How to lay the underlayment under the laminate yourself? Laying the substrate under the laminate: a description of the methods Which side to lay the corrugated substrate.

Laminate is one of the most popular floor coverings, which is valued for its performance and originality of appearance (it can imitate a variety of materials). The maximum efficiency of the laminate after laying can only be achieved if the laying of the substrate layer has been correctly carried out, which will be discussed in the article.

Laminate and underlay

As mentioned above, laminate is a coating that has a number of positive qualities:

• high strength;
• long service life;
• increased thermal insulation;
• original design.

The underlay is used as an underlay directly under the laminate flooring. It is needed to protect the boards from wear during operation. Let us further consider how to lay the substrate under the laminate on your own, starting with the choice of high-quality material and ending with its correct installation.

Types and purpose of the substrate

The main functions of the substrate under the laminate:

• Soundproofing. Laminate flooring is reliably protected from noise during production, but without a substrate, the knock of the coating on the base will be very loud and annoying. The substrate will muffle the sound to a minimum, which will bring pleasure not only to residents, but also to neighbors. Some pads avoid loud sounds even from bulky objects falling on the floor. When it comes to how to lay the substrate under the laminate, it is worth saying that squeaks are also eliminated, since high-quality material does not allow the laminated boards to come into contact with the base. Do not press under the load on the floor and locking joints of laminated panels, which additionally isolates the generated noise and increases the life of the flooring.
• thermal insulation. Given that the laminate itself is a cold coating, then you can not do without a substrate. It will not only act as a heater, but also increase the efficiency of the underfloor heating system.
• With the help of the substrate, you can even out the smallest defects in the base if they remain after pouring the screed or laying the sheet flooring.

Before laying the substrate under the laminate, it is also necessary to consider it for the material from which it is made.

Today, in construction stores, the owner can offer the following types of materials:

• natural cork in its pure form or, sometimes, in combination with other materials;
• polyethylene foam;
• special synthetic material.

Choosing a specific type of substrate

Cork and polyethylene foam are the two most popular underlayment materials today. Polyethylene is the easiest to use because it has a low cost.

This material has the following positive aspects:

• it does not rot and does not attract insects;
• has a high thermal conductivity and protects the floor from heat loss. Thus, the layer invisible in the photo and during visual inspection creates coziness and comfort in the room where it was laid;
• the high density of the material makes it possible to make the thickness of the substrate under the laminate no more than 2 millimeters.

Before you put the substrate under the laminate, it is worth considering the disadvantages of polyethylene foam:

• short service life;
• shrinkage after a while;
• the canvas is crumpled, which leads to ruptures and damage to the laminated panels;
• while walking in places with a damaged substrate, creaking sounds, knocks appear; when loaded, the boards are pressed through, cracked and broken.

Cork slabs are more expensive, but fully justify the costs with their positive characteristics.

It is worth highlighting the following advantages of this material:

• high density and strength;
• excellent thermal insulation properties;
• increased moisture resistance;
• resistance to temperature changes;
• with proper installation, the load is distributed in such a way that the wear of laminated boards is reduced;
• to mount such a coating is very simple;
• when laying, it is not necessary to use adhesive compositions to fix the layer;
• thickness can vary from very small values.

The disadvantage of this material is only its high cost, which is very often the reason for choosing cheaper polyethylene.

It is also very important to know how to properly lay the substrate under the laminate if some special purpose has been invented for this layer.

Special types of material are used for a variety of purposes:

• increased degree of noise isolation;
• reliable protection against moisture;
• maximum strength, etc.

The process of laying the substrate under the laminate

Proper laying of the substrate under the laminate with your own hands can be done with the following materials and tools:

• selected substrate;
• a hammer;
• wedge for spacers;
• sharp device for cutting material;
• polyethylene film as a layer between the substrate and the concrete base;
• ruler, pencil or marker for marking;
• wooden beam;
• engineering tape.

