How to properly lay laminate flooring on uneven wood floors. Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on an uneven floor? Leveling the floor with cork

The popularity of laminate as floor covering is largely determined by a fairly simple installation, which is available to most consumers. Manufacturers are improving locking systems, becoming a thing of the past adhesive connection panels. The glue was first replaced by the Lock-lock, then by the Click joint. Now laminate models with 5g and Megalock locks are gaining popularity, Norwegians have mastered the production of aluminum locks. Everything looks great: we brought the laminate, kept it for a couple of days in the room where the laying will take place, to adapt to temperature and humidity, spread the substrate and are laying the coating. However, there is one "small" obstacle - in order to lay a spectacular, practical, functional, durable flooring with excellent performance, you need to solve the problem of uneven floors.

Why not?

During repair work Having dismantled the old flooring, we find an uneven floor with a lot of defects: sagging, cracks, chips on the screed, creaking and damaged wooden floor boards. And significant differences in height. It is clear that the builders are in a hurry to hand over the object to significant date, the birthday of their CEO, were just in a hurry out of habit. But they left, and the uneven floor remained. Can you put laminate on it?

You can lay it, but the floor covering will last very little time. The consequences will be sad and your loved ones will speak about your building experiments in approximately the same terms in which they “thanked” the builders who were in a hurry to hand over the object.

Very important! Why do manufacturers stress the need to install laminate flooring on a level floor in their installation instructions? Why does Code of Practice 29.13330.2011 define allowable height differences when laying laminate flooring? And what does the requirement to "be equal" mean? For many manufacturers, the permitted height difference should not exceed 3 mm. In fact, operating in the country building regulations tougher - only 2 mm gaps between the control rail 2 m long and the base surface can be. The slope should not exceed 0.2% of the corresponding room size, with a total value of not more than 20 mm. Failure to comply with these requirements will lead to rapid wear of the interlocks of the panels during operation under load, the appearance of slots and cracks in the lamellas.

Ceramic tiles laid on a surface with voids, with all their strength under load, will crack. Why should a laminate panel behave differently? Especially the castle connection, "hanging" over the void?

Would a pad help?

Some manufacturers claim that the underlay is able to compensate for uneven floors. Within the specified limits - yes, it can. But not more. Assurances that "our substrate" allows laying laminate on an uneven floor with height differences of up to 5 mm or more is an outright deception of the buyer. It is as "truthful and reliable" as the annoying deodorant advertisement for men, which "guarantees" that it is worth splashing from a bottle on yourself and all the women of the planet will become yours.

Leveling the base under the laminate

A floor with serious irregularities will have to be leveled before laying. Before leveling any base, the old flooring is dismantled.

Leveling a wooden floor

The wooden floor is checked before laying the laminate, if necessary, replace rotten and defective boards, get rid of squeaks and bumps. The creak is removed, securely fixing the boards to the joists. It may be necessary to partially dismantle the wooden floor for revision and replacement of the log. Cracks and irregularities are removed with putty on wood. Level the wooden floor with a sanding machine.

Advice! Cycling the floor by hand is not an easy task. It is better to use a scraping machine that can be rented.

Plywood flooring is often used to level an old wood floor. Plywood has all the properties to be an excellent base for laminate flooring:

• Plywood can easily level a wooden floor.
• Plywood is characterized by low weight and high rigidity.
• Plywood is distinguished by its ability to withstand significant loads.
• The cost of plywood makes it a very affordable material.
• Plywood allows you to produce preparatory work in the shortest possible time.
• Plywood is undemanding to the conditions in which it is operated.

Plywood is not covered with a whole sheet. The sheet is cut into several pieces. They must be laid in such a way that long seams are not obtained, 4 seams do not converge at one point, and that the distance between the sheets is about 10 mm.

Leveling the concrete floor

The floor screed is checked with building level. The screed is inspected to determine the places of serious cracks, chips, shells, concrete sagging. Cracks are expanded and filled with a cement-sand mixture. If necessary, cut down and grind the influxes. However, if the height differences reach 10-20 mm, the screed is leveled with a self-leveling mixture (self-leveling floor). To remove air bubbles, the floor is rolled with a spiked roller.

