What is wallpaper or laminate first: a sequence of work. What first, wallpaper or laminate: the correct sequence of repairs What to glue wallpaper or lay laminate first

It doesn’t matter if you are redecorating a room or overhauling a living space, the question of the order in which walls and floors are finished will inevitably arise.

What should wallpaper or laminate be bought and replaced first? Is it important to comply with the regulations and accepted standards of work, what should be done earlier and what can change the order? Consider the pros and cons of the various options.

We put wallpaper on the walls

If the question is, what do the laminate or wallpaper do first, it is decided to first apply wallpaper to the walls, the initial situation should be determined.

By the time wallpaper is applied to the walls, the installation of all engineering systems, including the heating system, must be completed. The room must have a closed thermal circuit, namely, windows and doors are installed.

It is necessary to finish the work on the device of the screed for the finish coating or lay sheets of plywood under the decorative material.

Before gluing the walls are leveled

The technology of applying wallpaper to the walls involves surface preparation. In this case, solutions from dry mortars and primers are used: all these materials can cause damage to the flooring if it is laid earlier.

If the solution is from CCM, then you can simply wash off the remaining dirt, but some types of primers have a rather fast curing period and it will be impossible to wash them off the laminate.

Laminate, in turn, is devoid of the disadvantage of dust and dirt. Even compared to carpet or linoleum flooring, when installing laminate, there is less risk of damaging the wallpaper.

The advantage of this sequence of work is that there is no risk of damaging the laminate with high humidity.

If you stick the finish on the walls after laying the flooring, then in the process of drying, the room must be closed from the inflow of air. That is why high humidity forms in the room, which can ruin the laminate floor.

A high level of humidity during the drying period of the wallpaper in the presence of laminate flooring will lead to possible damage to the protective layer of the floor covering.

Complete drying of the wallpaper occurs over several days. During this period, the material laid on the floor will absorb moisture from the air, which can lead to swelling and render the laminate unusable as a result of the influence of adhesive fumes.

It should be noted that if you glue the wallpaper every 3-5 years, and not every year, then the humidity is unlikely to greatly harm the protective layer of the laminate.

When cutting rolls, which is usually carried out on the floor, the decorative coating can also be damaged.

Inevitably getting glue on the laminate when spreading glue on the wallpaper.

If the laminate has already been installed, handling the adhesive will contaminate it.

Thus, if you glue the finish on the walls before laying the flooring, you can stain or leave scratches on the new floor.

This can be avoided by covering the floor with a dense polymer material. Please note that the film may tear and allow contamination.

Laying laminate

In order not to get dirty, it is better to lay the laminate after finishing the walls.

Arguing about what to do with wallpaper or laminate first, consider the option of laying a decorative floor covering before wallpapering.

Above, we have already described the moment that most likely in such a situation the laminate will be dirty, and in the worst case, it will be damaged, but if this situation still exists, then it is necessary to provide the floor with the maximum possible protection:

• cover the floor with thick plastic wrap;
• lay the film overlapping, gluing the seams with adhesive tape;
• wrap the legs of the ladder and other furniture used in the work with a cloth;
• do not remove the film until the wallpaper is completely dry.

It is also necessary to level the floor surface before laying the floor covering.

Carrying out unprofessional repairs, apartment owners have different opinions about the order of work. Often, even the opinions of experts differ.

Depending on the capabilities of the homeowners and the specific situation, the order of work can be changed. For example, if you have already bought a laminate, but you have not yet decided on the color of the texture and the color of the wallpaper, then you should not stop the repair.

Nevertheless, there is a regulatory procedure for finishing work on walls and floors, enshrined in SNiPs:

If you understand that the level of pollution during certain work will be above average, then such work should be carried out ahead of the rest.

Laminate, parquet or carpet finishing is accompanied by minimal contamination, which is why they are held in the final.

Act according to circumstances

Of course, it is more convenient and more logical to finish the walls first, and then lay the laminate. But the question of what to do first with wallpaper or laminate flooring should be decided based on the specific situation.

The order is designed for ease rather than strict adherence. Sometimes it is possible to decide on the type and color of the wallpaper only after the floor finish is equipped. See the video below for expert opinion on this matter:

If it is more convenient to work in reverse order, then your decision is correct. The main thing is to achieve the intended result, a harmonious combination of floor and wall finishes.