When choosing tools for work, it is very important to consider the type of substrate being laid.

Laying algorithm:

• preparation of the subfloor with the elimination of existing defects and leveling;
• laying a waterproofing and heat-insulating layer;
• installation of the purchased material (substrate);
• installation of laminate flooring.

Consider how to properly lay the substrate under the laminate in stages.

Further work is carried out as follows. The base after leveling or cleaning is checked for cracks, chips and other defects. They are sealed with the same mortar or ordinary putty. A waterproofing film is applied on top with spades of cut sheets on top of each other and on walls (up to 15 centimeters high). Sheets are glued together with construction tape. Upon completion of the work, so that polyethylene does not protrude in the photo and during visual inspection, it is cut.

The allowable thickness of the substrate should not exceed 4 millimeters. The optimal value considers 2-3 millimeters. Double layering is not allowed.

The underlay rolls are rolled out in the direction of laying the laminate. Between themselves, the substrate is glued with a special mounting tape. The substrate is not fastened to the floor and walls.

The question arises as to which side to put the substrate under the laminate if plates are used. It will be correct to lay the smooth part to the top. If the material has a layer of foil, then it should also look up to keep the heat in the room and increase the efficiency of underfloor heating, if any. The slabs are also glued with tape and are not fixed to the base.

In addition to which side to lay the substrate under the laminate, there are other practical tips:

• the material must be located perpendicular to the walls;
• over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room there should not be any gaps and cracks in the substrate. All space enclosed by walls should be covered with the selected substrate. The laying technology must not be violated;
• materials that are too thick should not be used, as they have cushioning characteristics. Installing heavy pieces of furniture and appliances on the floor with such a layer of the substrate will lead to deformation of the laminated panels. See also: "".

Outcome

After reading all of the above, each owner will be able to select and install a substrate that will meet all the criteria. Such a layer will be of high quality and will last for many years. You should not rush for materials with a very low cost, since there are a number of other nuances that determine their effectiveness. If difficulties arise, you can always turn to specialists who will take responsibility for the purchase of the necessary materials, their installation and putting the floors into operation.

Laminate is an inexpensive and very popular flooring. It can be found in many modern and apartments, even more people want to buy it and put it in their homes.

Despite the simplicity of laying, it must be done correctly, in compliance with all the rules of flooring. A separate subject of attention is the substrate.

Here you need to know exactly which side to put the substrate under the laminate, which variety to give preference to.

The service life of the coating, appearance, convenience and comfort depend on the correct choice and laying technology. You can buy more modern types of laminate, where the manufacturer produces a look already equipped with a substrate, but they cost a lot of money and are not suitable for every consumer within the budget.

What is an underlay

This is a layer of insulation that keeps the laminate in direct contact with the subfloor.

The role and tasks of the substrate is to create shock absorption and securely hold the cover panels.

They are produced from different materials, each has its own technical characteristics,.

But all, without exception, carry out the tasks assigned to them.

The truth and the requirements for them are put forward appropriate:

• Biological neutral pluses and minuses
• moisture resistance
• Antiseptic qualities
• Heat and sound insulation
• High depreciation index
• Deformation resistance

Features of the use of the substrate

One of the key points of laying is the correct choice of the side of the material.

For example, which side to put the substrate under the Stiroplex laminate?

This can be found in the annotation for use written by the manufacturer.

There are several features of using the considered one that are very important to take into account:

• No matter how expensive and high-quality the substrate is, it will never replace a high-quality even screed. But the requirements for the use of laminate - perfectly flat surfaces.
• It is not recommended to buy expensive types of substrate for a cheap laminate. Here you need to strive to achieve the maximum balance in terms of cost and compliance of materials.
• Too thick a layer of the substrate can cause deformation (subsidence) of the laminate in places where the pressure on it is too large and prolonged - cabinet legs, heavy stoves, pianos and other pieces of furniture.