Before installation, the screed is treated with a deep penetration primer. Laying can be done only after the concrete floor has completely dried. Be sure to lay a plastic film as a waterproofing before installing the laminate.

Laying laminate on old linoleum

Laying laminate on old linoleum is allowed if the coating is firmly attached to the floor, does not have serious through damage and swelling, the floor under the old linoleum is even. Otherwise, the linoleum will have to be removed and the base leveled.

Conclusion

Do not install laminate flooring on uneven floors. You can lay the material, but it will quickly lose its appearance and will not serve you for a long time. It is necessary to level the uneven floor until it meets the requirements for the surface of the substrate under the laminate.

Before laying laminate on an uneven floor, you first need to achieve evenness of the base. Although knowledge of some of the nuances will also not be superfluous in this matter. The first step is to choose quality material. In other words, choosing a too “budget” option does not make any sense. Especially if you plan to lay out a laminated surface in a room with a high degree of traffic and humidity.

In such a situation, the results of savings will not be long in coming. Given the high number of fakes and products of dubious quality, navigate the market building materials happens to be very difficult. But if you show some interest in the documents for the goods, then with high proportion probability you can protect yourself from low-quality products.

However, preparation is not limited to just one choice. After the laminate is delivered to its destination, it will need to undergo a small acclimatization procedure. Why the material is kept indoors in a horizontal position for a period of 2 to 3 days. In this connection, the geometry of the panels is normalized in accordance with specific microclimatic conditions.

After the acclimatization period has passed, it will already be possible to lay the laminate. But whether an uneven floor is suitable for these purposes, we offer to figure it out.

How to lay laminate on a surface that is not too flat?

Some home craftsmen who try to install on their own do not even worry about whether or not to lay the laminate on a surface with large differences in height. The opinion of professionals in this matter is unequivocal - it is impossible. Preparation of the base (leveling the existing rough surface) is carried out in without fail.

And if you do not level the surface and leave it as it is? In this case, you can forget about a long period operation of a brand new laminate flooring. The panels glued to the base will withstand such “harsh” conditions for no more than a year, and the laminate laid by the locking method will “last” even less (about 2 months), since regular excessive load will contribute to their cracking. Naturally, the floor on bumps will be very "musical", giving off a creak after each step on it.

Before laying the laminate on an uneven base, it is necessary not only to level the subfloor, but also to install the substrate in order to provide an additional layer of heat and sound insulation. Some people think that you can do with underlayment on the existing chipboard surface to make it evener. Only particle boards (especially of low-quality production) are not recommended for use in residential premises, since when heated, they release toxic formaldehyde vapor into the internal atmosphere of the dwelling.

Most best option- installation of laminate on a perfectly leveled base. Only in this case, the stress from the inside in the assembled coating will be small. If we indicate all the requirements for the surface in numbers, then they will be as follows: no more than 2 mm height difference per meter running length.

The main points of leveling the concrete surface

Often, a concrete screed acts as an uneven floor under the laminate. First, the base is checked for evenness, determining the degree of severity to correct repair errors. An excellent floor leveling option is the use of self-leveling compounds.

In a situation where too large differences in height are found, a pre-grinding operation is performed.

If the foundation requires a more thorough repair, then special-purpose cement compositions will be needed. Such mixtures are a more economical option, since their cost is several times cheaper than self-levelling. They are used as finishing coats.

Working with such solutions requires some skills, but the alignment procedure is carried out at a minimum cost. Then they stand for some time (indicated on the packaging of the mixture) so that the new screed becomes strong. And after drying, the screeds go directly to the implementation of the technology for laying laminated products.

The main points of leveling a wooden base

Standard modern apartment usually has a concrete floor. But in older apartments, and in private houses, there are wooden planks. Naturally, old floors deform over time. Therefore, for a wooden floor, preliminary preparation is required for the subsequent laying of the laminate.

The first step is to assess the condition of the wooden floors, and then make repairs. Without fail, it is necessary to eliminate the bending and kinks of the boards, visible cracks and swellings, their creaking. The wooden floor is leveled by sanding after all loose boards are firmly fixed.