In order to independently carry out repairs and decoration without negative consequences, a certain sequence of work should be followed. What should I do first: glue wallpaper or lay laminate on the floor? In this article, we will help you figure it out.

Experts recommend that you perform the first procedure in which more dust and debris are created, there is a risk of damage to already installed coatings. However, there is no unambiguous answer to the question of what they do first: lay a laminate or glue wallpaper.

The opinions of experts differ, since much depends on the specifics of the repaired premises. Most masters prefer to lay the flooring first, and then glue the wallpaper. For example, when installing linoleum or parquet, you can damage or stain new wallpaper. Things are different with laminate flooring, as their laying is not a dusty process. After installation, it is enough to cover the floor and calmly paste the walls with wallpaper.

To competently perform repair and finishing work and decide what needs to be done first: floor or wallpaper, take into account the following:

• after pasting the walls, the wallpaper is dried with the doors and windows closed. This creates a "greenhouse" effect in the room, which is not very good for laminate floors;
• When wallpapering, there is a chance to stain and damage the laminate. In the process of work, you can accidentally drip glue on the coating or scratch it with a stepladder;
• When laying laminate floors as the first step, do not screw the skirting board. Without it, it will be easier to glue the wallpaper.

When choosing the order of work, be guided not only by our advice. Stick to the sequence that works for you. Any decision will be correct and will allow you to achieve the ultimate goal - beautiful wallpaper and practical flooring.

Each time, bringing the interior of an apartment or house in order, we are faced with the need for cosmetic repairs. This, in turn, requires a well-thought-out layout. What first, wallpaper or laminate - this question interests many of those who are thinking about carrying out repair work.

Advantages and disadvantages of different methods

Of course, there are many different opinions about what came before, wallpaper or laminate. Representatives of different repair teams, and in general, specialists in the field of repair and construction, may have different points of view on this matter. However, each of the methods has both obvious advantages and certain disadvantages. Let's look at all the necessary issues in more detail and give some tips for laying flooring and decorating walls.

Meanwhile, a very important criterion that affects the sequence of work is what kind of garbage and how much remains on the floor, walls, and so on. The fact is that the remains of building materials can significantly complicate the subsequent work. It is for this reason that it is first recommended to carry out that stage of repair, as a result of which there will be as little pollution of the surrounding space as possible.

On a note! When laying a floor (be it parquet, laminate, linoleum or any other type of flooring), the level of debris, dust and dirt that can get on other surfaces is minimal.

Reasons for wallpapering first

You need to think carefully about what happens during the repair and what the step-by-step mechanism of actions as a whole consists of. This will help draw logical conclusions as to what the wallpaper or laminate does first. Here are the important circumstances:

1. Laminate floors, unlike other types of surfaces, such as, say, linoleum, carpet and some others, do not need to be “customized” to the wall. Thus, the wallpaper (if already hung) will not be damaged. Laminate, as you know, is mounted with special spacer wedges at some distance from the wall.
2. In addition, the very possibility for the appearance of certain types of pollution when using this type of flooring is minimized. Of course, this becomes possible provided that all the necessary steps regarding preparation are fully observed. They must be completed in advance, even before laying the floor or sticking wallpaper on the walls.

On the other hand, any technology has certain disadvantages. Even in this case, a situation may arise in which certain types of laminate will show excessive sensitivity to adhesive fumes and, in general, to high levels of humidity that occur when wallpapering in a room.

Attention! If you decide to securely protect your laminate floor during other renovations, cover it with plastic sheeting or similar.

By the way, it is necessary to cover the floor with a film, regardless of what first: they glue the wallpaper or lay the laminate, and for this reason. The fact is that almost all modern wallpapers (vinyl, paper, non-woven, and so on) dry well only in the absence of drafts and, as a result, with closed windows. Accordingly, the level of humidity in such a room increases dramatically. It turns out that moisture in the form of evaporation (atmospheric) can have a negative effect on the laminate for several days. The outer layer of the laminate, especially if we are not talking about the most moisture resistant classes, may suffer somewhat.

However, this is only possible with regular re-gluing of canvases, which would be carried out every year, or even more often. If you don't plan on it, then don't worry.