When laying the footboard on a “bare” floor, a cold base is obtained. If the thermal insulation properties come to the forefront, then it is better to choose the appropriate types of substrates.

Functions assigned to the substrate

Laying laminate without the use of a substrate is quite acceptable. But avoiding such consequences as deformation when walking, subsidence of the material and other unpleasant situations is unlikely to be avoided.

Experts do not advise saving on the substrate, because the elimination of all subsequent troubles will cost much more. The functions assigned to the substrate are as follows:

• Depreciation. The peculiarity of the material (substrate) is that it is able to recreate the shapes of the floors, thereby eliminating the formation of sharp height differences. And having a porous structure, the substrate creates a reinforcing layer.
• Noise isolation. Laminate laying technology provides for the organization of the substrate, if you do not put it, then when walking on the material in shoes with heels, their clatter will be clearly and loudly heard. Even a child with bare feet will make some kind of loud knock.
• Moisture resistance. If a wet monolithic screed was used as a leveling of the floors, then, after a certain period of time, condensation will definitely appear on it. In the absence of a substrate, it, having a detrimental effect on the laminate, can render it unusable. To avoid this, a layer of polyethylene is laid on the concrete base, then the substrate, and only then the laminate boards.
• Thermal insulation. This requirement is especially true when used in a private home. To improve the thermal insulation properties, it is recommended to use special types of substrates.

It is very important not only to choose the right substrate, but also to lay it correctly. Which side to put the substrate under Teplon and what surfaces does it generally have? More about this in the following subsection of the material.

Which side correctly fits the material on the floor

Some subspecies of substrates are produced with a corrugated surface.

They are laid under the laminate with it down, and gloss up.

The layout scheme is chess.

But before use, the floor surface should be covered with plastic wrap.

Laying technology requires gradual laying out so that the laminate plates do not move.

If the substrate you have chosen is foiled on one side (aluminum layer), then it should be on top.

Otherwise, it may be damaged by bumps and protrusions on, even the most insignificant ones.

To quickly and effectively level the floor surface, you can use self-leveling compounds. They are easy to apply, dry quickly, but there is one very important requirement for their use - height differences should not be too large. The substrate is laid with the smooth side up.

Before buying, any consumer asks a lot of leading questions to managers and sales consultants in hardware stores. Most often, he receives a lot of information about the brands that they present. But you can’t put a brand on, and therefore you need to understand at least a little who and what produces and sells.

For laying the substrate and laminate, see the video:

Read also:

• What kind of flooring to choose for the kitchen: repair and ...
• Substrate for a water-heated floor: the right choice ...

Today, laminate flooring enjoys well-deserved popularity: it is relatively inexpensive, beautiful, durable enough and resembles everyone's favorite parquet. In addition, it is easy to install. However, do not forget that laying the substrate under the laminate is a necessary measure, the expediency of which is not even discussed.

Laying laminate flooring

A high-quality repair consists of little things, each of which should be worthy of the overall picture, about which we can say “Excellent!”. It is difficult to determine which part is more important, but everyone will agree that a flawless floor is no less important than a flat ceiling.

And maybe more - after all, we walk on the floor, dirty it and mine, put furniture on it. We invariably come into contact with this element of an apartment or house. Therefore, the choice of flooring is a very serious task.

A bit of theory

Laminate is a layered board or plywood designed to be used as a floor finish. Its upper or outer part is covered with polymer resin, in other words, laminated.

This increases the wear resistance of the material and prevents the penetration of moisture into the inner layers of the tree. Laminate parts are flat boards that require the same level ground.

Any, even the most expensive and high-quality screed, has irregularities, which, together with even boards, will lead to the following effects:

• board deformation;
• overload and breakage of the lock;
• step noise amplification effect;
• the appearance of condensate;
• occurrence of microorganisms and insects.

It is to combat these undesirable effects that they began to use various materials that are simply placed under the laminate boards. But how to properly lay the substrate under the laminate in order to get rid of all these troubles?