The leveling of the wooden floor can also be achieved by laying a plywood layer. Only the need for repair as a result of this is still not excluded. It is also appropriate to use cement or gypsum compositions for alignment. Their selection is made, focusing on the recommendations of manufacturers.

Let's return to the direct laying of the laminate: it is carried out after the work on the preparation of the base surface has been completed.

A smooth and high-quality base-surface will make it possible to veil even minor errors of incompetent styling.

The use of an underlay is obligatory in all situations, both for the base surface made of wood and for that of concrete. If the installation of the laminate is planned to be carried out in a room with a high concentration of moisture in the air, then a layer of waterproofing is also applied. It will prevent the accumulation of condensate under the laminate. On a concrete base, it is good to additionally apply a primer.

Having set the markings in advance, they begin to lay the panels. Particularly accurate markings should be provided for laying out the first row. Based on the color and texture of the purchased material, they reveal the interaction of light and panels, the way they are placed. Easier to install are products that have a tongue and groove installation system. It is important to provide for an expansion gap between the wall and the flooring, as the locking system of the laminate allows you to get a "floating" flooring. The final cycle of work - attachment floor plinths and sills at the junctions with walls and other kinds of coatings.

Laminate is the best flooring option for your home. It perfectly retains heat, dampens noise. At correct styling and care will last a long time.

However, if you put laminate on an uneven floor, it can lose both its beauty and functionality.

You will very quickly have to think about repairs again, and this is not the cheapest pleasure.

Many problems can be avoided if you know exactly how to lay laminate on an uneven floor. That's exactly what we're going to talk about.

Masters with extensive experience believe that the laminate cannot be mounted on a curved floor, so it is imperative to carry out preparatory work.

A difference of 2 to 3 mm per linear meter of laminate can be acceptable.

If you surf the Internet, you will find many articles and comments that some people put laminate on an uneven floor and it did not deteriorate and the service life remained within the standard limits. But is it necessary to take such a risk?

We reveal surface irregularities, bumps and pits

Consider the main types of irregularities:

Using a hydraulic level (a laser or regular level is also suitable), you can identify irregularities on each wall.

We mark the control points with self-tapping screws, by which we will navigate. We tie the threads on the hats.

floor leveling

Defects must be corrected. Features depend on the type of our floor and the number of irregularities on it. There are 3 job options:

1. Substrate.
2. Floor leveling.
3. flexible laminate.

Laminate flooring for uneven floors

Suitable for both concrete and wood floors. Allows you to correct small deviations.

When choosing a high-quality substrate, be guided by the average differences in height, as well as the thickness of the laminate.

There are several types of substrates:

All have both advantages and disadvantages.

For irregularities on 1 running meter up to 1 mm, purchase a polyethylene foam backing.

With a spread of 2-4 mm, natural ones made from wood fibers are best suited.

The underlay also provides additional protection and insulation against noise and water.

Concrete Base Leveling Basics

With large differences and defects, the floor must be leveled. Consider options for leveling concrete and wood floors.

Leveling the concrete surface

We prepare a mixture of sand and cement 1: 4, add water. The resulting solution is scattered on the floor and leveled well. Leave for 24 hours, and then cover with oilcloth for 15 days.

More expensive but fast way pouring the floor, after 72 hours it dries completely. With a studded roller, do not forget to remove all bubbles that form when pouring the floor.

We lay out polyethylene, on top of which we pour expanded clay.

We cover with gypsum fiber boards. We drill them well with screws.

Level everything up.

Often there are small defects that are hidden by the substrate.

Leveling the wood floor

Four alignment options:

• use of putty;
• the use of fiberboard and chipboard;
• surface scraping;
• pouring self-flowing mortar.

When the floor contains a huge number of defects, only the use of a sanding machine will help. She takes off upper layer wood, leaving a flat surface. Make sure that the screws and nails are located deep, otherwise you can break the machine.

Minor defects and cracks can be covered with putty. We mix it with sawdust and PVA glue and cover up all the bumps.

The most unfortunate way to align is laying fiberboard or chipboard. It is used if the deadlines are running out. But in this case, do not forget to treat the surface with anti-rot agents.

Self-flowing screed is the most expensive, but effective option.