Is it possible to glue the wallpaper after laying the laminate

Talking about whether it is worth first gluing wallpaper or laying a laminate, you need to say a few words about this option, in which the first thing is to lay the floor covering. Of course, it is technically allowed to first lay the floor, and only then begin to glue the wallpaper - you can. However, this is not recommended for one simple reason: the outer layer of the laminated coating can get dirty, or even be completely damaged due to exposure to it during the subsequent gluing of the wallpaper.

Therefore, despite the fact that this option is also possible, after all, most professional specialists who work in the field of repair and improvement recommend that the first thing to do is to decorate the walls. In any case, if you were not aware of when to lay the laminate before or after the wallpaper, and the first thing you did was lay the flooring - do not worry. As noted above, it is always possible to provide the floor with additional protection using plastic sheeting or other similar protective coatings.

An example of a room design (photo)

On the other hand, it is also worth paying attention to protection from other factors. Examples include things like furniture legs (chairs, tables, cabinets, and so on), supports from small home stairs or scaffolds that are used in renovations, and more. The film in such cases, as a rule, turns out to be powerless and you will have to use something stronger and more reliable.

Step-by-step instruction

So, with regard to the sequence of what is ahead, wallpaper or laminate, it should be understood that in carrying out repair work there are regularities that must be observed based on a certain sequence of stages. As a rule, after all, the first thing is wallpaper. Laminate (exactly like other floor coverings, including parquet, floor natural board, and so on) is laid after. Let's take a quick look at the main steps to follow step by step:

• First, a complete preparation of the walls is carried out before gluing rolled or applying liquid wallpaper (they are more like decorative plaster.
• We equip the screed and, if necessary, make the so-called subfloor.
• After that, you need to paste the wallpaper, following the appropriate instructions.
• When the glue is completely dry, you can gradually proceed to the installation of the floor. It is necessary to lay it at the very beginning, and after that - mount skirting boards and other related decorative elements.

Conclusion

Of course, everyone has their own opinion on how to properly make repairs and, in relation to the specific situation under consideration, about the fact that in the beginning - wallpaper or laminate. Be that as it may, the first method, which involves the initial design of the walls, and only then the arrangement of the floor, looks more preferable due to quite objective reasons. All of them were discussed in the article in more detail. On the other hand, one cannot be completely categorical and unequivocally state that the first option is the only correct one, since everyone can have their own arguments as to what they do first - wallpaper or laminate. In any case, good luck with your interior design!

Currently, the most common finishing materials in the production of repairs are: for the floor - laminate, for walls - wallpaper. Their popularity is due to a wide variety of colors (there is a lot of room for design) and an affordable price. The question of what wallpaper or laminate first arises for almost everyone who decides to do such work on their own. There is no single answer. As practice shows, many both professionals and "amateurs" prefer the sequence: "first laminate and then wallpaper." Although this method has quite a few negative points.

Sequence of work according to the rules and regulations

All regulatory documents for construction and repair determine the procedure for performing finishing work in the direction from top to bottom. In our case, to the question of what is wallpaper or laminate first, SNIP gives an unambiguous answer and recommendations for consistent work: first we glue, and then we lay.

From a technological point of view, this is absolutely correct. Wallpapering work should be carried out in a "tightly" closed room. Almost all adhesive compositions contain a large amount of water. The humidity of the room during the work and further drying (and this sometimes takes 2-3 days) will be very high. This can significantly damage the flooring if the laminate is installed prior to gluing. At best, it will simply swell and its service life will be significantly reduced. In the worst case, our coating will simply swell, and its partial, and sometimes complete replacement will be necessary. That is, the money for its acquisition and the time for arrangement will be wasted, not to mention their own labor costs and moral damage.

If you have purchased a “super-moisture-resistant” laminate and are not afraid to scratch it with the legs of a stepladder or a construction knife when cutting wallpaper, then to the question: what is the laminate or wallpaper glued first, you will definitely answer yes, in that order.

So, having decided on the sequence of work, we proceed to their implementation (after all, it is better according to the algorithm recommended by SNIP).

Wall preparation

Before you puzzle yourself with the question of what to glue the wallpaper or lay the laminate first, you need to do all the preparatory work.

Preparing the walls:

• We remove old wallpaper with a special scraper, spatula or other convenient tool. To speed up the process, the wall covering is thoroughly moistened with water.

• Depending on the size of the irregularities and roughness, we apply the necessary layer of plaster or finishing putty.
• Then we grind the surface with sandpaper.
• Carefully remove dust and prime the walls with a special compound to prevent absorption of wallpaper paste.