In fact, everything is not as difficult as it might seem. The main thing is to follow the rules and not invent new ones, but any man who can hold a ruler and a knife in his hands can figure out how to put a substrate under a laminate.

Substrate functions: myths and reality

Firstly, no substrate cancels the preparation of the floor and an even screed, in other words, it is necessary.

Secondly, it’s not difficult to figure out how to lay a substrate under a laminate, but you still have to work with your head and hands.

Thirdly, buying an expensive underlay for a cheap laminate or vice versa is unwise, it is better to strive to match the price categories of these materials.

It is important to know: too thick a substrate will cause the laminate boards to sag in places of point loads of large masses, for example, cabinet legs or stoves.

Types of substrates

As is the case with any other building materials, there are many types of substrates for laminate flooring, so it’s better to understand the assortment a little in order to understand -. Let's start with the expensive ones.

Cork underlay

It has a number of positive qualities:

• Excellent noise absorption.
• An excellent heat insulator.
• Does not rot and is not food for insects and microflora.
• Does not sag and retains its original shape for a long time.

It has one minus, but a big one - the high cost. It is produced in rolls and plates, sometimes impregnated with antiseptics against mold.

In general, this is probably the best substrate, since it also glides perfectly, which is important for leveling wood expansion processes with changes in temperature and humidity. And, of course, the most environmentally friendly material.

Bitumen-cork substrate

Special paper is impregnated with bitumen and sprinkled with cork chips. As a substrate, it copes well with all tasks, but it is also very expensive. Recommended for expensive and durable types of laminate, the wear resistance of which allows the use of such a substrate.

How to lay underlayment under laminate flooring

If for the two listed materials it is difficult for you to imagine how to lay the substrate under the laminate, it is better to hire builders, it is a pity to spoil it.

You can name one (except for the price) minus - bitumen emits various harmful substances, but their quantity is so scanty that you should not worry about it seriously.

Styrofoam

This is a material with the most favorable price / quality ratio. It dampens noise well, keeps its shape well, excellent insulation, and is relatively inexpensive.

If you decide what material to use, do not know how to lay the substrate under the laminate with your own hands - the video will help you, polystyrene foam is best suited for this.

Polyethylene foam

One of the most popular content. Judge for yourself:

• inexpensive;
• moisture resistant;
• easy to mount;
• uninteresting to rodents, mold and cockroaches.

PE foam backing

Like all cheap polyethylene foam, it has a minus - it sags and loses its shape over time, which is like death for a laminate floor. Well, cheap good is extremely rare.

Substrate laying technique

Having sorted out and bought the material for the substrate, the laminate itself, you will want to immediately proceed with its installation. But first you need to find out what condition your gender is in.

Dismantle the old coating to the concrete base. If it is even, then everything is in order. If not, it is necessary, it is better to use a self-flowing mixture, and you will need a minimum layer. As a result, the floor is flat, like a lake in winter.

The photo shows the result of such a screed.

Floor preparation

The floor must be vacuumed very carefully. Then lay the vapor barrier. And how did you want: laminate on top, and bare concrete on the bottom? You can not do it this way. You can use the usual building plastic film, which cover the floor with a slight overlap on the walls of 2 - 3 cm. The joints of the strips can be fastened with construction tape. We do an overlap of 10 - 15 cm, up to 25.

Laying down material

We glue a damper tape on the wall along the perimeter of the room, it will compensate for the expansion of the tree. Next, we cut out strips from the roll and lay them on the floor covered with a film. To the walls and to each other, the material should touch end-to-end. We connect the strips together with construction tape.

Substrate laying

It is important to know: to determine how dry the floor screed is, you can put a piece of polyethylene on it at night. If in the morning there is sweat or drops of water from below, then the concrete is still damp. How to lay the substrate under the laminate when the concrete is not yet dry? The answer is no. We have to wait, it will take a little time, the instruction prohibits working on wet concrete.