Flexible laminate, what is it?

This item is made from vinyl. It has the ability to absorb all the bumps. The top layer of polyurethane is very durable, due to the addition of aluminum oxide.

Laminate is a rather demanding coating that needs a smooth and solid foundation. Elevation differences, pits, tubercles, cracks that have appeared on draft floor significantly reduce its service life. They cause unplanned additional loads on interlock connections slats. Even one hole in the base will create a "failure", stepping on which you will bend the lamellas, testing the lock joints for strength. Sooner or later, this will lead to the appearance of visible cracks, loosening, and possibly breakage of the locks. Thus, the life of the flooring will be reduced, and the appearance from the very first day will leave much to be desired.

So what to do? There are two options: either apply traditional ways leveling the base, or use alternative methods that level Negative consequences from irregularities. Let's consider all these methods.

Applying a leveling underlay

Let's make a reservation right away: a surface is considered a suitable basis for a laminate, the height differences on which do not exceed 2 mm / r.m. These are permissible curvature rates at which the internal stresses of the coating are insignificant and do not lead to breakage of the locks. Exceeding these figures needs to be corrected.

The easiest way to eliminate the unevenness of the base is to use from:

• polyethylene foam;
• expanded polystyrene;
• extruded polystyrene foam;
• polyurethane;
• natural cork (option - from a mixture of cork and bitumen or rubber);
• wood fiber boards.

Any underlay available on the market can compensate for some of the unevenness of the base. The quality of the result depends on their density and thickness. For example, a conventional 2 mm thick polyethylene foam underlay levels the surface of the base up to 1 mm/m.p. Wood fiber underlays "ISOPLAAT" or "Quiet running" are more effective. Plates "ISOPLAAT" with a thickness of 4 mm are able to compensate for differences of up to 3 mm/r.m., and with a thickness of 12 mm - as much as 5 mm/r.m.! Approximately the same abilities and wood-fiber substrates "Quiet move".

Base Leveling

In the event that the drops exceed the capabilities of the substrates, then more effective methods. The most common substrates for laminate flooring are concrete slabs or wooden floors. Each of these options requires its own approach.

concrete surface

In most urban apartments, the “rough” floor is formed by concrete slabs. To align such a base, follow the step-by-step instructions:

1. Prepare the base. Remove the old coating, clean concrete slab from debris and dust. If there are deep cracks, pits, chips, pre-seal them with cement mortar.
2. Prime the surface. Priming improves the adhesion of the finishing screed and the concrete base. In some cases, it is desirable to use not an ordinary primer, but a waterproofing one. This is true for repairs in kitchens or on the first floors, located above damp basements.
3. Perform alignment. If the base is problematic, with large elevation changes, then it is more practical to use the usual one. Prepare it yourself (the ratio of sand and cement is approximately 3: 1) or buy ready-made dry mix. There should be enough water so that the consistency of the screed resembles very thick sour cream.
4. Install (better special metal profiles, which do not need to be removed after completion of work) in increments of 0.5-1 m. This step may be more if available long rule, and the screed is performed by a physically strong man. Spread cement mortar between the guide rails, aligning the screed with the rule.
5. After the solution hardens a little (2-3 hours is enough), the cement screed is additionally leveled with a foam or wooden float. The cement screed dries and gains strength for a long time. Laying a laminate on its surface is recommended no earlier than after 2 weeks.

If you don’t want to mess around with a cement screed, there is a much more modern, albeit more expensive solution - use it.

Leveling mixes - the easiest way to level a concrete floor

Dilute the dry mixture in water, according to the instructions, and then simply pour it onto the base, leveling the solution with a spatula. In order to remove air from the mixture, roll its surface with a roller with rubber spikes. This will make the surface smoother, without holes from small air bubbles on the surface. Mixtures harden much faster than a cement screed, so proceed to finishing flooring can be done in a few hours.

wooden floors

Work according to the following plan:

1. Tidy up the existing wood flooring. Inspect the wood floorboards for cracks, crevices, and other imperfections. All this must be eliminated with putty. , then inspect the lags, if necessary, replace them. Fix the boards again on the logs, preferably with self-tapping screws, not nails - it’s more reliable. It is possible that during this operation some parts will have to be replaced with new ones.
2. If there are significant bumps and irregularities on the wooden floor, you can correct the situation (grinding). Cycling machine can be rented without problems, it is not necessary to buy new equipment for one-time work.
3. Level the wood floor.
4. After puttying and sanding, it is quite possible that your wooden floors are already completely ready for. Check the base with a level, if everything is in order, then the alignment is complete. If the irregularities are significant and it was not possible to correct them, it is necessary to lay sheets of plywood or OSB boards. Use material with a thickness of 15-20 mm.