Floor preparation

Since laminate is recommended to be laid on a fairly flat surface, the subfloor must be prepared accordingly. With large elevation differences, you will first have to perform a rough sand-cement screed. If the irregularities are small, then one filling of the self-leveling mixture will be enough (there is a sufficient variety on sale). After such processing, alignment and grinding will not be subsequently required.

Cutting wallpaper

We cut wallpaper either on a special workbench (a cutting table, which hardly anyone has on the farm), or on the floor (which happens much more often). And again we return to the question: what comes first wallpaper or laminate? If you nevertheless initially mounted the floor from the laminate, then when cutting the wallpaper, for example, using a ruler and a construction knife, there is a high probability of scratching the surface. Well, if you listened to our recommendations and preferred to start with wallpaper, then scratches, even deep scratches, will not affect the quality of the future floor.

We measure the height of the wall and prepare the required number of pieces with a small allowance.

Attention! If the pattern on the wallpaper provides for docking, then first unwind two rolls at once and simultaneously attach them to the wall. Then it will be much easier for you to determine the place of the incision. It is better to number the prepared pieces immediately, then there will be no errors in the gluing process.

Wallpapering

We tightly close all windows and doors and proceed to the final decoration of the walls. There are three ways to apply glue: only on the back of the wallpaper strip, only on the wall, or on both surfaces at once. It depends on the material of the wallpaper used (paper, vinyl, and so on) and the manufacturer's recommendations (usually they are indicated on the packaging; however, as well as the brand of recommended glue).

The following procedure is most likely familiar to almost everyone:

• Using a plumb line or building level, we draw a vertical line on the wall.
• In accordance with the applied markings, we apply the strip to the wall (starting, of course, from above).
• Gently smooth with a special soft spatula or brush.
• Glue the next strip and so on.
• After arranging all the walls of the room, we leave the windows and doors closed for final drying (2-3 days).

Throughout this time, the humidity in the room will be very high. Anyone who has ever done such work must have seen trickles of water flowing down the glass. In such conditions, the floor covering can become completely unusable. For those who doubt the sequence: glue the wallpaper or laminate first. We hope that now it is clear why the walls are first of all equipped, and only then the floor.

Arrangement of the substrate

Before proceeding with the installation of laminate panels, a special substrate is laid on the floor surface. For this purpose, roll materials of cork, expanded polypropylene or small foam balls are usually used, fixed between two strips of polyethylene film. The choice of the type of products for this purpose depends only on your preferences and financial capabilities.

Many manufacturers equip on one side a small strip with an adhesive applied to it. This greatly simplifies the fixation of the substrate strips to each other and prevents their displacement. If the material you purchased does not have such a convenient technological “thing”, then after laying it is necessary to fix all the joints of the individual strips from above with a thin mounting tape.

Laying laminate

Before proceeding with the installation of the laminate, lay out several sheets along one wall, and some in a perpendicular position. See which option looks best in daylight and artificial lighting and is most in harmony with pasted wallpaper. Having decided on the direction, you can start laying. This is another answer to the question: what to glue the laminate or wallpaper first?

Attention! It is unacceptable to lay the laminate close to the walls. Leave a gap of 10-15 mm. To do this, pegs must be installed around the entire perimeter of the room. Such devices can be purchased at any hardware store or cut independently from a wooden block of suitable sizes.

First lay the first strip of laminate along the wall. The second and subsequent lines must be mounted with a shift of 20-30 cm relative to each other (that is, in a checkerboard pattern). Almost all modern varieties of this popular floor covering have quick-lock locking locks at the ends. If you purchased products with a conventional tongue and groove joint, then after laying each row, it must be tapped with a mallet through a spacer made of non-solid material, for example, through a wooden block. This will ensure a snug fit between the sheets of laminate to each other.

Naturally, in the process of laying it will be necessary to cut the material. And here, to the question of what wallpaper or laminate do first, many opponents of dust, of course, will answer - only the floor. Arguments: the dust that inevitably forms during sawing will cover the glued wallpaper with a dense layer and clog the pores of the wall material (especially if it is paper). However, firstly, modern electric jigsaws and hand-held circular saws have attachments for connecting a vacuum cleaner, which reduces the dust formation process to a minimum. And, secondly, the cut can be made in another room. For example, in the bathroom, where shavings from tiles and earthenware are much easier to remove.