Some substrate plates are produced corrugated on one side. Many people cannot understand which side to put the substrate under the laminate.

Everything is very simple here: always put the smooth side up. We lay the plates in a checkerboard pattern, connect them with adhesive tape.

After these simple manipulations, you can proceed with the installation of the laminate (see)

This is somewhat more difficult to do, but you can use the services of professional installers, the main thing is to look at their age and appearance, inquire about the presence of a photo portfolio, reviews and work experience.

Laminate is a multilayer flooring that can be made from plywood or wood. It enjoys well-deserved popularity due to its low cost, durability and attractive appearance, very reminiscent of expensive parquet. In order for the laminate to last for a long time, you should responsibly approach the installation of this floorboard and be sure to use a special substrate.

Functions

Laminate, despite all the advantages, in the process of operation acquires a number of significant disadvantages, including:

• deformation of the board due to physical impact or natural unevenness of the floor;
• breakage of the lock that fastens the elements to each other;
• creaking and other noises during operation;
• penetration into the board of microorganisms (including mold) or insect pests;
• formation of condensate.

All these defects can very quickly disable the laminate. To restore the floor in this case, you will have to re-lay the floor covering.

A special substrate can prevent the occurrence of such troubles and significantly extend the life of the floorboard.

However, even the most expensive laminate base does not eliminate the need to pre-level the floor, as the substrate hides only small imperfections.

The main functions of the substrate under the laminate are:

• Heat and sound insulation. The fact is that the porous structure of the material allows you to soften the sound of steps, therefore, in a room in which the laminate is laid according to all the rules, it is very quiet. In addition, this flooring will always be at a comfortable temperature, so you can not use carpets and runners for extra comfort.
• Levels the floor, allowing you to lay inflexible laminate without causing unpleasant consequences during operation.
• Hydroprotection. The fact is that the inner surface of the laminate is not treated with moisture-repellent compounds, so condensation can easily “destroy” the floor covering.

Thus, the installation of a high-quality and suitable base for the laminate will allow you to use this flooring as comfortably as possible and not be afraid of its premature damage.

Kinds

In order to choose the right base for the laminate, you should figure out what types of this building material exist, how they differ, and in what conditions it is better to use one or another version of the substrate. The basis for the laminate is:

• cork;
• coniferous;
• sheet;
• foil (polyethylene foam);
• film (foamed polyethylene).

The cork lining under the laminate is made from the crushed bark of the tree of the same name. This is one of the most suitable materials for these purposes. It has the following properties:

• high sound insulation;
• resistant to mechanical stress;
• good thermal insulation;
• environmental Safety;
• hypoallergenicity.

The only disadvantage of the material can be considered its fear of moisture, so you should not use a cork substrate in damp rooms, and in the rest it is necessary to additionally apply a waterproofing layer. In addition, this material is expensive, which makes it not available to all categories of buyers.

Cork-bitumen coating is the most moisture-resistant option, which is characterized by increased wear resistance and resistance to moisture.

The coniferous base for the laminate is a modern development, characterized by the following advantages:

• environmental friendliness;
• perfectly levels even heavily deformed floors;
• high noise and moisture protective properties;
• can be laid in damp rooms.

The sheet base for the laminate is most often made of specially prepared polystyrene and fiberglass. Fiberglass is environmentally friendly, has good technical characteristics.

Extruded polystyrene is one of the most budget options, combining low cost and excellent quality. It has the following advantages:

• resistant to high physical exertion;
• high hydroprotection;
• resistant to mold and mildew;
• effectively absorbs vibrations that occur while walking.

However, the material has one significant drawback. It is flammable, and when exposed to high temperatures, it begins to release toxic compounds that can cause poisoning in humans and animals.

The foil substrate for laminate flooring is made of polyethylene foam and is available in convenient rolls. Recommended for laying in rooms with high humidity. The corrugated surface allows you to achieve high rates of heat and sound insulation. Such a base is compatible with the underfloor heating system.