OSB or plywood sheets are screwed to wooden floor self-tapping screws, while making sure that the edges of adjacent plates are at the same level

There is another option - pour over a self-leveling mixture. This should be done in exactly the same way as when leveling concrete bases. In this case, you will get a flat and smooth screed, ideal for mounting the coating.

Replacing chipboard or fiberboard laminate with vinyl

If you do not want to carry out complex work, you can use the existing alternative to capricious material. It - the new kind flooring, called "". It, unlike the usual dies made of chipboard or fiberboard, can be laid on an existing, not sufficiently even base.

The flexible version is available in the form of strips, each of which consists of two layers: top part- from a mixture of polyurethane with aluminum oxide, the bottom - from vinyl. The lower part is shifted in relation to the upper one by a couple of centimeters, forming a free thin layer of vinyl around the perimeter. An adhesive smart tape is applied to it, thanks to which the planks are glued to each other at the ends. A "floating" floor structure is formed, without direct attachment to the base. Therefore, pits, bumps and cracks will not be “imprinted” on such a coating, unlike glue-based vinyl tiles.

Video: leveling the floor under the laminate

The connection using a smart tape is called a glue lock, by analogy with Click and Lock mechanical locks. However, the adhesive joint is more elastic, so it will not break on uneven floors. For example, Allure Floor vinyl laminate can withstand base drops of up to 5 mm. In this case, the resulting coating appearance no different from standard flooring or wooden parquet. And by performance characteristics- even wins. Vinyl, unlike wooden counterparts, is absolutely moisture resistant and much stronger, which is confirmed by strength class 42-43.

Many people dream of having laminate flooring in their house or apartment. And at present this is not a problem, since on this moment exists a large number of varied material. You just have to go to the store and choose the laminate that you like best.

But buying doesn't end the job. After all, the main task is laying the laminate. Of course, you can turn to special companies and pay a round sum of money for this, or you can try to do it yourself.

If you still decide to lay the laminate yourself, and you have a wooden floor in your house, then most likely there may be such a problem as an uneven floor during installation. In this case, you will have to level the surface, and after that, lay the laminate. Since the problem with an uneven floor is quite common during installation, I would like to talk about this point in more detail.

The maximum difference should not exceed 2-3 mm. If the difference is greater than this level, then the surface irregularities should be eliminated. Otherwise, over time, the laminate will begin to bend and “play”. This will reduce the life of the laminate flooring.

Leveling a wooden floor under a laminate

There are two ways to level an uneven floor:

• Grinding machine or electric planer;
• Plywood flooring.

Before leveling, the floor should be well inspected and checked for strength. If you find rotten boards, it is best to replace them before laying the laminate. Otherwise, after a while, you will have to disassemble the entire laid laminate.

When leveling the floor in the first way, care must be taken that there are no obstacles on it for grinder, namely nails or self-tapping screws. If necessary, hide all protruding hats. Then sand the surface of the floor until all irregularities disappear. You can measure the surface using the building level.

If you don't have a grinder handy, you can use the second option is moisture-resistant plywood flooring. Many people think that plywood can be replaced chipboard sheet, but this is a misconception. Chipboard is not recommended for a simple reason: formaldehyde compounds are used in its manufacture. And if moisture gets on the sheet, it will start to bubble and release formaldehyde. Such exposure can lead to serious consequences for human health.

Read only on the site How to make a drywall arch

Before making plywood flooring, you need to install wooden rivers on which plywood sheets will be attached. a good plus plywood will be smeared oil paint on the basis of drying oil, for greater moisture resistance. Then carefully lay out the plywood on the slats and fasten with self-tapping screws.

