laminated panels involves the use of lining materials that act as a shock-absorbing layer. Today we have access to several varieties of them, and all of them are actively used for this purpose. Therefore, before laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor, you need to choose which material you will use.

It could be:

old linoleum;
foamed polyethylene;
cork varieties;
Dornit.

If linoleum was used as the old cladding, then after leveling the floor it can be laid in place where it will already serve as a lining material. This will reduce repair costs and provide the new coating with good sound insulation.

Geotextiles (dornite) are not very often used as a substrate for laminate flooring. This is due to its low thermal insulation and sound absorption abilities. However, it is very easy to install and has a low cost, so it is used with limited financial resources.

Cork is an environmentally friendly material characterized by the highest levels of sound insulation and insulation. Roll and sheet products are very easy to install, which allows you to quickly lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, either yourself or with someone else’s help. This backing reliably protects the panels from damage, but is more expensive than previous options.

Foamed polyethylene is considered the leader in popularity. It perfectly muffles noise when walking on the laminate and retains heat inside the coating. The material is sold in rolls, which allows you to quickly roll it out over the surface immediately before laying the laminate with your own hands (on a wooden floor).

Technology for installing a substrate under a laminate

You should immediately pay attention to the fact that it is highly not recommended to refuse to use the substrate. It compensates for minor unevenness of the base and protects the flooring from damage. If you lay the panels on a hard surface, be prepared for the finish to fail prematurely.

Understanding the question of how to independently lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor, first of all, we will consider the process of installing underlay products. It consists of the following works:

The material is laid or rolled out (depending on its type) over the entire surface of the floor.
Installation of adjacent strips is carried out end-to-end, not overlapping.
The joints of individual elements of the substrate are glued with construction tape.

Now you can begin finishing the floor. To carry it out you will need the following tools:

electric jigsaw;
measuring tool;
wooden pegs;
rubber mallet;
construction pencil.

When the material has been purchased and all the tools are at hand, it’s time to choose the appropriate installation method and begin laying the coating.

Laminate installation methods

At this stage, we figured out that laying laminate on a wooden and uneven floor (as in our case) is possible only after careful preparation of the base. But before starting work, you need to determine how to attach the panels to each other. It could be:

connection with glue;
locking fixation.

The adhesive method allows you to create a reliable, solid flooring. This method is more often used in the kitchen area and other rooms where there is a high probability of moisture getting on the floor. However, fixing with glue has several disadvantages. These include:

complication of the laminate installation process;
inability to disassemble and reassemble the coating;
the need to wait 10 hours after laying the coating;
impossibility of using glue with underfloor heating systems.

A lock connection implies the presence of special locks on the laminate that snap into place when the elements are connected at a certain angle.

This fixation is highly durable and prevents the formation of gaps between the panels. If necessary, the coating can be removed and re-installed.

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

The laminate installation technology depends on the chosen method of fixing the panels, but there is no significant difference in these processes. We will look at how to install laminate flooring on a wood floor using a key joint. Installation using glue is performed in the same way. The only difference is that the ends of each element must be coated with the selected composition.

So, the technology for finishing the floor with panels is as follows:

Laying the laminate begins with the installation of the first solid element. It is placed at a distance of 10 mm from the edge of the wall. To prevent this gap from moving during the work, wooden spacers are inserted between the panel and the wall. The distance between the wall and the flooring must be left along the perimeter of the entire room. It is necessary so that in case of a change in humidity the coating does not swell and does not break in the locks.
The first row is mounted by joining the elements. If you need to insert a small piece of the product at the end, it is cut off using a jigsaw.
The second row begins to be laid from half the panel. The elements of the second row are inserted into the locking hole of the panels of the first row and lightly pressed against the ends of the plank. This way the entire coating is laid. Each odd row starts with a whole bar, and the odd row starts with half of it.
If the first row of laminate consists only of whole strips, then the second row still starts with half a panel. This is necessary so that the joining places of the laminate in adjacent rows do not coincide. This way the coating will be more durable and beautiful. To save money, you can use leftovers from the last planks of the previous rows.

It often happens that to install the last row of boards, you have to saw them lengthwise. This work must be done extremely carefully so that the cut is as even as possible. If you make small mistakes, do not rush to throw away the panel. Small irregularities can be hidden under the floor plinth. Once the floor covering is completely installed, you can begin installing the skirting boards.

Let's sum it up

In this article, we have given a comprehensive answer to the question of whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on a wooden floor and how to carry out such work correctly. Many experts recommend completely dismantling the old boards and pouring a new concrete base, but this leads to additional costs and loss of time. If this option is absolutely not suitable, the floor can be finished using the above recommendations.

In order for the coating to last as long as possible, special attention should be paid not so much to its installation as to the preparation of the base. If you manage to do this work correctly, then long-term operation of laminated panels is guaranteed.

Before starting work, it is recommended to remove the laminate from the packaging and lay it out in the room where it is planned to be installed. This will allow the panels to “get used” to the microclimate of the room, which will help avoid deformation of the coating after its installation (due to a sharp change in humidity and air temperature). Otherwise, laying laminate flooring on wooden floors does not have any special features and is similar to installing it over a concrete base.