Polyethylene substrate (film) is a budget option, but it has a short service life, quickly deforms, loses elasticity and becomes unusable.

How to lay?

After you have chosen a suitable substrate for the laminate, and carried out preparatory measures, you can proceed with the installation of the base. Knowing the main points of the flooring of the substrate, you can do everything yourself and not turn to the help of professionals. As in any business, the technology of lining the lining under the flooring has its own characteristics:

• The installation of the substrate is carried out perpendicular to the future direction of the laminate boards. This secret will avoid deformation of the lock that fastens the boards together, which means that the floor covering will not creak and crunch during operation.
• A waterproofing layer must be placed under the substrate. This does not apply to the foil base, it is simply placed on the floor with the side that is reinforced with foil. Laying waterproofing is mandatory when using natural materials (cork, needles), this will prevent the formation of mold and fungus.

• You can correctly lay different types of bases under the laminate by following the algorithm: rolled materials are placed with a slight overlap on the walls, tiled materials are placed in a joint, in a checkerboard pattern.
• You can glue sheets of the substrate material using masking and ordinary tape, paying attention to the quality of the connection of parts. It is forbidden to fasten the material with nails, paper clips and other metal objects that can damage the laminate base.

Materials and tools

In order to carry out the installation of the substrate, you will need the following materials and tools:

• base for flooring;
• waterproofing film;
• masking or stationery tape;
• scissors;
• roulette;
• glue;
• stationery knife;
• square;
• a vacuum cleaner.

Surface preparation

Before laying the underlayment under the laminate, the following steps should be taken:

• floor leveling;
• waterproofing pad.

Despite the use of a substrate under the laminate, the floor on which the flooring will be mounted must be as even as possible. This will ensure a high end result and a long service life.

Screeding with wet concrete-sand mortars is one of the most common ways to prepare a floor for laying laminate flooring. Allows you to smooth out horizontal irregularities from one to eight centimeters. In order to be able to easily lay the laminate on the floor, beacons are installed in front of the screed and poured. It is possible to mount the substrate after the complete drying of the cement-sand mass.

The semi-dry method consists in the use of special leveling compounds with the addition of plasticizers. This material is well distributed over the floor surface, does not emit excess moisture. Even the most crooked floor can be leveled with such a mixture, since there is no limitation in the thickness of the screed, and the ease of working with this material will allow you to create a perfectly flat surface in a short time.

Leveling the floor with chipboard or plywood is one of the fastest ways to prepare the surface for flooring.

Installation technology step by step

Proper laying of the substrate under the laminate is the key to the durability of the floor covering, therefore work should be carried out in a strictly defined sequence:

1. The laying surface is carefully vacuumed from dust and small debris, as it can give creaking sounds and crunches during the subsequent operation of the laminate.
2. The surface is primed with special solutions. Cover the floor with soil usually 2-3 times with an interval of several hours.
3. Put waterproofing. This stage should be performed only after the last layer of soil is completely dry. You can fix the material with the help of special compounds. Glue the waterproofing layers carefully, leaving no gaps.
4. Underlayment for laminate flooring. The technology depends on the chosen material. Sheet lies in a checkerboard pattern, natural materials - at an angle of 45 degrees, and roll - perpendicular to the future flooring.

Installing laminate flooring in a room is a laborious process, but even a non-professional can do it. For successful installation of the flooring, special attention should be paid to the preparation and installation of the substrate. And then the new floor will please more than one year.

For information on how to independently lay the substrate under the laminate, see the following video.

If you want to use not only beautiful, but also durable flooring, you need to figure out how to lay the substrate under the laminate. We will help you in this matter!

Laminate is considered one of the most popular and loved by many residential flooring. It has excellent external data and quite affordable price. Laminate flooring is not at all difficult to lay with your own hands, without turning to professionals for help. And with the right approach to installation, this floor covering will serve you for many decades, pleasing the eye with its excellent decorative characteristics. An obligatory detail of the laminated construction is the substrate.