After finishing the laying of the finishing floor covering, we remove the fixing pegs around the entire perimeter and proceed to the arrangement of the plinth.

Finally

The final choice of sequence: what is first wallpaper or laminate, remains, of course, up to you. Everyone chooses for himself the most acceptable and convenient in all respects algorithm for carrying out repair work. The main condition that must be met is to purchase obviously high-quality materials from trusted manufacturers and strictly follow the recommendations for their use.

Wallpapering and laying flooring (linoleum laminated ceramic tiles) are one of the final stages of any redecoration in a residential area. Therefore, sometimes the question arises about the sequence of production of these finishing works. What to do first - glue the wallpaper before laying the floor, or do it after you have prepared a flat, clean surface for rolling and cutting the wallpaper.

There is no single answer to this dilemma. It all depends on the professional skills of the finishers and the type of flooring. Only one question can be answered unequivocally: you must first glue the wallpaper if you lay carpet on the floor.

Gluing wallpaper before laying flooring - benefits

Sticking any type of wallpaper is associated with a fairly large amount of construction waste. First of all, these are trimmings formed when cutting rolls and thin strips impregnated with glue, after trimming along the floor surface, around window and door openings, sockets, ventilation openings, heating pipes. These strips and pieces, when they hit the floor, not only leave traces of glue, but also dry very quickly and stick tightly to any type of floor covering - laminate, linoleum, floor boards, and to remove them - you need to soak them with water for a long time.

The second factor is the wallpaper paste itself. Even with the most careful application, drops cannot be excluded from falling onto the floor covering. It will need to be wiped off immediately with a damp cloth or sponge. Otherwise, hard-to-wash stripes remain on the floor covering, which are clearly visible when the angle of illumination changes.

The third problem is the probability of damage to the floor covering (linoleum, laminate) by the legs of a ladder or scaffolding, from which it is convenient to glue the wallpaper. On a concrete screed, traces of a ladder or scaffolding can be removed with one stroke of a spatula with putty and will not spoil the appearance of the flooring.

The only drawback of this sequence is the risk of damage to the foamed or embossed wallpaper when rolling linoleum rolls that exceed the width of the room.

The hard edges of linoleum, when you lay it, can damage the thin, loose polymer coating of the wallpaper pasted before and leave irreparable defects on the walls.

From the listed risks, we can conclude that if you value laminate or linoleum more than wallpaper on the walls, it is better to glue the wallpaper first, and then lay the floor covering.

Benefits of laying flooring over wallpapering

Laying laminate requires cutting planks. For this, a jigsaw is usually used. As a result, a large amount of fine wood dust is formed, which can settle on the uneven surface of the profiled (embossed) wallpaper, if they are already pasted before finishing the floor.

On a clean linoleum (laminate), you can fearlessly roll out wallpaper rolls and lubricate the canvases before gluing them to the wall, without fear of staining them with cement from the screed.

It is more comfortable to work on a clean linoleum or laminate floor than on a concrete screed or get tangled up in a constantly slipping plastic film that can be laid on the screed before wallpapering.

Way out

When choosing between a sequence of actions, proceed from your own experience in the production of finishing work.

If you are more confident that gluing wallpaper is an easier operation for you, leave it to the final stage of finishing. First, it is better to lay a laminate or linoleum.

Using care and due diligence when moving the stepladder over the laminate, or by covering it with plastic wrap, will minimize the damage that spilled glue or a stiff stepladder leg can cause when you're gluing wallpaper.

This is especially true for laying rolled linoleum. It is better to lay linoleum first and cut it in place before sticking the wallpaper, and then roll it back into a roll if you do not want to risk it. But this method does not guarantee that during the subsequent rolling of the linoleum roll, you will be able to achieve a complete match of the cut corners and holes. These discrepancies will have to be closed with decorative skirting boards or patches.

This problem does not arise if laminate or ceramic tiles are laid first. All work on their sawing and drilling can be performed in the adjacent room or on the balcony, completely avoiding the formation of building dust in the room with new wallpaper.

Instead of a conclusion

From the analyzed advantages and disadvantages of each of the methods of production of the final stage of finishing work, a conclusion follows. The choice of sequence, what to do first, stick wallpaper or lay flooring - depends entirely on the master's skills and habits. Neither method has any clear advantages or clear disadvantages.