Also one of the frequently asked questions is: How to lay a laminate on an uneven concrete floor? There are no tricks with leveling the concrete polo. This is done elementarily with the help of a cement mixture. To work, you need a wide spatula.

Apply cement mixture on the surface and smooth with a spatula. We bring to the desired level and wait for complete drying. That's the whole job of leveling the concrete floor. Besides concrete base best suited for laying laminate flooring.

After you have prepared and leveled the floor under the laminate, we begin to lay the substrate. Do not refuse the substrate, as the life of the laminate will be very short. In addition, the substrate serves as sound and moisture insulation.

There are several types of substrate:

• Polyethylene. The most demanded and popular substrate. It has good sound insulation and high moisture resistance. Very easy to install.
• Cork. Probably one of the more expensive ones. It also has excellent sound and moisture insulation qualities. Perfect for uneven floors. Very high quality material that resists rotting and deformation.
• bituminous cork . The substrate consists of kraft paper and bitumen, and its surface is covered with cork chips. This crumb absorbs sounds quite well, and the bitumen does not allow water to penetrate, thereby preventing decay.
• Styrofoam. Good material for laying laminate flooring. It has good moisture resistance and high noise absorbing effect.
• Combined. The substrate consists of two materials: polyethylene and expanded polystyrene. The substrate itself consists of two dense layers of polyethylene, between which there are polystyrene foam balls.
• Special. Possesses high qualities, to a minimum reduces sounds of steps. Has natural ventilation. Easy to install and takes a lot of time. But there is one small minus - the price.

Read only on the site How and from what to make wooden interior partitions?

We lay the laminate with our own hands

Before starting work on installing laminate, you need to create a suitable environment for work. The temperature should not be more than 30, and humidity from 45 to 70%. It is important to follow the instructions when working in order to avoid errors during installation. Let's analyze all the work point by point:

• First of all, we prepare the surface. It needs to be well cleaned of debris. For this case, a vacuum cleaner is best suited.
• Then lay the first substrate. The film is corrugated, in which case the corrugated surface should look down. And if there is foil on the film, then it should be located up.
• The second row of the substrate must be laid, shifted from the junction of the mat of the first row by 40 cm, then glue the seams of the mats with adhesive tape or adhesive tape.
• The substrate must be applied to the walls, but not more than 5 cm.
• Once the underlayment has been laid, the laying of the laminate can begin. The first panel should face the wall with a spike, the next one is inserted into the groove of the first panel at an angle of 45 degrees. So you need to continue until the end of the first row.
• The second row is assembled in the same way as the first, and then inserted into the locks of the previous row. To avoid gaps between the panels, you can adjust the boards with a hammer, while protecting the laminate from impacts with a metal clip. Each completed row ends with the insertion of a wedge.
• You can also make panel connections stronger. To do this, you need to use a special adhesive for laminate. When working with glue, after each row, you need to wait a little until the glue dries completely, wait about 10 minutes. If during the connection, the glue leaked onto the gun, immediately wipe it off.
• And the last step will be masking the gaps that have formed between the panels. In this case, we use a sealant. We apply it, let it dry and carefully remove the excess with the help of the skin.

Read only on the site Extruded polystyrene foam: features and types of material

This completes the laying of the laminate. When installing laminate, there are no complicated details, so this work can be done on your own.

There are several simple and important rules care of the laminate, which must be carried out. this will significantly increase the life of the laminate.

Basic rules for the care of laminate:

• Do wet cleaning only warm water;
• Wipe dry the coating after cleaning;
• Do not apply detergents, in which contain abrasive elements;
  
• It is forbidden to apply household chemicals, which contains acids and alkalis. These compounds corrode the varnish:
• Do not use metal brushes or nets to clean stains.

Need to know! Laminate does not like water very much. With a large ingress of liquid during cleaning, the laminate will inflate, and its locks will disperse.

To keep the laminate in excellent condition, wet cleaning should be done no more than 2 times a week. For cleaning, use only a soft cloth that needs to be wrung out well. It is also recommended to add detergents specially designed for cleaning laminate to a bucket of water. They do not leave streaks and wash grease stains well.