Substrate for laminate

It is a special material that is laid in a thin layer between the floor base and the laminate. The substrate performs a number of important functions. She is:

1. Reliably protects a floor covering from moisture. The inside of the laminate is not treated with protective and water-repellent compounds. For this reason, such products are at risk of destruction under the influence of high humidity. Laying the substrate under the laminate completely solves this problem. A special layer perfectly protects laminated products from water.
2. Makes the floor more even. This is of great importance. After all, laminated boards are a solid material. They cannot smooth out all the flaws and irregularities of the main floor.
3. It is an additional noise and heat insulator. If you want the room to be warm and the sound of your steps not be heard by the neighbors below, be sure to lay the substrate under the laminated boards. It is inexpensive, and the effect of its use will exceed all your expectations.

In addition, the underlay provides improved adherence of the laminate to the floor base and free air circulation under the decorative coating.

Substrates are made from natural and synthetic raw materials. The most expensive are cork products. Insects never get on them, they do not rot, perfectly absorb noise, play the role of an excellent heat insulator. Cork substrates do not change their original shape for a very long time and are an environmentally friendly material. Such products are sold in slabs and in rolls.

Bitumen-cork substrates have similar characteristics. They are usually mounted in cases where the arrangement of the floor surface is carried out using expensive types of laminate.

Cork backing

Bitumen-cork products are made from special paper, which is processed with bitumen, and then sprinkled with small chips of natural wood. Substrates made of artificial materials are cheaper by 20–40% - polystyrene foam in combination with polyethylene, polystyrene foam, foil or foamed polypropylene. The most popular today are polypropylene products. They allow you to level surfaces with height differences up to 4 mm, are not afraid of water, can pass air under the coating, guaranteeing excellent ventilation of the entire laminated structure.

Note! When using foiled polypropylene, you can achieve unique results in thermal insulation of the floor base. True, the cost of such gaskets for laminate is significantly higher than conventional polypropylene substrates. Products made of polyethylene foam also have good performance characteristics. They are inexpensive and at the same time protect laminated boards well from moisture, rodents and mold. The disadvantage of using polyethylene and polypropylene substrates is that they lose their original shape over time and sag.

Expanded polystyrene pads are characterized by the optimal ratio of quality and cost. They are a good heat insulator, they dampen noise with high quality, and keep their shape for a long time. The disadvantage of such a material is that it emits formaldehyde and styrene during operation (in small quantities). Such fumes are not harmful to humans, but, as you understand, they do not bring benefits to our health.

The installation of the substrate material should be carried out on a well-leveled base. You need to remove the old coating and carefully inspect the condition of the floor. If it is even, you can immediately start laying the substrate. If on the basis there are tangible high-altitude differences, you will first have to make. The easiest way to perform this procedure is with the help of special self-leveling mortars. However, it is not at all necessary to equip one. You can also level it using classical technology, using a cement-sand screed.

Underlayment for laminate flooring

After leveling, thoroughly vacuum the floor. Laying the substrate under the laminate is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Cover the prepared base with a layer of vapor barrier. As such, a construction polyethylene film is usually used. It should be laid correctly - with a 4-5 cm overlap on the wall surfaces. Individual strips of film should overlap each other by 15 centimeters. The joints between them are fixed with adhesive tape.
2. At the bottom of the walls you need to mount a damper tape. It will level out the expansion of the material during its operation.
3. Now you need to properly lay the substrate. It is important to remember one thing here. The substrate product is always laid with the smooth side up (the corrugated side of the material must be in contact with the concrete or wooden floor base).
4. Lay out mats or roll out a roll on the floor. The edges of the substrate are joined end-to-end with construction tape.

Substrate products to the main floor are not fixed. They "float" with the laminate flooring. On this, the process of laying the substrate can be considered completed. Get Started with Laminate!